True Taste producers from The Brecon Beacons have put together a special hamper for guests staying in holiday cottages in area.

The True Taste of the Beacons Hamper is filled with tasty treats and picnic snacks from a range of Brecon Beacons producers who scooped Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in last year’s Wales the True Taste Food and Drink Awards – dubbed the Welsh food Oscars.

It is available for a special price of £39.95, which includes packaging and delivery, and represents a 26 per cent saving on the recommended retail price of £54.

Sales are limited to a single hamper per stay.

Orders need to be confirmed by email  by noon on the  Wednesday before your stay.

James & Punch at No 10 will organise for your hamper to be waiting for you on arrival.

Clay pigeon shooting – John at Woodland Park Shooting Ground will give you a great day whether you are an absolute beginner or an experienced shot, providing a wide variety of sporting targets and clay shooting events to meet your needs.

Leisure centre stuff – if you find the weather not so kind or if it was what you like to do anyway then Brecon Leisure Centre has an indoor swimming pool (large & small with a small slide), indoor bowling, ten-pin bowling alley, gym and sports hall – all of which can be booked.

Pampering – The Retreat offer on site Pamper Parties or you can book in for sessions at their venue just behin Number 10  (there is a small private pool there too!) – other spa experiences can be booked at Peterstone Court.

Pre-school children – don’t panic!! If you need to get out and go somewhere to amuse the under fives other than swimming we have Brynich Play Barn and Cantref Open Farm – both on the outskirts of Brecon and just 10 minutes away!!….however you can also hire tag-along bikes / bike trailers / children’s bikes from Bikes and Hikes in Brecon and head off down the canal to a pub with a garden. Brecon cinema, with all the charm of what a cinema should be as well as ice cream in the interval  has all the current films on which, of course, if it is a school holiday this will be the latest children’s favourite!

Walking – despite having a town location you can walk into the countryside from the front door of No 10 – either by turning right out of the front door and heading into the wooded ‘Groves’ beneath the cathedral and out along the banks of the Honddu out into the coutryside …or up past the cathedral to Pen-y-Crug to discover the hill which once boasted an iron age hill fort. Turning left you can head for the canal tow path for a gentle stroll or the easiest part of the Taff Trail…..!

What does the booking price include?

The price you pay includes – The hire of the house – normally from 2pm on a Friday – either for a week or a weekend. If you have a weekend booking there is normally a flexible ‘kick out’ time on the Sunday. The house is fully centrally heated, beds are made up, bath towels and hand towels are provided. Loo rolls, bin bags, dish washer tablets, washing up liquid, basic condiments are all on site.

Does No 10 accept dogs?

We are afraid that we do not accept dogs at No 10.

Is there a BBQ?

Yes there is a large, gas fueled BBQ.

Is there parking at No 10?

No 10 does not have it’s own parking but there is plenty of free, residential parking in the quiet surrounding streets.

What is the total the house sleeps?

No 10 sleeps 15 in 7 bedrooms but we have 2 additional put up beds and a cot.

What are the bathroom arrangements at No 10?

Five of the bedrooms are en suite, we have 6 bathrooms in total – these offer 2 stand alone showers, 3 wall mounted showers over a bath and one with just a bath.

Is the kitchen well equipped?

The kitchen has a large dual oven cooking range, 2 fridges and a freezer as part of an upright ‘American style’ fridge. There is a dishwasher as well as two sinks. We are used to providing for group accommodation and there is ample crockery and cutlery for 18 plus as well as plenty of dishes, pans, trays to cater for your party. We have tumblers, wine glasses and champagne flutes.

What laundry facilities are there?

In the basement there is a washing machine and tumble dryer.

Is the house suitable for children?

No 10 has a fun basement with sky TV & DVD with bean bags to sit on, there is also a table tennis table, table football and a darts board. We can provide a high chair and cot for younger children. There is a stair gate protecting toddlers from the basement steps but not on the other staircases.

Can we play music at No 10?

No 10 has a CD player and radio in the drawing room on the first floor.

Is there storage for bicycles / outdoor gear at No 10?

You can access the basement from a seperate door onto the street, this can also be used for children’s buggies, dirty wellies and all that other gear you do not want cluttering up the front hall!

