Discoverglamping.com interview with Amy from Gwalia Farm
Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
Hi! I’m Amy and I’ve set up the Cabin on the Lake with my partner Dee, we’re both 33. I’m from Wales and Dee is from Nairn, near Inverness.
We met when I was living in Scotland then, after 4 years made the big move back to Wales last summer. I haven’t lived in Wales since I left home 15 years ago
Have you always wanted to run a glamping site? How did you get interested in it?
We’ve only just opened. The Cabin on the Lake at Gwalia Farm has been open since the 9th of May 2014 and we’re really excited about it!
We’ve been pondering what to do at the farm for a while and we have such a beautiful spot to share with people we decided to develop and open the Cabin.
What made you pick the location for your glamping site?
I was born here! My parents moved to Gwalia in 1979 to create a smallholding and they practised self-sufficiency by growing veg, goats, sheep and chickens.
When I left home at 18 I thought I’d never come back. I was destined to live in the city with the hustle and bustle. But as time passed I started to realise how special Gwalia is and as a family we discussed the options for me to come back and support my mum and dad as they need to wind down. Managing the smallholding and the house is a lot of work.
We were so lucky that mum and dad created such a lovely space. When they arrived it was just a patch of boggy farm land, but they were keen to support the wildlife and the land offered poor grazing so they planted woodland and created the lakes.
Much of the woodland now is self-seeded which happens as soon as grazing is stopped. It’s quite amazing to see the difference 30 years can make.
Luckily for me Dee was keen! She hasn’t been self-employed before but she loves the freedom it brings and is very much enjoying creating this amazing space for our guests.
Do you get a wide range of different people from different walks of life or is there certain types of guests who come to stay at your site?
We specialise in romantic escapes for couples. The Cabin is situated in such a stunning spot and is relatively small. Being a lakeside location with lots of little paths and bridges it is not suitable for small children and by including the private hot tub we hope we have created the ideal, secluded, romantic glamping experience.
We have been delighted that many people are booking surprise romantic retreats for their partners. We’ve helping people celebrate all sorts of special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries and honeymoons.
When guests stay, do they usually cook on site or do you find a lot like to go exploring and eat out at local places?
The Cabin has a well-equipped kitchen with gorgeous copper pans. It is a wonderful place to sit and eat, most of our guests choose to cook for themselves and enjoy the views, the peace, the serenity and the romance.
The covered outdoor seating area means you can sit outside on the decking in all but the most extreme weather. We also have a fire pit with a grid for barbequing or cooking on the open fire for that extra bit of romance.
There is also a pub serving meals in the nearest village which is a pleasant 1.5 mile walk away and a few extremely good restaurants just a short drive away (we keep a list of the highly recommended ones in the “Cabin Manual”).
By the end of the summer we’ll be offering “luxury meal hampers”. These are tasty, part prepared meals so you won’t have to prepare recipes, do the shopping, the chopping or any of the prep – just add the pre-prepared ingredients into the pan(s) in the right order.
All the joy of al-fresco cooking with very little effort! We’re also offering breakfast hampers and BBQ hampers full of delicious local or home grown or homemade treats.
If there was one activity to participate in, landmark, or place of interest that you would recommend guests visit while staying at your site, what would it be and why?
Mid Wales is a beautiful place and depending on what activities you like I’d most recommend spending some time in the outdoors.
Climbing Cadair Idris is a brilliant way to spend a few hours and really get a feel of how fantastic Snowdonia is, it’s a marked trail so you don’t need to be an expert map reader. If you’re into mountain biking the nearby Climachx trail is awesome.
What do you think sets your glamping site apart from others?
We think the Cabin on the Lake is really special. It’s on a Lake! It has a hot tub! This is such an amazing, secluded, peaceful spot.
The Cabin and The Lake are completely private for you for the whole of your visit.
What has been the most memorable moment that has happened on your glamping site?
Well it’s been quite memorable for us! Dee and I were married at Gwalia and spent our wedding night in the Cabin. It was before its renovation so not quite the luxury that is now, but the setting was just as beautiful.
Hopefully over the summer our guests will also have a memorable time, we have had many bookings for anniversaries, special birthdays and mini-mooners.
Do you provide any services/entertainment/activities onsite or elsewhere for your guests?
We are completely focussed on making our visitor’s escape to Gwalia prefect and wonderful as such we’re open to any suggestions or requests from our guests for extra services.
What plans (if any) do you have for your glamping site in the future?
We’re pondering over a couple of options. We have a second lake (the “top lake”) and have an idea for another cabin.
Also, we’re in the early stages of planning the “Cabin in the Trees” which would be a luxury wood and glass design with its glass rear view directly of woods, and wildlife. With its’ own private hot tub of course!
We’re very clear that we don’t want to over extend though – one of the things that makes Gwalia so special is the privacy and seclusion of the Cabin and we wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise that.
