Another roundup of 2019, this time of our favourite places we stayed last year.
YHA St. Briavels Castle
YHA St. Briavels Castle has to be top of the list in terms of unique “I’m the King of the castle” wow factor. It’s an actual 12th century castle, representing a rich piece of history and is bursting with historic character. It is remarkably well-preserved and has a magical medieval charm that transports you back to the time of King John and the Magna Carta.
Entering the castle itself is through the imposing gatehouse, protected by no less than three sets of portcullises, and sets the scene for what is to come.
Staying in an actual Grade I listed, 800 year old Norman castle is undoubtedly pretty cool, sleeping in the “State Apartment” housing the King’s Throne, at the head of what was the great banqueting hall, is even cooler.
Whilst shared single gender dorms are available ours was a private room, sleeping up to 6 in two sets of bunks and two singles. The beds were spotless and comfortable, with pillows and fresh bedding provided. The huge original stone throne, set high in the exposed wall, was a massive hit with the kids and provided an impressive point of interest, as well as a genuine sense of time and place. You are left in no doubt that you are sleeping in an ancient castle.
The bathroom facilities were shared but perfectly clean and practical. Bring your own towels, although they are available to hire if required.
Another of the private bedrooms is in the once notorious prison, complete with 16th & 17th century graffiti and a definite and prevailing sense of unease.
Then there is the Oubliette room – dare you discover its sinister secret? Hidden beneath the rug is a dark “oubliette”, a secret dungeon secured by a trap door at the top. After being thrown down it – no doubt sustaining a few injuries on the way – the unfortunate victims were forgotten about and left to die at the bottom (oubliette originates from the French word oublier, meaning “to forget”). Macabre.
I was secretly more than slightly relieved not to be sleeping in either of these rooms, imagining the gruesome horrors they may have witnessed, especially given that the castle is purported to be one of the most haunted castles in England.
I purposely didn’t read about any the ghostly stories prior to our stay but there are many – including tales of an unseen baby whose wretched cries frequently disturbs those sleeping within (sounds vaguely familiar…). Thankfully we didn’t experience any supernatural phenomenon – just the ridiculous boy clambering up onto the throne in the darkness – and we had a very comfortable and undisturbed night’s sleep.
There are some very atmospheric communal areas in the castle, including the Chapel which now serves as the main lounge. The old kitchen is a quiet lounge with dark wood panels, a period fireplace and the original staircase.
The Banqueting Hall has long communal wooden tables and benches, a grand fireplace and period features that create a fantastic setting for the regular medieval themed banquets held here. Unfortunately they were not hosting one whilst we stayed.
The grounds are an archaeologically preserved site and are open as an English Heritage visitor attraction during the day. There is a lovely peaceful walled garden and courtyard area with picnic benches, where we enjoyed a picnic tea followed by an ice cream, available from reception.
Toothless the dragon felt particularly at home in the castle environs and loved exploring all the nooks and crannies.
There was a fully serviceable communal kitchen available, had we wanted to cook anything for ourselves, but we had booked and paid for breakfast in advance. We were surprised by the quality and variety on offer from the hot and cold buffet: from a full cooked breakfast to cereals, yoghurt, fruit, cheese, toast and croissants and fruit juices.
Located just over the Severn Bridge, we used the castle as a convenient but interesting overnight stop on our way back up north from Cornwall, but the location in the beautiful Forest of Dean/ Wye Valley is worth a visit in itself.
This was our first experience of a Youth Hostel Association stay but we will definitely use them again; they represent great value and practical family accommodation. This one transcends the norm and provides a totally unique experience too.
St. Briavels Castle, St. Briavels, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 6RG
Visit https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-st-briavels-castle
Orchard Farm Luxury Glamping & Campsite, Glastonbury
We eventually arrived at Orchard Farm, grumpy and tired, after an epic 9 hour trek from Yorkshire. It was a journey that should actually have taken about 5 hours but the M5 had been closed southbound, causing chaos with the August traffic, and the ridiculous sat nav re-directed us through the centre of Bristol at rush hour then dumped us in the middle of the Somerset countryside, before suggesting we drive across a ploughed field to reach our destination. That wouldn’t have happened with an old fashioned map for navigation.
