Private terrace with outdoor seating overlooking rolling Welsh hills

Cefn Hir Fynydd · North Wales

Minapiap

A contemporary retreat in the Welsh hills — space, light and long views, just 3.5 miles from Eryri National Park.

Check dates & book See the photos
10Guests
5Bedrooms
3Bathrooms + WC
2Dogs welcome
4Parking spaces

The house

Built around light

Minapiap is for people who love space, striking architecture and beautiful surroundings. Generous rooms and thoughtful design make it just as good for a relaxed family gathering as for a long weekend with friends.

At its heart is a dramatic full-height atrium, where traditional stonework meets contemporary glazing from the ground floor right up to the roof. A glass-sided staircase fills the house with daylight, and at the top a comfortable reading chair waits for quiet moments with the view.

The living spaces sit upstairs to make the most of the elevated setting, with the five bedrooms tucked away peacefully on the ground floor.

Spiral staircase in the full-height atrium beside exposed stone wall
Patchwork fields and dry-stone walls around the house

Big skies, open hills

Wake up to fields, dry-stone walls and nothing but countryside.

Inside

Room by room

Dining table set for ten beneath a vaulted ceiling Contemporary kitchen with breakfast bar Lounge with L-shaped sofas and large Smart TV

Open-plan living

The big, bright upper floor brings kitchen, dining and lounge together under one vaulted roof. The contemporary kitchen is fully equipped for cooking for a crowd, and the dining table seats everyone at once — with a two-seater sofa nearby for whoever isn't on cooking duty.

In the lounge, two generous L-shaped sofas face an 80" Smart TV, while a Juliet balcony and wide glazing frame the countryside beyond.

  • Dual oven, fridge/freezer, microwave, dishwasher
  • Dining for all 10 guests
  • 80" Smart TV and Juliet balcony
Master bedroom with king-size bed Double bedroom Twin bedroom with two single beds

Five restful bedrooms

All five bedrooms are on the ground floor, arranged for a good night's sleep. The master has a king-size bed, its own seating area, a walk-in wardrobe and an en-suite shower room. The second double has an en-suite bathroom, and there are two twins plus a further double.

A family shower room with distinctive blue décor and a separate WC complete the layout.

  • 1 king-size, 2 doubles, 2 twins
  • 2 en-suites + family shower room + extra WC
  • Cot and highchair on request
Games room with table football Games room seating and TV Table football by the window

Games room

A separate games room keeps everyone entertained, whatever their age — table football, comfy seating and a Smart TV with a PS3 for rainy afternoons and late-night tournaments.

Green fields and hills around the house Contemporary exterior of the house Traditional stone frontage

Outside

The private terrace is made for slow breakfasts in the morning sun, long dinners outdoors and unwinding together after a day in the hills. There's outdoor furniture and a charcoal BBQ, plus private off-road parking for four cars.

Perfect for

Made for sharing

Dining table set for ten

Family get-togethers

Ten guests, five bedrooms and one big table. There’s room for grandparents, cousins and little ones, with a cot and highchair on request and a games room to keep everyone busy.

Fields and hills stretching to the horizon

Walkers & cyclists

Step out onto the moors of Mynydd Hiraethog, or drive 20 minutes to the trails of Eryri and Gwydir Forest. There’s parking for four cars, and a terrace to recover on afterwards.

Lounge with L-shaped sofas and a large Smart TV

Christmas & New Year

Gather the whole family under one roof. Cook Christmas dinner for ten, settle in for films on the 80″ Smart TV, and walk off the mince pies in the hills.

Green fields and dry-stone walls around the house

Dog owners

Up to two dogs are welcome, with miles of open countryside to explore together. Please keep them on a lead outside of the house, as there’s livestock in the surrounding fields and our immediate neighbours have free-range chickens.

Traditional stone frontage of the house

Old stone, new light

Traditional Welsh stonework, reimagined with contemporary glass.

History

From dairy barn to holiday home

Before the glass, the light and the long dinners, Minapiap was a hard-working stone barn on a hill dairy farm.

ThenA working barn on the dairy farm
Minapiap today, with slate-grey gables and glass
NowMinapiap, ready for guests

Once

A working barn

Minapiap began life as a barn on a hill dairy farm, worked from the farmhouse next door. Its thick walls were laid by hand from local stone and topped with heavy Welsh slate, built to keep out the weather that rolls in off the moors.

Then

Separate ways

In time the farm's buildings went their separate ways. Minapiap and the barn across from it were sold as separate units, each ready for a new life. By then the roof was slipping, moss had crept over the stones, and the old farm track ran past an empty doorway.

Now

Stone, glass & light

Today the barn is a five-bedroom home where traditional stonework meets contemporary glass, and a full-height atrium carries daylight from the roof to the ground floor. The dry-stone walls, the old trees and the view across the hills are all still here.

From the farm album

Photographs taken before the renovation began.

Looking down over the old roofs, with the farmhouse chimneys and the hills behind.
Slipped slates and a gable furred with moss.
Moss-covered dry-stone walls and the old trees that still line the lane.
The barn beside the farm’s corrugated sheds, with the hills beyond.
The bank of trees behind the farm buildings.
The farmyard track between the working buildings.

The area

Between the moors and the mountains

Minapiap sits high on the edge of Mynydd Hiraethog, just outside the village of Cerrigydrudion — wild moorland on one side, and the peaks of Eryri (Snowdonia) only 3.5 miles to the west.

