News, news, news: Roch Mill and Granary holiday cottage have gone "Green". In the last six months we have installed solar hot water, solar PV and a ground source heat pump. Follow the link to Going Green to read more.
Situated inside Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
The Granary at Roch Mill
is close to Newgale beach and Solva on the edge of St Davids peninsular.
This delightful cottage is ideal for a couple or small family, though it can accommodate up to
four adults if required*. The Granary comprises three rooms: a bedroom, shower room and a
large living area divided tastefully into three zones for cooking, dining and relaxing. Part
of the Granary's charm lies in its creative design. The bedroom, for example, includes a
"croglofft" sleeping space for two children, which is located above a king-sized
bed.
The croglofft is accessed by a short but steep paddle-tread stair and, because of restricted
head room, is best suited to children under about twelve. See
Accommodation
*There is also a full-size double sofa-bed in the living area.
Is the Granary too small or do you want to bring a pet? - Perhaps our friends Jacqui and John at Rosemoor will have a cottage better suited to your needs.
Extensive use has been made of natural materials in the Granary such as slate floors and oak doors and we have reused many of the original timbers in inventive ways. The holiday cottage is fully equipped with a cooker, microwave, fridge, TV, DVD and Hi-Fi and is furnished to a very high standard. A shower room completes the accommodation. Under-floor heating, hot water and electricity are all fully included in the price. New for 2012 we have added a washer and drier in the utility room. There is also a lockable storage room for bikes, surf-boards wet suits etc. .
Of course the
Pembrokeshire weather
is superb all year round, but just in case you should hit a cool spell the Granary
self-catering holiday cottage is fitted with under-floor heating throughout and, for that cosy
feel, a wood-burning stove. For today's local weather see
BBC Weather
Immediately outside the front door is a seat and picnic table overlooking the water wheel and beautiful Roch Mill gardens. These are enhanced by the lower mill-race which meanders through them. Beyond the lawn the gardens are bounded by the Brandybrook river and two large ponds.
We have all manner of wildlife here at the Mill, both resident and passing through our six-acre patch. Pheasants abound, probably taking refuge from the local "shoots". Amazingly, in September we had a stork (yes a STORK) resting on the mill roof. Sorry, no photo as the visitation was observed by neighbours while we were out.
For a few days in Spring we had an otter swimming in the pond and even caught a fleeting glimpse of an otter pup. We think that "mum" was raising a brood under our upturned boat, but the onset of grass cutting was just too noisy for her.
In about February each year a pair of Canada geese fly in to breed on our island in the big pond. And every year we greet them with mixed blessings. Who can deny the charming sight of a "squeek" of goslings sunning themselves on the riverbank? But, they do make a mess, such a mess. On the plus side, they help to keep the grass down as they eat almost continuously, but what goes in one end ....!
We also have a resident kingfisher, but he's hard to spot. From occasional sightings near the bridge we think there might be a pair of them nesting in the tail-race tunnel.
visits