Apart from family, what else did you miss most during lockdowns and all the COVID19 upheavals and restrictions ? For us, it was our frequent little UK short breaks. October saw us going to Whitemead Forest Park in the Forest of Dean. It was a real breath of fresh air in all senses.
There’s nothing like a break in a quiet, tranquil place with limited phone signal to reset the mind and body. The phone can stay in your pocket or in the lodge when you go out for a little wander. Instead of having a phone glued to your ear or your eyes glued to the screen, you can actually enjoy the sights and sounds in the surrounding woodland. We saw squirrels aplenty, woodpeckers and all sorts of flora and fauna.
Home Cooking
In the evenings, we cooked in our contemporary but cosy Woodland Lodge in the heart of the forest. On this occasion we didn’t have a hot tub but next time we’ll definitely go for one of those log cabins. There’s nothing quite like lying back in a hot tub with a glass of bubbly looking up at the stars twinkling in the blackest of skies. That’s the thing about these lodge parks, there’s usually very little noise or light pollution so you really do feel at one with nature and the environment.
As I said, we had a lodge but the glamping pods looked like fun too. You can even stay in a tent, caravan or apartment. And as for eating and drinking, if you don’t want to cook yourself, then Foresters Bar is worth a visit. You can dine in or even order a takeaway/ (Try the waffles with coffee one day. I swear you won’t regret it!)
If you’ve forgotten any essentials then don’t worry as the on-site shop has allsorts of bits and bobs.
Float in the Forest
Whitemead offer a great range of leisure activities including a pool, gym and leisure club with sauna, steam room and all the works. Their Serenity Suite is a tranquil area where you can enjoy a wide range of luxurious and relaxing spa treatments. Neither of us tried this, but the ‘Float in the Forest’ experience in a flotation centre in the Forest of Dean sounds super-cool and supremely relaxing.
A Look at Whitemead Lodge Holidays
A break away from the humdrum is always fun as we all need to switch off from time to time. Whitemead is definitely worth a visit and is so much cheaper than any others we have visited. Try it. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
