You don’t have to venture that far to find peace in the wilderness. You don’t have to get a plane or travel all day – just two hours by train from London, and a short taxi ride, and you can find yourself in calm, bucolic countryside, immersed in the sound of birdsong, oblivious to the frenetic buzz of the real world. Here, nestled in the heart of the Exe Valley in Devon, is Cove Valley – a rewilding project slowly restoring nature to how it’s supposed to be.
The 300 acre site used to be farmland – there was even an oak woodland that was felled in the second world war to create more space to grow food – but now you’ll find a flourishing reserve where the animals are the gardeners of the land. Grasses have given over to gorse bushes, beavers have carved out wetlands and iron-age pigs muddle with majestic red deer.
Amongst this haven of flora and fauna, you’ll find three luxurious yet rustic cabins, opened in 2022. But Cove Valley is more than just a cosy stay or glamping trip – with a background in conservation, the young owners, Yolanda and Ben, really wanted to inspire visitors to reconnect with nature and highlight the inspiring restoration that’s transforming the site’s habitats. Rewilding for them means seeking a sense of harmony with the natural world. Instead of intensely cultivating the land, they’ve essentially given it back to nature, hand-rearing animals in the process and setting up breeding programmes for birds, amongst other things, to foster biodiversity and bring back wildlife. As Yolanda told me, ‘We always think we know more than nature but we don’t.’
[Ad – this was a press stay, hosted by Cove Valley. All images Cate St Hill]
The three cabins are practically hidden in the landscape and you can easily go a day without seeing another human. Blending seamlessly with their surroundings, each cabin has its own unique feel – there’s Hopi with its sunset views over the hillside, Chatan elevated in the forest canopy, and Ukai nestled in the trees. Inspired by the Navajo people’s intrinsically harmonious relationship with nature, the names come from Native American culture; Hopi meaning ‘peaceful people’, Chatan meaning ‘hawk’, and Ukai meaning ‘deep valley’. And they each have a cosy, rustic style to match.
My home for two nights was Hopi. With a deep veranda extending the length of the property, looking over the open landscape and rolling hills, it’s not hard to feel like you’ve ventured somewhere far, far away, as you take in the sounds of nature from your rocking chair. All the cabins have wood-fired bath tubs – perhaps the ultimate way to relax in nature and experience nature bathing.
Otherwise known as ‘shinrin-yoku’ in Japanese, nature bathing is the mindful practice of being completely present and at one with nature. It’s the act of slowing down and really taking in your surroundings, allowing the rhythms and sounds of nature to soothe away your stress. As my shoulders relaxed and my to-do list faded to the back of my mind, it took a bit of time to relax into nature. But once I settled into cabin life, I almost wish I had booked a whole week there.
Inside, the interiors have been conceived by London-based HAM Interiors. They’re sort of Wes Anderson meets the Wild West. In Hopi, you have a rectangular shaped layout with bi-fold doors embracing the landscape; a quaint living space with a deep, generous window seat at one end, an open plan kitchen in the middle, and a small bedroom and bathroom at the other end. Simple, wholesome details make it feel like a real home from home – from the Roberts radio and stovetop coffee pot, to the antique furniture and hand painted touches.
My favourite thing to do was to sit by the wood burner with a coffee and book in hand. Then when the sun dipped, I restored myself with heartwarming meals and marshmallows by the fireside. I came with all the supplies and treats I might need, but you can also pre-order bbq and breakfast packs to your cabin so you don’t even need to think about your next meal. They also provide milk, a (very good) loaf of bread, butter, tea and coffee, as well as trendy Amie wine you can purchase at an additional cost.
Then, all there’s to do is hunker down in your cabin and enjoy. If you do venture out for some fresh air, you can walk around the Cove Valley reserve and encounter iron-age pigs, ponies, longhorn cows and red deer in a 40 acre enclosure. The pigs are particularly friendly and love a belly rub!
If you’re looking to be truly immersed in nature, I can’t think of a better place to rest, recharge and restore the batteries. Cove Valley makes for the perfect digital detox where you can escape the churning cogs of daily life and find solitude and serenity in the simple things.
Each cabin sleeps two, pets are not allowed and children need to be over 12 years old. Prices start from £245 a night, minimum two night stay. They currently have an offer where if you stay for four nights Monday – Thursday, you can get four nights for the price of three.
