Plough Rhosmaen
Plough Rhosmaen
Visitors who stay at Old Oak Barn nearly always venture west to the beautiful county of Pembrokeshire with Tenby being a must! However, I always recommend a visit east as well and where better to end up than at The Plough Rhosmaen just a few minutes from the centre of Llandeilo. The Plough is perfect for afternoon tea or lunch or an evening meal after a day at Aberglasney,The National Botanic Gardens of Wales or Carreg Cennan Castle.
With views looking across the Towy Valley, Llandeilo is a thriving centre and where better to relax and unwind than somewhere overlooking this pretty part of Carmarthenshire – such as The Plough Rhosmaen.
A popular four star boutique hotel, The Plough is also an award winning restaurant set in the beautiful countryside just at the edge of the Brecon Beacons in the county of Carmarthenshire. It’s location is perfect and I am reliably told that when large events such as The Royal Welsh Agricultural Show in July and Brecon Jazz are on then the restaurant is bound to be busy with passing travellers calling in for food.
We ourselves have always found the service to be outstanding at The Plough Rhosmaen. In addition the quality and range of food is excellent. Vegetarians are especially well catered for. On a summer’s day we love to sit on the terrace and in winter the inside is perfectly cosy and warm.
The Plough Rhosmaen take conservation and their responsibilities towards the environment seriously and have recently been awarded a Green Dragon Level 2 Award. For example they say they monitor their carbon footprint closely, and like many first class pubs and restaurants in the county are especially keen to source from local suppliers wherever possible, keeping food miles low.
Phone 01558823431 to book a table or find out anymore information about this highly recommended restaurant. Afternoon teas are out of this world too …. but be warned … arrive hungry allowing plenty of time to relax and unwind!
Constable Oriel Parc Pembrokeshire
Constable Oriel Parc Pembrokeshire
For a few months more and until September this year John Constable’s “Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831” is on display at Oriel Parc in St David’s Pembrokeshire. Oriel y Parc will be the third of six venues across the UK to display this important ‘six footer’ which was recently purchased with assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Manton Foundation, the Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and Tate Members.
Constable famously wrote “Painting is but another word for feeling” and standing in front of the huge work last week I was struck by the level of detail, mood and movement within the painting created by unusual application and flecking of paint. This painting had a huge impact at the time it was unveiled and came in for a lot of criticism too! Hard to imagine!
John Constable was born and brought up in what is now known as “Constable Country” in East Bergholt in Suffolk. His father was a prosperous corn merchant but it is said that John Constable wanted to be an artist from a very young age. He sounds an extraordinary man, a unique artist and there are many famous quotes we know and love today – “We see nothing truly until we understand it” and “There is nothing ugly; I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may, – light, shade, and perpective will always make it beautiful” spring to mind.
The various themes within the painting include “Weather” “Politics” “Religion” “Emotional Landscape”
Oriel Parc is easily found on the left as you enter St Davids from Solva.
Opening hours:
March to October
Visitor Centre: 9.30am – 5pm daily
Gallery: 10am – 4pm daily
It is well worth a visit and there is a great little garden centre nearby too plus of course an exhibition by Graham Sutherland in the rear of the gallery space. Less than an hour from Old Oak Barn.
Easter Holidays in Wales
Easter Holidays in Wales
Old Oak Barn is at the moment available from Friday 10 April in Wales in 2015. Please ask for the latest price! We are very child friendly!
There is lots to do this Easter in this part of Wales. Apart from exploring the wonderful countryside and coastline Folly Farm is open every day during the holiday season. Have you met the lions yet? Did you know that Folly Farm is rated the fourth best zoo in the country. What started off as a small farm playground 25 years ago has grown and grown and is now one of Wales’s best attractions and it is only 25 minutes from Old Oak Barn! Quite often they have Peppa Pig or some other children’s favourites attending during half terms and holidays – so keep an eye out for more details!
Please get in touch if you would like more details of a break at Old Oak Barn this Easter. We often have glorious weather in April and in the past visitors have even been known to go for an early dip in the sea. It is often fine enough for a camp fire in the woods here or a BBQ on the patio in the late afternoon.
Birdsong is at its best too with over 50 species spotted at this time of year!
