Rosemoor Country Cottages & Nature Reserve, Pembrokeshire
Family Holiday Cottages, Rosemoor, Walwyn's Castle, Haverfordwest
Fresh air, freedom to explore and fun, within idyllic surroundings makes for happy kids and relaxed parents
Rosemoor Country Cottages are situated within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in the tiny village of Walwyn's Castle. Approached down narrow country lanes, Rosemoor is hidden in a lovely valley in the far south west of Pembrokeshire, within walking distance (just 2 miles) of St.Bride's Bay.
Ideally located, the holiday cottages sit on a hillside, overlooking a wooded valley with its own nature reserve and lake. It is without doubt an exceptional holiday for families who like their children to have the opportunity to spend carefree times outdoors, well away from traffic, and meet up with other children in 2.5 acres of leafy park-like surroundings.
Within the grounds are Rosemoor's 9 warm and comfortable cottages, in the former outbuildings to the house. Built of warm red sandstone, two feet thick, they are attractively grouped around an open courtyard, apart from the Coach House, Gardener's Cottage and Holly Tree, which are a short distance away from the others. The holiday cottages are surrounded by open country, trees and fields, with superb views all round.
Child Friendly Cottages
Nine self catering properties each with their own charm and character offer very comfortable, spacious and cosy accommodation for a relaxing break, away from it all. All self catering cottages are different in plans, layout, furnishings and the number of people they will accommodate. The smallest cottage sleeps 2, and the largest (a combination of Apple and Peace Cottages, which can be internally joined by opening a soundproofed interconnecting door) sleeps 10 with ease making it perfect for large families or friends who wish to holiday together.
The cottages have been fully modernised for comfortable 21st century living, with a keen eye for low impact - natural materials, very high levels of thermal insulation, underfloor heating, log burners, solar hot water for some, and what heating that is required is sourced from centralised wood-fired biomass boiler. Each cottage has a handy variety of board games and puzzles for the unhoped-for rainy day or the half hour just-before-going-to-bed.
Should you feel the need to keep in touch with the outside world there is free Wi-Fi access through a dedicated hotspot.
Toddler and Baby Friendly Caboodle
Rosemoor is excellently suited for a holiday with children, toddlers and babies. There is a stash of equipment available upon request which is extremely handy when travelling with small children. This convenient service is provided free of charge and includes baby necessities like cots, high chairs, baby baths, nappy buckets, toilet trainers and night lights. Please note that bedding for cots is not provided so don't forget to pack your own.
The Grounds and Play Areas
Your children will certainly love the space within the grounds. Well away from the road they can run around without you having to worry too much about them. For very small children the walled garden behind the cottages is ideal. When they are a bit older the spacious and attractive playground will definitely be a hit. Sturdy wooden constructions make up the 4-seater seesaw, swings, and climbing frame. For toddlers there is also a bouncy bike. For children as well as adults, there is a table tennis room.
The Nature Reserve and Ancient Monument
A short walk from the holiday cottages is the 35 acre nature reserve with its 5-acre lake providing lovely exploring opportunities. It is home to a great variety of birds and other wildlife; there are regular sightings of otters and kingfishers. The skies are patrolled by buzzards and other birds of prey, and peregrine falcons nest nearby. Even if you are not a bird watcher, it is a lovely place to take the kids for a walk, muddy in places in winter, and just enjoy the sounds, the smells and the rising and setting sun over the water.
Adjacent to the nature reserve, still within the grounds, is a rath, the site of a large iron-age fort, superimposed onto which the Normans built a motte-and-bailey castle when they conquered this part of Wales at the end of the eleventh century. This is now a scheduled ancient monument.
Days out in Pembrokeshire and Beyond
The broad sweep of St. Bride's Bay is only two miles away at its nearest point. It is a nice walk of just 45 minutes through the fields from Rosemoor to one of the pubs in Little Haven for (Sunday) Lunch and back! Take your pick from the bustling beach resort of Broad Haven. Broad Haven Beach is recommended for families too, as it's a gently shelving beach with lots of shallow water suitable for younger children.
The whole of Pembrokeshire is within easy reach: the coast and coast path (2 miles), scores of beaches, the islands, and even the Preseli Hills, source of some of the stones at Stonehenge, are only little over half an hour by car. There are lots of organised outdoor activities for children (and adults alike) in the area: from surfing and sailing to diving and coasteering. For the little ones a visit to Folly Farm is usually a great hit.