Long Meadow Shepherd Hut

A shepherd’s hut in a meadow at Llangorse, near Brecon

Long Meadow Shepherd Hut stands on its own in the middle of a meadow at Tal-y-llyn, in the parish of Llangors about six miles east of Brecon. It sleeps two. Guests on Booking.com score it 9.9 out of 10 and give the location full marks, which is not hard to believe once you have seen what is out of the windows.

Inside the hut

It is better finished than most. A curved ceiling boarded in white on an oak tie beam, with lighting hidden in the coving, cream walls above white tongue-and-groove, and a wide oak floor running the length of it. The bed is made up in white waffle cotton with towels folded on the corner. Windows at both ends have dark roller blinds and oak sills, so there are hills showing green through the glass wherever you sit.

A kitchen that actually cooks

The kitchen is a proper one, not a token. Navy shaker cupboards under an oak worktop, a stainless sink, a built-in oven with a black extractor hood over it, a kettle and a toaster, and a narrow breakfast bar with two grey stools. The wall cupboard holds frying pans, saucepans, a colander, a grater, chopping boards and a knife block. The bathroom is the hut’s own, with a shower behind a black-framed screen, a basin on an oak shelf and a heated towel rail.

The railed deck

A raised timber deck with black railings on oak posts runs across the front, with a round metal table and two folding chairs on it. In front is rough pasture with sheep in it, and along the horizon a level-topped mountain ridge. From the lane you see the hut over a red sandstone wall and black railings, on its cast iron wheels, with a great deal of sky above it. The larch cladding and the black rails are the only man-made things in the frame, which is the reason the location scores what it does.

Mynydd Troed and Mynydd Llangorse

The two humped hills between here and the Usk are Mynydd Troed at 609 metres and Mynydd Llangorse at 515. The path up Mynydd Troed starts from the pass on the lane between them, where there is room to leave a car. It is a short steep pull rather than a long day, about an hour up if you take your time. From the top you look down on Llangorse Lake on one side and along the whole line of the Black Mountains on the other. Mynydd Llangorse is the gentler of the two and starts from the same pass, so you can do one in the morning and the other after lunch.

Getting here

The A40 runs into Brecon in six miles, and that is where the market and the supermarkets are. Talgarth lies five miles north-east. No station is close enough to be useful, so a car is not optional here.

Good to know

How many does it sleep? Two, in one double bed.

Is the bathroom private? Yes, inside the hut.

Is there a full kitchen? Yes — oven, hob, fridge, sink, kettle, toaster and proper pans.

Is there a deck? Yes, raised and railed, with a table and chairs on it.

How far is Brecon? About six miles.

Is there parking? Yes, on site beside the hut.

Are dogs allowed? No — the owner does not take dogs.

Is it suitable for a walking holiday? Yes — it is a short drive to the pass where the paths up both hills begin.

What does it cost? From £110 a night for two, plus a £5 a night booking fee, and two nights minimum.