A couple of years ago, I started a new tradition. A solo staycation. Just me, a stack of books I’ve been meaning to read since 2017, and the kind of silence you don’t realise you’ve been craving until you actually hear it. Silence with birdsong, not Slack notifications.
Now, let’s be clear — this is a luxury. A few years ago, I couldn’t have dreamt of affording a solo escape. My me-time consisted of solo brunches (two eggs, black coffee, and no one asking what I’m doing next) and long walks where I could let my brain unravel a bit. I got kind of addicted to it. The freedom, the stillness, the ability to people-watch without having to be “on.” Turns out, spending time with yourself can feel less like isolation and more like finally catching up with someone who really gets you.
This year, I stayed in Herbert Lee, a beautifully crafted cabin nestled in the Welsh countryside, designed by a guy named Paul Gent — who not only built the cabin but also made all the furniture inside it by hand. If that’s not a metaphor for the life I aspire to, I don’t know what is.
The cabin is small but mighty, with an open-plan kitchen/living space, a floating staircase (which felt like a Pinterest board), and a tranquil master bedroom with a freestanding roll top bath that overlooks the hills. Yes, I sat in it. Yes, I listened to the birds. Yes, I let my toes wrinkle and I did not care.
No telly. No editing. No inbox pretending to be urgent. Just a stack of books, and slow breakfasts in actual silence. Brecwast without emails! Can you imagine?
Convincing Nick that I wanted to go on a holiday with myself was an experience in itself. It wasn’t dramatic. Just a quiet, confused: “Are you ok?” followed by “Is everything ok with us?” Fair questions. If he said he was going off on his own for a few nights, I’d probably double-check he wasn’t joining a cult. But now, it’s a norm. A rhythm we’ve learned to embrace. And I honestly love him more for trusting that this isn’t me running from something — it’s me running towards stillness, curiosity, and, well… hot baths with birdsong.
I know not everyone can just disappear to a handcrafted cabin in the hills. But alone time doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be solo coffee in a place you love. A walk in the drizzle without your phone. Reading a chapter of something just for you. Lighting a candle for no reason. It’s not about escape — it’s about return. To yourself. To the quiet thoughts that don’t shout. To that part of you that still knows how to just be.
And if you’re in the place where you can gift yourself a little staycation, Herbert Lee is a dream. Bring slippers, leave expectations. Tell your people you’re holidaying with yourself — and if they ask if you’re okay, say “Absolutely. I’ve never been better company.”
For more deets - https://www.hergest-lee.com/
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