A tale of the grail in Wales

I love Wales. Its rugged peaks and plunging valleys, fascinating Celtic legends and the delightful sing-song Welsh accent make it a special place for me.

Its distinctive character is apparent as soon as you leave English soil and cross the Welsh border to be greeted by armies of fluffy sheep on the hills and, more often than not, a smattering of raindrops on the windscreen.

Our weekend at Nanteos Mansion near Aberystwyth began in just such a way. Wending our way through mid-Wales towards the coast, the stresses of the working week fell away as the breathtaking landscape rose to the occasion around us, despite the odd tractor forcing us to slow down and take in the view perhaps a little more often than we would have liked.

With a sigh of pleasure we arrived in Aberystwyth, scene of many childhood family holidays, and followed the signs up the hill to Nanteos. And that’s where things took an unexpected turn.

Following a long track through the woods, past a lodge and a lily-pad covered lake, we pulled up in front of the 18th-century Grade I listed former country house and, just like entering Narnia, we were transported to a magical land where the frantic pace of modern life receded to a distant echo.

In fact, nestled in the hills, Nanteos is so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the busy seaside town we really did feel like we were in another country.

Stepping inside, the hushed splendour of the hotel embraced us and a warm welcome from the friendly receptionist set the tone for our stay.

Leaflets, pictures and panels proudly display the history of the mansion and its estate, which was constructed between 1738 and 1757 for the wealthy Powell family. A recent £5m refurbishment programme over four years has updated the accommodation while retaining much of its original character.

This was very much in evidence in the plush and spacious Byron Suite, our home for two nights, complete with an immense luxury bathroom.

The Byron suite

All the mod-cons you come to expect in a top-notch hotel are in evidence but, at the same time, the high ceilings, tall sash windows, ornate fireplaces and decorative cornices hint at the Georgian splendour of times past.

With our Welsh adventure well and truly underway, it was time to see the sights and I have to admit my list of must-sees was heavily influenced by TV’s Hinterland.

For those of you who haven’t watched it, this BBC series, which is filmed twice (in English and Welsh), is set around the backlands of Aberystwyth (or “Aber” as it’s known in the show) and has been lauded as the Celtic version of Nordic Noir hits such as The Killing.

Atmospheric and gripping, the first episode centred around the world famous tourist attraction Devil’s Bridge and that’s where we spent a wonderful afternoon, marvelling at the natural wonder of the magnificent waterfalls and sipping tea at the railway station while a steam train huffed and puffed in front of us.

After a bracing walk across the hills and a trip to the seafront at Aber (where we tried to spot the building used as the Hinterland police station – tragic I know!) we were ready to retreat to the comfort of the hotel.

And now, I have to talk about the food. And I mean I really have to.

Starting with breakfast in the Downton Abbey-style Buttery, the menu was so mouthwatering we wanted to stay the whole week to try everything on it.

I plumped for poached eggs Benedict on the first morning and smoked salmon with lightly mumbled eggs on the second, both delicious, while my companion rapidly demolished the Welsh breakfast and was pleasantly surprised to be offered gluten-free bread.

Poached eggs Benedict for breakfast

As for the evening meal, the menu, created by chef patron Nigel Jones, was a wonder to behold, even before we tasted the first morsel.

Suffice to say, the diver-caught scallops, Cardigan Bay mackerel, smoked fish and parmesan brulee, Nanteos duck breast and Brynheulog Mangalitza pork cutlet were exquisite, as were the sweets, washed down with accompanying dessert wines. Heaven!

And as for fascinating Celtic legends, well, they don’t come much better than this...

If the name Nanteos is ringing any bells, you may have heard the name in the news recently – the mansion was home for many years of the Nanteos Cup, a religious relic said to be the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper and regarded by many as the Holy Grail. Yes, the Holy Grail, no less! And it was in the news because it was stolen from a house in Herefordshire in July.

You may not be in search of the Holy Grail but if you’re looking for a place to relax with gorgeous scenery, top class service, fine food and more sheep then you can shake a stick at, Nanteos Mansion has it all.

ESSENTIALS
Nanteos Mansion, Rhydyfelin, Aberystwyth Ceredigion, Wales, SY23 4LU
info@nanteos.com 01970 600522 

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