Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
32
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Details
Description
Update: From October to April we will only be able to host someone staying in their own campervan or caravan.
We are a mother and daughter team living in a stunning, rural part of south west Wales near the Brechfa Forest and moorland in Carmarthenshire. We have an extended family of pets including horses, ponies, cats, dogs and ducks mostly rescued.
Two years ago we moved into a neglected 18 acre smallholding. We are looking for help to support us doing things like: gardening, decorating, repairing out buildings, clearing overgrown areas, field fencing, caring for and expanding our vegetable garden, building work, generally setting up and bringing back to life a smallholding. We would love help with any of these. If you have some experience great but if not we will happily teach willing helpers.
There is plenty of opportunity to enjoy the copious wildlife. We often watch red kites and buzzards hovering above the fields. We can see foxes, badgers and sometimes glimpse a deer, or see the many rabbits close up. There are plenty of bats around too in the evenings. We love looking after animals and gardening, preferring a wildlife friendly garden approach.
Future projects include constructing a cordwood wall from our own timber, putting up a greenhouse, lots of new fencing and mending existing fences, planting hedges, planting up veg/fruit garden, constructing a blockwork wall and paths, creating new veg beds and building a little shower room. Any help would be greatly appreciated. In return we aim to offer a place to stay that benefits from a lovely location, share our meals with you and support you to enjoy the local area. We are vegetarian so meals are veggie based.
The smallholding is amongst mature trees and hedges with wildflowers all around. There are good views as well as sheltered, private areas to enjoy, a pretty natural area of ferns, trees and flowers surrounding the house and stables area, many fields to explore including a wildflower meadow. There are beautiful walks to enjoy in the local forest or adjoining 200 acres of SSSI ( Site of special scientific interest) moorland. Mountain bike trails are close by too as are castles, botanical gardens, etc
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I am happy to help with learning to speak English and enjoy meeting new people and chatting about a variety of subjects. Pleased to share my knowledge of plants and animals, local history and customs.
Help
Ideally help is for 4 to 5 hours 5 days a week but can be flexible as to when. Looking for anyone who is good at DIY and odd jobs eg. new fencing and mending existing fences/hedges, making and fixing gates, doors (carpentry skills most welcome), building, gardening, decorating. However there are plenty of less skilled tasks to be done such as, digging, making paths and steps, painting, weeding, clearing and reorganizing sheds and planting etc. There is plenty of general smallholding work such as helping with ducks, ponies and horses.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We currently have camping facilities available for workawayers. We have constructed an eco compost loo in a little wooden shed. There is also a gas heated shower and second compost loo in a pretty woodland setting. A small van which works well as a sleeping area ideal for one person along with an undercover seating area, tucked away under an old oak tree and fairly secluded amongst bushes. There is an adapted stable with electric point. kettle. fridge, microwave, coffee maker, chairs etc.
There is wifi signal just outside the house, but it doesn't reach the tent. Phone signal can be patchy here but we generally get one or two bars signal in various places about the property with a fair few providers.
Three good meals a day are provided but breakfast is provided but we ask you to prepare it yourself.
What else ...
We are on the edge of the beautiful Brechfa Forest with many hiking paths and mountain bike trails to explore. There is a 200 acre SSSI site next to us where wildlife abounds. There are a number of gardens to visit in the locality including the Welsh national botanical gardens , Norwood and Aberglasney. Castles are another fascinating feature. If you do not have your own transport it would be good to be aware that we are a mile and a half from the nearest bus route. and approximately 6 miles from a train station. We do go out several times a week and could give a lift then but our life is centered around home. Although we enjoy company and getting to know new people we also need times of privacy and respect yours so there will be plenty of time for you to enjoy the lovely surroundings.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We would love to host travellers with their own vans too. We have a carpark with space for 2 vans up to long wheel base size or luton.
Can possibly accept pets
Can possibly accept pets if good with other dogs, ducks, cats and horses etc.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
4 to 5 hours a day, 5 days a week (25hrs max)
Feedback (15)
Anaïs
Liz was well organised and thorough. with cleaning work She mainly helped in the veg plot with weeding, planting out veg and potting on in the greenhouse showing a good knowledge… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.8)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(5.0)
Anaïs
Liz was well organised and thorough. with cleaning work She mainly helped in the veg plot with weeding, planting out veg and potting on in the greenhouse showing a good knowledge… read more
Eira and family are really lovely people, welcoming, easy to get along with and very reasonable with regards to the work expected.
They taught us about the different flowers and edible herbs that grow wild on the land, we… read more
Eira, Kirsty & Tim have many interesting projects developing on their land, and I thoroughly enjoyed working and staying with them. Their generosity, kindness and good company were wonderful. I look forward to returning in the spring.
This opportunity is perfect for animal and outdoor lovers, as they have ponies, horses, chickens, cats and very friendly dogs. We learnt a lot about… read more
During my time on their smallholding, I was mainly trench digging and clearing/organising the yard area. The… read more
They treat you as family making sure your well fed! Well rested and working at a steady rate!
There is always work to do and each day is different! Weather that's moving objects or sweeping!
I've throughly enjoyed my experience at there place! Winter… read more
Work I did included digging trenches to redirect water, digging steps to make slippery banks accessible, weatherproofing the sheds, and burning brush. The house and sheds are… read more
One… read more
Thank-you for all your help Laura and all the best with your workaway experiences.
A polite, happy and reliable young man. We really… read more
Thank-you Katie for all your help, especially getting on top of the weeding which… read more
Your love of nature and wildlife plus our pets was most refreshing.
It was a pleasure to get to know you… read more
His spoken English is very good contrary to what he says in his profile, and he's learning fast.
We hope he will visit us again one day.
