A Family Weekend Away With Forest Holidays

If you're picturing a getaway that's a real escape from the hustle and bustle of every day life, somewhere that is set in beautiful and peaceful surroundings with a touch of luxury thrown in too, Forest Holidays is a great choice. Their cabins are situated in picturesque woodland spread across 9 locations within the UK where you can really unwind.

We have just returned from a weekend at the Gloucestershire site and we had a wonderful experience as a family that really brought us together and enabled us to reconnect with nature. 

After signing in and collecting our key from the reception area which also doubles up as a large shop with restaurant, we drove down the road a short distance to our retreat; cabin 73. It was at the end of a row and it felt nice and secluded with a relaxed ambience, although all of the cabins are spread out well to offer a little privacy.

I could almost feel the stress and tension melt away while unpacking and then exploring the stylish and spacious accommodation of our two bedded Silver Birch in the Forest of Dean.

The ceilings are high and the light pours in through the windows allowing you to feel at one with the natural world. With leaf prints on the walls and heated wooden flooring, it brings the outside inside too.

The Mini Mes loved watching the squirrels and birds from the decking and they looked eagerly for the wild boars that roam the environment here. 

As it was early evening when we arrived, due to departing straight after school on Friday, we decided to make the most of the room service facilities and I ordered some pizzas for convenience. You can do so via the flat screen television quickly and easily and these arrived promptly; they were hot and tasty and good value. You can settle your bill when you leave so you don't need to have cash to hand. I really liked this idea.

You can arrange breakfast packages, jacket potatoes, champagne plus chocolates or an evening in treat pack to satisfy a sweet tooth, all without stepping a foot outside. We had the entertainment package which provided movies to snuggle up with on the corner suite and wifi - although I rather enjoyed being cut off from technology to make the most of the break! It's a good way to share a few sneaky pictures on social media though...

If you do want to cook the kitchen is very well equipped, it even includes a dishwasher, and there is also a table with chairs to dine at. For our second night I cooked a curry for us all and I used the microwave to heat up some sausage rolls for lunch before we left.
The fridge stored our salads well (there is a Morrisons nearby) and it was chilled ready for use.

After eating we popped into our swimwear and clambered into one of the highlights of the holiday - the private outdoor hot tub. It was heated and at the perfect temperature for us to get in so we sat quietly admiring the stars from below as the evening progressed, with the trees like a canopy above us.

The jets were really appreciated by my back and the Mini Mes enjoyed the colour changing lighting while sipping their drinks from 'posh' glasses! There were plenty of giggles shared and we ended the first night by climbing into our beds which had already been made for us.

After a quick stop at the shops for some essentials on Saturday morning we gathered at the main entrance to take part in a ranger activity; bush skills. With my love for Bear Grylls the great outdoors this was bound to be a fun challenge for us to take part in while learning a few things along the way about survival in the wild.

There was just the four of us and one other family along with Gerry (the ranger) so it felt like a personal experience and we had lots of 1-on-1 time while den building and making fire to ask questions. Gerry was very informative but he made it exciting too resulting in the Mini Mes having an amazing time. They learnt about different trees, animal tracks, sourcing water and making compasses too which they were allowed to keep.

When we return I would definitely want to go for the twilight and night vision walks too if they are equally as good as this.

We spent the remainder of the holiday taking long walks and admiring everything around us. We spent many hours chilling in the hot tub, reading, playing games and generally taking it easy with a few alcoholic beverages shared when the children were fast asleep.

There is plenty to do locally with Go Ape, canoeing, caving, climbing, abseiling, archery and segway on your doorstep plus the opportunity to hire bikes unless you wish to take your own. Having a bathroom and en suite was really useful for cleaning up after getting muddy on our adventures and the lobby by the front door was ideal for our boots which got plenty of use. It's a wise idea to have your coats, wellies and torches with you.

Forest Holidays has something to suit everyone; couples looking for a romantic trip, groups of friends after some pampering and adrenalin filled activities or families like us escaping the norm. We took Spartan along with us as dogs are welcome and he definitely enjoyed all of the walks and a change of scenery just as much as we did.

The views are breathtaking and the streams, wildlife, woods and meadow are great for photographers, hikers or those wishing to go pony trekking.

I would most definitely return and I would highly recommend Forest Holidays if you are looking to book a holiday for Easter or the summer.

Where will you be holidaying this year?

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