Anyway, grumpiness cannot be sustained at Orchard Farm, even by myself after having spent 9 hours in a car, on my birthday, listening to arguing, whinging kids and Billy Joel on repeat.
Located on the fringe of the rural Somerset village of Butleigh, Orchard Farm with it’s charming glamping pods, set amidst organic Somerset apple trees, was the perfect place to chill and any tensions evaporated immediately on arrival.
The setting was idyllic; a quintessential apple orchard, it had the most enchanting trees with gnarly, crooked trunks and spreading branches, loaded with fruit. The whole camp site was beautifully maintained and our pod was comfy and super cute.
We scoffed some artisan deli items, which ‘Addy had insisted on buying from the fabulous Gloucester Services Farm Shop, for a picnic tea. Then the kids played Dobble and I had some cider. The traumatic day was quickly forgotten.
We fell asleep (eventually) listening to the kids whispering and giggling annoyingly at the bottom of our bed, with the wind blowing and falling apples plonking heavily onto the roof of the pod.
In the fridge we’d found a bottle of home pressed juice made from cider apples from the orchard; it was absolutely delicious and the kids went mad for it. In the morning it made the best accompaniment to bacon sarnies for a perfect Somerset breakfast.
Our compact and cosy pod, Tremlett (they are all named after varieties of cider apples), easily accommodated 2 adults and 2 kids with a very comfortable double bed and a double sofa bed. There was a functional kitchenette with Belfast sink, two ring hob, fridge, kettle and toaster and an en-suite with shower. There was also a table and chairs, a TV, Wi-Fi and underfloor heating. All bedding and towels were provided.
Outside the pod was a good size private decking area with lights, patio furniture and a BBQ.
A herd of extremely lucky, happy sheep roamed the apple orchard and the kids absolutely loved collecting and feeding them the wind falls. Who knew sheep even liked apples? They clearly do and looked to be thriving off them! An apple a day…
We spent two nights at Orchard Farm to break up the journey on our way down to Cornwall. We loved the location and had a memorable day exploring Glastonbury, the epicentre of all things spiritual: walking up the blustery Tor, touring the Abbey and discovering its associations with Arthurian legend, wandering around the bohemian town and paying a visit to the Cadbury shop at Clark’s Village in nearby Street.
A charming hideaway in a tranquil apple orchard in the Somerset countryside. It sounds too good to be true – but it isn’t.
Orchard Farm Luxury Glamping & Camping, Harepits Ln, Butleigh, Glastonbury BA6 8TF
Visit https://www.orchardfarmcampsite.co.uk/
Howgills Barn, Sedbergh
You cannot beat a weekend filled with friends, food and ridiculous fun and a bunk barn in the countryside provides the perfect opportunity to get everyone together and enjoy just that. It is in no way an easy or relaxing break, with up to 36 of us in one big house and the adults being outnumbered by 20 feral kids, but these really are the best times and the moments I want my kids to remember and cherish, I know I always will.
So back in October we headed to the town of Sedburgh for a weekend stay at Howgills Barn.
Sedbergh is a small market town nestling beneath the stunning Howgill Fells and just within the western boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park – although weirdly it is actually in Cumbria. It is also close to the Lake District National Park and perfectly positioned for exploring this beautiful area.
Howgills Barn was pretty special in terms of bunk barn accommodation; a traditional but well renovated stone barn, offering good value yet comfortable group accommodation. It was warm, clean and with plenty of space for a large group. The quality of accommodation definitely exceeds expectations over the usual bunk barn and everything is provided to the highest standards.
The sleeping accommodation is laid out in 8 en-suite bunk style bedrooms, (there are 32 separate beds sleeping up to 35 guests as a couple of the bunks had double beds with a single above). Each bed came with a freshly laundered mattress protector and a pillow, you just need to bring your own base sheet and duvet or a sleeping bag, as you prefer, and your own towels.
On the ground floor is also a handy drying room, a games room with table tennis and a couple of individual cloakrooms with a toilet and wash basin.
