Each room is named after an artist and decorated with old furniture rich contrasting fabrics and original paintings
Posted in General on 24. Jul, 2010
Each room is named after an artist and decorated with old furniture, rich, contrasting fabrics and original paintings. We’d also made a friend: Mrs Reed, mother of two adult children, former teacher of geography in Lancashire and now the manager and owner of Ynyshir Hall.The hotel has eight rooms and caters for “people who appreciate beauty”. But by the time my companion and I left, we’d sung to the sheep, eaten laver bread (seaweed and oats) and drunk camomile tea on the lawn. I didn’t know what to expect of the hotel, either – except that one of the owners was an artist and had his own paintings displayed on every wall. But the sniffy teenager and the butch guy who swore were forgotten the moment we stepped off the train.
I didn’t know anything about the area – except that it would be quaint and full of sheep.
It had been a long slog up from London – four and a half hours on the train. Warm hallos were exchanged and the scent of wood polish, coffee and open fires inhaled. We had arrived at the weekend retreat Ynyshir Hall, buried snugly between a bird reserve and the market town of Machynlleth, Mid Wales It was like sinking into a warm feather bed. The night was completely black – no street lights, no building lights The air smelt of grass.
Silence, until the loud “Baaaaaaa!” of a sheep burst through the bracken The front door opened Colour blazed. The instructors reckon that on average it takes a week to learn how to hang-glide properly, but it is possible to fly off the mountain after three sessions if you’re good enough.Who to askThe French Government Tourist Office, 178 Piccadilly, London W1V 0AL (0891 244123). Prices start at 250 francs (about pounds 32) a session, which includes tuition, basic equipment and insurance. Hamilton Travel (0171 344 3344) has a fare of pounds 167 from London on Swissair.Where to learnThe flying school, L’Ecole de Vol Libre du Poupet, (00 33 84 73 04 56) is open all year.