Two Years On: Shaping a slower, more thoughtful stay…

When we first opened, our aim was simple: to create a place where people could step away from the noise of everyday life and spend time in nature, without sacrificing on comfort. Two years on, that intention still sits at the heart of everything we do on site but how we bring it to life has evolved in ways we are really proud of.

Finding our way, naturally

From opening in the summer of 2024, we spent a lot of time listening and learning and reflecting on how we experience the site ourselves when we get a chance to stay. Listening to the countryside and nature, watching different seasons and weather patterns and, importantly, to the people who came to stay.

Our guests weren’t just looking for somewhere different to stay, an alternative to a traditional campsite, they were looking for space. Space to think, to rest, to reconnect with themselves and with nature in a way that feels unforced.

So rather than adding more, we began to refine and gently build upon what we started out with…

the interior of Willow Yurt, a new structure we introduced last summer

Creating Space to truly switch off

While the yurts themselves remain an important part of the stay, over the past two years our focus has shifted more towards the space that surrounds them.

We’ve been careful to preserve a real sense of openness across the meadow, keeping each yurt well spaced so that what you step out into feels just as considered as what you step out of. No feeling of being overlooked or crowded, just your own quiet corner of the landscape to settle into.

Each space is designed to feel natural rather than styled/forced. Somewhere you can sit with a morning coffee, cook slowly in the open air, or watch the light change across the grasses as the day moves on. As evening arrives, the absence of light pollution brings a stillness that’s difficult to replicate - if you are lucky - clear skies, soft darkness and time to properly unwind and embrace the wild.

We’ve realised that it is often these outdoor moments that stay with people most. The space to pause, the quiet between sounds and the feeling of being outside, without distraction.

Letting the land lead

Our site sits within ten private acres of organic wildflower meadow and ancient woodland and over the past two years we’ve embraced that natural setting rather than shaping it too heavily.

We’ve resisted the urge to over-develop or follow the latest social media-fuel trend. Instead, we’ve focused on gentle stewardship, encouraging biodiversity, allowing the grasses and wildflowers to return and keeping the layout intentionally spacious.

The yurts are carefully positioned so each one feels private, with uninterrupted views across the meadow, over to the woodland or up to the Ridgeway. There is a natural sense of peace here.

walking into the site brings a sense of calm

A shift towards retreats

Over time, we noticed a pattern in how people were using the space.

Guests weren’t rushing off to fill their days. They were staying close, settling in and letting their time unfold slowly: reading, cooking together, playing games, walking, or simply sitting with a view.

That’s naturally led us to place more emphasis on retreats and quieter stays.

We’ve begun introducing small, carefully considered workshops and hosted retreats, working with experienced practitioners who share our approach. These aren’t busy or over-structured; they’re designed to sit gently within the environment, offering guidance without taking away the sense of freedom that makes a stay here feel personal and unique.

For those who prefer complete solitude, nothing has changed. The option to do very little at all is still very much the point.

Thoughtful, low-impact living

Behind the scenes, we’ve also refined how the site runs day to day.

From how we manage precious resources like wood, gas and water, to the bedding we provide and how the yurts are prepared between stays, everything is considered with a lighter footprint in mind. Not in a way that feels restrictive, but in a way that feels balanced and in keeping with nature and our organic principles and business partners.

It’s about creating a stay that feels comfortable and grounded, without excess or impact to the environment we share.

Looking ahead

Two years in, we feel like we understand Botswicky and what it offers, far better than when we started.

We’re not trying to be everything to everyone and we certainly don’t intentionally wish to be a viral trend. Instead, we’re continuing to shape Nordic Glamping at Botswicky into somewhere that does one thing well: offering a calm, natural setting where people can properly slow down. RELAX.

If you’ve stayed with us before, you may notice the differences are subtle adjustments.

If you haven’t yet visited, we hope you’ll find exactly what so many others have come here for: a bit of quiet, a bit of space, and time spent close to nature.

— Nordic Glamping at Botswicky
Simple stays. Open space. Time to slow down.