"That sense of coming home was what I wanted our guests to feel'

Ali Paice, co-founder of Bert's Kitchen Garden

- 

A 'blazing row' between Ali and Ian Paice ultimately led to a complete career shift. Until then, they were very much part of the London rat race - she, with her own copper worktop business, and he, as general manager of a software company. 'We were moving to a new location for my business, taking on more debt and Ian had resigned from his job to join me - it was an all-or-nothing moment,' Ali says. 'After we calmed down, we both listed the top things we wanted in life - thankfully, being together appeared on both lists!' Like something out of a movie, within two weeks the couple had pulled the kids out of school and nursery, given away most of their belongings and embarked on an epic adventure that would see them travel across America, Canada, Asia and Europe for three years, even welcoming their youngest daughter along the way.

Having experienced so much space and freedom while globe-trotting, the family wanted to establish a fairly simple, laid-back country life on their return. Using the converted bus they had been travelling in, they set off on a trip around the UK, during which they spotted a 17th-century cottage with 14 acres and its own beach on the Llŷn Peninsula - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales. 'When we viewed Morfa Farm, the heavens opened and we all got drenched,' says Ali. 'It felt like a sign that we shouldn't be buying the place, but the owner showed us around, made us tea and we had cake by the Aga with the three kids lined up on the old stone ledge by the window. The lady took out a picture of her kids at a similar age, and in that moment, it felt like home.'