A Brief Insight into Glastonbury

Glastonbury in Somerset, UK is most commonly known for its iconic festival however, dig a little deeper than the muddy Somerset hills and you’ll discover a quirky, colourful town sprinkled with shops selling everything from crystals, healing ointment and incense sticks to Aladdin pants, tarot card readings and reiki.

“It’s a small town with a lot of attitude, which makes it a delight to explore!“

The Hut

After a day of mooching around the nooks and crannies of Glastonbury, we set off to find our accommodation for the night. Located around a half an hour drive from Glastonbury, ‘The Hut’ is accessed by snug countryside lanes hugged by rolling farmland. The Airbnb can be found nestled on the host, Sarah’s farm in the secluded village of Dinnington.

On arrival, we were greeted by the host, Sarah and her gang of guinea pigs, chickens, geese, ducks, sheep and the resident goats – Trigger, Dell Boy and Rodney. If you’re an animal lover, you will instantly fall in love with this place, before you’ve even laid eyes on your Shepherd’s Hut.

Sarah kindly showed us to our home for the night. Look at this beauty that Sarah built out of wood during lockdown for her son (she also built the Shepherd’s Hut – she’s one talented lady)!

The Hut is tucked away to the side of the field and cleverly faces the vast expanse of fields to the rear of the farm rather than the farmhouse, giving you the illusion that you have the views of rolling countryside to yourselves. Oh, and the goats of course!

As you approach The Hut the first thing you’ll notice is the adorable, gravelled seating area to the front. It’s a great size for two people and has all the amenities you could need for a summer’s evening – two sets of table and chairs, a BBQ, chiminea, logs, coal, umbrellas, herbs (for a Pimms?), a canopy in case the weather isn’t in your favour, solar powered fairy lights for when the sunsets and flower pots galore giving the area a pop of colour.

As soon as we laid eyes on this alfresco area we were so happy the restaurant at the end of the drive had been fully booked – we weren’t leaving this place until we were thrown out kicking and screaming at check out the next day. 

Décor and Amenities 

As we stepped into the Shepherd’s Hut the attention to detail from the outside area followed us through.

Sarah had very kindly gifted us a bottle of prosecco, a balloon and a box of chocolates as she’d remembered that Nicole had mentioned it was a trip for my birthday – it’s thoughtful surprises like these that really makes an Airbnb stand out from the rest! The décor was simple and cosy, with punches of yellow amongst the grey.

I LOVED these amazing brass pipe toilet/kitchen roll holders and the mosaic floor and tiles in the toilet, which both added a homely, charismatic feel to the hut. There was also an indoor log burner, dressing gowns and slippers for those chillier winter nights.  

The kitchen was kitted out with everything you could need for a weekend away. From an oven and hob, kettle and coffee plunger to bacon, bread, fresh coffee and eggs laid on the farm that day. 

I honestly can’t fault the amenities at The Hut and it was immaculately presented for our arrival. 

Food

Fear not on the food front! There are a few options for dinner at The Hut. If you plan ahead better than we did, you can book a table at the wonderful country pub, Dinnington Docks which is a stone’s throw away from the farm and offers up delicious pub classics as well as a few fancier dining options.

If like us, you’d rather a snug night in, dining alfresco under the stars with a bottle or two of wine and a takeaway, you’re in luck! There are a couple of Thai and Indian restaurants that deliver and all details and menus can be found in the handy visitors booklet in the hut. We placed our order at Lopen Raj and within half an hour we had an array of delicious Thai curries to compliment our New Zealand Sav.

After a spot of star gazing, it was time to hit the sack – we needed our beauty sleep for a day of exploring! The bed was a good size considering how compact the Shepherd’s Hut was and the bedding was fluffy, soft and warm. 

Brekkie

The next morning we awoke to the faint sound of the cockerels and sunshine. We enjoyed a freshly plunged coffee outside before setting to work on cooking a hearty breakfast from the ingredients Sarah had left in the fridge. I was excited to give the eggs from the farm a sample! 

Ready and fuelled for another day of exploring Glastonbury, we very reluctantly packed up our belongings, waved goodbye to the beautiful countryside, gave Trigger the goat one last slice of bread and headed off. Sarah was there to make sure we’d had a good night’s sleep and to wave us goodbye.

Verdict

We LOVED our night’s stay at The Hut and were gutted we couldn’t have stayed longer. It’s the perfect balance of on-point hospitality, amenities and seclusion. Thank you so much to Sarah and the gang for a wonderful night’s stay!

Fancy a stay in a gorgeous Shepherd’s Hut in the depths of Somerset, look no further! To book your stay at ‘The Hut’ (you won’t regret it) click here. 

