The Forge

Situated amidst beautiful countryside in the heart of Herefordshire border country a little way west of Leominster, The Forge is an old blacksmith's workshop that serviced the nearby stables and has since been converted to a superb 1 or 2-bedroom country retreat. Owned by the same folk that own the excellent Colloquy nearby, it has been renovated and furnished to the same high standard but in most other respects it's quite different. Its origins mean it's mostly one large room – a magnificent 40 x 20 living space, dominated by the A-frame roof, and overlooked by a mezzanine gallery There's a huge master bedroom with roll top bath and big comfy bed, above which there's a small further mezzanine with another bed (suitable for a child), plus there's another bed on the main mezzanine, making this as perfect for a family as for a couple. The main living area has a wood-burning stove, a dining area and a well-equipped kitchen, and two sets of of French doors that give onto a terrace. There's a large flatscreen TV, more DVDs and books than you could watch or read in a month of Sundays, and a dishwasher, washing machine and dryer and all the mod cons you might crave. But perhaps the most impressive thing about the Forge is its location: you couldn't be better placed for exploring towns like Leominster, Ludlow and Kington, it's just a short hop over the border into the Wales, and the Offa's Dyke long-distance footpath runs nearby. All in all it's a gloriously peaceful place from which to explore Welsh Border Country.