This is a collaborative post and this was a free event.
We are lucky that through this blog we get to do some pretty amazing things.
Last weekend we were invited to Loose Reins glamping lodges in Dorset, for the product launch of the new Spirit Riding Free toy range from Playmobil.
Series 8 of Spirit Riding Free recently came to Netflix and as fans of the show my two couldn’t wait to see what was in store!
We set off as soon as school was over and thanks to the traffic on the M25 (and a little bit to my husband perhaps missing the exit and not realising for a while but I didn’t mention that) arrived at the countryside retreat just outside Blandford Forum just as the sun was beginning to fade.
Even though we were an hour late, we received a warm welcome from the Playmobil and Loose Reins team, and were shown into our luxury glamping lodge overlooking the main paddock, containing three beautiful (but flatulent – honestly I’ve never heard anything like it) horses.
Although made of canvas on the outside, our Loose Reins lodge was fabulous and about as far from ‘traditional camping’ as you can get.
Thank goodness for that, eh. I’m not built to survive in a tent.
With a purpose built timber frame that split the space up into three bedrooms with space for up to six to sleep, a bathroom and a sitting room with kitchenette, there was even a little den for the children.
The lodge boasted all mod cons including electricity and gas, a gas hob, fridge and a shower. There were lovely little touches here and there like woodland soft toys on the beds, books, games, cute arty details; nothing about Loose Reins’ lodges scream ‘slumming it’.
We were treated to a huge barbecue, while the kids enjoyed being up past their bedtime and running about underneath the stars. When we finally retired to the lodge it was pretty chilly, what with it being March, so we tucked the kids into their warm beds heated by electric blankets, and put the log-burning fire on until it was time for bed.
I’d like to say that the fresh air made the kids sleep well, but we all know that would be too much to hope for… We all spent large chunks of the night awake, with a backdrop of hooting owls, snorting horse and other than that, complete silence.
The following day we met the Playmobil team and got to check out the new range of Spirit Riding Free Playmobil.
This includes the big Barn with Lucky, Pru & Abigail figures, and smaller sets including Riding Arena with Lucky & Javier and Miss Flores’ Classroom.
We brought home the full range with us and will be reviewing them once we’ve had time to sit and piece them together!
The children then took part in a ‘meet the animals’ experience, where they had the chance to get up close and personal with Loose Reins’ petting zoo animals; grooming the ponies, feeding the goats and finding the eggs in the chicken coop.
After lunch there were crafts and horse-riding for the kids. I wondered how they’d take to the horse-riding as none of us had ever done it before, but they both loved every minute (especially when one horse had a poo, which was the stand-out highlight of the weekend for my son) of learning to ride like Lucky, Pru and Abigail. If you go and your kids end up begging you for riding lessons when they get home then I recommend a trip to the Equi Supermarket for all your gear.
We then had a few hours to relax in our lodge; the children ran around making friends and we kicked back on the veranda and looked out over the stunning countryside.
It honestly is such a beautiful, peaceful site; the perfect place to relax and unwind.
During the evening, we made our way to the Hitching Post at Loose Reins where the kids snuggled up with popcorn to watch episodes of Spirit Riding Free.
After a much later, but better night, I had to forgo my Mother’s Day lie in and was instead woken up to help with packing duties (which I’m sure you can imagine I was happy about).
Fortunately Loose Reins is perfectly situated to explore Dorset, particularly if what you want to explore is Monkey World, which is what I wanted to do. I dragged my whining tired children round enclosures of chimpanzees for several hours before giving up and going home.
We had a fantastic weekend; thank you so much to the Playmobil team.
The children had a wonderful time and were spoiled rotten, although my daughter reports that when asked what she did at the weekend at school she told the class about her wobbly tooth instead. Sigh.
This stay was free of charge, but the words and pictures are my own. Please do check out Loose Reins glamping if you are looking for a family-friendly base from which to explore Dorset; the Trip Advisor ratings are excellent.
And of course, look out for my Spirit Riding Free Playmobil range review coming up; in the meantime you can check it out and purchase here on Amazon.