Dogs Love Holidays

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

Dogs Love Holidays, Hafren Forest.
Review by Jo Southway

Located in Hafren Forest, Wales and advertised as being ‘The perfect sanctuary for all dogs to come and holiday, but most especially those dogs that can find certain aspects of their world overwhelming and stressful’. It made Dogs Love an obvious choice as a dog friendly holiday destination.  South of Snowdonia but close enough to take day trips there and within reach of the beaches of West Wales for some sea air. The minute you step foot inside you get a taste of what’s to come, with multiple gates for security and six-foot fencing for the dog garden, paw print decorations and hooks for all the dog gear, and the sofas are draped in throws to allow your pooch the luxuries of home – they can even sleep with you on the beds if you wish.

Indoors the space has two good sized bedrooms with an open plan kitchen/living area, plus two bathrooms and a dog room so they can chill out and dry off after their adventures. The kitchen is equipped with all the basics you would need, and lounge area has a modern television for those chill out times. When it comes to equipment for your dogs, they have thought of everything. Beds, bowls, enrichment, towels, a whole outside cabin of doggy delights and even more drawers full inside. On arrival there was even a box crammed full of natural yummy treats to welcome them.

Outside, your dog cannot put a paw wrong. It doesn’t matter if they are reactive to other dogs or people, a desire to chase the wildlife, or even if they decide to jump in the pond. The whole location is designed for your dog to get enjoyment and express their natural behaviours without any worries about needing to conform for fear of others judging. Both dogs and their owners can totally relax. For dogs that do not often get to run off lead there is a secure paddock to allow them freedom.  Situated on the hillside with amazing views it is a great spot to take a coffee or some lunch while they can run to their hearts’ content.

From the cottage the walking opportunities are endless. If you’re looking for mountains, forest, or water you can have it all. The access into the forest is direct from your own gate. Other than the odd adventurous person on a big hike you can walk for miles and not see a soul if you avoid the main trails. One of the best walks we did from the cottage was along the fire road and up the mountain all the way to the top to the source of the Severn. We then followed the River Severn back down where you can choose to loop back round to the cottage early and miss most others or keep going to the main Hafren forest car park. 

The walk down the river is truly stunning with waterfalls all the way down, reminiscent of scenes from a fairy tale and a camera is a must. The whole loop took three hours but was well worth it. The path down the river is steep so would definitely recommend doing the loop that way round and avoid going uphill. If you walk up the fire road from the cottage and turn right, you can go up along above the cottage and secure field. This walk has views out to the reservoir which are incredible. You can make it a loop by walking all the way along and bear right to the bunk house and back along the road.

We found that the nearby town of Llanidloes had all the shops we needed. We were able to get takeaway and groceries. We also found a wonderful dog friendly café here called Pwdin. Their menu was extensive, covering a great range of vegetarian and vegan options too. Dogs were welcomed both inside and out and we got them their own tubs of Utterly Muttley dog ice cream. The staff there love dogs and welcomed them just as much as they did the humans.

One of the best spots to see the reservoir has got to be from Clywedog dam and cafe. We started off parking just down the hill from the cafe and walking the Clyedog Gorge Trail. This was a lovely walk where we got to see the Bryntail lead mine buildings, walking next to the huge dam, across the picturesque river and through the woods. We did find sheep on this walk and at many other places in the area, so it is always wise to err on the cautious side and keep your dog on a lead if there is any doubt of livestock where you’re walking as they do tend to roam free.

At the end of the walk, we hopped in the car back up the hill to Clywedog Cafe where we had an amazing lunch looking out from the balcony over the reservoir. The food was really good quality for such a small cafe and the dogs were able to sit with us. The café was furnished perfectly with both seating at the tables plus more comfy chairs to sit and relax. They had fairy lights surrounding the balcony and bright flowers which added to the special atmosphere of the already spectacular location.

After all of the great walks and café visits it was lovely to be able to make use of the outside space to chill in the evenings at the cottage. We got the fire pit going and toasted marshmallows sat under the stars. We also fired up the barbecue that is provided for guests one evening and enjoyed listening to the owls coming out for the night. We could not have asked for a more perfect doggy holiday and will definitely be returning.

Dogs Love Holidays, Hafren Forest, review by Jo Southway and appears in DogFriendly magazine issue 69. For more information on the DogFriendly magazine visit  https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine