BLUESTONE WALES

Looking to enjoy the fresh air coming holidays? Do you want some peace and quiet to unwind, but still have the comfort and relaxation? If so, Bluestone Wales in Pembrokeshire in Wales might become your favourite holiday park as well.

Last month we spent a wonderful mid-week at Bluestone Wales in Pembrokeshire with my husband, his father and Alexander. From cycling and swimming to exploring and zip-lining, we had loads of family free range fun.

When my husband suggested going to Bluestone, a family resort with luxury lodges and cottages in 500-acres of beautiful UK National Park and with many indoor and outdoor activities he got my attention. We’d been looking for somewhere that would keep Alexander occupied and still allow us take his father who is 89 years old with us. A couple of days later we booked.

My husband might be British but we only visit the UK once a year and, since he’s from London, we usually just end up spending a week in the city. I’ve only been to two other places in the UK, Bristol and Leeds so the thought of going to Wales sounded exciting. So this was a real break from the norm for us.

Once you book your stay you can then go on to choose from over 100 activities online before you arrive so once you get there you can just get on with it and not have the annoying ‘what shall we do today?’ debate every morning. The resort has the indoor Blue Lagoon Water Park, undercover Adventure Centre, the adrenaline pumping Steep Ravine with zip wires, high ropes, tree climbing and outdoor forest restaurant Camp Smokey, a tournament field where fun battles take place, a Well Spa Retreat for all us mummies to hide away in if we’re lucky, five restaurants, walks and cycle routes, and amazing wildlife. It even has its very own private village – complete with everything a village needs too including a shop, pub, coffee shop, bakery and park.

Being a friendly car-free zone, it felt safe and easy. Alexander could run out the door of the lodge and hop onto his bike that we rented to cycle around our little road, down to the village or to Annabel’s cottage, a friend that he made on the first day. He could go out of immediate eyesight and explore. For the whole week, he had a freedom that town-living and modern anxieties don’t usually allow. It was wonderful.

Even-though the weather wasn’t always great we enjoyed activities such as tree climbing, roasting marshmallows at Camp Smokey, spear throwing, archery and treehouse troopers. Alexander and my husband also got their adrenaline pumping at the Sky Wire course down at the Steep Ravine where they whipped and whizzed their way through the skies on 4 breathtaking zip wires ranging from 60-250ft long! This is definitely the most exhilarating way to bring the family together in a stunning forestry setting.

With all that full-on fun, it was great returning to our luxury lodge each day. We stayed in The Gateholm lodge which has three bedrooms on the ground floor, with one en-suite bathroom and a second bathroom. Embracing ‘upside down living’, they are designed to tuck into the sloping valley. With a studio-style kitchen and spacious lounge on the first floor we could take full advantage of the views.

Alexander was in charge of getting Grandpa the newspaper every morning, whilst me and my husband would prepare breakfast for the whole family with the hamper basket we ordered when we booked our holiday.

You might’ve guessed I fell in love with Bluestone. There was so much to do for Alexander, and seeing Grandpa with a smile on his face enjoying his cup of tea and newspaper, therefore made it so easy for us. We’ll definitely go again.

Even though we only left Bluestone once as a family there are lots of things to do locally. My husband, Alexander and I visited Tenby. A beautiful fishing town, you have to blink twice to believe is real. It looks like a historically authentic holiday theme park created by a Russian oligarch with a taste for Enid Blyton. The craggy outcrop, the golden coves of powdery sand, the Regency terraces hugger-mugger on the clifftops, the raggedy islands populated by seals and monks, the rock pools, the Georgian lanes skipping down to the harbour, the harbour itself! Just like Bluestone Wales, Tenby is perfect for everyone, both young and old, with or without children.

Click here to book your stay at Bluestone Wales.