Recharge your batteries on a Welsh Wilderness Retreat

Unusual Places to Stay in the UK

No. 4 A Tipi Retreat in Wales

Never before had I stayed anywhere in the UK that felt so remote and wild, with a taste of adventure, but the comfort of home. A perfect Wilderness Retreat…

A visit to EcoRetreats, near Machynlleth in mid-Wales, is a treat for the mind, body and soul. By the time you have negotiated the four and a half miles of forestry tracks to the site and climbed the hill to your forest tipi, you will have forgotten that inbox full of urgent emails, the pressure of work, or the household chores left undone.

There is no place here for the everyday stresses and strains of normal routine. This is a place to embrace a simple life for just a few days, to relax and unwind; an opportunity just to be.

Several miles from the nearest house, there is no electricity or wifi. A perfect opportunity to reset your circadian rhythms and get close to nature. That is perhaps what I like most about a wilderness retreat anywhere.

As you arrive on site, you can expect breathtaking views, nestled among the Welsh mountains, where dense forest carpeted with a springy bed of moss is broken only by glimpses of rolling meadow, mountain waterfalls and a gently bubbling stream.

The accommodation itself is a glamping experience like no other; offering an unexpected mix of real comfort and wilderness adventure. The tipis and yurts are scattered sparsely around the 50 acre site, placed to ensure no risk of disturbing a neighbour or having your peace interrupted. The only sounds here are the crackle of the fire or the hoot of a tawny owl.

The tipi’s measure 21 feet in diameter and have every comfort you would expect on a luxury camping holiday. With a double bed made up with organic cotton bedding and draped with soft sheep skins, blankets and cushions, you need have none of the usual camping concerns about aching backs or getting cold.

I stayed in the Forest Tipi, located in a clearing high above the rest of the site. The tipi was well equipped with a chiminea for warmth, a kitchen area complete with cool box and gas stove, a supply of filtered mountain spring water, a small dining area, and with a large fire pit outside. An outdoor bath and basin, solar shower, private compost toilet and wood store complete the list of necessities.

You quickly establish a simple rhythm of daily chores; chopping wood, cooking on the camp fire, lighting the chiminea. But there will be plenty of time left to enjoy forest walks, lounge in the sun, gaze at the stars or listen to the sounds of a woodpecker tapping nearby.

Set in the shadow of South Snowdonia’s Cadair Idris (the giants chair) and a short drive from the Centre for Alternative Technology, Dolgoch Falls, Aberdyfi (Aberdovy) beach, Furnace Mill, The RSPB Ynys-Hir bird reserve, and the ancient capital of Machynlleth, there is plenty to do in the area (if you can find your way out of the forest).

But you might just decide to stop and stay still for a while. Turn your back on the world.

For some help to truly unwind you can enjoy a holistic therapy on site or join a twilight meditation session in the welcome tent (where you will also find essential organic and Fairtrade supplies such as wine, biscuits and tea).