Upstairs there is a lovely spacious open plan lounge and dining area, with fell views, flagged floors, beams, and underfloor heating. The dining area leads into a small but well equipped kitchen with a large range cooker (there is also a much bigger commercial kitchen downstairs, if required). Above, on a safely enclosed mezzanine, is a TV lounge with Sky TV.
Everything has been provided – apart from walkie talkies, which are essential for effective communication between the two kitchens when cooking a full English breakfast to feed a crowd. “Rubber Duck, this is Mother Goose, are the eggs ready?”
The main living area opens through a porch onto a lovely outside terrace with wooden picnic benches and bbq. There is also the all important hot tub, complete with fairy lights; a real luxury in a bunk barn! You pay an additional charge for use of the tub but plenty of towels are provided and it was huge, clean and luxuriously warm – a great addition to our weekend.
There is a 5 acre outdoor games field available for use, if it has not already been booked by the sheep for their regular game of football.
A short walk down the winding farm track leads directly onto the main street of the attractive old town of Sedburgh. Known as England’s “Book Town”, offering a treasure trove of second hand and collector’s book shops along with other independent shops, pubs and cafes. It is also renowned for it’s posh private boarding school, set in magnificent parkland on the edge of the town.
There is a great children’s playground in the town and a short walk beyond this an ice cream farm, where we enjoyed a fantastic range of ice cream and sorbet from an extensive menu served by the friendly farmer and his family. Situated at the bottom of Winder Fell, the farm enjoys panoramic views over the surrounding hills. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to continue up the fell to the summit – it was early afternoon before we even made it out of the barn, after everyone had been fed two breakfasts and got their shoes and coats on. Winder fell provides a magnificent backdrop to the town and does make an excellent family walk though, if you have the time.
After our ice cream stop we made our way back to the barn for some late afternoon hot tub action and cake before tea. Hungry work, bunk barn-ing!
Howgills Barn is probably the best, most luxurious example of a bunk barn we have stayed in to date and provides the perfect space for a large group of friends to get together and have fun!
Howgills Barn, Castlehaw Farm, Sedburgh, LA10 5BA
Visit https://www.howgillsaccommodation.co.uk/barn
The Point At Polzeath, Cornwall
Cornwall is a special place and holds many memories for me, being the location of many summer camping holidays prior to our lives being turned upside down (some may claim ruined) by the arrival of kids. Yet we had never ventured with the children – the long, and quite frankly tedious, journey from Yorkshire always put us off. This year, however, we bit the bullet and made the trip and we definitely didn’t regret it.
We opted to stay at The Point At Polzeath, only a short walk from the spectacular North Cornish Coast and the buzz of the surf haven that is the village of Polzeath and just across the estuary from Padstow, a place we absolutely love. The Point proved the perfect family friendly base for our adventures.
There are various self catering options on site, from holiday cottages to eco-friendly apartments. Our 2 bedroom apartment was Sole, (the apartments are all named after the shipping forecast; Viking, Sole, Lundy, Rockall, Fitzroy, Malin and Bailey) and everything about it was stunning.
The seven adjoining apartments form a ‘wave’ shape, built into a hillside and have been designed to fit into the landscape with minimum impact. They have living sedum roofs (plant based green roofs), use local stone and are cladded with kebony wood – a sustainable lower carbon-footprint, alternative to tropical hardwood.
The apartments are what the kids call “upside down houses”, the bedrooms being downstairs on the lower ground floor with patio doors out onto the small terrace and field with beautiful wildflower meadow in front. One bedroom was a spacious master with super-king bed and en-suite shower room, the other a twin. Also on this level was the huge family bathroom with bath and walk in shower. There was also a large open hallway with a giant beanbag for reading and chillaxing (or contemplating one’s wrongs) and under the stairs was a cupboard with washing machine/tumble drier and ironing facilities, should you feel the need for laundry duties on holiday.
The open plan living room and kitchen/ diner were on the ground floor level, with panoramic floor to ceiling sliding windows opening onto an enclosed balcony to make the most of the incredible panoramic views over the fields and on to Polzeath bay. There was a quality feel throughout from the bespoke kitchen, made by a local craftsman, to the smooth stone flooring with underfloor heating and modern feature wood burner in the middle. On this level was also an entrance area with loads of space for hanging coats and shoes and a handy separate toilet. There was also lockable outside storage for beach or activity gear.
