The red kites that soar above the Cothi valley have a bird’s-eye view of Brechfa Forest – perfect for hiking and biking – and of this rustic 16th-century country house hotel on its margin, with the River Marlais running by.

On the banks of the River Monnow lies this characterful boutique retreat fashioned from a 300-year-old coaching inn, all flagstone floors and beams.

Tal-y-llyn lake, stocked with brown trout to supplement wild fish, is almost on the back doorstep of this Snowdonia farmhouse B&B. Alternatively, you can take a short drive to fish for grayling on the Dee, or perhaps go for a spot of fly-fishing off the coast, with your sights on bass, mullet and mackerel.

It’s easier being green when you stay with environmentally aware hosts Beverley and David Harrison-Wood in their 19th-century mansion a short drive from Cardigan Bay.

Drawn back for a sixth visit to the annual Baroque Music Festival in this market and minster town, trusted readers found everything ‘as good as before’ at Kayt and Hugh Cooper’s eco-aware B&B.

In a woodland garden that stretches to the River Dee, this historic Victorian manor is today a sumptuous hotel rich in antiques and fine original features.

The River Irfon, known for its grayling and wild brown trout, flows though the wooded grounds of Jean-Pierre Mifsud’s fishing lodge, in its rush to join the River Wye. As well as seven miles of riverbank there is a well-stocked trout lake. Tuition and tackle available.

Ideally situated for exploring Powis Castle or foodie Ludlow, this red brick Victorian vicarage stands back from the winding A484 in the Welsh Marches, looking over rolling pastures to the Shropshire hills.

In ‘magnificent countryside’, Fiona and Caron Jones’s modern house, all marble, polished granite and honey-coloured wood inside, has ‘an unexpected “wow” factor’.

‘Excellent, informative hosts’ Julia and Stuart Adams run their tranquil B&B in a forested valley, with easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the beach.