At the beginning of last week I’m packing for a week in a yurt in the West of England. Slightly up from camping, I knew the yurt would have a wooden floor and wood burning stove. Despite the sunshine outside, I assumed I’d be cold. I hate being cold. I shoved a warm jacket into the top of my bag and then lingered over a pair of shorts. Would they fit in the bag. I worn them once maybe twice over the summer. I left the shorts on the bed.
After some hours in the car I am standing in a field in Somerset. The grass is very very green and the sky is very, very blue. There are chickens and a lot of bird song. I am meeting the one other family with whom we will be sharing a field for the next few days. It’s hot. very hot and I find myself feeling slightly jealous of the woman’s summer dress. It dawns on me that leaving the shorts behind was a mistake. Briefly, I consider cutting down my favorite jeans.
Shorts aside. The yurt is perfect, comfortable and the location is stunning. A working farm in the deepest countryside. At night there is no light pollution and nothing to do except drink wine and stare at a million, billion stars, as an owl screeches in the trees above. In the morning, each morning, I sit in the quiet of the field. There are only four yurts in two fields and only 3 are occupied. I watch birds flit in and out of the hedgerow and drink tea outside the yurt. It’s a peaceful start to the day.
A few days later I’m standing besides the sea, waiting for fish and chips. Seagulls cry overhead, our shadows stretching in front of us. Starving at the end of a day on the beach, in an attempt to stop the day from ending we’ve stayed for chips, any excuse to stay longer. Finally, I’m dressed for sunshine, wearing a skirt I’ve borrowed from a friend who lives nearby. We’ve spent the day on the sand catching up while our children play in the sea. I look at the calm sea and take in the light gently softening, it feels as if it’s been summer forever. All the rain and cold is forgotten. all the ‘stuff’ that complicates life a world away. It’s a moment to savour and linger upon. My boy’s hair is particularly curly from a day by salt water. His face is slightly kissed by the sun. His skinny legs dwarfed by a pair of red crocs and beach shorts. In a week he starts school. We’ve manage to leap and catch a wonderful week of sunshine in the countryside and beside the sea just before school and it’s been idyllic. I feel blessed.
This isn’t a commercial post, I’m simply sharing because it was perfect.
Looks fab. Glad you had such a lovely time. Just the ticket before start of school.
it was, I didn’t want it to end but school was beckoning…
What fun and truly relaxing.
was both of those things – recommended!
Ooh I would definitely like that holiday! I used to work for Friends of the Earth, we had our annual conference in a place called Green And Away, which was all yurts and marquees 🙂
Am total convert, I think even in poor weather it would be worthwhile as they are so much more robust than a tent and the of course the stove makes a massive difference 😉
Sounds totally gorgeous and lovely weather a real bonus x I felt myself relaxing just reading this 🙂
thank you Ali. it was but the West Country in the sunshine is relaxing.
That looks and sounds truly wonderful. So glad you had a nice break! 🙂 Hope school goes well! 🙂
Thanks Emma. X
Now I don’t like camping but I could go for a yurt – that looked like it was alot of fun and it sounds like you had a wonderful time! :o).
OH hates camping but loved it, the wood burning stove and futons made the difference.
When we glamped back in July I looked enviously at the Yurts and Teepees. They looked so much more adventurous than our safari tent. I’m glad you had a wonderful, relaxing week away. And I’m also glad you didn’t cut down your jeans – that would have been terrible shame!
Cheers Molly – I think I’d definitely be regretting cutting them down this week – its so flippin cold. I like the sound of the safari tent.
I am now longing for this, looks wonderful…it’s on my ‘must do before I’m on my zimmer’ list
It was on my Day Zero project and I wasn’t disappointed. Wasn’t far from you either!
That looks wonderful.
thanks Ellen.
Looks wonderful-welcome back x
Sounds heavenly and the photos are gorgeous. I must admit that I’ve never heard of a ‘Yurt’ before reading this! Looks really nice…
xx Jazzy
That looks like such fun. I definitely want to try out a yurt one day.
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