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Come and Meet Our Four-Legged Friends
Roll up Your Sleeves and Savor Some Country Living
Two lovely dogs at The Farm
One of two lovely dogs at The Farm in Crai, Sian, our working Hunterway, likes to help with the farm work and in her spare time pops around to say hello to our lovely guests. She is very calm, friendly and loves to play ball. Warning! Sian can be very vocal when it comes to playing with balls. It's her favourite thing.
A new addition to our farm is Timber, the Red Fox Labrador. She is a waggly-bum, fun loving, bundle of joy. She will wait at your door to be let in to say hello to guests when they arrive. It’s okay, you can ignore her. Timber has stolen the hearts of many of our guests, don’t believe me - check out our reviews and you’ll see.
Our Flock Has Grown by 30% This Year...
The flock has grown by roughly 30% in the last year. We’ve recently added 100 pedigree sheep and 200 Tefrom and Aberfield crosses, breeds known for their excellent maternal instincts and ability to fatten on grass with minimal intervention. These “genetic high flyers” achieve an impressive lambing rate of 155%–170%, and are low-maintenance during lambing season.
Our lambing season typically runs from March to the end of April. Our 9 rams get to work in October and November, with each ewe carrying her lamb for roughly 145 days, meaning if a ewe is served on Bonfire Night (5th November), her lamb is likely to arrive on April 1st!
100% Calving Rate Every Year
Three years ago we started our journey to try to work with one of the most carbon efficient cows on the planet. This breed is called a Stabiliser, which is a cow that has been bred with four traditional breeds to create a super-cow breed.
The Stabiliser breed originated from America and consists of a four-way cross between Hereford, Red Angus, Simmental and Gelbvieh (a German cattle breed), with each breed taking an equal share of 25%. The nature of the stabiliser are calm, quiet, excellent mothers, easy calvers, fattening their calves naturally on grass and not far off 100% calving rate every year.
Living The Farm Life
Firsthand
At Dark Sky Collection, everything starts
with sustainability.
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Sustainability Practices
At Dark Sky Collection, sustainability isn’t a side project, it’s at the core of how we farm, build, and host.
Across our 300-acre 4th-generation farm and 13 holiday properties in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), we’ve taken bold, measurable steps to reduce emissions, sequester carbon, and protect natural ecosystems.
"Over the last five years, we’ve invested over £300,000 into clean energy infrastructure to reduce fossil fuel dependency" says Keri.
Learn More About Our Farm
Keri & Julie
Since 1991, Keri and Julie have farmed Glwydcaenewydd, diversifying into tourism in 2008 after the foot and mouth farming crisis in the UK.
With Julie bringing practical expertise from her farming roots and Keri leading sustainability efforts and advising on agricultural resilience, together they drive innovation and sustainability at Dark Sky Collection.
Heidi
After a successful career in Tech, Insurance and Financial Services client management, Heidi has returned to lead the tourism arm of Dark Sky Collection.
Bringing new experience, fresh perspective, and a deep understanding of guest experience to the family business, ensuring every stay is handled with care, whilst driving the family business forward into the next era.
Naomi
Naomi leads Cascave Gin alongside Julie and Heidi, crafting a unique range of botanical dry gins inspired by the Brecon Beacons and the historic caves beneath.
With their bold, smooth, and distinctly Welsh signature Cave Aged Gin, matured deep in Dan Yr Ogof Cave, at the heart of the collection. Make sure to stop at the farm shop for a sample to understand this brilliant gin.
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Reuben
After travelling across the South Pacific, Reuben returned home with fresh ideas and a passion for regenerative agriculture, now leading the farm’s next chapter.
By improving soil health, boosting biodiversity, modernising infrastructure, and expanding with his own flock of sheep and a herd of cows, Reuben is driving a forward-thinking, resilient, and nature-aligned future from the ground.
Our Story
At Dark Sky Collection, everything starts with sustainability.
Our story began four generations ago when our great-grandparents journeyed to Crai in the 1930s with nothing more than a gambo cart, grit, and a dream. They settled at Bedlwyncoch Farm in Crai, where the land is beautiful, wild, and tough.
About Us
Farming at altitude, over 1200 feet above sea level, teaches you humility and respect for nature. Over time, we’ve evolved our practices to focus on regenerative and sustainable farming that puts biodiversity, soil health, and our animals first.
We are a family business at heart, tucked away in the beautiful Crai Valley in the middle of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. It's a place that must be seen to be believed, with lush green pastures, hedges bursting with leaves and wildflowers in the summer, and spectacular trees that tower above the houses.
The farm and tourism business is managed by Julie, Keri and their three children Heidi, Naomi & Reuben with a blend of expertise, determination and regular tea & biscuit breaks. Together, we work to juggle the ups and downs of farming life, with plenty of hard work and grit, innovation and spirit. You will also see a team of people working together behind the scenes to make everything possible and ensure that our guests have the best possible experience when staying with us.