Step back in time with a Welsh escape

And he wasn't wrong.

Floating along on the Montgomery Canal in Welshpool surrounding by sheep and fields in the gloriously rare early April sunshine, it seemed as though we had found the perfect way to spend our Easter break. And the best thing? The kids agreed.

Welshpool is somewhere we have driven through on countless occasions on our way to the coast. But it is never somewhere we have stopped – until now that is.

Looking for somewhere to spend a few days over the Easter break with the kids while the other half was at work, it seemed like the perfect destination. Not too far – thus avoiding the relentless 'are we nearly there nows' that make any journey seem to last a lifetime, plenty to do in the vicinity and not too far from the coast should we be lucky enough to find sunshine during a British Bank Holiday.

We decided on a stay at Crowther Hall Lock Cottage, a Grade II listed picture-perfect cottage at Pool Quay on the edge of the canal (as the name would suggest), just outside the town centre.

Once derelict and now lovingly restored to its former traditional glory with a few modern touches added for comfort, it looked ideal.

We read with some trepidation that it had no television, but its charms won us over and with an iPad loaded up with a few films and a car boot full of Easter eggs, we set off.

We arrived in Welshpool in the early afternoon and took the opportunity to pop into town for some lunch at a cafe before a trip on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.

It was a great way to spend a sunny afternoon, feeling like the Railway Children enjoying the spectacular views from the open carriage window.

The cottage was just a short drive away and on arrival it didn't disappoint.

Built around1850, it looked like a storybook cottage, nestling behind a grassy humpback bridge next to the canal and set against a backdrop of sheep-spotted fields.

As the wooden latched front door opened and we stepped inside onto a quarry-tiled floor in a beamed living room, it was like stepping back in time. The kids remarked that it was like being in the Black Country Museum, although to me it felt more like an episode of Poldark.

We were given a warm welcome by owner Maggie Ellis who is a mine of information about the cottage that she and her partner Chris have painstakingly restored.

Exploring under Maggie's guidance, we were led along the sunken garden path, which had been hidden for decades under the debris from a canal clear-up and is now faithfully restored, to discover the original outdoor privy and pig pen, much to the delight of the kids. The huge garden area at the back is perfect for playing games or eating out.

The cottage itself was once derelict but has been sympathetically restored, remaining true to its heritage.

Original features have been kept and traditional materials used where possible. Maggie tells us the windows were a particular labour of love. She had to have 114 individual panes of glass cut specially as they were all slightly different sizes before putting them in by hand using the Victorian method of lining them up with metal glazing bars and applying putty either side. Inside the cottage has traditional furnishings, a large log burner in the cosy living room, which heats radiators upstairs, and a small but well-equipped kitchen.

It might look small from the outside, but the three bedrooms are a good size and the whole place is delightfully warm and cosy.

The bathroom has, thankfully, been brought into the house and there is plenty of hot water.

Any fears we had over the lack of a television were unfounded and half of the iPad films were left unwatched. There is plenty to do here for a child with imagination, especially when Easter eggs are scattered about the garden ready to be hunted down.

The highlight of our visit, particularly for the kids, came when we were offered the use of the owners' Canadian canoes for a trip along the canal.

We were kitted out with lifejackets and helmets and off we set.

There is half a mile of canal between the Pool Quay lock and the next and to all intents and purposes it is our own private stretch of open water.

We meandered along the water and back again enjoying the peace and tranquillity.

If the water doesn't take your fancy, the restored towpath offers the perfect opportunity for a ramble, even if it's just as far as the local pub, The Powis Arms, where we enjoyed a lovely meal one evening. The canal also has a host of activities going on this year, plus Adventure Cruises and weekend trips on the Heulwen Trust boats. Details are available on www.MakingWaves2015.co.uk

Away from the cottage there is plenty to do. One afternoon we ventured out to Powis Castle. Again, I had often seen signs for this but never stopped. Little did I know what a hidden gem it was, with its friendly guides and magnificent gardens.

And little did I know what I had missed all those times we passed through Welshpool.

We will certainly be returning here for a trip back in time.

Full details of Crowther Hall Lock Cottage can be found online at www.cottagesdirect.co.uk, property reference 701199/1 The Grade II listed 19th century lockkeepers cottage on the Montgomery Canal in Mid-Wales, sleeps five in a double, a twin and a single bedroom. Towels, bed linen and fuel, including logs for the log burner, are included

A three-night weekend stay in June costs around £340

By Sally-Anne Youell