Further Information
What is a bunkhouse?
According to Webster, a bunkhouse is a 'rough, simple building providing sleeping quarters'. Our bunkhouses are wooden barns with heating and comfortable single bed width bunks. There is a well-equipped kitchen, a common-room and two toilet/shower rooms with power showers. The bunkhouses are situated among the nature reserve's trees, streams and ponds and are very quiet with the nearest main road nearly two miles away and hundreds of miles of beautiful, unspoilt national park all around. Evenings are spent sitting round a fire, watching spectacular skies (no light pollution) and listening to nocturnal wildlife. These are genuine rural bunkhouses, offering a comfortable and therapeutic 'back to nature' experience. We guarantee you will leave feeling spiritually refreshed!
The bunkrooms
The main bunkhouse is a converted wooden barn which has two bedrooms. The bunks are pine with comfortable, fully sprung mattresses. All rooms are heated and insulated. Additionally, there are another two smaller bunkhouses on the nature reserve. If you don't wish to share with other guests you can book the whole facility or one of the bunkhouses or rooms. Please ring 01650 531329 for configurations and rates.
Arrangements can also be made for tent camping on the property.
Please contact us if you have any questions about our group accommodation and facilities. We try to be flexible in accommodating your group's needs in any way we can.
Nature Reserve
Bwlchcoediog’s 25 acre nature reserve has an abundance of flora and fauna, including more than 40 bird species, in a diversity of habitats. There are three ponds with frogs, newts and lots of invertebrates including several species of damselfly and dragonfly. Birds found on and around our ponds include mallard ducklings in spring, pied flycatcher and swallow families in summer, herons, willow warblers and even the occasional dipper. Bats can also be seen over the big pond at dusk. Our woodlands have a variety of native deciduous trees and in spring are carpeted with a beautiful display of bluebells. We have 20 nest boxes in our woodlands which have housed many successful broods of blue tits, great tits, nuthatches and pied flycatchers. Our grasslands which are left ungrazed in spring and summer are filled with meadow brown and ringlet butterflies in summer as well as a myriad of other fascinating invertebrates! Wildlife can even be enjoyed without expending any energy! From your seat on the bunkhouse deck you can watch the daily visitors to our bird feeders including siskins, nuthatches, woodpeckers, coal tits and greenfinches. Above you buzzards circle and occasionally red kites appear overhead. If you would like to learn more about Bwlchcoediog’s wildlife then why not attend one of our Nature Weekends? These are fully catered weekends with walks and talks on local flora and fauna. Please click here to request further information.
Environmental policy
Bwlchcoediog bunkhouse tries to minimise its ecological footprint by conserving and recycling as much as possible. We provide recycling and composting bins for guests, water-saving toilets and use eco-friendly construction materials where possible. We encourage guests to arrive in the minimum number of vehicles, conserve energy, recycle and compost packaging and food scraps.
Rates and Booking
The larger your group and the longer your stay, the lower the nightly rate. Please contact us for preferential rates for 6 or more people staying more than 3 nights.
To book, email info@bwlchcoediog-bunkhouse.com or call 01650 531329 with your preferred dates and numbers. We will confirm availability, but can not reserve beds without a deposit. The deposit can be paid online or via telephone banking directly to our bank account.
If you have already confirmed availability with us by telephone or email and wish to make payment by credit card, click the secure link below. Please note: add 5% to the total to cover the handling charge.
Parking and Cars
There is plenty of parking, but we ask your group come in as few cars as possible, mini-buses if you are a large group. Thanks.
What to bring
Main items in addition to your regular array of travel items and outdoor activity gear:
Warm sleeping bag, pillowcase, waterproof boots, towel, torch, OS Map, food condiments, special dietary items, paper towel, washing up liquid, soap etc. Cooking and dining equipment provided.
Food, if not planning to eat out at local pubs all the time. There's a local shop with many items, but main supermarkets are 25-30 minutes away.
Clothes and about the weather:
Mountain weather in North Wales means you can have sun, rain and snow, all in the same afternoon and nearly year-round. The weather can differ from one valley to the next so be prepared. Pack and have with you layers of clothing so you can change on the spot if the weather does. Bring waterproof boots and clothes.
Hiking, walking, cycling and climbing
Our area is first class walking country with lots of walks for every ability, all with stunning scenery and far reaching views. For mountain-lovers Cadair Idris is just a short drive and there are routes up the Arans from the neighbouring valley. There are plenty of walks from the bunkhouse or a short drive away, easy to difficult. For mountain bikers there are plenty of farm tracks and bridleways and nearby Coed y Brenin is popular for forest mountain biking. Road cyclists can enjoy miles of quiet country lanes in the valleys around us. There is also excellent climbing at Cywarch crags in the next valley.
Local pubs/food and attractions
Pubs and dining can be found in the two nearby villages Mallwyd and Dinas Mawddwy within 3 miles of the bunkhouse. Nearest is the Brigand's Inn in Mallwyd (tel- 01650 511999), a pub/restaurant and hotel 2 miles away. The Red Lion/Llew Coch in Dinas Mawddwy (tel-01650 531247) pub/restaurant can also provide meeting space for your group. In addition there is the Dolbrodmaeth Riverside Hotel, tel-01650 531333) for food, meeting space/events and live music from time to time.
Sightseeing
Machynlleth is 20-25 minutes southwest depending on traffic, Dolgellau about the same northwest. Welshpool 45 minutes due east. All have restaurants and shops. The seaside (Barmouth, Aberdovey etc.) is about 40 minutes due West. There are many popular tourist attractions and scenic areas within an hours drive. Visit the Welsh Tourist offices in either Machynlleth or Dolgellau for more details. The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) is one of our local favorites.
Bwlchcoediog Isaf,
Cwm Cewydd,
Machynlleth,
Powys,
Wales
SY20 9EE
Phone/Fax : 01650 531329
e-mail : info@bwlchcoediog-bunkhouse.com
Directions
At the Mallwyd roundabout (where the Brigands Inn is), at the intersection of the A470 and A458, take the A458 towards Welshpool. In a 1/2 mile, go over a little stone bridge and take the next left. (Coming from Welshpool you'll probably miss the turning completely, go down to the roundabout and come back). At the T junction make another left then take almost an immediate right. Go up this single lane road for about a mile or so. You'll see a stone house and barn on your left, keep going, passing a stone cottage on your left after a slight incline. The next house on your right, a white house with brown barns, is us. Look for small white sign on right saying Bwlchcoediog Nature reserve. Open wooden gate and park near the barns.
For a detailed map visit www.multimap.com and type in postcode SY209EE. Note: the house circled is incorrect! The next one up on the right is ours!
Copyright 2005 Bwlchcoediog Bunkhouse
Copyright 2005 Bwlchcoediog Bunkhouse
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