Keeping everyone safe and well at The Forge

We are still be providing that very special Forge experience, with just a few tweaks here and there to ensure that we are 100% complying with guidance from the government and the experts to keep us all safe. We are blessed with lots of space and fresh air which, as we all now know, is absolutely the best place to be right now, so we are very keen to welcome as many guests as possible to take advantage of this, whilst also observing social distancing rules. We also know that people come to stay to forget all about all the stresses of the real world, which is why we have pulled together this quick guide to explain what you can expect when you stay with us this year, and hopefully put your mind at rest before you arrive.

Booking tents

As of 25th July we are now able to open all our tents and our shared facilities which includes our showers and our communal games cabin. We will allocate you a shower to use when you arrive and are very happy to deep clean on request between guest use. Bluebell Corner, our gypsy caravan and log cabin space, is a completely self-contained unit and is available to book all year round.

Check in and out

To allow for the additional cleaning we are doing after each stay, we are slightly adjusting our check in time to 4pm and our check out time to 10am. This means we can ensure we are able to perform a thoroughly deep clean of each tent using anti-viral products after each stay. We will still meet and greet you in the car park, observing social distancing rules, and will show you to the outside of your tent providing a verbal explanation of how everything works. If you would prefer a no-contact self-check in, please let us know in advance and we would of course be happy to arrange this. All guests will be required to complete a short health questionnaire upon arrival.

Tent facilities

Our lovely comfy beds and gorgeous, cosy duvets are still in all the tents, and the linen is changed after each stay and washed at 60+c. We swap out the cushions and blankets after each stay to allow for the 72-hour quarantine period. All games, books and our hard copy welcome packs have been removed, but you will find all this information now online. You can also call us at any point if you need any ideas or inspiration for things to do in the area.

Camp kitchens

There is still everything you could possibly need in the camp kitchens, including pots, pans, crockery and cutlery. There are bottles of hand sanitiser in all kitchens and composting toilets. We have invested in two sets of glass Kilner jars for our tea, coffee, hot chocolate and sugar and will swap them over after every stay to ensure more than 72 hours between contact periods. We have taken out our decaffeinated options for now but these are still available upon requests. We will be making a few changes to our usual ‘daily refresh’ too: you are now welcome to empty your own grey water onto our young trees and take any litter and recycling to the main bins near the car park. We provide ice packs, tea towels and bin bags upon request. If you would prefer us to stay away completely for the duration of your stay please just let us know and we can tell you where everything is emptied and binned so you can do this yourselves.

Showers

We will allocate you a shower to use on arrival to minimise risks and will be deep cleaning the showers after each stay and additionally on request.

Communal areas

Our large communal cabin is open again for you to play pool, table tennis or just to chill on the sofas by the big log fire. We have lots of hand sanitiser available and ask that you use this when you have been using the games or books. We also ask that you observe social distancing when moving around the site, on the hill fort and in the car parking areas. There is no requirement to wear masks or gloves, just respect each other’s space, after all, there is plenty of it at The Forge!

Group bookings

If you would like to book the whole space, we can accommodate 22 people in our bell tents and Bluebell Corner, our gypsy caravan and log cabin. For an additional cost we can also put up additional bell tents and you can pitch up to 6 of your own tents too. For full site bookings you would also have use of Drewyn, our communal cabin, with its pool table, events kitchen, large comfy sofa and big log fire. We would recommend that you keep the main doors open for ventilation and continue to observe social distancing rules within your group. For prices and availability please click here or give us a call and we can discuss different options.

Bushcraft activities

We will still be running our programme of bushcraft activities over the summer months, observing social distancing rules of course. This will include fire-lighting, campfire cooking, foraging and nature walks. We will also be hosting our usual axe throwing contests on the hill fort – what better way to relieve the stress of three months in lockdown!

Covid-19 symptoms

The Welsh government have advised in the event that you develop any symptoms of Covid-19 during your stay you should return to your primary residence and self isolate for 7 days and anyone who was staying with you should also self-isolate for 14 days. You should also let us know by phone immediately so we can adjust our cleaning protocols accordingly.

Hopefully this will answer many of the questions you may have about a glamping holiday at The Forge in the post-lockdown period but if you would like to know anything else please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we will be happy to help.