Richard and I got ourselves into one of those awkward parenting situations a few weekends ago. We had promised our boys we were going camping after disappointing them by not camping at Wychwood Festival. Of course when we looked at the weather forecast it was absolutely horrendous… Not just a little rain but three solid days of rain and thunderstorms. We had reserved a pitch at Three Cliffs Bay in the Gower, Wales which, as the name suggests, is a camping site located on top of a cliff! I had visions of us hanging onto our tent on a cliff edge. We tried to cancel the weekend, but attempts to convince our boys that it was going to be too wet and windy to camp ended up with both in tears. I then received an email from Campsites.co.uk offering us a couple of nights of glamping in return for a review. It literally could not have been better timed.
Review: Traditional Mongolian yurts in the Gower, Wales
We stayed at Seren Retreat, a B&B and glamping site located on a private 23 acre plot of ancient woodland. The owners Alilha and Rex have owned the farmland for 13 years. Their primary business is the retreat where they run holistic retreats including yoga sessions and massages.
Five years ago they extended the business to offer two yurts. Not just any old yurts though, authentic Mongolian yurts imported from Mongolia and decorated with traditional Mongolian art.
The yurts were taken by a university reunion group whilst we were there and so we stayed in a mobile home, which certainly beat camping on the cliff although not as unique and memorable as a stay in a yurt.
Each morning Charlie and Harry pestered to go down to see the resident horses and goats. The four animals were very friendly and followed each other around. Darcy the white horse seemed to be the leader of the pack and was always the first to greet us. They also loved exploring the ancient oak forest, walking along the river and playing on the many swings and hammocks.
What we loved about Seren Retreat was the proximity to many of the Gowers best beaches. We drove just ten minutes and took in the views of the Three Cliffs Bay before spending the day in Mumbles. Mumbles is a perfect seaside resort for families with a long prom to stroll along, lots of rock pools to explore and a pier to enjoy fish and chips and ice cream. We spent a good couple of hours in the Mumbles Lifeboat Station located at the end of the pier and then our boys managed to convince us to let them play on the slot machines in the arcade.
Need to know. Mongolian yurts in the Gower – serenretreat.com/accommodation/yurt-holidays-wales/ Sleeps 6, with all the comforts of home. Facilities include a wood burning stove, a kitchenette with all your pots, pans, and cutlery. Pure spring water on tap. Own compost loo. A shower block with hot and cold spring water.
I would like to thank Campsites.co.uk for saving us from a wet soggy weekend on a cliff! We stayed at Seren Retreats as guests. We did not see inside the Mongolian yurts, photos can be found on the website above. All opinions are, as always, my own.
Copyright – all photos copyright Travel Loving Family
