Over the October half-term holiday we were lucky enough to be invited to spend a few days at Bluestone Wales.
Bluestone National Park Resort is an eco-friendly holiday village situated in the beautiful Pembrokeshire National Park in Wales. Set in 500 acres of beautiful Welsh countryside it offers a selection of self-catering lodges and cottages. Boasting far reaching views of hills and an abundance of wildlife, Bluestone is a car-free resort where families are encouraged to roam and explore and where tree climbing and Den building is virtually compulsory!
Despite arriving on the same day as Storm Brian, the park looked stunning with its autumn colours, and we couldn’t wait to explore our surroundings.
Lodge
We had a fantastic lodge situated in the aptly named Forest View. Just five minutes stroll from the village and amenities, it felt peaceful and secluded with a lovely open-plan living area and doors opening out on to a veranda. It was fitted out with everything you might expect and need and was extremely comfortable. The landscaping throughout the site is beautiful and blends perfectly with the surrounding countryside. We could have just sat outside our cabin while the wildlife came to us as I saw rabbits, squirrels, bats and owls from this vantage point, but of course, the kids had other ideas, and we were soon back outside ready to have a proper explore.
The Village
The village location is only a few minutes walk from any of the lodges. Offering a variety of restaurants, a pub, tea rooms and shops as well as a large play area and Spa it really is the heart of the resort – there’s even a chippy! We ate out every evening during our time at Bluestone. All the meals were delicious, and I can particularly recommend the Italian (we went twice!) and the Chef’s Curry Special at the Knights Tavern.
Not having any cars on site was bliss and meant we felt happy for the kids to walk down to the village on their own. They loved having a bit more independence and happily popped down to the well-stocked shop for us each day.
The Blue Lagoon Waterpark
Bluestone guests get unlimited access to the Blue Lagoon Waterpark during their stay. My kids adored the selection of water slides and rapids, inflatables and waves machines and we spent hours there each morning before they would even consider doing anything else! Beautifully warm, and with fantastic play areas for children of all ages, guests have exclusive use of the facilities in the morning with it opening to the general public later in the day.
I didn’t take any pictures of inside the Blue Lagoon, but you can see how brilliant it is here.
The Adventure Centre
The Adventure Centre was another big win with my kids. As well as the impressive adventure playground and mini golf my kids loved the instructor-led activities on offer in here.
The high ropes sky trail was challenging enough for them, and there is a fab range of climbing walls on offer too.
There are plenty of activities for younger children, including soft play, circus zone, craft activities and a creche.
The Tournament Field
The tournament field offers Archery, Laser clay and Crossbows sessions as well as some mixed activities for the over 8’s.
It is also the meeting point for many of the woodland activities.
Woodland Warriors was a huge hit (think paintball with lasers) – the kids disappeared off for two hours and came back buzzing while hubby and I chilled out with a drink.
The Steep Ravine
Out of all the areas at Bluestone, the Steep Ravine was our absolute favourite.
Nestled in ancient woodland offering gorgeous walks, we spent hours each day exploring it.
Home to the fabulous Camp Smokey famed for its evening Shindig sing-off. It is also the perfect place to refuel while exploring the woods.
With highwires, tree climbing and zip wires there’s plenty to challenge both kids and adults.
We even found a fairy village deep in the woods.
There is so much going on at Bluestone we just couldn’t fit it all in. The spa looks gorgeous and is top of my list for our next visit. The kids have the water-based activities on the lake high up on theirs, along with the zip wires which look epic. We will also make sure we book the Shindig at Camp Smokey. There’s a variety of evening entertainment taking place throughout the resort, and everyone we met said the Shindig was their holiday highlight!
We really had a fabulous few days at Bluestone National Park Resort. It is in a beautiful location, with plenty to do, and the facilities are excellent. I think that what really makes it feel special was the staff. Everyone was helpful and cheerful, and they all went the extra mile to make us feel welcome. Whether it was the instructors with their boundless energy or the lovely ladies on reception, everybody had time for a chat. And that is what makes us want to go back soon.
Disclosure: We were invited to stay at Bluestone as part of their Bluestone Blogger Program.
2 comments
I am so putting this on my family holiday to do list! It looks and sounds amazing! I’m sure my daughter would love it haha!
It’s such a fan place for families Mona, and the kids adored it :)