A fantastic glamping break at Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth

We love glamping! And a short while back, while in Wales, we enjoyed a lovely winter break at Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth. It was a long drive from London but as we pulled into the Wigwam® Site, I knew we were in for a treat. The location was fantastic! 

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Wigwam® Holidays 

Launched in 2000, Wigwam® Holidays blend the comforts of home with the joys of the great outdoors. They currently have a presence in over 80 fantastic locations across the UK. The company's ethos as stated on their website is 'Great Holidays in the Great Outdoors' and having stayed in a few of their locations, we can confidently say that their core founding values are still at the heart of their business. Every time we have stayed at Wigwams® Holidays we have come back happy with lots of wonderful memories.

The Wigwam® Sites are located all over the UK in diverse and beautiful locations. You will find them from Tehidy in Cornwall to Braewick in Shetland and from Llŷn Peninsula in Wales to Cromer in Norfolk. 

Whether it is a couple’s break or a family holiday or a group of friends wanting to spend time together, if you are looking to enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors without compromising on comfort, then a glamping break with Wigwam® Holidays would be perfect for you.

 

Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth

We have previously stayed at Wigwam® Holidays Brampton (in Cumbria) and Wigwam® Holidays Great Tregath (in Cornwall); both beautiful locations and this time around we stayed in yet another stunning location - Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth (in Wales).

Located seven miles from the university town of Aberystwyth and the stunning Welsh coastline, Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth is set on a quiet hillside meadow, on a family farm. And what lovely views it affords! You can see across the Rheidol Valley, Cardigan Bay and north to Cadair Idris and the majesty of Snowdonia. It was absolutely lovely. Imagine waking up to this beautiful sight of nature; the best way to make your mornings, I think.

What the Wigwam® Lodge is like?

Our earlier stays at Wigwam® Holidays have been in their Running Water Deluxe Wigwam® Cabins; but this time around we stayed in the Wigwam® Lodge Accessible.

According to Wigwam® Holidays, "the Wigwam® Lodge Accessible comes fully adapted to Category 3 disabled regulations and has the same high end, show-stopping features as the Running Water Deluxe Wigwam® Cabin, with fully adapted extras. It has a wide access wet room with grab rails, adjusted sink and hob, fittings for a mobile hoist and ample space for wheelchair turns". 

This is a great initiative from Wigwam® Holidays as it allows wheelchair users, the elderly and those requiring additional mobility to enjoy glamping breaks.

The lodge is also spacious compared to the cabins and can sleep up to four adults or a family of five.

What’s provided and what to bring?

The Wigwam® Lodge has a double bed & 2 sofa beds with luxury memory foam mattresses, an en-suite shower room with shower, toilet, sink and heated towel rail. We stayed in the accessible lodge, so the shower room was appropriately adapted.

The kitchenette was kitted out with a hob, fridge, microwave, kettle, toaster and sink. Dining table with chairs, TV and an electric wall heater were provided. The kitchenette was also stocked with frying pan, sauce pan, utensils and crockery including cutlery, bowls, dinner plates, side plates, mugs, wine glasses, bottle opener, tin opener, chopping board, and kitchen knife.

Overall, the lodge was well kitted out and it had most of the comforts of home making it a hassle-free glamping experience.

Outside there was a fire pit/BBQ and a wood fired hot tub.

 

The tub is filled with fresh water and light prior to the arrival of guests. The hot tub is included in the tariff as are two buckets of logs to heat it up.

We enjoyed the hot tub experience. The tub had been prepped prior to our arrival and we waited until it was the right temperature to jump in and enjoy the soothing warmth of the water while feeling the cool evening air on our faces.

Here I must also mention that the cabins and lodges are well spaced out offering good privacy between guests in different cabins.

Coming back to the things that you would need to bring with you - the main item is the bedding - sleeping bag or duvet, bottom sheet and pillows. You would also need to bring your own towels and toiletries. 

Do note that the bedding and towels can be hired on-site for an extra cost.

Other bookable extras include logs for the hot tub, fire bundle kit for the BBQ, high chair, travel cot and dog packs (sleeping bed and dog bowls). You can contact the site at the time of the booking to check the latest prices for these extras.

