The Nova Dome

Sit in the hot tub or lie in bed under the skylights and you’ll soon realise why this place is called The Nova Dome. On a clear night, the geodesic structure in rural Herefordshire is a fantastic place for stargazing. It’s off-grid and set within an 18-acre rewilded farm, which means dark, clear nights and peaceful days in green surroundings. The dome itself, a striking wood-panelled construction, is a comfy haven within all this natural beauty – a private, self-catering cabin for two which celebrates the great outdoors by immersing you in it.

The front of the dome is a huge, triangulated window offering countryside views from within. Outside (where you'll find your hot tub, shower and compost toilet), you have the same lovely vista – plus a soundtrack of birdsong and a stream babbling by. You can cook out here too, thanks to a barbecue, pizza oven and fire pit. But if the weather’s not good enough for that, head in to the kitchenette – surprisingly modern and well-equipped for somewhere that’s off-grid, with solar power and a spring-fed water supply, plus a gas hob, fridge and kettle.

The space is open-plan, with a mezzanine bedroom at the top of spiral stairs leading up from the kitchen-living-diner. It’s well-designed and uncluttered, with wood, white and duck egg blue featuring, and a log burner for warmth. Books and board games are provided for entertainment, and there’s no TV. You can charge your mobile via USB ports, but there are no three-pin plugs. It’s the same across the site, which hosts three other cabins as well. Collectively known as The Fold, there’s The Treehouse, The A Frame and The Scandi Cabin. All are adults-only and well spaced, so peace and privacy prevail.

The Nova Dome provides a tranquil base from which to explore Herefordshire and beyond. It sits at the top of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park – and then there’s the Wye Valley, a few miles south. The county’s only city – Hereford – is a small one, less than a half-hour drive, and home to a cider museum and a cathedral housing the Mappa Mundi. The bustling book town of Hay-on-Wye is about the same distance away on the Welsh border. In short, there are plenty of adventures to choose from before you return to sink into the hot tub or simply gaze at the stars.