Our friends at Black Mountain Smokery are currently running a “Taster Bag” promotion with local holiday cottages. Visitors from us to their smokehouse shop can claim a delicious, discounted smoked food goodie bag containing Smoked Salmon, Oak Roasted Salmon, Smoked Duck, Smoked Chicken and Smoked Welsh Dragon Sausage for just £20. You just need to show some evidence (eg a booking email confirmation) or print off this Black Mountain Smokery Taster Bag Voucher to have with you that you are our guests…call in on your way to us they are on the A40 on the edge of Crickhowell.

Although N0 10 is in the centre of town there is no need to get into your car to find a countryside walk.

Just 200 yards from the house there is access over the river to The Groves – a lovely woodland walk beneath the cathedral that takes you east out of Brecon along the banks of the Honddu.

You can also head up the hill past the cathedral to the edge of town and walk up onto the Crug – an ancient hill fort with glorious views back down to Brecon and across to the Brecon Beacons, The Black Mountains to the east and The Carmarthen Fans in the west.

For a less hilly walk the canal tow path can be reached within 10 minutes of the house – The Monmouth & Brecon canal terminates at the canal basin by the theatre. The tow path heads south and east into the National Park with lovely pubs backing onto the canal just 3 miles from the town centre – The Royal Oak at Pencelli (01874 665396) and The Star (01874 676635) at Talybont on Usk a bit further on – are two worth trying.

Spend a delightful few hours cruising through some of the most beautiful scenery in Britain, lying within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Travel on this historical waterway, a fantastic feat of engineering, built before roads and railways. Cruise through a canal lock and over an aqueduct carry the canal over the River Usk. The boats have saloon seating for 50 and a refreshment bar. Catering is available and there is a wheelchair lift (2 chairs maximum).

Boats are available for private charter but otherwise run reguarly throughout season. See the 2011 timetable. The boats depart from the canal basin by the theatre.

We have two caterers who regularly cook for people at No 10 – meals delivered for you to serve yourselves or the full works – a delicious dinner served by lovely staff!

Contact either Janet Williams or Charlotte Roskill to discuss what you would like.

Our friends at Black Mountain Smokery are currently running a “Taster Bag” promotion with local holiday cottages. Visitors from us to their smokehouse shop can claim a delicious, discounted smoked food goodie bag containing Smoked Salmon, Oak Roasted Salmon, Smoked Duck, Smoked Chicken and Smoked Welsh Dragon Sausage for just £20. You just need to show some evidence (eg a booking email confirmation) or take this Black Mountain Smokery Taster Bag Voucher to show that you are our guests…call in on your way to us they are on the A40 on the edge of Crickhowell.  In the Summer (or if 2011 is anything to go by.. at Easter) there is a large gas BBQ to use on the terrace outside the kitchen double doors.

Brecon has 3 butchers, a fishmonger, a greengrocer, 2 supermarkets all within walking distance of No 10 so sourcing local produce and basic groceries are not something you need to worry about whilst on holiday in The Brecon Beacons. If you are lucky enough to coincide with the monthly farmers market then even better!

The Brecon Beacons

Situated about an hour north of Cardiff, this mountainous region of Wales is largely known for its spectacular natural landscapes…. and it’s true that the peaks of the Beacons and the Black Mountains have views to take your breath away. Climb Pen-y-Fan, the highest peak in South Wales at 886m/2,907ft, on a clear day and you’ll be able to see as far as the Gower Peninsula to the west and across the lush Usk Valley to the English border to the east.

This stunning region also has a rich, eventful history and plenty of fascinating cultural sights to explore. The countryside is dotted with Neolithic standing stones, Iron Age hillforts, Roman roads and Norman castles. The spread of Christianity has left numerous churches, chapels and even a cathedral, while local Celtic saints are commemorated in the picturesque Welsh names of the villages.

The Industrial Revolution dramatically changed the face of the valleys to the south of the Brecon Beacons yet the coal seam stopped at Merthyr Tydfil, and in the Beacons themselves rural life continued much as before. Spared the effects of industrialisation, the Brecon Beacons National Park has retained its unspoilt landscapes of pasture, moorland and mountains that are enjoyed by so many visitors today.

The Brecon Beacons National Park is unusal in that it is living environment with many towns and villages – it is not just the wilderness of the hills and mountains. Hay on Wye, Abergavenny, Llandovery and Llandeilo as well as Brecon itself are all worth visiting.

The Brecon Jazz weekend is free to be booked by a group of jazz lovers…..also we have one weekend in June and one in July still free !

In the Brecon Beacons there are a host of small and large events happening  – keep an eye on the area’s events calendar.