Hergest Lee

2
2
2

Presteigne, Wales

A stunning eco build and barn conversion wrapped in beautiful Welsh countryside, each perfect for a couple or family (2 + 2 kids apiece)

1 Bedroom

1 Bathroom

Child friendly

Parking

Walk to a pub

WiFi

Space & setting.

Swifts swoop, red kites hover and shire horses gallop slowly around a field: these are the everyday views at this pair of unique hideaways, surrounded by soft green hills and poetic ridges straddling the Anglo-Welsh border. The cedar cabin was designed and handcrafted by its owners; the eco build both blends into the natural landscape and startles the eye, its curved structure mirroring Hanter Hill opposite. Inside, a vintage-style bookcase is stuffed with great reads, sheepskins warm the floor and a leather sofa is perfectly distressed. Kids will love scaling the floating staircase to their mezzanine bedroom up top, while the romantic main bedroom boasts an antique rolltop bath gazing out of an enormous window.

Next door, the former threshing barn exudes character. Think sleek mid-century furniture, sloped ceilings and moodily lit nooks, enhanced by botanicals. Many elements were handmade by the owner — a woodwork designer: the cladding, the modular storage and floating cedar-wood stairs, which lead up to the cosy bedroom and brass-tapped tub. It’s luxe, loungey and hugely tempting to just hunker down with cocktails and a classic film. Like all the best holidays, days here just flow, a mix of walks along Offa’s Dyke path, wild swimming in rivers, and strolling to an award-winning pub for drinks and dinner.

Getting here: it’s best to drive.

Owner of Red Kite Cabin

“We fell in love with this beautiful area after stumbling across our now-favourite pub The Harp at Old Radnor! We used to go on long winter walks, then sit by the fire in the pub and dream of moving here and building a cluster of self-catering lets. When we saw a barn for sale we leapt at the chance. My background is in fashion and interiors PR. Paul is a woodwork designer, and designed and constructed the cabin himself.” Owner Rachael

My Kip favourites

She loves
“Getting up early, and sitting by the firepit as the sun comes up. Watching it rise over Wurzel Woods opposite and Hanter Hill is just spectacular.”

We love
The unique design of both units, both inside and out. It’s as far from cookie cutter as one could get, full of thoughtful little touches and interesting art.

You may not love
Both rentals are on a rustic courtyard but you are completely private. Sorry, no dogs.

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Plus gifts on arrival when you book with Kip.

  • "Wowzer! Bathing in the moonlight, looking up at the stars and hills. Well done Paul and Rachael, you have created something heavenly. Torn between telling others and keeping it secret! Thanks again."

    Nikki and Paul, Oct 2021
  • "Thank you very much for creating a beautiful space to be enjoyed by many! We have had the most special time here celebrating 1 year of engagement. The views are wonderful to wake up to and go to sleep to. Your recommendation of tThe Stagg for dinner was incredible (though we didn’t brave the walk there in the end). The bath is stunning!! It must have magical powers of rejuvenation! (Especially after our trek up the hill opposite!). We will definitely be booking again! Best wishes. P.s. Thank you so much for the lovely bottle of wine and eggs! We have truly loved our time here and really appreciate your hospitality."

    Lizzie and George, July 2021
  • "Simply wonderful, thank you."

    Joanna, Jonathan and Malia, July 2021
  • "I just wanted to write quickly to say thank you for such a wonderful weekend, and an enjoyable stay. We were really impressed with what you have created there, the little touches, and the offering as a whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts! Well done. We shall recommend to our friends far and wide, and hope to be back ourselves soon too. All the best with the future and the rest of the project on site."

    Julian, Hannah and George, June 2021
  • "Thanks for a lovely, peaceful and relaxed weekend in this quiet corner."

    Ali and Ian, June 2021
  • "Beautiful shelter, beautiful location. Thank you for opening this up for us to enjoy"

    Lorna and Paul, June 2021
  • "Thank you for having us. So glad we found this absolute gem in the beautiful Welsh hills!"

    Molly and Naomi, May 2021
  • Thank you for a wonderful stay - we have had a fab weekend.

    Jaimee and Phil, May 2021
  • "Hi Rachael and Paul, thank you so much for sharing your place with us. You live in a beautiful part of the world and we are of course envious and you have created something special to match. Thank you also for the excellent selection of books - we have happily browsed/read through some of them. Best library I've ever come across in a B&B/homestay/hotel (and I am very fussy about books). Do take care and all the best."

    Hannah and Dale, June 2021
  • "Thanks so much for a perfect anniversary stay in your beautiful cabin! We're going away feeling inspired and very creative! Good luck with all your projects too"

    Audra and Josh, May 2021
  • "Dear Rachel and Paul, thank you for your hospitality! What a lovely cabin! We had a blast. See you next time"

    Lori and Anthony, May 2021
  • "We have had a lovely stay in your beautiful cabin. A much needed getaway from the city post lockdown. Many thanks"

    Fraser and Val, May 2021
  • "Thank you so much for the most beautiful stay, you have created a lovely space in a stunning location. We spent most of our time on rightmove ha!"

