Discover a holiday retreat on the Llyn Peninsula that you’ll want to return to again and again.
It’s a view you could stare at for a very long time. Sitting on the patio of our Natural Retreats converted farm building, ‘The Tack House’, our gaze caught the arc of the bay at the end of which lies Porthdinllaen. Later we would walk along that beach to the little cluster of cottages around the Ty Coch pub - one of those rare seaside pubs like the Pilchard Inn at Bigbury, Devon, which once seen is never forgotten.
The beauty of this edge of the Llyn Peninsula as we walk from The Tack House at Nefyn along the Wales Coastal Path is breathtaking. Just yards away is St. Beuno’s Church, Pistyll, an austere tiny chapel with rushes on the floor and shaggy Welsh Mountain goats strolling around the graveyard. Here lie the remains of the great actor Rupert Davies, famous as Maigret in the original TV series.
As the coastal path climbs upwards we look back and see the fields falling in folds like green velvet down to the sea. The location of this Natural Retreats accommodation is an exceptional spot. Nefyn Bay boasts sandy beaches, fascinating historic sites, harbour villages and a spectacular golf club which boasts the Snowdonia mountains as its backdrop.
During our week the weather was as glorious as it could be in the UK in Spring: clear blue skies and piercing sunshine. We made the most of it, but back inside our impressively appointed holiday home, we agreed that if it had rained buckets it would have been little hardship to remain indoors enjoying all the creature comforts.
No expense has been spared. The styling of the decor is along the minimalist lines but using high-end natural fabrics (like wood, stone, cotton) where possible. Designed by Ray Hole Architects, the company behind the Hafod Eryri Visitor Centre at the summit of Mount Snowdon, each residence has been carefully placed within the amphitheatre-shaped landscape to capture uninterrupted sea views from the living area and master bedroom. From here, full height picture windows open onto a generous external landscaped terrace that runs the full width of every property.
Materials have been carefully selected from local sustainable sources to create a well-insulated and low maintenance exterior. The kitchen area (up steps from the large split-level style sitting room) boasts a Neff oven, Neff coffee maker, Neff microwave...
The bathroom and en suite facilites could grace any top hotel and all linen, towels and toiletries are in the luxury bracket. There’s Wi-fi too so you can check your work emails if you wish... The generous welcome pack includes locally produced gourmet goodies like jams and hand-made biscuits. The attentions of our concierge, Cheryl, was helpful. She acted like a hotel receptionist suggesting good places to dine and answering our queries.
Natural Retreats is a residence club, an arrangement which used to be referred to as ‘time share’. But sharp practices by some operators with less than scrupulous standards and a reputation for giving potential clients the hard sell made the term ‘time share’ something of a dirty word. Natural Retreats is a world away from all that. This reputable company has sites in several beautiful UK settings including Fistral Beach in North Cornwall, the Yorkshire Dales, Trewhiddle in Cornwall and places in Europe and America. Great flexibility is allowed so that clients can chop and change their stays, often at no extra charge.
Prices of weeks purchased depends on location, the season and size of residence. Prices start from £4,580 for a three-bedroom residence at their Yorkshire Dales development in low season.
Natural Retreats, Pistyll Farm, Pistyll, Gwynedd, North Wales, LL53 6LR.
For further details about Natural Retreats visit www.naturalretreats.com or email info@naturalretreats.com or call 0844 3843166
