Sponsored Post | Works a Treat with Blackdown

Enjoy a special place to work, create and be inspired with a Blackdown Meridian
Workspace Hut

When the busy demands of the day are overwhelming and the noise around us is that little bit too much, we all dream of a place we can escape to and call our own. 

If, on top of that, you’re also trying to work, balancing your laptop on the end of the kitchen table while chaos prevails everywhere you turn, the need for your own escape space – somewhere you can concentrate, be inspired or just answer those urgent emails – becomes even more pressing. 

If this is you, the solution is a Blackdown Meridian Workspace Hut, a well-appointed and individually designed office or studio in your garden – a place that is at once an escape, a place to work in peace and a home away from home.

Meridians are imaginary lines that divide the Earth and, in Chinese medicine, energy pathways in the body. Taking inspiration from them, as well as a desire to create spaces that work for their customers, Blackdown’s bespoke built offices offer a working area with all the necessary features and fittings – such as a fall-and-rise desk and an Everhot electric stove – and luxuriously cushioned seating that’s ideal for taking time to be inspired by the natural world outside, viewed through the full-width glazed windows. Work and play in perfect alignment.

With the option to add a security and lighting pack, a hospitality pack (including a Quooker tap and coffee machine), an entertainment pack, a bathroom module and even a wall bed, your escape space can be as individual as you are.

So, whether it’s a yoga studio with minimal interiors or a bright, expertly outfitted workspace where you can add all the extras required to get the job done, Blackdown has a beautifully styled interior to fit your needs. 

For more information and inspiration, visit blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk, or follow on Instagram at: @blackdownshepherdhuts.

Competition | Win a Lake District Shepherd Hut Stay

Enter for your chance to win a Lake District shepherd hut break, where you can immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the very best of home comforts

A new year is on the horizon, and with it there’s a blank canvas of fun and adventures to be had. If one of those plans is to enjoy more down time, relaxing in the best surrounds that nature has to offer, then Another Place, The Lake might just fit the bill. Set in 18 acres of Lake District National Park, this contemporary hotel has a private shore and views of Ullswater and the fells.

For the active, there’s open-water swimming, sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, cycling and walking, while those seeking a quieter pace of life can switch off at Swim Club – the hotel’s indoor pool and treatment rooms – or they can reconnect with nature at one of the many gathering spots found around the grounds. To top it all off, Another Place’s chefs are serving up the finest food and drink that Cumbria has to offer.

In addition to the spacious hotel rooms and the impressive architect-designed treehouse, there are six cosy and inviting Blackdown shepherd huts within the landscaped grounds, all making the most of the mesmerising views. As night falls, guests can cosy up around their firepit to watch the stars – a pastime that can be continued long after it’s time to retreat indoors, thanks to the stargazing roof positioned over the double bed.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, then Blackdown Shepherd Huts and Another Place, The Lake have joined forces to offer one lucky reader of The Simple Things a one-night Bed and Breakfast shepherd hut stay, worth up to £600. So the best of luck and you could soon be snuggling up under the covers watching the best twinkling light show that nature has to offer. Winter breaks don’t get much better than this.

How to enter 

For your chance to win a shepherd hut stay at Another Place, The Lake, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 10 January 2024.

Q: Another Place looks out over which lake?

For more information and inspiration, visit blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk, or follow at: @blackdownshepherdhuts; or see another.place, @anotherplacehotels.

Terms and conditions:

The comp closes at 11.59pm on 10 Jan 2024. One winner selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Excluding school holidays and subject to availability. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Sponsored post | A Hut For All Seasons: cosiness awaits

As the weather turns and the days get shorter, create a snug sanctuary to retreat to with a
Blackdown Shepherd Hut

Autumn, a season of change, when the trees let go of summer’s growth with a magnificent display of colour. And, as the natural world prepares for winter by growing thicker coats, flying south, or burying food. We get busy too.

It’s when most of us find ourselves, planning and preparing for the months ahead. With shorter days and unreliable weather on the horizon, it’s more important than ever to feather your nest and to create a space to cultivate calm and creativity. A place where favourite hobbies and rituals can be embraced – a sanctuary away from the daily hustle and bustle of life.

