Life inside the Yurts and in the meadow at Botswicky Copse

Reconnect with nature, listen to birdsong at dusk and take time to switch off.

Life at Botswicky Copse is simple, with a quiet, settled feel that doesn’t need much adding to it

Mornings tend to start quietly here; you wake with a real sense of calm, before doing anything else.

The light comes in through the yurt window first, low and warm, with that early orange glow settling across the space. Outside, you hear what’s already going on, the wind moving through the grasses and trees, pheasants calling, sometimes deer moving in the distance. Nothing dramatic, just the steady sound of nature waking up.

There’s no real urge to get up straight away. Most people stay where they are for a while, just taking it in (often from a cosy blanketed bed). After a bit, you might think about putting the kettle on, making a tea or coffee and starting the day from there.

The yurts sit spaced out across the whole meadow, each one built by hand using natural materials. They’re not overworked spaces, just considered, comfortable and easy to spend time in. People move between inside and out without really thinking about it.

The land is a nature reserve and everything is looked after with a light and sensitive touch. We follow a simple “leave no trace” approach, alongside the organic principles of Helen Browning and the guidance of the Greener Camping Club. It’s about using what’s needed and leaving the rest in harmony with nature.

Facilities are straightforward: composting toilets, filtered drinking water from the local farm and a shared kitchen space. Nothing complicated, just what works.

As the day draws in, things tend to slow without trying to. Fires are lit, food is cooked outside and the light fades across the field. With very little light pollution, the sky is properly dark at night, clear and uninterrupted.

There’s no set plan here. You arrive and after a while, things tend to quieten down on their own…