Dolgadfa

Once you turn off the quiet country lane round onto the drive it’s immediately obvious that Dolgadfa is a bit special. The double fronted farmhouse and neighbouring barn flank two sides of a square courtyard. 

Manicured lawns and the River Dee provide a natural boundary on the opposite side. And all the time, that opulent sound of crunching gravel as the your car slowly rolls up to the front door. Ideally of course, you should be in a Range Rover and have at least one Labrador and two pairs of green Hunter wellies in the boot. But that’s not compulsory.

So already you’re feeling a bit posh and privileged and that continues once you step inside. My favorite room is immediately to the right of the front door of the main farmhouse. A magnificent dining room complete with open fire, mahogany furniture and ancient low wooden beams.

To the left is a smaller kitchen. The original oak panelled walls have been retained and provide testament to the historic significance of this 16th century farmhouse. A lovely traditional Aga set in the original inglenook fireplace is complimented by a more modern electric oven. A separate breakfast room provides the perfect refuge for early risers wanting a quiet cup of tea before the kids get up.

Further on we come to the snug. A small lounge complete with log burner overlooking the paddock and the river beyond. Also on the ground floor is a separate utility room with washing machine, tumble dryer and lazy made and a separate wc.

Upstairs the styling is more subtle. Three bedrooms in total. Two bedrooms have zip and link beds so can be made up as a twin or double. These share a dividing shower room and wc. The 3rd larger double bedroom has its own en-suite with bath and shower attachment. All the bedrooms have been tastefully furnished as you can imagine. Plush curtains and elegant antique pieces of furniture perpetuate the feeling of style and luxury.

Over to the barn next. A slightly more modern feel here as it’s a fairly recent conversion. But every bit as tasteful. I’m guessing guests might retire here after dinner as there’s a really big comfortable lounge with plenty of seating and yet another open fire. And don’t worry, the adjoining utility room has a handy fridge freezer for your ice, beer and wine. There is also a ground floor wc, so you should be set for the night.

Three more bedrooms upstairs in this part of the accommodation, all with their individual private bathrooms. The first bedroom is a large twin room which has a French door facing out across the river. The door has a great view but, best of all, it also lets the morning sun pour in at the start of every day. The spacious en-suite has a bath with shower attachment.

The second bedroom is a double and faces onto the courtyard. The original wooden structure of the barn having been left exposed. The adjoining bathroom again, has a full sized bath with shower attachment. Finally the third bedroom is another double with a handsome brass bed. The en-suite has a shower this time.

All the fixtures and fittings, furniture and linen are, of course, immaculately chosen. The rooms are homely without being cluttered and the blank canvas provided by the original barn means that the layout is practical and convenient.

Location

Dolgadfa’s fantastic location on the banks of the River Dee just outside Bala in Snowdonia befits this sumptuous property well. Part of the 2,500 acre Crogen Estate the accommodation has private access to some of the finest mature woodlands in Wales as well as the more traditional mountainous Snowdonia landscape. Private fishing rights to the river and grazing paddocks for horses are other benefits. (Grazing is available for guest horses but not stabling.)

There’s a traditional village pub just less than a mile away and a Michelin star restaurant just less than 2 miles away. So both walking distance just about, but bring a torch in winter.

The nearby town of Bala is a Mecca for adventure activities. More fishing opportunities present themselves at Llyn Tegid. Sailing and windsurfing are other popular pursuits there. White water rafting and kayaking is available at the world renowned Tryweryn white water centre. And the town itself is a wonderful mix of traditional welsh culture and contemporary shops and caffes.

Sitting as it does on the Eastern edge of the National Park, this part of Snowdonia has the natural benefit of being easily accessible from the English road network. Although saying that, costal towns such as Aberdyfi to the west and Snowdon itself to the North West are only an hours drive away.

Accommodation

Bedrooms:  6 bedrooms. Bed1, King Sized Bed (Can be made up as a twin). Bed2, King Sized Bed (Can be made up as a twin). Bed 3, King Sized Bed + Ensuite with Bath and shower attachment. Bed4, Twin Bed + Ensuite with Bath and shower attachment. Bed5, King Sized Bed. Bed6, King Sized Bed + Ensuite shower room.

Bathrooms:  Ground floor wc. Shower room + wc. En-suite bath with shower attachment + wc. Ground floor wc. En-suite bath with shower attachment + wc. Bathroom with shower attachment + wc. En-suite shower room + wc.