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Forget what happened to the Three Little Pigs. No wolf would have enough puff to blow down this eco-friendly cottage. The walls are made of more than 180 straw bales and the cedar shingle roof is stuffed with sheep wool, keeping it deliciously warm even in the depths of winter. Best of all, there’s no electricity or phone signal, so you can curl up by the wood-burning stove with a good book and zero FOMO.
Surrounded by rolling hills and ancient woodland, The Straw Cottage sits at the top of a meadow in a quiet corner of a big farm in Wales. It’s kitted it out with everything you could possibly need for an off-grid weekend, including a gas oven and fridge, a hot shower, candles, solar lights and a fire pit for toasting marshmallows under the inky night sky.
Pack a picnic and strike out into the countryside, explore the wild reservoirs and excellent trails of nearby Elan Valley, known as the Welsh Lake District, or just stay put to enjoy your rural idyll. Eat al fresco on the veranda while listening to the chattering birds and gurgle of the stream. We know what you’re thinking. And, yes, guests have been known to skinny-dip.
The Straw Cottage, Powys, Wales. From £390 for 3 nights.
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