Grange Pony Trekking Centre

If you’ve still got some energy once you’ve hiked, biked and trotted around the local area, perhaps you’d like to take to the waters of Llangorse Lake (45 minutes’ drive) for sailing, windsurfing and other aquatic activities. And of course you can’t come to this part of the world without taking in a castle or two… stick to the Welsh side of the border to ramble around the ruins of Grosmont Castle or Crickhowell Castle, or skip over Offa's Dyke into England to Longtown Castle. Whichever you pick, you’re looking at a drive of around 40 minutes or so. Dipping a toe into urban life shouldn’t involve too much of a wrench from your rural surrounds: Abergavenny (half an hour) is packed with independent shops to poke about in (with a particularly fine line in local foodie treats) and Hay-on-Wye (25 minutes) is a must-do for anyone who loves a good bookshop browse.