In 1994 we purchased 2 acres of land in the beautiful village of Coed y Paen so that our 4 children could keep horses. We built 4 stables and a tack room (now Hawthorn Lodge) and a barn and foaling box (now Blackthorn Lodge) on the land and soon for our children it became their second home and a very special place as they practically grew up there surrounded by animals, wildlife and great country walks. When our children grew up we converted Blackthorn Lodge into a holiday let (2010) and we designed and furnished to our own high standards. A few years later we created Hawthorn Lodge too. We are constantly adding to it based on feedback from our guests and many return year after year as it has become a home from home for them too.

We've been hosts since 2010 and the best part about it is getting to meet so many lovely people from all over the world and sharing Blackthorn Meadow with them. We are on hand if help or advice is needed and always do our best to ensure that everything is there for your stay. We check on a daily basis whether you need more wood for the multi-fuel fire or whether you would like some free free-range eggs from our hens (subject to availability) but also respect your privacy.

There are lots of great places to visit and although we are rural we are only a very short distance from modern shopping centres, villages and most importantly within a short walking distance of Llandegfedd Reservoir's Visitor and Watersports Centre where you can either indulge yourself in sporting pursuits, fish or relax and watch the world go by while enjoying their popular Bara Brith, Welsh cakes or homemade scones, or their full-English breakfast, wide range of sandwiches, food to go or of course meals like fish and chips etc, We are also less than 10 minutes walk from the Carpenters' Arms public house and restaurant and less than 10 minutes drive to the Farmer's Arms public house and restaurant and Greenmeadow Golf and Country Club. Other places to visit include Cwmbran Boating Lake, Blaenavon World Hertitage Centre, Usk's rural life museum (also Roman Fort (ruins), cofffee shops, range of small traditional art and craft shops) and Caerleon's Roman legionary fortress of Isca as they are only a short driving distance away. No visit to Wales is complete without a visit to Cardiff's St Fagan's National History Museum a leading open-air museum (in the castle grounds).