Away with the elves

HIDDEN away in the heart of the beautiful Welsh countryside there is a magical Kingdom of the Elves that, surprisingly, is not that hard to find!

The Elves live in a special resort village called Bluestone, which is set within the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in southwest wales.

There, they put on a very unique Christmas show that has become something of a family tradition for visitors who come from all over Britain and Ireland as well as further afield every year.

We made our own trip over on the Stena Sealink ferry from Rosslare which only added to the excitement of the family as we drove onto the huge ship in the convenience of our own car.

With none of the hassle of getting through an airport and with all our bags and books and tonnes of favourite toys already stowed away and left behind in the car we were able to relax upstairs in the lounge and enjoy the journey.

With a four and a one-year-old in tow it was a freedom you’d never get on a plane and they enjoyed being able to run (and crawl) around during the short crossing.

Then it was a skip down the motorway from Fishguard and in less than an hour we had already checked into our luxurious accommodation in the five star Bluestone resort.

Dotted across the gentle Welsh hills the lodges and cottages of the resort reminded me of the timber alpine houses that anyone who has been skiing will be familiar with. They each have their own entrance and are spaced evenly through the valleys offering generous views over the surrounding hills.

After dashing around the lodge checking out the comfortable rooms and deciding who was sleeping where we took a brisk walk to the little country village that still had everything you might need to stock up on. There are shops, restaurants, an excellent wine store and spa, and even a local pub!

However, we couldn’t hang around long as the excitement was building and we were soon at the massive Adventure Centre which was located a short stroll away.

There are cool golf buggies available to hire but with everything conveniently located just a short distance away we decided to walk.

The centre does what it says on the tin and with a Lego land, bouncy castle, play areas and crazy golf there was more than enough activities to keep all ages amused.

Our two were happy darting around the various play areas but for the older kids there was a climbing wall and a fantastic walkway that took the more adventurous ones way up above our heads.

With a restaurant and bar attached it was a perfect way to spend the afternoon, relaxing and taking turns to push the little ones around on the play buggies.

After a marvellous evening back in the lodge enjoying the peace and quiet of the surrounding countryside it was up early for our first trip to the Blue Lagoon Water Park which is located near the Adventure Centre.

Then it was waterwings on as we plunged into the watery world of the Blue Lagoon and swam in the lazy river.

When a klaxon sounded there were screams of delight as gentle waves formed and bobbed us up and down. Then it was a quick speed run down one of the exhilarating water tubes for daddy before it was time for some lunch and a nice long afternoon rest.

However, on the way back we met another family who had glowing faces from their visit to the Kingdom of the Elves and for them it had been the highlight of their stay.

We were going to wait until the following day to visit the elves but the anticipation was too much so we signed up for the next trip through the kingdom guided by a group of the most gaily dressed elves I have ever seen.

We were brought on a fairytale tour through the Kingdom where the kids were in their element as they played dress up and games with the elves. This year’s theme was

‘Cinderella’ and the kids were thrilled to meet all the characters including Buttons, the Fairy Godmother and of course, Cinderella herself.

It was an amazing afternoon of fun that made for a great night’s sleep as the kids went to bed happy and exhausted!

With wonderful country walks though amazing woodland and trails that surround the resort there was plenty of opportunity to get out into the fresh air in between the adventure, the elves and the swimming.

It was a tired but happy family that made the gentle trip back to Rosslare after four full days of fun.