Battening Down the Hatches: Farm Life in Winter Prep Mode
Winter on the farm isn’t just about woolly socks and mugs of hot chocolate (though those are absolutely essential). It’s a season of preparation. The Zwartbles sheep—looking even more regal in their thick winter fleeces, the Swiss Valais with their snowy white curls—need extra care. Hay bales are stacked high, feed stores are checked, and shelters are reinforced (again!) against whatever the Welsh weather has in store.
The fields get their final tidy-up before the frosts settle in, and the farmhouse stores are stocked with firewood because, let’s be honest, nothing beats a roaring fire when the winds are howling outside. Meanwhile, the local wildlife is busy too—hedgehogs shuffling around for a cosy nook (hopefully they’ll find our hedgehog houses and dead hedge), birds fluffing up against the chill, and the foxes prowling a little closer as food gets scarce.
Winter at the Cabin: The Ultimate Cosy Retreat
While the farm gets practical, the cabin gets positively dreamy. There’s something magical about winter stays here—the crisp air, the scent of wood-smoke curling from the chimney, and that delicious feeling of being tucked away from the world.
Inside, it’s all about warmth and comfort. The handmade bed is layered up with thick blankets, the fire crackles away, and guests can curl up with a book while the frost patterns the windows outside. The wraparound porch still has its charm—even in the cold—especially with a thick jumper, a steaming mug of something delicious, and a view of the hills turning misty and mysterious.
And let’s talk about the woodfired hot tub. There’s nothing quite like slipping into the steaming water on a frosty evening, watching your breath curl into the night air as the stars put on their winter show. And for the brave? A quick dash to the new cold-water rainfall shower will certainly wake you up before diving back into the warmth!
The Beauty of a Welsh Winter
For those who love the great outdoors, winter in Mid Wales is a wonderland. Take The Radnor Forest, for example – I can be found wandering here often, and as much in winter as throughout the rest of the year. The landscapes take on a stark, breathtaking beauty—frost-covered fields, frozen puddles that crackle underfoot, and skies that shift from stormy grey to the most dazzling winter sunsets and crispy clear evenings make for excellent stargazing.
Offa’s Dyke Path becomes an adventure of a different kind—crunchy underfoot and often blissfully empty, save for the occasional red kite soaring overhead – who says picnic are for summer? Nearby, the woodlands of Knighton and the Elan Valley transform into frost-dusted fairytales, perfect for a bracing winter walk followed by a well-earned pub lunch by a roaring fire.
And then there’s the snow—the hush that falls when the first flakes settle, muffling the world into a peaceful stillness. It’s a different kind of quiet, the kind that makes you stop and just listen. Until, of course, the roof decides to let go of its snowy burden with a great whump, sending a cascade of powdery white tumbling down. That moment of surprise, followed by laughter, is all part of the charm of a winter’s day at Quabbs.
The Joy of Slowing Down
Winter at Quabbs is about embracing the slow. It’s about wrapping up in layers, savouring the crackle of the fire, and finding joy in the small things—like the first dusting of snow on the hills or the deep silence of a winter night. It’s a time to hibernate a little, to rest, to reset.
So, as the temperatures drop and the first snowflakes start to dance, we settle in—ready for another winter in this wild and wonderful corner of the world. And whether you visit to embrace the cold or escape into the warmth of the cabin, one thing’s for certain: winter at Quabbs is something truly special.