Croeso

April is a lovely time to be heading into the hills of Radnorshire, here in Powys, mid Wales.

The valley is just beginning to wake. There is a little more warmth in the days, a softness in the air, and that sense that everything is starting to move again after the long pull of winter. Up here, though, the weather still has its say. Hail can give way to bright sunshine within minutes, and nights remain properly cold, so do bring warm socks, good layers, and a readiness for all of it. We have facilities here to keep you warm, dry and comfortable, but you are, in every sense, out in it.

This note gathers a few helpful things ahead of your stay.

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Arriving

Campsite check-in is from 2pm.
The Cottage and Lodge are available from 3pm.
Yurts are available from 4pm.

Campsite arrivals

When you arrive, head to reception and we will get you settled in. In early spring we are often out on the farm as the season turns, so if we are not immediately there, you will find a simple self check-in set up for you. Just follow the instructions on the desk and everything will make sense. We are never far away.

Self-catering arrivals

Please follow the instructions in your pre-arrival email. You should find everything you need to settle in quickly, but if anything is unclear, please get in touch using the details in your welcome pack.

A few things for everyone on arrival

• Please drive very slowly across the site.
• Take a moment to look around, read the notices, and settle in.
• If you have any questions at all, just ask.

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Getting here

We are just outside Builth Wells, tucked into the hills of Radnorshire, right on the edge of the Welsh uplands. The roads in are good from all directions, and we sit directly off the A481.

Please DON'T use our postcode for your SatNav.  The easiest way to find us is to enter Fforest Fields into your maps tool (i.e Google Maps), which should bring you directly to the site. 

Travel Tips

Arriving from the North

If travelling Newtown way, Sat Nav will suggest you head up on the A483 via Crossgates, and while its a beautiful route and perfectly usable, sometimes, at the end of a long journey it can feel a bit 'wiggly'.  We suggest you continue on the A470 along the Newtown Bypass and head towards Rhayader, Builth and then up to Hundred House on the A481.  There really are only 10 minutes difference between the routes (even though the Rhayader route looks longer).  

Here is it that route on a map.

Arriving from the South

If travelling via Brecon way (A470), SatNav will suggest you take the bride at Erwood, and join the A481 after Builth. This way is absolutely lovely, but the last turning onto the A481 is a slightly tricky hill start onto a bend, if towing and you want to avoid that, we suggest you continue from Erwood to Builth and then come up from Llanelwedd on the A481.  There is only a few minutes difference.

Here is that route on a map.

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The landscape

This is a real working farm set within a wide, open valley. The Edw carries both deep geological time and a long human story, from the shaping of the land through meltwater to the old drovers’ routes where cattle were once guided across these hills to market.

It is a place that reveals itself slowly rather than all at once.

The ground can be uneven and the weather moves quickly, so you may find sunshine, wind, and a passing shower all arriving within the same hour. Good footwear makes a real difference.

There are easy paths around the lake and along the lower tracks which suit all ages and abilities. If you want to go further, you can walk for miles directly from your pitch without crossing a road. Mountain bikers tend to be very happy here too, so if you were wondering whether to bring the gear, the answer is yes.

Even now, warm layers are still very much worth having to hand. Once the sun drops behind the hill, the temperature follows.

A note on the woodland

You may notice some tree work taking place while you are here.

We are carefully managing sections of woodland, opening up light, reducing fire risk, and improving long-term health. It is part of a bigger ongoing effort to look after this place properly and shape the landscape so it can thrive over time.

It is a substantial job. We keep things as calm and contained as we can around guests, but you may occasionally hear machinery in the distance, as sound carries here more than you might expect. We hope to be finished in the coming weeks, although these jobs do not always run exactly to plan.

We are hoping to share more this year about the work we are doing on the ground here, and the thinking behind the decisions we take.

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Pitches and groups

To help the site feel calm and spacious, we allow up to three pitches together. It helps protect the sense of space that people come here for.

We have loved hosting bigger groups over the years, but in practice found them difficult to manage well within the feel of the site.

If you have booked more than this and think it may have been missed at the time of booking, please get in touch as soon as you can and we will help sort things out.

Please contact us at office@fforestfields.co.uk

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Food, coffee shop and bar

April sits just before everything fully opens up, so things are a little quieter on the food front at this time of year.

Outside of Easter, the coffee shop will mostly be closed. If the weather turns particularly good or the site fills up, we may open from time to time, but it is best to plan as if it will not be.

Over Easter, opening times will be:

Friday 3 April
4pm–9pm
A few pizza slots are still available to book on fforestfields.co.uk

Saturday 4 April and Sunday 5 April
9am–1pm and 4pm–9pm

Monday 6 April
9am–2pm

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The Fforwm & Field Club

Over the past year, new spaces have begun to take shape on the land, the Dome, the Nook, and more recently the pool. They have already hosted everything from quiet working and workshops to gatherings and film nights.

If you have an idea, or would like to use or hire the space during your stay, we would love to hear from you.

Field Club begins again towards the end of April, details will be released. It is a simple thing, mornings outside, a bit of movement, a bit of noticing, and an easy way to fall into the rhythm of being here.

Our season launches properly in May.

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This shared place

Fforest Fields is a quiet, shared landscape, and most people come here for exactly that, the space, the stillness, and the chance to step out of the pace of things for a while.

We trust everyone to look after that together. In practice, that means leaving no trace, picking up after your dog, and being mindful of others around you.

We try not to fill the place with rules. When people meet the landscape, and each other, in the right way, it tends to work beautifully.

Before you arrive, please do take a moment to read through our guidance on spending time here, both the risks and the rewards of being in a landscape like this.

Fforest Hosts

If you need anything at all, just speak to a member of the team.

The Duty Warden’s number will be on the desk, and reception is open through the day, even if we are occasionally out and about.

We are really looking forward to welcoming you here.

Fforest Fields