About Us
We’re Paul and Kesri. Originally from South Africa, we moved to London in 1999 and threw ourselves into city life and corporate careers — until having children in 2008 changed everything.
We didn’t just want a slower pace… we wanted more time together, more space, and something that felt real.
So we did what most people talk about: we escaped to the country.
We even appeared on BBC’s Escape to the Country (yes, really) — and it genuinely changed the direction of our lives. In 2010, we found what would become our dream: a beautiful 16th-century farm near Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire – right on the England–Wales border
Today, that farm is Drovers Rest — a unique events venue in Herefordshire. We host non-traditional countryside weddings, corporate retreats, workshops and our signature fire-cooked feasts. It’s a place for couples who want a wedding /an event or gathering that feels relaxed, authentic and wildly memorable — not stiff, conventional or cookie-cutter.
We’re proudly the Black Sheep of weddings and events
We haven’t forgotten our corporate roots — they taught us a huge amount and still shape how we run things today. Alongside weddings and events, we also host training, workshops and gatherings here on the farm. And yes, we still freelance and travel globally, working with brands and organisations we respect, including Unilever, Google and NGOs close to our hearts.
In many ways, we’re a lot like the black sheep that dot our fields (and the cheeky one in our logo). We love to buck the status quo, do things differently, and always ask “why not?” We’re passionate about diversity in all its forms — people, culture, food, ideas and ways of thinking — and Drovers Rest is built on that same spirit.
Looking back, we had absolutely no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We arrived with a big dream, limited resources, and a farm that needed more than a little love. Turning it into a working business has been challenging, exhausting and wildly rewarding in equal measure.
Over the years, we’ve built Drovers Rest into a place where people come to gather — for non-traditional weddings, fire-cooked feasts, celebrations and unforgettable nights in the barns and courtyard. We’re always learning, always building, and still doing it the only way we know how: with plenty of graft, a bit of chaos, and a huge amount of heart.
There’s been blood, sweat — and yes, sometimes tears — but we wouldn’t change it for the world. And if you’ve got a dream that won’t leave you alone, we’ll always be the first to say: go for it.
Follow along on Instagram — because escaping to the country was only the beginning. The journey is still unfolding.
Travel writer, Alistair Sawday
“The terms ‘Bed and Breakfast’ and ‘Self-Catering’ once conjured up lace curtains, doilies, lists of do’s and don’ts. And a sense of being stuck in a more formal, sepia era. How times have changed.
Part of this shift is down to a new generation of owners, who’ve brought a sense of play, informality, style and entrepreneurialism to their ventures. They’re breaking the rules. Blurring the lines between the old classifications of B&Bs, self-catering and hotels. And offering so much more than just a bed for the night.
The result? Fabulous places, buzzing with energy and ideas. With a far richer experience for guests.
At Drovers Rest, Kesri, Paul and their young family’s labour of love has really paid off. The Shepherd’s Shack, Drover’s Cottage, The Carthouse and a collection of souped-up Safari Tents with private underfloor-heated bathrooms are super getaways in the Black Mountains.
Get involved on the farm, hang out around the campfire with cocktails and toasted marshmallows, or join one of their convivial food-night gatherings in their no-expense-spared, stunning chill-out barn.”
— Alistair Sawday, travel writer
For the Love of People
We love people — and it shows in everything we do. From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel less like a paying client and more like part of the extended family.
Gatherings
We believe in the magic that happens when people come together. Gathering is at the heart of everything we do at Drovers Rest — from shared feasts and campfire evenings to life on the farm and our epic events. Come ready to dive in, join the conversation, and meet people along the way.
For the Love of Food
We’re foodies at heart. We love using homegrown and foraged ingredients for cooking, baking, and filling our larder — from jams and relishes to sloe gin and elderflower cordial — all shared generously with our guests.
Fire cooking is in our South African DNA. We love a good braai and cook expertly over open flames for our gatherings, creating food that’s deeply satisfying, seriously drool-worthy, and utterly memorable.
Food Grown The Proper Way
How our food is grown matters deeply to us. We farm organically, without artificial pesticides, fertilisers or hormone injections. Our animals live the best life possible — free-ranging on the farm, as they should.
This is food grown the proper way. Honest, ethical, and full of flavour.
One Planet
We’re deeply passionate about wildlife and nature. That’s why we’re rewilding 25% of our farm and focusing on soil regeneration — restoring the land’s natural ability to sequester carbon and support life.
We believe farms can be part of the solution, not the problem. This thinking runs through everything we do, shaping a strong eco-educational ethos here at Drovers Rest — and it’s why we’re proud recipients of the Green Tourism Award.
The Great British Outdoors and a bit of Welsh Wild ..
We’re proud of our farm, our animals and our local landscape — and we love sharing it. Bring old clothes and your wellies and be ready to get properly muddy. This is a place to be in nature, not tiptoe around it.
Our 40-acre farm is a mix of woodland, meadows and orchards, with a bubbling brook running through it. We back onto the 150-acre Little Mountain common, where our animals have grazing rights and where walking and wildlife spotting are part of everyday life.
There’s a huge badger sett nearby and you’ll often see badgers at night. Birdsong fills the mornings thanks to wildlife corridors across the fields, while bat boxes encourage bats to breed. Listen out for the resident owl, watch buzzards glide low over the lane as you arrive — and of course, meet our much-loved farm animals mooching about.
You will fall in love.
