WHAT DOES BLUESTONE IN WALES OFFER KID-FREE FOLK?
Want to keep the children occupied while on holiday? Then a few days away at family-friendly Bluestone in Pembrokeshire, Wales will ensure that they have plenty to keep them entertained.
But what about adults with no children? Whether you’ve never had them or yours have flown the nest, is Bluestone a good choice for kid-free folk?
The first thing to remember is that the resort is geared up extremely well for families which means that even if you visit during term time there will be younger children around. So, if you are looking for ‘adults only’ this is not the place. But assuming you’re happy with a few children enjoying the facilities, what does Bluestone offer?
Let’s start with accommodation. You can choose from lodges, studios and cottages in a range of sizes, sleeping anything from two to 14 people. We stayed in a comfortable one-bed cottage in the Village and there was plenty of room for two. All the accommodation is self-catering and the kitchen has everything you need to cook a decent meal including hob, oven, microwave and a dishwasher.
There is a small village store on site where you can pick up essentials plus top up on bottles of wine and beer (if you find yourself running low). There are also two restaurants, with Italian cuisine at the Oak Tree (excellent dairy-free pizza) and at the Farmhouse Grill, well, it’s a grill – uncomplicated is always on the menu. Camp Smokey is a rustic woodland diner, plus there is the NRG Lab café (good for breakfast options), a pub, and a few kiosks for food. The food is all ‘family-friendly’. Vegan and vegetarian diners are always catered for, but the options on offer are much less adventurous than the activities you can get up to – more okay than oh wow! If you have a special diet or want a posher plant-based platter, come prepared to lean into self-catering. There is a coffee shop that does a lovely oat milk latte, but sadly no vegan cake options.
What about activities? If you simply fancy chilling in your cottage, drinking tea or wine, reading a good book or watching a movie away from the usual pulls of being home (loading the washing machine, cleaning the bathroom and cutting the lawn – those never-ending jobs) then your lodge, the sound of the birds, and view of the trees and lake will be perfect. The entire resort also has decent complimentary Wifi so if you can’t live without the next episode of Ted Lasso then remember to bring your Fire Stick (the TVs all have HDMI ports).
If you’re looking for something more active, then I’d recommend the half-day electric mountain biking tour. Don’t worry if you haven’t cycled for ages, or you feel you aren’t fit enough, these e-bikes have added oomph with a little electric motor that can give you anything from a very gentle push to a full-on helping hand. You’ll find yourself powering up steep hills without too much effort, and coping with tracks rutted with running water and loose stones. It was that great balance between exhilarating without being worrying. But do dress appropriately – unless there’s a full-on drought, you’ll get very wet and very muddy.
The mountain biking is guided, so you’ll have someone with you who can show you how the bike works, answer any questions, and ensure that the chosen trails are suitable. Our guide Matt was great, filling us with confidence, pointing out the views and sharing titbits about the local area. It’s a great way to get out into nature, get your muscles working (a bit or a lot – your choice) and breathing in the fresh air of the Pembrokeshire countryside.
There are a range of other soft-adventure activities on offer including stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, zip wire, exploring the Cleddau River by canoe, coasteering, a guided history walk, axe-throwing, archery, bowling, and snorkelling (off the resort) where you might see puffins, seals, small sharks and even whales. The trickiest decision you’ll have is which activities to choose.
For those who like a bit of pampering (who doesn’t?) there is the Well Spa Retreat. Unwind with the Seaweed Bath Experience; a hot bath infused with Welsh sea salt, containing over eighty-five pure minerals, and pure seaweed, sustainably hand-harvested from our Pembrokeshire coast by Câr-y-Môr. This treatment is naturally healing and deeply moisturising, the seaweed and salts are rich in anti-ageing and anti-cellulite properties. This unique treatment will detoxify and improve skin tone whilst truly relaxing you, from head to toe.
And while you are enjoying yourself you can rest easy that Bluestone has a number of eco-initiatives. For example, 90 tonnes of used nappies are thrown away at Bluestone each year, but instead of going to landfill, these are picked up by a local company Nappiycle that separates the fibres and then returns them to Bluestone where they become part of the asphalt on the roads. Sofas no longer required in the lodges and cottages are either donated to local people in need, are refurbished for sale, or are dismantled into their constituent parts for recycling.
Biomass is used to heat the pools, food waste is anaerobically digested to create green energy and fertiliser for local farmers, toiletry dispensers are refilled, and single use plastics are banned. There is also a 20-acre nature reserve with bat and bird boxes, a 4-acre wildflower meadow and a special hedgehog release site developed to help a local Hogspital.
In conclusion, Bluestone is exceptionally well set up for families, and it also offers a great place for a short break for those without any youngsters in tow. Get the blood pumping out in the fresh air, or head inside for some indoor activities if the rain gets too heavy. Or sit back, relax, indulge yourself and just chill out. The choice is yours. But remember to bring your own vegan cake.
FACTBOX:
Bluestone National Park Resort in Wales – bluestonewales.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chantal Cooke is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and co-founder of PASSION for the PLANET. Chantal is passionate about reducing our impact on the environment and it has been said she is a little obsessed with waste! You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter @chantalcooke and on Instagram @Chantaldcooke.