10 Reasons To Love Shepherds Huts
Shepherd’s Huts have a long and important place in British history, for over five centuries they were a place for shepherds to shelter in remote locations whilst tending their flock. Over the last decade, they have taken on a new role, as a popular accommodation choice for those looking for a slightly different holiday experience.
As a result of their origins, these huts are found in remote locations amid nature, which is perfect for those looking for a relaxing break. They are a sustainable holiday option that allows people to make the most of what the British Isles has to offer. So here are our top 10 reasons why a Shepherd’s Hut is a great holiday choice.
A Mindful Space
Disconnecting from your daily life is a pleasure not enough people engage in, but it’s a great way to recharge the batteries. It is also a lovely way for couples to enjoy each other's company away from the pressures of home and work.
A Shepherd’s Hut is often found in the heart of nature, separate from your hectic life, making them the ideal place to disconnect. It is so peaceful, which is why you’ll find it perfect for practising Yoga or Reiki, with no chance of being interrupted. If meditation is your route to mindfulness, then the silence of a Shepherd’s Hut is just what you need
Time To Indulge Your Artistic Side
If you have a hidden side that doesn’t get to come out often due to the pressures of work, a Shepherd’s Hut is the perfect place to kick start your artist leanings. By being in the middle of nature, your potential inspirations are everywhere - trees, plants, birds and amazing views right out of your window.
Drawing or painting are popular ways to rest your mind after the pressures of your day job, so by staying in a Shephard’s Hut, you can take this potential mental health benefit and maximise it by finding a relaxing, quiet and inspiring location to create.
A Book Lover’s Dream
A Shepherd’s Hut can work for either the avid reader or the budding author. If your way of chilling out is to immerse yourself in a gripping thriller or read a fascinating autobiography, then take some time out in a Shepherd’s Hut and read in peace, relaxing indoors or sitting outside listening to mother natures soundtrack.
Alternatively, if you see yourself as a future best seller, then what better setting can you find? The freedom to work without disturbance, views that can defeat any writer's block and the ability to take a break and explore your local area whenever you need.
Have Dinner In Nature
A Shepherd’s Hut provides you with the perfect combination of a built-in kitchen and the ability to eat in the open. You are not limited to a simple BBQ, you can make yourself a healthy and hearty meal, possibly using ingredients from the local area, then relax in front of your hut, eating your food whilst listening to mother nature.
You can spend your day planning what food you are going to cook, source ingredients from local producers, including Chatsworth Farm Shop and then, enjoy the results. What recipes would suit your relaxed mood and natural surroundings?
Get Rambling
One of the most common reasons for people to select a stay in a Shepherd’s Hut is the easy access you have to some wonderful walks right outside your bedroom window. With most Shepherd’s Huts located in the middle of the UK countryside, you’ll find a lovely ramble in every direction you look.
You can venture on a different route each day and link up your walk with stopping at your own Hut for lunch or end the perfect day strolling back to your accommodation ready to cook alfresco and eat under the stars.
Of course, it’s not just walking you can do directly from your hut, why not get on your bike and find some local cycle paths as well? It’s all great exercise that will re-energise you.
Photographer’s Paradise
If your passion is photography, staying in Shephherd’s Hut can bring many opportunities. Firstly, you are likely to be right in the middle of nature, no matter what location you choose, meaning your potential subjects are plentiful and ever-changing, right on your doorstep. Simply step outside and begin shooting.
Of course, you can then walk around your location and find many different spots with more subjects to shoot. Different times of day will offer completely different opportunities too. Finally, the huts themselves are often a thing of beauty and when they blend in with their surroundings, can make excellent subjects by themselves.
Affordable Luxury
Due to the smaller nature of a Shepherd’s Hut, they are often excellent value but small doesn’t mean compromising on quality, it is quite the opposite. Our Shepherd’s Huts have been designed to deliver a unique and luxurious experience and it can be the perfect way to upgrade your usual hotel experience without costing too much.
You’ll often find they are designed with a vintage-chic feel and include little extras to make you feel special and truly relaxed in the environment.
Feel Like You Are Part Of History
If you are a history buff, staying in a Shepherd’s Hut can give you that feeling of a bygone era. Read about what it was like to work in the fields as a Shepherd, learn about the local area and some of the traditional skills and trades that you can visit whilst you are staying.
Maybe even look up a few recipes from the past and source the ingredients from local producers, then you can get a genuine feel for what it would have been like for the previous inhabitants of the hut when they were tending sheep and then returning for a home-cooked meal.
A Classic Eco-Holiday
Ecotourism has risen in popularity in the UK over the last 10 years and for those that appreciate the joys of travel but want to respect the environment and aid the sustainability of local people, then a Shepherd’s Hut holiday is an ideal choice.
Shepherd’s Huts are sympathetic to both the ecotourism ethos and the cultural landscape of the UK. With so many beautiful locations within a close distance of most people, it is simple to make a short (and environmentally friendly) trip to the location before making the most of the local attractions and producers.
Romantic Getaway
Whilst some larger Shepherd’s Huts exist, most are perfectly sized for two people, making them an ideal romantic place to spend time with your loved one without being disturbed. You’ll have the opportunity to sit out under the stars together, lie around the hut without hearing anyone else or take the chance to go for an idyllic walk in the countryside that is literally on your doorstep.
And that is the beauty of a Shepherd’s Hut retreat, you can combine the solitude of the locations with the ability to step outside and immediately be able to walk to so many amazing parts of the Great British countryside.
So head to a Shepherd’s Hut for your next staycation, we promise you won’t regret it.