Clik here to view.
A well-insulated wooden cave high in the branches of a tree, with original wood engravings and woodburner and hot shower makes a cosy nest even when the Welsh wind blows
I confess that before my friend Kat and I visited Bryn Meurig Farm neither of us had ever troubled to ponder over the definition of the word "treehouse". However, we were soon to discover that if it's defined as a structure supported by a tree without any additional help from stilts, then Living-Room's four properties, spread about a little mid-Wales wood eight miles from Machynlleth, may be the only pukka treehouses to let in Britain.
Ty Mawr ("big house"), shaped like a cross-section through a jumbo jet's wing (deliberately – it's the best shape to be when the wind blows), looked like a little wooden cave that had got itself caught 20 feet up in the branches of three oaks.
We ascended a spiral staircase, wrapped around a fourth oak, then crossed to the treehouse's ample patio via a wonderfully wobbly Indiana Jones-style rope bridge.
The interior was decked out almost entirely in wood, the single room abounding in engraved patterns. We felt like we were inhabiting a unique artistic creation – not surprising since Living-Room's Peter Canham designed these well-insulated constructions himself. A large double bed took up one corner, with further beds tucked away until needed. A kitchen comprised a double gas hob and a sink with running water, while a sofa and drop-down table provided a lounge-cum-dining area. The whole was lit by a veritable Milky Way of tea-lights (there's no electricity) and heated to snug-point by a woodburning stove.
"The treehouse is on floating joints," Peter explained to us, "so that when the three trees sway about, the building stays still."
Our compost loo was up another tree, reached via a second rope bridge. The shower, meanwhile, was a joy. Each morning I descended to a little coppiced-hazel cubicle directly below the treehouse, yanked on a rope, and a Nile's worth of water (efficiently heated by our stove) plunged down upon my head.
By day, we set off on country walks, one of which was a pleasant hike along Glyndwr's Way to the top of Moel Eiddew. Once conquered, the summit treated us to a spectacular view across the Dyfi Valley. When night fell, we took our torches and walked the mile down through fields to the Penrhos Arms in Cemmaes. As we left, several pints later, the landlady chirruped: "Someone's just said it's snowing four miles away." Undaunted, we climbed the now icy way to our nest in the woods, stoked up the fire, snuggled up contentedly with a cocoa, and listened to the silence.
• The trip was supplied by Red Letter Days (0845 640 8000, redletterdays.co.uk). A two-night stay for two costs £339 through Living-Room (01654 703700, living-room.co). Train travel provided by Virgin Trains (singles from London to Birmingham from £7.50, 08719 774222, virgintrains.co.uk) and Arriva Trains Wales (singles from Birmingham to Machynlleth £14, 0870 9000773, arrivatrainswales.co.uk)
