How to Holiday in a Pandemic - Top 4 Tips

Being back open after so many months in lockdown and being able to invite guests back to our unique glamping site has brought much needed relief not only to us but to many other tourism industries in West Wales. In fact many places are seeing booming bookings with so many people taking their holidays and weekend breaks in the UK. 

We can’t help but wonder how visitors feel about their safety whilst on holiday in the UK.  Last year many seaside resorts saw a record number of visitors in the height of the pandemic and one has to wonder how safe this can be!

Fortunately there are a large variety of holidays in the UK  and although us Brits have a passion for escaping to the sand and sea there are still many ways in which we can holiday avoiding the crowds and staying safe.

We’re really lucky here in West Wales. We feel we are still the UK’s best kept secret for a holiday destination, nestled between the counties of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, counties many across the border of Wales may not have heard of.  Most though have heard of our other neighbour Pembrokshire, who’s holiday destinations of Tenby (where Iron Man competitions are held) and St Davids (host to the beautiful St Davids Cathedral) can see very busy beaches and full streets!

The fact that our location between these lesser known county’s has definitely played to the advantage of those who have stayed with us before.  In fact we had so many emails at the start of the pandemic full of messages from guests longing to be back with us ‘when it was all over’, citing us as the perfect place to hide themselves away from the world in a safe bubble. We truly believe that our place on the map of the UK and the nature of our yurt and tipi holiday site is the perfect place to holiday safely. Here are some top tips and recommendations on how you can  stay away from crowds and completely recharge those batteries!

1/ Come midweek

If you look at our availability calendar (school holiday season aside) you will most probably struggle to find availability for weekends. Mid-week it’s a different story! Booking in September for a mid-week stay may well see you as one of the only guests with us. We have taken measures to reduce the risk of transmission i.e dedicated toilet/shower facilities for guests and one person in our communal log cabin at a time. Even when we’re ‘full’, with just four accommodations open, we’re still quiet! 

Mid-week will also see less people at all to the attractions, (e.g Castles, Folly Farm, Oakwood Theme Park, Dan-Yr-Ogof Caves), at the local pubs and restaurants and definitely at the shops. So if you really want to be as isolated as possible, take a few days off work and enjoy more space and less people!

2/ Enjoy the great outdoors!

You are spoilt for choice on outdoor activities here, with the coastal path that spans the entire coast of Wales only 30 minutes away, the Preseli Mountains (with the bluestones where the stones at Stonehenge are believed to have originated from), Brechfa forest which is becoming very famous for its off-road biking, many local footpaths to explore and our beaches such as Penbryn, Mwnt and Cwmtydu which never get the scenes that Tenby do! You are spoilt for choice for places to go in the great big outdoors!

3/ Live like a local

We know all the quiet places- ignore those Trip Advisor reviews, those Facebook and Instagram sensations… we know the quiet and charming places to visit that aren’t inundated with people. Just ask! We also have some incredible local takeaway options that use local and home-grown produce, one only being 2 miles away (check Veganishmum out on Facebook)!

4/ Stay in!

We have 20 acres of gorgeous woodland, open fields, wildlife habitat areas and incredible views! Larkhill has been a labour of love for Tony and Fran (the hosts) over the last 30 years both from an ecological and sustainable stance and in creating a beautiful environment to be in. With wood carvings, totem poles, labyrinths, enchanting woodland trails, a fairy house village, we have created so much for you to enjoy finding. Larkhill is the perfect place to unwind, perhaps bring your book list, master cooking over a campfire, bring your musical instruments, a pack of cards and maybe a bottle of your favourite tipple and some marshmallows. For kids we strongly encourage you to build a den in our woods, we have a play park with swings and a slide and Fran (the host who welcomes you onsite) will happily teach you the rules of Manhunt in the woods after dark! There is so much safe space for your little ones to engage their imaginations.