Wigwam Holidays - The Ultimate Dog Friendly Staycation. Glamping For Any Season
Wigwam Holidays - How It All Started
Wigwam Holidays are a company that offer incredible glamping experiences in over 80 stunning locations in the UK. Being from Wales and wanting to see more of it, we chose the famous Aberystwyth, but if you want to explore some of the other 80+ destinations in the UK, click here.
As a family, we absolutly love the Wigwam Holidays mission and where the brand started. It's not something we would usually talk about, but it's important. More and more as we travel, we notice the stand out differences of holidays provided by companies and people that really want to make a difference. The staycation market in particular here in the UK, is saturated with uninspiring, corporate, outdated and over priced options, so to discover a company like Wigwam Holidays, a sustainable company inspired by a great childhood, with such incredible purpose and values, is truly exciting to us.
In 1989, CEO and founder Charles Gulland, created the first of many designs for a sustainable cabin built from forest thinnings. He created the original camping 'pod', so the Wigwam Cabin, is the product of continued innovation and an ongoing dedication to quality craftsmanship and sustainable living and travel. Charles grew up in the countryside and like many of us had limited TV, no internet, computers or mobile phones. Life was rich and full of adventure, swimming, fishing, building dens, camping and cooking sausages over fires lit from scavenged twigs. It's the experiences we want to share with our family in nature, but the ones that become increasingly hard to find. That is Charles' and the Wigwam Holidays mission, to provide affordable, Great Holidays in the Great Outdoors and boy have they achieved this!
Wigwam Holidays Aberystwyth
One thing we noticed even before arriving at Wigwam Holidays Aberystwyth, was the warmth and attentiveness from the owners of the site. Although we were given lots of information on the website and on booking, I just had a few questions I wanted to shoot over, to make sure I was fully prepared before we left home. The owner Angela, got right back to me and went above and beyond to make sure that our stay was absolutely perfect, from start to finish. The Wigwam Holidays sites are not huge and many like this one, are working farms or small business owners that have bought into the Wigwam Holidays franchise, so the owners are really able to give guests and the accommodation itself, the time and care they deserve, which we feel makes all the difference to a holiday! This made us particularly excited and confident to try other locations in the UK.
The location of this particular site is truly breathtaking, tucked away on a quiet hillside meadow, with uninterrupted views across the Rheidol Valley. A handful of beautiful Wigwam's are lined up along the edge of the hill facing the stunning 360 degree views, meaning no matter where you are inside or outside your cabin, you're guaranteed to find yourself mesmerised by the scenery.
Choosing A Wigwam
There are a variety of Wigwam's, with different features and facilities, depending on your budget and what you want from your holiday. Naturally, a smaller number of adults travelling, going for a smaller Wigwam and without a hot tub for example, will get you the lowest price holiday available. The great thing is, adding children and dogs to these bookings, only adds a small amount to the quoted fee (you can see the increase as you add them). You can also keep the costs of your holiday down by taking your own food and making use of the cooking facilities in your Wigwam, as opposed to eating out. You can save further by taking your own towels and avoiding adding any extra fire wood and bedding to your booking. If you're not on a tight budget though, we highly recommend treating yourself to a Wigwam with a hot-tub! Sitting in one of these outside, especially in the thick of winter, sipping your favourite beverage and gazing at the views or stars, was absolutely the highlight of our stay. Adding towels onto the booking is also recommended! It is one less thing to think about and they were super large, soft and fluffy! Especially if you're a bigger family like us, it saved us valuable room in our car and it meant we didnt have to bring wet towels home with us.
All the sites are different, so it's best to check out your chosen sites location on the
Wigwam Holidays website and select the 'Facilities' page in the search bar. Not only does it list the types of Wigwam's and everything they offer, it's also got a helpful list of 'What To Bring' and 'On Site Facilities' like fresh eggs for sale or 'bike shed storage available'. When you have an idea of which Wigwam is best for your holiday, simply enter your selected dates and number of people you're booking for at the top of the page, and it will bring up all the available Wigwam's for those dates, with prices.
If there was something in particular you wanted from your accommodation, like a hot-tub, accessible or a dog friendly Wigwam and you cannot see one, it may just be unavailable for those dates. You could always get in touch directly with the site or have a jiggle of the dates, to see if other options become available. Remeber, the holidays are popular and the sites are not huge, so to avoid disappointment, it is best to book as early as possible. There is a deposit option available up to 28 days before arrival if you want to secure your dates without paying in full. You can book your holiday with as little as 25% deposit (note: the full balance must be paid before arrival and all deposits are non-refundable).
Our Wigwam - Y Rheidol (Accessible with Hot Tub- Dog Friendly, Sleeps 5)
Our particular Wigwam slept 5 and was accessible, with a wet toilet/shower room. The single sofa bed closest to the patio door folds out to make a double, adding that fifth sleeping space to the four you see in the photos above. One set of bedding is provided with your booking, but we opted for the additional bedding package, because we were arriving late and I didn't want to fuss with making up the other beds on arrival. To reduce costs, you can take your own sheets and/or sleeping bags and pillows if you have them. If opting for the bedding package, you will find everything ready made up for you, in the drawers beneath the sofa beds.
There is a heater inside which made the Wigwam lovely and warm and you can adjust this as you need. There are also heaps of plug points to charge or power any devices you take along and a TV with access to Netflix.
