As close to paradise as you can get

When I am not delivering leadership sessions and coaching on the ION Leadership programmes, you can find me with my feather duster running my own business, preparing my holiday let Carrog Barn ready for our next guests.

Carrog Barn is a beautiful Barn Conversion in LLangristiolus on the Isle of Anglesey – Ynys Mon. Set within 25 acres of tranquil Anglesey countryside near Paradwys, which is a Welsh word for Paradise. It certainly is paradise with rolling countryside and views of Snowdon. Guests stay and always fall in love with Carrog Barn, returning again and again. Carrog barn sleeps 6, with guests enjoying the tranquillity of the location, feeding our lambs, bird and red squirrel spotting, walks straight from the door, building dens and having the space both inside and out to relax and enjoy their holiday. With easy access to the beaches, it is a great location to explore the whole of the Island.  As Anglesey is one of only a few places in the UK with dark sky status, Carrog Barn is the perfect location to sit outside and star gaze.

My husband and I didn’t really plan to go into holiday letting as we love the solitude and the location of where we live. The decision was taken as the barn was falling down, so we had to do something to retain the building. Whilst renovating the barn, we did it as a place that we would love to stay in and have continued with that philosophy in ensuring our guests have everything they need. It certainly has the wow factor, with its high ceilings and open plan living, as well as retaining many features of the original barn as possible.

Running a holiday let on Anglesey has given me a greater appreciation of the importance of tourism for the local economy and the need to support and grow a sustainable tourism sector within North Wales to ensure a prosperous future for all. I am passionate about supporting as many local businesses as possible, from having Halen Mon salt and Welsh Cakes available for the guests, to supporting local trades people, restaurants, shops, activity suppliers and attractions. We chose a local holiday letting company Boltholes and Hideaways based in Beaumaris to advertise Carrog Barn. Allowing us to support local jobs and provide our guests with local knowledge. We feel strongly about being ambassadors for Anglesey and ensuring that our guests have the most amazing time when they stay on the Island and experience the best Anglesey and North Wales has to offer, appreciating the beautiful scenery and it’s unique culture and history.

Obviously, we have to try out everything before we recommend it to our guests!! We take market research extremely seriously, trying out new places and activities on the Island. There is so much to do and see on Anglesey along with fantastic restaurants and local produce. Seeing it from a tourist perspective has given me a greater appreciation of what’s on our doorstep and allowed me to start discovering and rediscovering places and experiences around us from paddle boarding, wild swimming, walking and cycling. It has also led me to have a greater awareness of the challenges local businesses have in relation to tourism and the role it plays at all levels within the local economy and communities. It allows me to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the challenges local business leaders face when working with them on the ION Leadership programmes.

The question I always get asked living so close to paradise is where do I go on holiday? Often, it’s a staycation 5 miles down the road! Why go anywhere else when paradise is so close.