Surrounded by mountains, wildlife and colourful foliage, Love Earth Farm is a farm (funnily enough) that focuses on eco-friendly, remote accommodation with a personal touch.

If you enjoy getting off-the-beaten track, connecting with nature and disconnecting from the outside world (there’s no WiFi), then this is the place for you.

The host, Yasmin, has two quirky cabins situated around the corner from her own home – a log cabin (where we stayed) and a chalet, which have both been built using reusable resources from the farm. The cabins are located around a 15 minute drive from the entrance to the National Park, meaning you can enjoy a remote, off-the-beaten-track stay without being too far from the action of Tsitsikamma.

From the solid wooden worktops in the kitchen to the wooden honey coloured floorboards, the wilderness of Tsitsikamma is cleverly carried into the cabin through its structure and decor.

The cabin is entirely open plan and boasts a kitchen with all essential amenities, a shower room and two double beds – one on the ground floor and one vaulted above the kitchen, offering beautiful views through the window.

Knowing Love Earth Farm was going to be a bit out in the sticks, we came prepared – ingredients for dinner, plenty of wine and a pack of cards were all we needed for a relaxed evening in the wild.

Yasmin was even kind enough to let us raid her vegetable patch for additional ingredients for dins and bought us firewood for the outside fire pit.

As the dark clouds crept over the mountainside and the rain began to pour, Lizzie built us a fire any caveman would be proud of. Perfectly situated on the terrace next to the seating area, we revelled in the heat of the cosy fire whilst eating dinner, drinking wine and playing rummy.

The perfect end to a busy day on the road…

If you’re looking for a remote, unique and peaceful place to base yourself whilst exploring the wilderness of Tsitsikamma National Park, Love Earth Farm is the perfect spot for you. 

Have you ever stayed at Love Earth Farm? What was your favourite part of your stay?

Welcome to Driftwood Glamping and Boutique Hotel…

Located in Nosara, a small hippie surf town on the west coast of the Nicoya peninsula in Costa Rica, Driftwood encapsulates all that is Nosara.

A maze of bumpy dust tracks swallowed by overgrown, dense jungle and peppered with boutique hotels, surf shacks and restaurants, this areas has a rustic, off-the-beaten-track feel and is the perfect spot to slow things down on any Costa Rican adventure.

Nosara’s two main beaches – Guiones and Pelada – offer long stretches of soft, golden sand lined with vibrant jungle and prime waves for avid surfers.

Delve a few minutes deeper into the jungle and you’ll be lead to Driftwood.

Nestled at the top of a bumpy, dirt track just off of the quieter of the two beaches – Pelada – Driftwood is new on the Nosara scene and offers two desirable options for your stay…

Either glamping in one of their unique bell tents equipped with squishy double bed (and single bed if you book a triple room), fluffy pillows, faux fur beanbag and en suite toilet (approx $38.50 a night).

Or, one of their wonderful, bright and airy boutique rooms fittingly strewn in driftwood and minimalistic decor (approx $68 a night).

We were originally booked into a tent however, after one night of being somewhat… hot, Mum made the executive decision to upgrade to a room with air con. The tents were lovely but in 35 degree heat the fan just didn’t cut it, so keep this in mind when booking.

The vibe at Driftwood was so relaxing we had no qualms in rolling out of bed and making the few steps from our room to the pool area in our PJs for a morning smoothie bowl from the juice bar.

Before spending the day floating around in the serene infinity pool only emerging in search of food.

The accommodation doesn’t serve food other than breakfast therefore, a walk along the beach is needed to find lunch and dinner. Luckily, there are a handful of restaurants within walking distance, one of which is a must visit – La Luna.

Hidden at the far end of Pelada Beach, La Luna hogs the best sunset spot on the beach and is the perfect place to stop off for a quick sunset cocktail or, a three course meal with bubbles.

Sprinkled with fairylights, palm trees and candles, La Luna’s outdoor patio area is where all the action happens and looks like it’s been lifted straight out of the wedding scene in Mamma Mia. Both Lizzie (sis) and I agreed it would be a dreamy wedding venue…

Triumphing in everything from simple Mediterranean platters and salads to gourmet pizzas and seafood, this restaurant won’t leave you disappointed. We ate here three times in seven days and each time we came away giddy with content (and prosecco).

You can walk from La Luna to Driftwood in around 20 minutes. And don’t worry about the darkness, the fireflies will guide the way to your room where you can sleep off your inevitable food baby.

Driftwood is a peaceful haven snuggled deep in the Costa Rican jungle. Its relaxing vibe, picture-perfect infinity pool and chic decor is unbeatable and comes at a bargain price in comparison to other accommodation options in Costa Rica. Book your glamping tent or boutique room now here.