With a contemporary finish and stylish décor our apartment felt very spacious and luxurious yet, at the same time, really practical and child friendly.
In addition to the holiday accommodation, The Points also boasts an 18 hole golf course, health club, pool, restaurant and bar. We didn’t visit the main restaurant but Bear Bar on the ground floor has an informal vibe, with TVs showing sports and a small area with children’s toys. A bar menu is available all day and we enjoyed a relaxed evening meal there on a couple of occasions. With the putting green, tennis courts and the boules court right next to the bar there was plenty of opportunity to have a grown up drink whilst the kids had fun.
Over the course of a couple of visits we ate chilli nachos, home made pizzas (also available to takeaway), calamari, chicken wings and chips. It was a decent bar menu with all the usual suspects: burgers, fish and chips etc. and there was also a board with some specials. It made for a welcome easy meal after a long day out. The pizzas were delicious, despite the boy’s objectionable face here – he just didn’t want to share “his” pizza.
We love somewhere with a pool, it is a great option in case of bad weather or just somewhere to while away a spare hour. Here the 18m pool with a shallow toddler area, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna were lovely and we spent a happy wet and windy morning there. It was so convenient being close enough to leg it from our apartment, through the rain, in onesies! They also hold a pool disco at various times for the kids.
It was an easy 15 minute walk on public footpaths down to Polzeath, with it’s huge sandy beach and famous surf. It can get very busy in the summer months so being within walking distance was a great advantage. We loved being able to walk down in the early evening before bed, when some of the crowds had gone.
Ideally placed for all north Cornwall’s attractions, we spent some lovely days exploring the area; magical Tintagel, beaches galore, miles of coastal walks, gourmet food and nostalgic visits to Padstow.
I think my daughter found her spiritual home in North Cornwall, among the surf beaches, fresh seafood and thriving restaurant scene. There is definitely something evocative and enchanting about the place; it is unique. If you get Cornwall, it gets you, it grabs you by the heart and never lets go.
We definitely got The Point. We absolutely loved our stay here and the kids both properly cried when we had to leave, which says it all.
The Point at Polzeath, St Minver, Wadebridge PL27 6QT
Visit https://www.thepointatpolzeath.co.uk
Auchrannie Resort, Brodick, Arran
Auchrannie is a fantastic family friendly resort just 5 minutes drive from the ferry terminal and village of Brodick on the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland.
Known as Scotland in miniature, the Isle of Arran is one of Scotland’s most beautiful and diverse, yet easily accessible islands. From Ardrossan on the Ayrshire coast the scenic ferry journey over to Arran is easy, yet feels like a full-on adventure. Taking under an hour it is perfect for impatient kids and what could be more thrilling than actually driving your car into the gaping mouth of a massive boat?
On arrival the resort was set in stunning Scottish countryside – surrounded by mountains and glens, it has picturesque views at every turn and beautiful grounds.
There were a range of accommodation options from rooms in the more traditional House Hotel or the contemporary Spa Resort, popular with families, to the self catering luxury lodges and couples retreats. We opted to stay in a Spa Resort Executive room on a bed & breakfast basis and it was perfect; a nicely spacious and contemporary room with a super-king size bed and seating area, there was a fantastic view from the big windows and also a separate bunk room for the kids. With individual TVs at the bottom of each bunk this was a massive hit with them – and us. The family bathroom had a luxurious bath, walk in shower and lovely local products in large dispensing bottles, so less unnecessary plastic waste.
Our room was spacious, clean and practical yet still very stylish and modern. The resort had all the facilities you could ask for in a hotel and more – communal lounge areas and even a utility room with washing machine, dryer, microwave and ice maker.
With 3 restaurant options in the resort we were spoilt for choice.
