The last time I rode a mountain bike I was a fearless 11-year-old, undaunted by gravel, steep slopes and the prospect of a broken collarbone as I tried to master a wheelie. The last time I was in a treehouse I was a bookish 11-year-old, who saw the spider-infested, lichen-covered box in the branches at the end of the garden as a private kingdom I could visit to rearrange my football-sticker swap piles. Now, in my 30s, could a weekend combining the two transport me back to the joys of childhood?

Treehouses have moved up in the world in the past 20 years. Dafydd and Ceri Tomos, owners of Beudy Banc, have recently turned a traditional campsite into a glamping site, with cabins powered by wind and solar energy dotted around a lush valley near the Welsh market town of Machynlleth. In the branches of a giant oak, the treehouse is the most recent addition and thanks to a stove, shower and double bed, it has little in common with my childhood refuge. For a start, it has at least 20 miles of mountain bike routes on its doorstep.

Dafydd’s email before we arrived described them as “downhill trails” but I know enough about hills to know that’s only half the story. Luckily, bikes my partner and I borrowed had a generous lowest gear that made all but the steepest sections easy to get up (slowly). Much of the route we chose was through fields of grazing sheep, and dismounting was necessary for the many gates connecting them, each one seemingly with a different locking mechanism to keep us on our toes.

The ridge that runs above Beudy Banc provides panoramic views across the Dyfi valley, taking in Cardigan Bay to the west, the gently sloping peak of Cader Idris to the north and the Cambrian Mountains to the south. White specks of sheep dot the fields, far outnumbering humans – we covered about 20km over four hours, and two lost walkers were the only people we saw. As for the sheep, they were curious about us but as soon as we got too close they would turn and run.

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The treehouse cabin was a welcome sanctuary as the rain rolled in, with its hot shower and stove stocked with environmentally friendly sawdust briquettes. Within a few minutes we were warm and clean, and had a perfect view of the sunset through the enormous windows. The cabins have strong eco-credentials, too, using solar and wind power to supply the electric sockets.

Although the nearest place to stock up on supplies is in Machynlleth, there was no risk of going hungry – in the nearby roadside verges alone we found wild damsons we stewed on the treehouse’s gas hob, as well as blackberries, hazelnuts and even a few mushrooms.

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After breakfast in the treehouse, we set out again on our bikes for the top of the ridge before descending on farm tracks into the village of Glantwymyn for a drink at the Dovey Valley Hotel. We planned a circular route that split our time between off-road trails and lightly trafficked B-roads, and stopped off for lunch at the White Lion in Machynlleth for the meatiest steak pie I’ve ever tasted.

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Bumping through pastures and down dirt tracks was tremendous fun and surprisingly easy for two cautious beginners more used to city cycling, but this part of Wales is a paradise for more-seasoned mountain bikers as well. Dafydd has built a snaking downhill track at Beudy Banc itself, and there are nationally renowned tracks a few miles north of Machynlleth, including the black-diamond-difficulty ClimachX trail. For the really tough, the area also hosts the annual Dyfi Enduro, a 56km endurance race.

We relied on our bikes and the local taxi firms to get in and out of Machynlleth, a lively market town with five pubs, a few cafes and restaurants, three bookshops and several antique shops. It’s an ideal destination for walkers, too, with two long-distance footpaths, Glyndwr’s Way and the Dyfi Valley Way, passing through.

A final morning walk through the fields was rewarded with the sight of squirrels darting up trees as the sun glinted off the dewy grass. A taxi back to Mach, as the locals refer to it, dropped us at the Tŷ Medi vegetarian cafe on the high street for buttery cheese scones and friendly questions from proud locals who were all keen to know where we had stayed, what we had done, and what we thought of their town. Fortunately, there was no need for polite white lies – I was more than happy to sing the praises of the area after a weekend that left me, if not quite 11 years old again, at least slightly rejuvenated.

• The trip was provided by Canopy and Stars. Cabins at Beudy Banc from £52 a night, treehouse from £100 a night. Rail travel was provided by Rail Europe; Beudy Banc is about five miles from Machynlleth station, which has frequent services to Birmingham, Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth

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