    Emma and Gareth, May 2021
  • "Thank you for a beautiful stay in your gorgeous cabin. We loved marching up Hanter Hill and loved waking up to its view every morning too"

    Olivia, May 2021
  • "Thank you for hosting us in these strange times. We had the most wonderful stay. This cabin is truly magical"

    Mehraz and Dan, May 2021
  • "We had a lovely stay and will spread the word!"

    Gemma, Hattie, Sophie, Sally and Kayla, May 2021
  • "Thank you for our lovely stay!. It has been amazing, we can't fault anything! We hope we can come back again"

    May 2021
  • "The property itself is truly unique, set in a stunning and remote spot (which was exactly what we were looking for post lockdown) overlooking the picturesque Hanter Hill/Hergest Ridge. You can really tell that Paul and Rachael have poured their hearts and souls into this place, with Paul himself having designed and built it with his own hands. The result is pure charm, with immaculate attention to detail and lovely little touches throughout. Paul and Rachael were fantastic, very responsive, and provided us with great tips and advice on the local area, and even offered some fresh salad from their garden, which went down a treat with our dinner. And of course.... THAT bath!"

    Joe and Natalia, July 2020

Sustainability.

The cabin was built entirely from local timber, with eco heating panels. The barn was restored using local materials. Both with eco paints and varnishes.

Surrounds.

  • Radnor Valley Hideaways
  • Tall grass with hilltops in the distance
  • Countryside walks lead straight from the door. Climb Hengest Ridge for views all the way to the Malvern Hills and beyond. Stanner Rocks is a 1.5-2hrs round trip with stunning panoramas and wild horses at the top. Or amble through Wurzel Wood, an atmospheric woodland just behind the cabin.
  • For those keen to saddle-up themselves, there’s an excellent local stables and bridle paths joining the dots between valleys and woods.
  • The area’s full of great eateries. You can walk to The Harp (15 mins), which was voted Pub of The Year in 2020. Or drive to The Stagg at Titley for upmarket dining (halibut with fennel and squid, that sort of delicious thing).
  • Kids will love the Red Kite feeding centre at Gigrin, where you see the red kites descend in their thousands — really spectacular.
  • The owners love wild swimming and can point you to the best spots, including Wolf’s Leap, which has deep pools you can dive into from rocks.
  • Day trip to Hay-on-Wye for a wealth of bookshops and some brilliant little independents.

Specifics.

  • Bespoke private cabin and barn conversion on a small-holding, with paths straight to the countryside and woodland
  • Cabin:
    • Open-plan downstairs with 2 halves:
    • Kingsize bed, roll-top bathtub and ensuite shower bathroom (complimentary toiletries)
    • Small kitchen with basics provided and living area with sofa, modular fold up table, books, TV with Netlifx and DVD player
    • Mezzanine with floor mattresses 2 young kids
    • Fenced grassed garden, with firepit, BBQ and alfresco dining
  • Barn:
    • Semi detached with the owners’ house (note they have small children)
    • Bedroom with kingsize bed, in-room soaking tub, and 2 single bunks access by ladders
    • Child friendly; best for babes in arms and 4+ year olds
    • Downstairs shower bathroom; toiletries provided
    • Well-equipped kitchen with basic supplies
    • Dining table and sofa area with books, toys and board games
    • Private garden with BBQ and alfresco dining furniture
  • Please BYO travel cot/high chair
  • Sorry, no dogs
  • The owners live on-site, there if you need them
  • Walk to the pub, drive to shops and restaurants
  • Booking conditions: a 2-night minimum stay. Prices shown for 2 adults and up to 3 kids under 4. Kids over 4 or additional adults are charged £25pppn extra, and can be added on the booking form when making your booking.
  • Remember to pack: wellies or walking boots, charcoal if you plan to BBQ and a torch for going bat spotting at night!

Book your stay.

Surprise gift on arrival when you book with Kip!

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30% deposit, with the balance due 8 weeks prior to stay.
Cancellations permitted 8+ weeks prior to stay, with deposit refunded minus a £30 processing fee.
No refunds if booking cancelled within 8 weeks of stay.

FAQs.

The cabins are situated in a small hamlet. There are no shops here, the nearest town is 2.5 miles away.

We have fibreoptic broadband and 4g, excellent phone signal (although it can be a bit patchy on EE)!

Be sure to pack practical shoes/boots and a torch as its very dark here. The slope to the cabin can be slippy when wet so please be aware of this.

We have small children and we live next door in the big barn so you may hear them sometimes. We are converting the old threshing barn on site (which is attached to the Lean – To ) we do not work whilst we have guests staying but there may be some building supplies on site at some times.

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