Couple find dream farmhouse and open B&B

Norman and Fiona Potts spent 18 months clocking up thousands of miles hunting for their dream farmhouse in Mid Wales before dropping on Gwaenynog at Dolanog, near Welshpool quite by chance last June.

They had made an appointment to view a neighbouring farmhouse but fate led them to Gwaenynog, which was up for sale with the same estate agent.

The owner invited them in and the Hampshire couple immediately fell in love with it.

Now, seven months later, after moving in October, the attractive stone farmhouse has been sympathetically refurbished and converted into quality bed and breakfast accommodation, which has just won a four star grading from Visit Wales.

Standing in 16 acres of pastureland, wetland and woodland that host a wide variety of birds, Gwaenynog farmhouse offers visitors a choice of three en-suite bedrooms and locally sourced breakfast ingredients.

Fiona, a facilities manager for 20 years who was made redundant 18 months ago, says she still can't believe that she and Norman, a telecoms manager, own their dream home in such a scenic and peaceful area.

Next month, they will be celebrating their third wedding anniversary after meeting through a dating website - Norman proposed after just three weeks, so relocating over 200 miles is just another exciting adventure for them!

To promote their new business, they have joined Mid Wales Tourism (MWT), an independent organisation representing around 500 tourism and hospitality businesses in Powys, Ceredigion and Meirionnydd.

MWT provides a range of services to help members develop and market their businesses, whilst also giving them access to exclusive membership discounts.

The couple were attracted to MWT by its website and the range of services and discounts available to members.

"When we were looking for B and Bs while searching for a house in Mid Wales, we found the best website was www.visitmidwales.co.uk, which is run by Mid Wales Tourism," explained Fiona.

"It looked professional, was easy to navigate and we were able to book accommodation, which was what we wanted.

"We had looked at more than 100 properties in Wales, clocking up around 25,000 miles in our 4 x 4, before we found Gwaenynog by accident.

Because we had stayed in a lot of B and Bs, we had specific ideas about the type of house that we wanted and Gwaenynog was a big four bedroomed house that ticked all the boxes.

"Apparently, part of the house dates back to the 17th century, so I am currently researching the history of the property, which also includes a former mill.

I would welcome any information about the property's history.

"The scenery and peace and quiet here are fantastic and our neighbours are absolutely lovely. I have to pinch myself sometimes to believe that we live here.

"We hope to attract lots of visitors who seek this idyll for a break, with the ultimate goal of my husband giving up his job so that we can work together full time."

MWT's chief executive Val Hawkins wished the couple success with their new venture.

"Fiona is a very proactive new member who is taking full advantage of the online marketing services provided by Mid Wales Tourism as well as the Barclaycard discount scheme," she said.

"By taking bookings and showing room availability online, she will attract more visitors."