Self Catering Barn Dyffryn Ardudwy in Snowdonia | Moelfre

Moelfre, Self Catering Barn Dyffryn Ardudwy, named after the mountain behind the cottage, is a one bedroom barn conversion on a working welsh hill farm. It's difficult for me to be objective when describing Moelfre as it's one of the two self catering cottages that we let out ourselves here at Byrdir. But I hope you'll agree when I say they're nicely furnished and decorated. We're certainly very proud with the way they've turned out.

Using local craftsmen to completely rebuild an old disused barn, has meant that we've been able to use as much natural and local material as possible. Nick and Adam did most of the structural work including laying the natural slate tiles on our heated floor. Mike, a carpenter from the village, hand carved the oak trusses and glazed gable end. Whilst stonemasons Charlie and Rich, two brothers and friends of ours, did a brilliant job of the external granite stone work. (I was allowed to help with the backbreaking but unskilled work of fetching the stones from the fields.)

We've designed the barn with a ‘grogloft' or sleeping deck up in the eaves of the barn. The velux window up there has a brilliant view over the farm, Moelfre and the Rhinog Mountains. The living area downstairs has an open kitchen. We've tried to include everything you'll need such as a combination oven, hob and dishwasher. The underfloor heating provides more than enough heat but we've also installed a cast iron log burner to help create that romantic atmosphere. The French doors open to a fantastic view of the Cambrian coast line and the Llyn Peninsula beyond.

We've tried to buy the best fixtures and fittings possible. Including hand made brass lamps, oak furniture and real leather sofas. The bathroom has been kitted out with a powerful thermostatic shower and expensive taps etc. But more importantly perhaps we'd like to think that we've invested some time and effort into smaller projects like renovating an old cast iron radiator for the bathroom, making the curtains by hand, restoring some old furniture bought at our local auction and buying some nice ornaments made by friends and neighbours.