LOVE OF A WAY OF LIFE

Love means different things to different people, and as well as partners, family and friends, it can also be about your surroundings. At Beersheba, we love where we live, and that’s something we want to share with our guests.

We take a look at some of the reasons why we love our local landscape and the experience of woodland glamping in Cornwall.

Love of the sea

The Greeks have a word, thalassophilia, which translates as loving the sea. It’s often the love of the sea that brings people to Cornwall. They say that if you grow up by the sea, you never forget it, which could be why so many Cornish people return here.

Of course, if you don’t usually live by the sea, that’s a big part of the appeal, because there’s nothing like stepping out of your landpod or onto your patio and taking a big, deep breath of ozoney coastal air. It’s not unusual for visitors to fall in love with the sea itself – which in extreme cases, results in upping sticks and moving to the coast.

We appreciate how lucky we are at Beersheba. There’s this wonderful moment as you drive or walk from the farm to the road, and the sea suddenly comes into view. You can see Godrevy Lighthouse and the curve of the coast around Hayle, and it’s a breathtaking moment.

And if you’re looking for romance? The sea is your ally, providing backdrops that vary from warm sunsets to wild waves. There’s nothing quite as romantic as a walk along the beach or the coast paths, whatever the weather.

Love of the woods

We love our woodland at Beersheba. Wildflower Wood is a compact, friendly little forest: big enough to explore, small enough to feel welcoming.

In Japan, shinrin-yoku (a “forest bath”) is a recognised form of mindfulness, recommended as a wellbeing activity. There’s a lovely German word for solitary contemplation in the woods: Die Waldeinsamkeit. In the UK, we’re now realising the significance of walks in the woods, and our own Woodland Trust has recommended that forest bathing should be offered as a non-medical therapy.

There’s a scientific reason behind our need to be among trees. There are chemicals called phytoncides, a term that literally means “exterminated by plants”, which are released by trees. Exposure to phytoncides boosts our immune systems, and the positive effects last for a few days after the trip.

Love of simplicity

One of the many things about spending time in Wildflower Wood is how simple life can become. The routine of setting and lighting the fire pit, for example, is one of those perfect little rituals that brings a sense of mindfulness. It’s hardly bush survival level; however, because making a brew outdoors is more involved than switching on the kettle, it becomes an absorbing task in its own right. Take your coffee with a sense of achievement.

Learn to love the small things, like a toasted marshmallow or a glimpse of sea through the trees. If there are any positive takes from our lockdown lives, it’s that simple pleasures have become more significant.

Loving nature is a big part of our love of the simple life. The phrase “getting back to nature” may be a bit of a cliché, but we completely understand that need, whether it’s going for a walk or a sea swim or simply having breakfast outdoors while watching the local wildlife. Observing a squirrel search for a buried nut can be every bit as fascinating as the latest box set; and picking out the musicians in the dawn chorus is the best live gig ever.

Love of company

Easier said than done at the moment (February 2021) but one of the benefits of the outdoor life is the way we connect with the people around us. The popular Scandinavian concept of hygge isn’t only about the open fire, the mulled wine and the woolly socks – it’s also about the people you choose to hygge with (if you can phrase it like that).

We’ve found that woodland glamping, especially with friends and our combined children, brings us together like nothing else. The kids love chopping the kindling or foraging for twigs. Away from the easy entertainments of the house, family and friends chat more. Creating a meal in the woods can be a real team effort and it’s so much more rewarding because of that.

And of course, camping or glamping as a couple is such a romantic experience. A nighttime campfire outside your glamping pod creates an intimate space: the focus is just on the two of you, in that lit-up, cosy circle. It feels like there’s no one else in the world.