It’s a brilliant base for exploring North Wales. Waterfalls, forests and Zip World are around 20 minutes away in Betws-y-Coed. Bala’s lake and white-water rafting are about the same distance south. The castles of the north coast are an easy day out.

3.5mito Eryri National Park
20minto Betws-y-Coed
25minto Bala Lake
45minto the coast
10 miles ERYRINATIONAL PARK IRISH SEA MYNYDD HIRAETHOG Betws-y-CoedConwy FallsLlyn BrenigAlwen ReservoirClocaenog ForestBalaWhite Water CentreCorwenLlangollenRuthinDenbighBodnant GardenConwyLlandudnoYr WyddfaBlaenau Ffestiniog Minapiap N
Pub and shop 3.5 miles away in Cerrigydrudion.

Things to see & do

Drive times are approximate and will vary with traffic and season.

Three perfect days out

01

Waterfalls & forest

Morning at Conwy Falls and the Fairy Glen, lunch in Betws-y-Coed, then Swallow Falls and an afternoon in Gwydir Forest. Home for a BBQ on the terrace.

02

Big thrills

White-water rafting on the Tryweryn, a paddle on Llyn Tegid to cool off, and a pub supper in Bala. Or go underground at Zip World Llechwedd.

03

Castles & coast

Explore Conwy’s castle and town walls, wander Bodnant Garden, and finish with fish and chips on Llandudno’s promenade.

After dark

Big, dark skies

High on the edge of Mynydd Hiraethog and far from town lights, clear nights here can be properly dark. Step out onto the terrace, give your eyes a few minutes, and look up. On the best moonless nights the Milky Way stretches right across the sky. Nearby Llangwm is known for its dark skies.

Good to know

Settling in

A few handy bits so you can arrive, unpack and switch off.

Arrive from 3pm

Pull onto the private drive (there's room for four cars) and make yourselves at home. The nearest pub and shop are 3.5 miles away, so it's worth stocking up on the way in.

Leave by 10am

Just enough time for one last coffee on the terrace before you head home.

Room for ten

A king-size, two doubles and two twins, all tucked away on the ground floor. One twin has a slightly shorter bed (about 176cm), which is perfect for a younger guest.

No morning queues

Two en-suites (one with a bath), a family shower room with striking blue tiles, and a separate loo as well.

Cook for a crowd

Dual oven, dishwasher, microwave and a big fridge/freezer. On warm evenings, fire up the charcoal BBQ and eat out on the terrace.

Dogs welcome

Up to two dogs can come too (a small extra charge may apply). Please keep them on a lead outside of the house, as there’s livestock in the surrounding fields and our immediate neighbours have free-range chickens.

Bringing little ones?

A cot and highchair are available on request. Just pack your own cot bedding.

Rainy days, sorted

Table football and a Smart TV with a PS3 in the games room, plus an 80" Smart TV in the lounge for film nights.

Worth knowing: there are a couple of steps between the games room hallway and the bedrooms, plus two steps into one bedroom. CCTV covers the car park and the front of the house.

Questions

Before you book

The things guests usually ask. Anything else, just ask Holiday Cottages when you book.

What time can we arrive and leave?

Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is by 10am.

Can we bring our dog?

Yes, up to two dogs are welcome (additional charges may apply). Please keep them on a lead outside of the house, as there’s livestock in the surrounding fields and our immediate neighbours have free-range chickens.

What are the sleeping arrangements?

There are five bedrooms on the ground floor: a king-size master with en-suite shower room, a double with en-suite bathroom, a further double and two twins. One twin has a standard bed (182cm) and a slightly shorter one (about 176cm).

Are bedding and towels included?

Yes, bedding and towels are provided for every guest.

Is there wifi and phone signal?

Yes, there’s wifi throughout your stay. Mobile signal can be variable depending on your network.

How is the house heated?

There’s underfloor heating throughout, so the whole house stays warm and cosy. There isn’t a log burner.

Is there a hot tub?

No, there isn’t a hot tub at Minapiap.

Is there EV charging?

No, there are no electric vehicle charging points at the property, so it’s worth planning a top-up on the way.

Is it suitable for babies and young children?

Yes. A cot and highchair are available on request (please bring your own cot bedding), and the games room has table football and a Smart TV with a PS3.

Is there parking?

Yes, there’s private off-road parking for four cars.

Where can we get food shopping?

There’s a corner shop and a pub in Cerrigydrudion, about 3.5 miles away, and a slightly larger shop in Betws-y-Coed. Most online supermarket delivery services deliver to Minapiap, so you can have a shop waiting for you.

What’s access like in winter?

Minapiap is reached by a steep track, which can be difficult in heavy snow. Snow only tends to settle here between January and February, and not every year, so if you’re visiting then, keep an eye on the forecast.

Is the house suitable for guests with limited mobility?

All five bedrooms are on the ground floor, while the kitchen, dining and lounge are upstairs. There are a couple of steps between the games room hallway and the bedrooms, and two steps into one bedroom.

Is there outdoor space?

Yes, a private terrace with outdoor furniture and a charcoal BBQ, looking out over the surrounding countryside.

Is there CCTV?

Yes, CCTV covers the car park and the front of the property only.

How do I book?

All bookings are made securely through our partner Holiday Cottages. Use any "Book" button on this page, or quote property reference OC-C45945.

Your stay at Minapiap

See availability and prices, and book securely through our partner Holiday Cottages.

Check availability

Property reference OC-C45945

Check dates & book