We have found paradise and it goes by the name of Barefoot Yurts. It is, quite simply, perfection.
Hidden down a tiny, tree lined lane, and tucked into the side of the entrance drive, you arrive to this oasis of calm and tranquility via a short, bamboo lined bark track. Opening out into a woodland clearing of two beautiful yurts, a fully fitted kitchen cabin, complete with covered wooden deck, a composting toilet (delightfully boasting separate loos for no. 1s or no. 2s), a BBQ, a fire pit, picnic benches, hammock and the most fabulous view of the East Sussex countryside. There is even a wooden stick den for young scamps to play in. And the best bit? It is all, gloriously and fabulously, yours!
The yurts are beautifully presented - one set up as a bedroom with a cosy and comfy king size bed (and four foam mattresses for kids if needed) and the other as a bohemian living room with two large sofas, a cupboard full of games and a library shelf. Each has a wood burning stove and plenty of wood included in the price to keep you toasty. The sofas were in fact double sofa beds so the scamps decided to sleep in there and we had the luxury of the other yurt to ourselves!
Twinkly fairy lights threaded through the yurt ceiling joists and through the kitchen, deck and trees made everywhere look gorgeous in the evening.
The kitchen was fully kitted out with cooker, toaster, kettle, fridge-freezer, sink, cutlery, crockery, pots and pans, serving dishes and tea/coffee (instant and ground!) and lots of oil/herbs/spices for cooking if you need them. The weather was so glorious that we cooked over the fire pit (wood for this is extra but there was more than enough in the wheelbarrow to keep the fire going for five hours straight, as we brought our Dutch oven and tripod to cook some utterly delicious low and slow Kalua Pork - recipe to follow!) and we bought our own gas stove for quick to get going cooked breakfasts that we set up on the picnic benches - nothing quite like cooking in the open admiring the view if the rain holds off! There was even a teapot - which gave the tea-obsessed-me unfettered joy, especially when I discovered it held an entire kettle full of water!
There were so many eating places, that we devoured breakfast on the kitchen veranda, lunch at the picnic tables and dinner in the living room yurt at the low tables on beanbags. We didn’t need to use the inside kitchen table, but a great addition if the weather was rubbish and you needed to eat where you cooked!
We have to admit that we loved it here so much that we didn’t step foot outside of our clearing, but if you fancied a drive there are loads of things to do and explore close by. If you haven’t been before you must head over to the pretty town of Rye (we love it there). Beyond the nearby beaches of Camber and Winchelsea, here are a few quirky things you could do out and about near Rye…
Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage: Visit the late filmmaker Derek Jarman's former home in Dungeness, known for its quirky garden featuring driftwood sculptures and unusual plants.
Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway: Take a ride on this miniature steam railway that runs through the Romney Marsh, offering a charming and unusual way to explore the area.
Ypres Tower Ghost Hunt: Join a ghost hunt at Ypres Tower in Rye to explore the haunted history of this ancient building.
Bespoke Pottery Workshops: Get creative and try your hand at pottery with quirky, bespoke workshops in and around Rye.
Hastings Old Town: Explore the eccentric shops, unique architecture, and the vibrant creative scene in the nearby Hastings Old Town.
Kino Digital Cinema: Enjoy quirky film selections, including independent and international films, at this small, independent cinema in Rye.
Rye Bonfire Night: We’re a bit early this year, but if you happen to visit in early November, experience the quirkiness of the Rye Bonfire Night, a traditional event with a unique local twist.
We can’t recommend Barefoot Yurts enough, it is different, beautiful, immaculately presented, value for money and utterly glorious. Julia was very quick to reply to a couple of pre-visit emails and said hi when we arrived, but she has left us to it during our stay, which is perfect and just what you want from a fabulous host.
The only thing we can think of to have improved our stay was to have booked for longer!
We will, without doubt or hesitation, be back!
Cost : £250 for two nights for two adults (no cost for children)
Wood for fire pit: £8 (no cost for wood burner wood)
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