It is time to say ‘hwyl fawr / goodbye’ to our guests as another season at By the Wye has come to an end, and what a lovely year it has been. It was wonderful to welcome back so many familiar faces this year. We hosted family reunions, birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, honeymoons and so many families. Although the site is closed, the team are already focussed on 2023 with lots of new group-glamping and woodland-wellness developments planned during our winter hibernation.
Woodland Wellness
Guests at By the Wye already enjoy the benefits of Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) – spending time in nature and really taking in the sights, smells, sounds and sensations around them, and now, new for 2023, you will be able to literally bathe in the great outdoors with wonderful woodland wellness facilities.
Our romantic couples’ safari tent The Cwtch is having a panoramic cedar barrel wood-fired sauna installed on the lower decking. The sauna will overhang the deck, floating out above the woodland floor, offering breath-taking views of the river Wye below through the floor-to-ceiling glass end. Imagine lying in your private sauna, basking in the warmth, listening to the gentle crackle of the fire and watching kingfishers, herons and the occasional otter go by. For wellness lovers, this will truly be a unique sauna experience.
Dan is busy digging the footings for an additional deck at the rear of Holly which we plan on transforming into a haven of tranquillity. On this private clearing in the woods there will be a rainfall shower right beneath the trees, a hammock to while away the hours reading, and a dreamy outdoor bath where you can spend your evening soaking in the woods. For pure indulgence, private massages and reflexology treatments can be arranged, surrounded by just birdsong and the rustle of the trees. This will be the perfect space to relax, where you can take a break from the world and leave feeling well, like you’re floating on air.
Group Glamping
The stunning surroundings of By the Wye is perfect for big groups; our luxury glamping site is perfect for getting everyone out into nature in style and offers all manner of activities, including fishing, walking, bushcraft and canoeing. The town of Hay-on-Wye is a short walk away and the Brecon Beacons National Park on our doorstep for exploring. Make some lifelong memories with friends, families and loved ones by planning a reunion, birthday or anniversary gathering in 2023.
Our safari tents sleep up to 5 people, but if you are looking for larger accommodation, we are currently constructing a tree-top walkway connecting two of our safari tents; The Ivy and Meadow, so if you are a family group of 10 people this could be an ideal option for your next group glamping holiday.
In other exciting news, we are adding another Safari Tent to our collection this winter which will sleep up to 6 people. The name is either going to be Oak or Hazel, which do you prefer? Sign up to our mailing list for updates and keep an eye on social media to watch our progress with the build and bathing facilities. When it is completed, we will have accommodation for 28 people in total, ideal for group glamping gatherings.
To speak to our glamping group co-ordinator please call 01497828166 or email [email protected]. If you book the whole By the Wye site for exclusive use then you will receive a 10% large group discount. With large family group bookings we require a security deposit of £500 per large booking, this will be refunded within 7 days of your departure. Please note that we do not host stag/hen parties and have a strict music curfew of 11.00pm.
Fabulous Feedback
“What an amazing place run by lovely people. Dawn, Steve and Edith made us so welcome and the setting is fantastic. We stayed in Ivy and loved the views onto the river Wye – the log burner kept us toasty and the BBQ kept us well fed even in the rain. Fishing was second to none and me and my son caught a barbel and chub despite only fishing for a couple of hours each day. Definitely will be back next year!”
Guest from October 2022
We have been overwhelmed to receive so many kind, thoughtful (and useful!) reviews and feedback suggestions from our guests this year. Many thanks from all of us here at By the Wye to all of you who took the time to share your experiences and top-tips for other visitors. We are also incredibly proud of our media coverage this year, including features in The Times as ‘One of the best new glamping stays in the UK’, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Telegraph, The i Paper, Salon Prive Magazine, and The Loney Planet’s Wales and UK Guidebooks as well as their new Under the Stars Europe Guidebook (an excellent Christmas present for adventure-seekers). It means so much to us. Why not grab a cuppa and browse all our reviews.
If this has got you excited to organise your next glamping holiday, our 2023 diary is now open for bookings! We look forward to welcoming you to By the Wye one day!