3 Night Next Step Watercolour in the Brecon Beacons
With the countryside or coastline as an inspiring backdrop, this holiday caters for more experienced artists hoping to improve their style and technique. Led by expert tutors in groups of no more than 15, you’ll learn a range of new skills using watercolour paints - and try out new ideas. You’ll also have ample time to practice in peaceful surroundings.
What you’ll love
- Developing your own personal artistic style
- Exploring new drawing techniques
- Having an expert tutor on hand for advice and guidance
- Building your expertise and trying new skills
- A more personalised experience thanks to small group sizes (maximum 15 people in 2026 and 16 people in 2027)
What’s included
- Expert tuition
- Loan of wooden A3 art boards
- Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
- Cream tea on arrival day
- Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
- Daily packed lunches
- Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
- Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information available in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently
Trip Notes
Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.
There will be full days practising your painting and learning new techniques, with breaks throughout the day for a cup of tea (or two!) and lunch as well. Most tuition and practice will take place inside the house, but if the sun is out, we may head into the grounds to take advantage of some fresh air.
With the guidance of your art tutor, you’ll build on the fundamentals of watercolour painting, learning new skills and capturing different subjects, using colour theory to enhance your work, and improving your composition skills, alongside other intermediate watercolour techniques.
In the evenings, you can relax in the lounge and bar areas, socialise, or take part in a wide range of house activities.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.
Nythfa House
Not many places in the UK outshine Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park when it comes to wide open spaces and walks with incredible views. So it’s easy to see the appeal of Nythfa House. With its name meaning ‘nesting place’ in Welsh, once you settle in you'll never want to leave. Built in 1867 as a private residence, this charming property is perfect for those seeking a rural retreat, yet one which is just a 10-minute walk from the Welsh market town of Brecon. It sits on a hill above The Struet, one of Brecon’s oldest and most historic streets, famed for its Charles I connections who visited the town during the English Civil War.
Nythfa House also puts you within easy reach of some of the area’s show-stealing walking spots, including the Black Mountains, the Mellte Valley, and Pen y Fan - the highest point in the national park at 886 metres. Equally visit-worthy is the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Blaenavon, the National Showcaves Centre for Wales in Abercrave, and the bibliophile’s paradise that is Hay-on-Wye. Should time allow, Hereford and Cardiff are both just an hour’s drive away.
Rooms
Designed with your comfort in mind, Nythfa House has 31 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior.
Classic rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.
Premium rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.
Superior rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surroundings*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.
We love: Rooms 6 and 7 in the main house both have gorgeous views across the garden and the Brecon Beacons. Room 21 is up in the eaves and has a separate seating area (please be mindful of the low ceilings). The garden guest rooms are very pretty and have their own small deck.
The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.
Room supplements
| Superior | Premium single | Premium double/twin | Choose your room |
| £25 pppn | £20 pppn | £20 pppn | £30 per room |
*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location
About your stay
A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).
Evening entertainment
While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.
Walks talks
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.
The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.
Food & drink
Seasonal dining, tailored for you
Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a 40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.
Welcome Cream Tea
What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home. A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.
A hearty breakfast to start the day
Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.
Our famous picnic lunch
Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.
3-course evening meals
Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.
Accessibility
For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Nythfa House
Getting to Nythfa House
Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.
More InformationAddress
Nythfa House
Brecon
Powys LD3 7NN
Tel: +44 (0)1874 624287
By train
The nearest station is Abergavenny, from here you can take a bus or taxi to Brecon (see details below).
Check National Rail for train times and routes.
By taxi
The 21-mile journey from Abergavenny railway station takes 40 minutes to one hour.
For pricing, please contact A&A Cabs directly.
A&A Cabs
You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended company, A&A Cabs*. We recommend booking your taxi at least seven days in advance by contacting:
Tel: +44 (0)1874 622288
Email: aandabrecon@yahoo.ie
A return journey can be arranged on your behalf by the HF Holidays House Manager at Nythfa House.
*A&A Cabs is not owned or managed by HF Holidays.
By bus
The X43 bus operates from Abergavenny station to Brecon and takes about an hour. The most convenient bus stop for Nythfa House is the bus interchange in Brecon.
For bus times check Traveline.
By car
The A40 from Abergavenny and the A470 from the northwest converge at a roundabout on the Brecon bypass.
At the roundabout, follow the B4601 into Brecon. Turn right at the second mini roundabout on to Heol Gouesnou road. Drive straight over another mini roundabout and go straight on at the traffic lights. Turn right into Mount Street, then take the second left into Belle View Road. At the top of the road, go straight ahead up the drive to Nythfa House.
By air
The nearest airport is Cardiff.
Catch the 905 bus service to Rhoose Railway Station bus stop. Take the train from Rhoose Cardiff International Airport to Cathays Station and walk 10 mins to Merthyr Tydfil Bus Station. From here take the T14 bus to Brecon. You’ll need to allow up to 3.5 hours.
An alternate option is to fly to Heathrow airport. Take a train to London Paddington Station, where there are trains to Abergavenny (with one change at Newport). Here you can take a bus or taxi to Brecon.
For our Next Step art holidays, all guests will require the following materials and tools, to be purchased before the start of your holiday. The listed items should be available from all good art supply shops, and we recommend that you try to purchase the best quality that you can afford. Well-known brands, such as Daler Rowney or Winsor & Newton have ‘student’ quality ranges which are ideal for our exercises.
Paints & Pencils
Watercolour paints in tubes or dry pan sets, in the following colours:
- Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue & Cerulean Blue
- Cadmium Red & Alizarin Crimson
- Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre & Cadmium Yellow
- Sap Green
- Burnt Umber & Burnt Sienna
- Payne’s Grey
Plus:
- Art Masking Fluid
- Designers Permanent White Gouache in a tube
- 2B & 4B pencils
- Black/Sepia-coloured fibre-tipped drawing pens (waterproof ink, in fine and medium thickness)
Surfaces
- 10” x 14” 300gm watercolour book or pre-glued pad (cold pressed/not, surfaced), 10-12 sheets
- A4 Cartridge Sketch Pad
Tools
- Watercolour brushes: No. 10, No. 6 & No. 3
- Small Rigger brush
- Pencil eraser
- Mixing palette (can be a white dinner plate!)
- Small craft knife or pencil sharpener
- Water pot
- Kitchen roll x 1
- Bulldog clips x 6
Nythfa House Calendar
- Guided Walking
- Self-Guided Walking
- Special Interests
- Unavailable to Book
Guest reviews
All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.
Extra Savings for Members
HF Members save £30pp in the UK, £50pp in Europe & £80pp on worldwide holidays. Call us to join, add membership when booking online, or find out more here.All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Holiday prices
| Date (Start - End) | Itinerary | Double / Twin Room | Single Room | Notes / Offers | Trip Notes | Book | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | ||||||||
|
17 Sep - 20 Sep 2027 3 nights |
Itinerary Single from £669 £605 Double from £639 £575 pp |
from £639 £575 pp |
from £669 £605 |
Early Booking Offer Save £64 Per Person |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | ||
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£639pp
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