Bikes and the Blue Lagoon: Bluestone, Wales

We have something of a family tradition at Christmas, watching kids cycle past after lunch in proud and wobbly fashion on their brand new bikes.

press trip*

I don’t remember when I started learning to ride (although I do remember my Dad telling me he’d had to remove my stabilisers after accidentally reversing the car over them – miraculously the bike survived unscathed. I actually bought this story at the time) but I still love hopping onto a bike when I’m out in the country, despite once going flying off a mountain bike.

And my husband has fond memories of bombing around London on his BMX before getting his cherished driving licence. So I was looking forward to seeing what Minnie thought of her first bike ride.

Not, obviously, behind the handlebars herself but strapped into one of the trailers we’d hired at Bluestone, towed behind the rented bikes (although you can bring your own).

Technically the trailers are recommended for kids aged over two, but as there’s buggy-style straps and a waist belt, we reckoned that Minnie would be fine since she could sit happily on her own.

Possibly we’d been over-optimistic. Despite grinning cheerfully through the mesh window at the front and pulling off her socks to play with, once we got going, a few gentle slopes seemed to unnerve her a little.

And although she started to get used to this odd method of travel before too long, I was glad we hadn’t planned to explore the entire 500 acres of Pembrokshire countryside.

Instead, we were saving a treat we knew she’d love – the Blue Lagoon water park. Forget a boring old mini pool by the side for kids, this has a string of different options for even an 11-month-old.

For starters, we headed to Sandy Beach, a small shallow pool with slide, muddy sand and deckchairs, plus some bubbly jets, before checking out the other slightly deeper small pool with waterfalls, rain showers and a floating plastic lobster to entertain her.

But after some laid-back splashing there, it was time to head into the main pool, where older kids were playing on huge inflatable rings.

Big enough that we could still find a quiet spot for Minnie to practise her (supported) doggy paddle, we didn’t have long to wait before the two foghorns sounded signalling the start of the wave machine.

Bouncing through the breakers together, Minnie barely stopped giggling the entire time. And while it was cooler and more chlorinated (inevitably) than the baby swimming pool she’s used to, it was still warm enough for her to stay in for quite a while with no irritated red eyes to show.

In fact, we could have stayed much longer, but there was just enough time to test out one of the flumes which twist around the outside of the building before returning indoors with a splash.

Thanks to the slightly drizzly Welsh summer, we also gave the outdoor bubble pool and Lazy River running around the outside a miss too, as well as the Rapids River Ride.

I can easily imagine settling into one of the deckchairs or Jacuzzis indoors and watching a slightly older Minnie play for hours though, with just the occasional snack break at either the wet or dry cafe, especially as entry is free if you’re staying at Bluestone (£7.50 for adults otherwise).

In typical fashion for the resort, this impressive complex also has an eco-friendly side, heated by biomass fuelled by woodchip and miscanthus grass grown by local farmers.

By now, we were all ready to relax again, as Minnie had also squeezed in a fun session earlier in the Adventure Centre, pretending to go into space, complete with costumes, music and rustly foil blankets.

But there was just time for a final bike ride past the Tournament Field where you can try your hand at archery and clay pigeon shooting, and Steep Ravine, with its tree-climbing, high ropes, and games of Woodland Warriors Combat (think paintballing with infrared light), just some of the 100+ activities on offer.

We had barely scratched the surface on our long weekend, and that’s before we’d even left the resort to explore the Pembroke coast, castles and chocolate farm (really).

Only one solution… we’ll just have to go back.

For more about our stay, check out my other posts on Bluestone Wales and the Bluestone spa and activities as well as more things to do in Pembrokeshire with kids.

 

Images courtesy of Bluestone

Disclosure: My trip was hosted by Bluestone