Wild Cabins at The Bull's Head

A weekend in one of the Wild Cabins at The Bull’s Head puts you in the foothills of The Black Mountains, in the borderlands of England and Wales and on the edge of the Brecon Beacons. It gives you a cosy hideaway for two with views and bracing walks from the doorstep in the garden of a Michelin-guide-approved pub. Situated in the Herefordshire village of Craswall, The Bull’s Head is a well-restored old drover’s inn with flagstone floors, a roaring fireplace and a produce-led menu that sources ingredients straight from the farm. The cabins are your chance to stay just a few steps away.

There are four pitched-roof, shingle-tiled cabins here, each named for a breed of cattle. Angled to look out over the valley they sit in, there’s a deck outside each one with Adirondack chairs that provide a comfy place to sit and admire the view. They also give the impression that there’s going to be a rustic aesthetic to these hideaways – but that’s really only half the story. Inside, they're contemporary as well as cosy. There’s a pared-back look which you might call modern rustic: one where unpainted wood, sheepskin rugs and pottery are at home alongside the clean lines of modern design. You see that in the lighting, furniture, and bathroom which has a nice walk-in shower and handy heated mirror. While there is WiFi, there is limited phone signal and, notably, no TV allowing you to completely switch off.

Thanks to the pitched roof and the glass front, these tiny open-plan homes don’t feel small at all. There’s a king-size bed with a Simba mattress, a seating area and an en-suite, as well as a basic kitchenette. It has a kettle, a toaster and a fridge, but no cooking beyond what you can do with that is allowed. With the popular tables of The Bull’s Head just a few steps away, you really wouldn’t want anything more.

The welcome hamper and kitchenette are enough to make a delicious breakfast to enjoy on your deck while the sun comes up. Then take your pick of things to do. You can drive the seven miles to Hay-on-Wye for a mooch around its famous bookshops or a kayak on the river. Or hop over the Welsh Border and explore the foodie mecca of Abergavenny (not too far from The Bull’s Head’s exquisite farmhouse Old Great Marlborough). Or simply make the most of where you are by pulling on your walking boots for the hike up Black Hill (or the 'Cat’s Back' as the locals call it), which rises to 640 metres behind the cabins and pub. Whatever you choose to do, the decision on where to dine is already taken care of – and taken care of very well indeed.