An active and very wet weekend at PGL Boreatton Park!
For the 2019 Autumn half-term break we thought we’d do something different and try out an outdoor activity weekend. It was also an opportunity for some much needed mother and son re-bonding as the tweeny stuff was testing all the wrong kind of boundaries. And bond we did, along with pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones.
After school had broken up on the Friday we drove the hour or so in the torrential rain to PGL Boreatton Park in Shropshire, one of the many PGL centres dotted around the UK and France geared up for family adventure holidays (they also do school trips). We arrived at nightfall to a rather spooky looking estate and huge hall but were soon escorted by our PGL leader to our digs for the next two nights.
The basic lodge style rooms set in the grounds were actually better than I was expecting: 2 single beds (rooms for four have bunk beds), small en-suite, plenty of space for our kit, kettle with tea/coffee etc. My only complaint was that the underfloor heating was either not working or insufficient as the room was too cold. It was an unseasonably damp and very cold weekend though.
#TWMT Tip – PGL provide you with a suggested kit list depending on the activities (dress for the weather) and you need to bring your own towels both for showering and if required the outdoor activities. It’s also worth bringing a few home comforts like your own pillows, hot water bottles and snacks.
We had just enough time to unpack before we had to meet up with our leader and the other families to find out what the weekend entailed and escorted up to the main ‘spooky’ hall for dinner. Now the food is a pretty standard school dinners affair, but it was fresh with a reasonable choice of hot food usually involving chips and included a vegetarian option. There was also a very good salad/ cold pasta bar. The boy has been on enough similar school trips and had forewarned me, but I kind of enjoyed lining up with my tray and cutlery and getting to eat a ‘kids meal’. Note that you are likely to be joined by large groups of kids on school trips or attending one of the week long courses PGL offer, but the family weekenders are allocated tables.
#TWMT Tip – hot drinks and squash are available in the dining hall but bring water bottles to refill from their filtered water points.
After dinner was spent participating in team building games in the big hall i.e. quizzes, practical exercises. Really not our thing, but we joined in and thankfully were grouped with two friendly and not overbearing families. Good job as that was our ‘team’ for the entirety. The evening was finished off in the family bar and a round of darts, before an early night ready for Saturday’s activities.
We were up and out early for breakfast but unamused to find that it was still raining. Not just a little bit but that relentless sort that soaks you to the skin and then some. It was a good job that the first activity of the day was raft building out on the large lake. It was far too cold and I’m far too nesh so passed on trying out our team’s raft, but the boy couldn’t wait to jump on and sail off in the freezing pouring rain – thankfully they didn’t lose anyone overboard!
After we’d dried off and warmed up it was time for lunch. Finally after over 24 hours the rain stopped (thank god!) just in time for the abseiling and high ropes sessions. It was my turn to be brave with the abseiling as the boy was having none of it – we both have a fear of heights. After a bit of knee-knocking at the top of the tower I was soon up and over making my way down. The boy’s shouts of encouragement aka mickey taking were certainly a distraction – little sod! We gave the high-ropes a miss however, in favour of warmth, hot drinks and chocolate. Despite being dressed appropriately it was freezing!
The second evening offered similar activities to the previous night but we opted to join our group in the bar for the free wine and cheese tasting and board games.
Our final morning was a far more chilled and sunny Sunday with Aeroball which the boy loved, followed by a sensory team activity and then trail – both amusing and the trail itself very well done. We had just enough time for one last lunch before it was time to depart, but not before visiting the well-stocked sweet and gift shop.
Would we go again?
Actually a yes from both of us as its a really good value way to try out new things and spend quality time together – there’s no wifi and barely any mobile signal. For us the weekend was priceless and certainly brought us back closer together.
#TWMT Tip – subscribe to PGL’s email and look out for the special offers – some can be as little as £79 pp. for the weekend.
Although holidays involving organised “fun” with other people really isn’t our bag, you can join in (or not) as you please. PGL have introduced for 2020 supervised kids only evening entertainment to give parents, if they wish, some ‘me time’. I think this option is great but kind of defeats the objective of it being a family weekend.
Our particular leader was pretty chilled, great with the kids and made the logistics of being where you needed to be simple to the point of not really having to think – for a parent this makes things so much easier. Apart for the bad weather we enjoyed the activities and would have loved the opportunity to explore the 240 acres of grounds and try out some of the other activities on offer e.g. kayaking, the challenge course, rifle shooting, mountain bikes and the zip wire. I think, however, we’ll go in the Summer months next time!
Travels With My Teen 