Full Circle Yurts, Cumbria
Yurt Holidays, Rydal Hall, Ambleside, Cumbria
It didn’t take long to crack open the welcoming bottle of organic red wine and sit outside enjoying those stunning views – a lovely start to the holiday.
When you holiday at Full Circle Yurts you need to check in on arrival at Rydal Hall to the left of the entrance. It is here where they allocate you your yurt. We were yurt no. 3 (there are only 4 onsite) which was located the furthest away from the car park and toilet facilities but being at the top of a hill also benefitted the most from the most fantastic views. Although this was a trek with your bags and belongings, a handy wheelbarrow is there to help bear the load. Once we had finished unloading our belongings and getting settled it was then that you can sit back and fully appreciate the beauty of the place.
The Accommodation
Inside the yurt I was impressed at how spacious the interior was - a double bed already set up with freshly laundered cotton sheets, pillow cases and duvets with a further single and additional pull out bed stored underneath meant you could take full advantage of the living space during the day. Each colourful yurt is beautifully decorated throughout and will sleep up to six people in comfort. These yurts are built and insulated to be cosy and warm whatever the weather throws at you. A raised wooden floor is covered with thick rugs and the centre piece is a wood burning stove which you can also cook on. We managed to cook a simple pizza which was a tremendously satisfying experience. If staying with children and toddlers it is advisable to request a fireguard to be set up prior to your arrival as the stove can get very hot. Switch on the solar powered fairy lights at night and it turns the yurt into a very magical place. Books and games are provided together with candles and the use of two rechargeable wind up torches. Each yurt comes with its own rolling water carrier which is full ready for your arrival. This water comes straight off the fells and is the best tasting water you will ever get short of standing beneath a glacier.
We took our own camping chairs which became surplus to requirements as each yurt has their own outside wooden decking area complete with tables and benches next to a brazier. A little brown field mouse visited us in the night on a few occasions during the week so it is advisable to keep all edibles away in the large plastic tubs and cold box provided. Our little friend took a particular fancy to the empty cardboard Coco Pops packet we were using to light the stove with.
The On-Site Facilities
The toilet block housed one washing up sink which did get busy at peak times however Full Circle Yurts do provide you with a washing up bowl and all the necessities to be able to wash your pots by your yurt. We just felt uncomfortable throwing away the residue water down the hill so did try to use the proper sink when we got the chance. The showers in the toilet block were very basic and were prone to running out of hot water. Other portable showers provided by Rydal Hall were not ideal when trying to wash a little one and yourself as space was cramped. On the plus side, Rydal Hall have submitted an application for a new toilet and shower block to be ready in 2011, which should make a huge improvement with regards to facilities.
Within sight of the yurts children can play on a wooden adventure playground with a rope swing, cargo net, log bridge, balancing poles and wires. This playground is more suitable for older children and is located by the river. As with all water and kids please be aware of your children at all times especially if the river is swollen it can be fast flowing.
There is an additional laundry room which is also where you can replenish your freezer packs. The on-site recycling facilities were extensive and superb. A tea shop completes the setting.
Things To Do and Places for Families to Visit
With close proximity to Ambleside I found the location here just perfect. Any family's first port of call whilst visiting the lakes should be Brockhole Visitor Centre. With an extensive itinerary of exciting things to do throughout the school holidays, a large outdoor play area, climbing wall, shop and family friendly restaurant together with that wonderful lakeside setting it is a must! Our family's favourite day out was Trotters World of Animals, up past Keswick. We stopped off by Keswick's Marina area on the way back from Trotters which has the most stunning pram friendly walks around. During my holiday I managed to pick up a book and read it in its entirety in two days flat entitled The Fell Walker - a page turning thriller by local Cumbrian author Michael Wood and because it was partly set in the Lake District made it all the more atmospheric.
Full Circle Yurts was an amazing experience and our week's holiday became more of an exciting adventure. We came away certainly fitter than when we arrived and would most definitely return in a flash, with or without the proposed new shower block.