Below is a full list of everything our lodge included, but it's worth double checking the cooking facilities of your lodge before you buy food. Some lodges have an oven, but we noticed ours didn't have one when we arrived, so this may affect what food you choose to buy and cook during your stay.
Despite being a dog-friendly Wigwam, there were absolutely no signs of previous dogs using the accommodation and Ian didn't struggle at all with his asthma like he sometimes does in dog-friendly accommodation, which means it's likely a lot of people probably also book these lodges without dogs. We also noticed the health safety stamp on booking, stating that the lodges are given a deep-clean in between bookings. Our Wigwam was immaculate on arrival, which is particuarly comforting during these times of Covid.
The outdoor spaces are beautifully kept and ours not only featured a dining bench and hot-tub, it also included a fire pit which you can also use as a bbq. A lot of the time on camping/glamping trips, fires and bbq's are strictly prohibited, which in my opinion, is one of the best things about this type of holiday! It is so refreshing to see a holiday company, not only recognising this, but providing everything you need to enjoy these during your stay. You can even purchase the fire-wood and marshmallows on site.
There is a large open green space for the children to play outside the Wigwam's and they even have a ball and football goals. This particular site will soon also have children's swings and a sand pit, for the time you do spend on site.
Your booking includes fire-wood to heat your hot tub. It may not quite be up to temperature by the time you arrive, but it doesn't take long. You can purchase more fire-wood to heat this during your stay if need be. Only fire-wood purchased on site can be used for the wood oven to heat the tub, or it could damage the system. Full instructions of how to use the hot-tub and everything you need to know about your Wigwam, can be found inside your Wigwam on arrival, but if you're unsure about anything, the owners are super helpful and there if you need them.
Aberystwyth - The Area, Local Restaurants And Activities
Just seven miles from the university town of Aberystwyth and the stunning coastline and only four miles from the wilds and wonders of the Cambrian Mountains, Wigwam Holidays Aberystwyth is the perfect base to get out and explore. There are a wealth of things to do in the area, so it is really worth sitting down and not only researching what is about, but also planning your time to make the most of it. You can have a little browse of some of the local recommendations
here, but inside your Wigwam, there are also lots of leaflets for local activities and sights and additional places listed inside your welcome book. Wigwam Holidays Aberystwyth enjoys views over the Rheidol Valley, Cardigan Bay and north to Cadair Idris and the majesty of Snowdonia if you're simply looking to relax and enjoy the views.
As a university town, you would expect a variety of great pubs and eateries and you’d be right. Here you can enjoy some delicious meals to suit any and all tastes, and with the close proximity to the sea, there’s a strong focus on local seafood. Besides eating and drinking there’s a lot to keep you busy. See the sights by strolling along the seafront, or find a whole new perspective by hopping on the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway. To learn more about the local and national history in the National Library of Wales or the Amgueddfa Ceredigion Museum - both wonderful places to spend an hour or two and step back in time.
Closer to the Wigwam Holidays Aberystwyth site, things are a little quieter, but within a short driving distance, there are a number of pubs and restaurants serving delicious food. Some of these are extremely popular, so to avoid disappointment, it is best to book ahead and check the opening times, as some are seasonal or close earlier in the day/evening.
Devil's Bridge Waterfalls
Devils Bridge Falls is a world famous waterfall trail that is an absolute must visit during your time in Aberystwyth. There is a fee to pay on entry and you can choose from two different trails, ‘the short walk’ and ‘the long walk’. Dogs and small children/babies are allowed on both trails, you just need to ensure you supervise them carefully at all times. The steps are very steep and slippery on both and some are even loose, so the elderly may want to reconsider both, depending on their mobility and risks of falling, but everyone needs to take care.
The short walk: isn’t really a walk at all, it’s a number of steep steps down to a viewing platform and back up to a small area with some educational information about the falls and some fun photo stand ins and sculptures. The view from this particular trail though is like something out of a fairytale. It’s truly beautiful and is completely different to what you will experience on the other trail, this is why we recommend doing both if you have the time.
The long walk will take around 35-45 minutes depending on how many stops you take for rest and enjoying the view. It is however, not for the faint hearted. Both walks can make you nervous if you’re afraid of heights, but the long walk at times, will make your heart skip a beat with the gradient of the steps and drops. Again though, you will be rewarded with some views as you turn a corner, that will take your breath away. There are educational pieces and other fun features as you walk around, including an arched bridge that you have to walk over.
Summary
If you're planning a Wigwam Holidays trip, try not to worry too much about the weather. You may already know that the forecast is not always great in the UK (even in the Summer) and when it is, you can't really rely on it anyway! The forecast was awful for our time away, but we made the decision to go anyway and although we had a little rain, for the most part we were blessed with clear skies and sun. That is not to say you will get the same, but we would have been truly regretful had we cancelled based on the weather prediction. It's always worth taking wellies, waterproofs and layers on UK trips, so if you dont get the best weather, it shouldn't impact you getting outside too much. It won't stop you using the hot-tub, it's wet in there anyway and you may even be lucky enough to get some snow!
Now we’ve covered the details, I can talk about just how incredible the Wigwam Holidays experience is. Spending time together in this compact space in nature, that isn’t dominated by technology, has brought us all closer together. We got heaps of fresh air and exercise and made memories that we will cherish forever. It’s everything I had hoped we would get from our time at Wigwam Holidays Aberystwyth and more and we cannot wait to experience more of Wigwam Holidays stunning locations around the UK.
