I was searching for a peaceful, secluded countryside getaway for a few days and stumbled upon The Rest + Wild Cabins. They’re set in the rolling Shropshire Hills, on the edge of woodland, in beautiful seclusion.
It seemed like the perfect place to stay for a couple of days for B’s birthday. I desperately wanted some screen-free time and the cabins ticked the boxes: set among nature, easy to get to from Oxfordshire, with an outdoor bathtub and a fire pit to indulge our inner glamping instincts but with touches of luxury and hot showers.
There’s four cabins to choose from. We chose ‘The Sparrow’, which was set back a little further than the other cabins. We saw them as we drove down the long track, but once at the cabin we couldn’t see anyone – there’s perfect privacy. The site was easy enough to find thanks to the instructions emailed to us.
We had our own little patch of woodland to the side of The Sparrow, with a picnic bench, bathtub and fire pit.
The views are absolutely stunning, and we were incredibly lucky with the weather. There’s plenty of walks in the area, should you wish to venture beyond your little patch. You can see Titterstone Clee Hill from the cabin (more on that later) and there was a gorgeous white pheasant wandering around the field.
We left early the next morning to get in a walk in before breakfast, and wrapped up as a frosty fog lingered over the hills. We’d been sent details of local walks ahead of our arrival, with handy OS Map links. They took us across the fields and hills whilst ensuring we stayed on the public footpaths (the cabins are near Downton Hall, which is private property).
An hour or so in, the fog lifted, the sun came out and we got absolutely toasted. We were glad to get back to the cabin for a siesta.
The site really comes into its own in the evening, when I tried out the outdoor bathtub and we got the fire going. You’re pretty off the beaten path so there’s hardly any light to disturb you if you want to stargaze. In the evening we made the most of the pre-mixed cocktails provided as an extra treat for booking through Kip Hideaways, and sampled some local beers we’d picked up.
We decided to climb Titterstone Clee Hill the next day. (Well ok, we drove halfway up, and had a wander around. It counts!). You can still see the remains of the mines and quarries, which provide a fascinating glimpse into the area’s industrial past, and there’s a radar station at the top. It looks like the perfect location for filming a Tom Baker Doctor Who episode.
The next morning we had just enough time before check-out to cook a quick breakfast on the firepit: fried bread and Richmond meat-free sausages. Healthy and balanced…
Touches I loved:
- They had the most heavenly St Eval diffuser in the cabin that I had to immediately buy once I got home. The linen bedcovers were to die for too.
- I loved the décor, and they had a thoughtfully chosen selection of books to read, focused on cute cabins and eco-living.
- We had a small power cut on our first night and the team couldn’t have been more responsive or helpful.
- There was plenty of wood provided, and eco firelighters too, which made lighting the wood burner and firepit a breeze (well it looked easy, I sat back and watched B do it.)
Notes
- The loo is a compost loo; although that’s not as scary as it sounds, it does mean gents have to sit…
- There’s no wi-fi (it’s sort of besides the point) but we had decent phone signal to get us by.
- The cabins are small – we found them perfect for two and of course we could enjoy the outside space with the lovely weather, but make sure you get on with the person you’re going with if the forecast looks bad.
- The fridges are on the small side so if you’re planning to do some gourmet cooking you might find it difficult.
To learn more and book your stay, visit the Rest +Wild Ludlow website.
My stay with Rest + Wild was not sponsored nor gifted and the opinions in this post are entirely my own.
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