Stephen and Angela, the owners of the site, are very friendly and helpful. And should you need help with anything while staying at Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth, you can contact them.

Wi-Fi is available on the site; although we didn’t make much use of it. With such lovely natural attractions at your doorstep who has the time for internet!

Things to see and do while staying at Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth

There is so much to see and do in the area that you will be spoilt for choice. Some of our suggestions are:

Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre: Located on a hilltop with lovely views of the Cambrian Mountains is the Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre which is very popular due to its long-established tradition of feeding of red kites. The centre became a red kite feeding station in 1999 and since then it has been a daily event. In the summer months, the feeding time is at 3pm while in the winter months the feeding time is at 2pm. 

In addition to the kite feeding event, you can spend time at the centre exploring their walking trails. There are a number of trails of different grades ranging from the accessible, 30-minute Barcud Trail to the longest, moderate-grade, 3-hours Ridgetop Trail. All the trails are waymarked and offer lovely views.

There are also mountain bike trails, running trails and horse riding trails at the centre. There are two play areas - one for toddlers and one for children aged six and over. The centre also has a café that serves hot and cold snacks.

Overall, it’s a lovely place where you can spend the entire day without getting bored.

Devil's Bridge Falls: For nature lovers, a visit to Devil's Bridge Falls is suggested. Set deep within an ancient wooded gorge, the waterfalls are actually a series of tiered falls and cascades. There is a circular nature trail of approximately 45 minutes that takes visitors into the wooden gorge and offers some lovely views of the waterfalls.

The Hafod Estate: If you love wild nature, then head to the Hafod Estate. Set in around 490 acres in the Ystwyth valley and surrounding hills, the estate boasts of picturesque landscape. It is home to beautiful woodlands, waterfalls, tumbling streams, walking trails and some lovely bridges. 

We did the ‘Lady’s Walk’, a classic circular route that takes you past a waterfall and some of the key features of Thomas Johnes’ (one of the most celebrated owners of Hafod) estate. It was fantastic. The route features varying scenery that was often revealed only when we turned the corner of a path. A fantastic place for walkers. 

Just like the Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre, you can very easily spend the entire day at the Hafod Estate without getting bored.

Aberystwyth: If a day at the seaside is what you would enjoy, then head to the university town of Aberystwyth. The seafront is gorgeous but the town has other attractions too making it a great day out option.

There are two long beaches - North Beach (Traeth y Gogledd) and South Beach (Traeth y De), a strategically situated castle to explore, the longest funicular railway in Britain (Aberystwyth Cliff Railway), Vale of Rheidol Railway (a narrow gauge railway that will take you on a journey from the town to Devil's Bridge) and a local farmers’ market (held on the first and third Saturdays of every month).

The Silver Mountain Experience: For a family-friendly day out head to the Silver Mountain Experience. Set against the dramatic Cambrian Mountains, the attraction includes a 250+ year mine to explore, thrilling escape rooms, safari tours, a mining museum, gem panning experience and more. There is a cafe onsite where you can enjoy a range of hot food, snacks and drinks.

The Ceredigion Coast Path: If you love coastal walks then you can enjoy sections of the Ceredigion Coast Path while staying at Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth.

The Ceredigion Coast Path featuring varied landscape and terrain is around 60 miles (96km) long. It can be covered in seven sections; two of which can be explored from Aberystwyth. The first one is the Aberystwyth to Ynyslas route which is 11.7 miles long and the other one is in the opposite direction from Aberystwyth to Llanrhystud and is 10.6 miles long. Whichever route you choose, you are sure to be rewarded with stunning views of the Ceredigion Heritage Coast.

Final Thoughts

Our glamping break with Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth was fantastic. We were able to get away from it all and spend some relaxing time in beautiful surroundings. With a wealth of places to explore locally and the comfortable lodge cabin for cosy nights in, the site made for an excellent location for a winter break in the UK. We loved it. 

Winter breaks are fun! You can make the most of the great outdoors minus the summer crowds.

Book your glamping holiday with Wigwam® Holidays

If our stay has inspired you to book a glamping break, then head to Wigwam® Holidays Aberystwyth's website and book your glamping holiday today.

Disclosure: We were invited to try out a Wigwam® Lodge Cabin at Wigwam®  Holidays Aberystwyth. All opinions and photos are our own.