Family Glamping Business Site Owners and Adventure Family

A Family Project

A family project shaped by travel, hospitality and life outdoors

By the Wye is a family-run glamping business, shaped by a shared love of travel, adventure and time spent outdoors.

Between us, we have travelled to more than 30 countries, often exploring by bike, on foot or with a tent close at hand. Those experiences, living simply, spending time outside and finding beauty in quiet places, are what inspired the idea for By the Wye.

Dawn and Steve (known affectionately as Nanny and Grampy) have been welcoming guests to Hay-on-Wye for nearly two decades, having run The Start B&B successfully for 19 years. Along the way, they also raised a family who were taken cycling and camping across Europe, instilling a lifelong love of travel and the outdoors.

When the opportunity arose to buy woodland next to their home, they jumped at the chance. Building a treehouse and living among the trees had long been a dream. While the search for the perfect tree continues, that dream evolved into creating a place where others could share in the enjoyment of woodland, river and open space.

About By the Wye

By the Wye is a small, peaceful riverside glamping site on the Welsh Borders, set beside the River Wye just outside Hay-on-Wye. We offer luxury safari tent accommodation in a woodland setting, designed for guests who want to slow down, spend time outdoors and enjoy nature without giving up comfort.

The site was created to offer a gentler alternative to busy holiday parks, somewhere calm, low-density and closely connected to its surroundings. Tents are positioned among trees and close to the river, allowing the landscape to shape the experience rather than crowds or schedules.

The Woodland and the River

By the Wye is situated within approximately ten acres of mixed ancient native woodland and meadowland on the banks of the River Wye. The woodland has been thoughtfully and sympathetically managed to create space for the luxury glamping tents while protecting the wider environment.

Careful tree work and ongoing maintenance are carried out to encourage native species to thrive and to preserve the natural structure of the wood. A significant section of the woodland is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and has been deliberately left untouched.

This protected area provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife, including owls, bats, badgers, newts, dormice and, on occasion, otters along the river. Respect for these habitats is central to how the site is managed and experienced.

Our Place

The site sits beside the River Wye, with direct access to the water and easy walking routes into surrounding countryside. From early spring through summer and into early autumn, the setting changes with the seasons: bright new leaves and wildflowers in spring, long light and warm days in summer, and rich colours with crisp mornings in early autumn.

Each safari tent has been designed to feel spacious and welcoming. Inside, you’ll find proper beds, hot showers and flushing toilets. Outside, there is room for simple camp cooking, sitting by a fire pit, listening to the river and watching the light shift through the trees.

By the Wye is not a theme park, entertainment complex or busy holiday park. It is a place for quiet outdoor escapes, for families, couples and small groups who value space, nature and slow rhythms.

a drone image of a safari tent surrounded by woodland on the banks of the river Wye in Wales. Reasons to visit Wales this Autumn

Who Its For

People come to By the Wye for different reasons, but they share a desire for a gentler pace. Some come for family breaks, enjoying the river, woodland walks and open space that children can explore safely. Others come as couples, walking local paths, browsing the bookshops of Hay-on-Wye or simply sitting by the water with a book.

Seasonal stays also attract guests looking to mark special times of year, spring bank holidays, summer weeks by the river, and the early autumn weeks when the light softens and the woodland shifts into richer tones.

Our Approach

We believe that time outdoors should feel restorative, not pressured. That philosophy guides everything about By the Wye: the layout, the facilities and the way we welcome guests. We provide comfort where it matters, simplicity where it helps, and space for you to define your own pace.

Our Location

By the Wye is located on the edge of the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons National Park, near the historic market town of Hay-on-Wye. The area is known for its independent bookshops, riverside walks, local food producers, seasonal festivals and quiet country lanes.

It’s close enough for easy exploring, and far enough away to feel like a retreat.

Open Season

We are open from spring through summer and into early autumn, with each part of the season offering something different. Because the site is intentionally peaceful and small in scale, availability can be limited during peak periods. We recommend booking ahead to secure dates that suit you.

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Awards

Hard work pays off

The WALES START-UP AWARDS showcase the very best new businesses in Wales every year and in 2021, Hay on Wye glamping business By the Wye won the Tourism & Leisure Start-Up Award. We had an incredible evening celebrating at the 2021 Wales Start-Up Awards. We met inspiring business owners from all over Wales, ate delicious food, we sang, we danced and we won an award! What a night!

Dawn Farnworth (Owner) says ‘It’s an honour to win the award and to have our achievements over the last 18months celebrated. It’s been an unprecedented and challenging time to launch a new tourism business. Winning this prestigious award makes it feel as though our hard work and effort was worthwhile.’