Cruize Bar and Brasserie was informal and relaxed, serving modern brasserie style dishes along with traditional favourites such as burgers, gourmet hot dogs, pizza and fish and chips. The Cullen Skink risotto with peat smoked haddock, bacon crumble and a poached egg was really tasty and ‘Addy recommended the burger. On another occasion I enjoyed the pan roasted supreme of chicken with braised baby gem, pancetta, garden peas & roasted potato wedges and pea purée and ‘Addy a tender rump of lamb.
The deserts we tried were a triumph; raspberry cranachan with pinhead oatmeal, Scotch whisky & granola cluster, there was also an ice cream sundae fabulously adorned with a Tunnocks teacake and a kid‘s shortbread stack.
Brambles Seafood and Grill is more refined but still has a laid back vibe. The menu concentrates on fresh seafood and grilled meats, Scottish produce with a modern twist.
The girl and I shared an octopus and chorizo starter which was unusual and delicious. The crispy Ayrshire pork belly with charred langoustine, seared scallop in a lightly spiced oriental broth with peanuts & egg noodles was tasty and served gluten free. The girl got stuck into a huge portion of mussels with white wine, cream and garlic whilst the boy had a pasta dish from the kids menu.
The kids both finished with an enormous glass of locally made ice cream and ‘Addy demolished the sticky toffee pudding.
Both restaurants utilise locally sourced ingredients, catered well for gluten free diets and welcome kids. There was a full children’s menu available in all three of the restaurants and also during certain times an eat all you want kids buffet was available in Cruize (pasta dishes, chips, onion rings, sausages, nuggets, veggies, crudités, mini cheeses). There was also a separate soft play room (think padded cell) off the main restaurant area where the kids could play safely whilst waiting for their food; genius! Staff were attentive and friendly and service was always efficient.
Breakfast was served in Cruize Bar and was a real treat. There was something for everyone; the buffet included a full range of cooked breakfast items, cereals, cold meats, cheese and smoked fish, fresh fruit, yoghurt and pastries. There was of loads of child friendly choice from the smoothie of the day to freshly boiled eggs from the hot breakfast menu of cooked to order items that also included delicious kippers. It was a real luxury to indulge in breakfast each morning and really helped to make this feel like a proper break.
There are 20m pools in both the House Hotel and the Spa Resort. The Spa Resort pool was great, alongside the main pool was a large shallow splashpool with a waterfall and fountains for the kids. ‘Addy chilled in our room on the couple of occasions I took the kids to the pool – because he went on holiday to a Spa Resort and didn’t think to pack his trunks.
There was a huge indoor games hall with equipment available to hire for ball games, bike and segway hire, an indoor play barn with a three tiered soft play frame and an external playground (access to this is free to guests). There was even a mobile cinema truck visiting the site when we arrived.
Where this resort excels is the friendly, helpful staff and the way it perfectly blends adult luxury with child friendly fun. They understand the needs of parents and family holidays completely; from the Playbarn, kid friendly pool to the restaurants and fab children’s menus throughout, it is the perfect place for a fantastic, easy (as far as is possible) family holiday.
The Staff deserve further mention, given that we had cause to call the night porter in the middle of the night as my daughter was unfortunately sick (all over several beds and the floor). Perhaps too much rich food and lessons have been learnt. However, that is by the by and the staff were fantastically helpful and also sympathetic: “Don’t worry, I’ve had kids, I know how it is” is exactly the attitude you need when faced with a difficult situation away from home. Beds were changed and carpets cleaned efficiently and without question.
In fact I cannot praise this place enough, it actually felt like a genuine holiday. We absolutely loved it and didn’t want to leave.
The island itself is beautiful with lots to see and do. We spent a glorious sunny spring morning on the beach at Blackwaterfoot and had loads of fun exploring the region – Glenashdale Falls, Giants’ Graves, Machrie Moor ancient standing stones, lovely tea rooms and Brodick Castle with its fab adventure playground.
Auchrannie Resort, Auchrannie Road, Brodick, Isle of Arran, KA27 8BZ
Visit https://www.auchrannie.co.uk/
Great list! I am definitely going to check some of these out. I am particularly partial to a Listed YHA. Have you tried Ilam Hall? It’s very Harry Potter.
Sounds ace, I have a Harry Potter fan who would love that. Dovedale is gorgeous, another YHA on the list!