A Luxary Weekend Away at Brompton Lakes - #GuiltFreeMe

One of the hardest things about being a mum for me has always been managing the guilt. You know… the ever-present mum guilt that comes as a side order with everything. Have to go away with work, you guessed it I feel guilty at not being with the boys, guilty at the having too much screen time, guilty at not making them eat more vegetables. You get the picture.

After suffering from post natal depression I had CBT which really helped me with the guilt, it gave me tools to deal with it. I learned to manage it and to treat myself as I would a friend, to not have higher expectations of myself than anyone else. However, I got to a point at the end of last year when I had let the guilt eat me up alive and something had to be done about it . So I started #GuiultFreeMe – a decision to try and deal with the guilt. to learn how to estligh a life without guilt being the strongest emotion and to set up some healthy habits that will benefit my family and me.

When Sally suggested a get together in early December, my first reaction was to say I couldn’t make it, that there was so much going on in my life that I needed to put first. But the husbeast reminded me that you cannot pour from an empty jug and to get myself away, especially as he told me that Brompton Lakes was an hour away.

Brompton Lakes – Luxury Lodges

Brompton Lakes is part of the Holiday at Home collection and is made up of twenty-one luxury self-catering lodges. Our lodge would have cost around £400 for the weekend we went in December.

I arrived at Brompton Lakes in the dark so I had no idea about the surroundings, but my first thought was “wow the lodge has a cool log burner”. There is something really magical about a fire when it is dark outside. Plus each lodge had a log store and more than enough logs for a whole week, so no need to buy any extra. There was also kindling and firelighters too.

We were staying in Casper. Each lodge sleeps six with three double bedrooms (one of which is on suite). Seen as Sally had organised the weekend I let her take the biggest room (I know I am so kind)!

But each of the bedrooms was a fabulous size and the lodge was really well appointed. In fact I don’t think I have stayed in a lodge that had pretty much everything you need including tin foil, dishwasher tablets and cleaning products.

I can not put into words just how wonderful the break was, partly down to the fabulous company but also down to the location. Imagine waking up to swans and signets floating on the lake.

Most of the lodges look out onto one of the two lakes and the area is just idyllic even in December. The lodges are all Eco Lodges, so have grass roofs and the water and underfloor heating is powered by a heat pump that extracts solar heat from the lake.

There is also a tennis court and you can borrow bikes from the reception which would make this a perfect place for taking the family. Plus you can paddle and splash in the lake weather permitting. Oh and even better 15 of the lodges allow our four-legged friends.

I had such a fabulous relaxing weekend. I laughed until I cried, slept amazingly well and had the best time with great company. If you want to know more of what went on then you will have to check out the blogs of Sally, Sian, Sarah and Lisa. I think that Kirsty might be too busy writing her novel all about bloggers!