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Travelling solo? Enjoy 28% off stays of 3 nights or more for one guest, 1 November to 30 April.

Solo stays

DOG-FRIENDLY STAYS  /  DOGS STAY FREE

Bring your dog.

A countryside stay that welcomes you both.

Dogs Stay Free

One Dog Per Stay

Enclosed Space

Muddy Paws

Explore the retreats
Ted settled in a leather armchair beside the fire

NEAR LLANGADOG, CARMARTHENSHIRE

Ted, settled by the fire.

Bring the dog

Dogs stay free
at both retreats.

Your dog is welcome at Black Mountain Escapes. We want you to enjoy your time here together, from the first walk after arriving to a quiet evening back at your retreat.

Dogs stay free at both Gablebach Cottage and Y Golchdy. Each has its own enclosed outdoor space, and there are country walks, woodland trails and welcoming pubs to explore around Llangadog and the Black Mountain.

Come for a few days outdoors, a change of pace and the pleasure of having your dog with you.

Choose your retreat

Walks together

Walks to enjoy together

There is a choice of walking around Black Mountain Escapes, whether you want a short outing or a full day in the hills. The countryside changes with the seasons, and you can choose a route to suit the weather, your own plans and your dog’s needs.

Llyn y Fan Fach by Alan Hughes · CC BY-SA 2.0

Mountain walking

Llyn y Fan Fach

For a mountain day close to the cottages, Llyn y Fan Fach offers some of the Black Mountain’s most striking scenery. The track climbs steadily from near Llanddeusant to the lake beneath its sweeping escarpment.

Choose a visit to the lake or a longer route to suit your experience and your dog’s fitness. Keep dogs on a lead around grazing animals and away from steep edges. Check the forecast and take suitable clothing, drinking water and a map.

Plan your walk
Crown Copyright https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Photo: Crown Copyright © 2026

Reservoir views

Llyn Brianne

North of Llandovery, Llyn Brianne offers a different landscape: broad reservoir views, wooded hills and routes through the surrounding Tywi Forest.

Choose a shorter outing to a viewpoint or plan a longer forest walk. Fannog has a short track from its car park to the reservoir’s edge; Carreg Clochdy offers views from above the water. Longer forest routes need a map. Keep your dog away from steep banks and the spillway; swimming is not permitted in the reservoir.

Plan your walk
Photo by: Natural Resources Wales https://naturalresources.wales/days-out/places-to-visit/mid-wales/coed-maen-arthur/?lang=en

Coed Pen-Arthur by Natural Resources Wales · CC BY-SA 2.0

Nearby woodland

Pen Arthur Wood

Close to the cottages, Pen Arthur Wood offers forest-road walking through a mixture of conifers and native broadleaved trees, with views towards the Tywi Valley and Black Mountain.

The route to the viewpoint climbs all the way uphill, making it a good choice when you and your dog are ready for a longer walk. The route is not waymarked: consult the information panel and take a map. Choose your distance to suit you both.

Plan your walk

Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights reserved. Open Government Licence.

Out together

Closer to home, or further into the woods

Start with the country lanes and public footpaths around Llangadog, with farmland and valley views to enjoy without making every walk a major excursion. Ask us about a shorter morning or evening route during your stay.

Near Llandovery, Halfway and Crychan Forests offer woodland alternatives to the exposed mountain routes. Halfway has shorter trails near the Nant y Dresglen stream, while Crychan offers longer walks through varied woodland. Check trail information and forestry notices before setting out.

Explore our walking guides

A table after the walk

Pubs where your dog can join you

A stay with your dog should include the option of a meal out together. There are welcoming pubs in Llangadog and Llandovery, with places to stop after a walk or spend an unhurried evening.

Explore local pubs and places to eat

Your countryside stay

Where your dog feels at home

Travelling with a dog is easier when you know what to expect. Both retreats have private, enclosed outdoor spaces with gated access, and we have considered the little things that make your stay comfortable.

Jet

Gablebach Cottage

Gablebach welcomes one dog, staying free. The restored cottage has a private, enclosed garden, a wood-burning stove and an outdoor bath house for you to enjoy after a day walking. Its characterful rooms and outdoor space make it a comfortable base for a countryside break with your dog.

Y Golchdy’s dog shower

Y Golchdy welcomes one dog up to medium size, staying free. It has a covered veranda, private enclosed outdoor space, a wood burner and a private hot tub. Its dedicated dog shower is there for washing off after a muddy walk: wash, dry and settle back into the comfort of your retreat.

Private, enclosed outdoor spaces

Both retreats have private, enclosed outdoor spaces with gated access, giving you somewhere to enjoy time outside together. Water bowls and dog towels are provided. Bring your dog’s usual food, bed and lead, along with anything that helps them feel at home.

If you have particular needs, please speak to us before booking. We will help you choose the accommodation that suits you both.

Frequently asked questions

The details to help you plan your stay with your dog.

No. Dogs stay free at both retreats.

Gablebach Cottage and Y Golchdy each welcome one dog. At Y Golchdy, your dog should be no larger than medium-sized. If you would like to discuss a different arrangement, please contact us before booking.

Yes. Both retreats have private, enclosed outdoor spaces with gated access. Please supervise your dog and check that the enclosure suits them when you arrive.

Water bowls and dog towels are provided. Bring your dog’s usual food, bed, lead, waste bags and anything else that helps them feel comfortable away from home.

Yes. Y Golchdy has a dedicated dog shower for washing off after countryside walks, with dog towels available for drying.

Dogs should be at least one year old, well behaved and comfortable around livestock and other animals. This is a working countryside, so keep dogs on a lead around livestock, follow local signs and pick up after them on walks and around the property.

Y Castell and The Red Lion in Llangadog both welcome dogs and are both within walking distance. Mention your dog when booking a meal so the venue can advise on a suitable table.

Yes. Ask us about local routes and the walking guides in our Journal. There are options for shorter outings around Llangadog, woodland walks at Pen Arthur Wood, Halfway and Crychan, and mountain days at Llyn y Fan Fach, depending on your plans and your dog’s needs.

Teilo Vets has practices in Llandeilo and Llandovery if your dog needs veterinary attention during your stay.

During normal opening hours: 01558 823377.

Small-animal care outside normal opening hours: 07951 095104. Please telephone before travelling so the veterinary team can advise where you should go.

Llandeilo practice: Beechwood Offices, Talley Road, Llandeilo, SA19 7HR.
Llandovery practice: 2 Broad Street, Llandovery, SA20 0AR.

Teilo Vets contact and out-of-hours information →

Plan your escape

Check availability

Choose your dates for Y Golchdy or Gablebach Cottage and book directly with us.

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Tea, cake and a good book on the patio at Gablebach

A place for you both

Make yourselves
at home

A morning walk, lunch in the village and an evening back at your retreat: there is time here to enjoy the countryside together.

Dogs stay free at both retreats. We look forward to welcoming you and your dog to Black Mountain Escapes.

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Historic site

Dark sky reserve

Country walks

Country comforts