Blackdown Shepherd Huts understands the importance of having a peaceful and flexible space in which to find the balance you need. A visit to Blackdown’s display garden in Ilminster, Somerset, will inspire you as to what could be with an array of shepherd huts that can be made completely bespoke to you and your needs.

Picture a typical British October day where the wet and windy weather no longer scuppers your fun. Instead, it becomes an opportunity to retreat to your little slice of shepherd hut heaven planted at the bottom of the garden. So, invite your friends over for a cosy games night, nestled around your Blackdown hut’s modular dining nook table – the ideal way to switch off and reconnect with those you love. Or perhaps leave the ‘to-do’ list in the house and escape to your hut for a crafternoon, blissfully removed from all interruptions.

However you prefer to unwind, Blackdown’s modular, hand-crafted designs mean that the discerning space of a shepherd hut can host a variety of activities, to be enjoyed with loved ones or on your own… the choice is yours.

For more information and inspiration, visit blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk or follow on Instagram: @blackdownshepherdhuts

Hobbies for your hut

As the nights draw in, here are some ideas to keep you occupied during the darker months

Satisfy that burning creativity
With its well-equipped kitchen, your Blackdown Shepherd Hut is the ideal place to try out an activity such as candle making. It can be blowing a hooley outside, but you’ll be snug as a bug creating beautiful candles to either gift or enjoy yourself.

Not such a half-baked idea
Keep your regular kitchen for the everyday and designate your hut’s hand-crafted kitchen as a mini bakery. Whip up a cake or loaf of sourdough and, while your creation is rising, you can flick through your favourite mag (The Simple Things, of course), free from distractions.

Game changer
Nothing creates memories more than a family games night. Grab the classics, switch on some music, and crank up the competitiveness. The cosy dining nook in the Turnkey Hut is the ideal place for some light competition and a lot of laughs.

Starry, starry night
Imagine sleeping under the stars, but in the comfort of your shepherd hut. Blackdown’s bespoke curved glass roof window provides the ideal vantage point for snuggling up and watching a fiery meteor shower, or perhaps the calming constellations.

Create a writing room
Whether it’s offloading your day into a journal or jotting down a few notes to a friend on a postcard, your hut can be the simple sanctuary needed to switch off and allow your train of thought to flow onto paper.

For cosy, read on…
Embrace a wet afternoon. Steal an hour or two to yourself, light a fire or simply a candle, and curl up with a good book and your imagination

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Sponsored post | Somewhere to Flock To

With summer in full swing, a Blackdown Shepherd Hut provides the ideal getaway to make lasting memories, whether glamping or at the bottom of your garden

August, it’s when most of us tend to make a little extra time to enjoy the best that summer has to offer – sunny days that stretch late into warm evenings, dining al fresco and an opportunity to gather good friends and family to both catch up and make future, long-lasting memories.

After the most unusual of years, exotic travel is still a while off, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create that holiday feeling, especially with the escapism that a Blackdown Shepherd Hut provides – be it in your garden or a rented hut at one of many glamping locations throughout the UK. See shepherdhutbreaks.co.uk for inspiration.

Even if this year’s summer holiday destination is not much further than the bottom of the garden, there are still plenty of ways to switch off, relax and take a break from life’s daily challenges. After all, a change is as good as a rest.

Lovingly crafted, a Blackdown Shepherd Hut offers a bespoke space for you to enjoy time with your loved ones. Picture a cosy hut around which to idle away the hours, with a wood-fired hot tub or a swinging day bed to stretch out on and catch up on that essential summertime reading. As the sun dips, get a fire pit going and gather around to keep the festivities rolling late into the night. For inspiration, visit Blackdown’s display garden in Ilminster, Somerset, where you’ll see its own fire pit, expertly crafted by Fire Pits UK. It’s the ideal opportunity to huddle in a little closer, share stories and good times and to toast marshmallows for a delicious evening sugar kick.

One thing’s for sure, a Blackdown Shepherd Hut is built to stand the test of time – as will the memories made spent enjoying these beautiful spaces.

Get the festivities flowing

Planning your own shepherd hut shindig? Here are a few ideas to create a memorable get-together

1 Bring out the blankets
Each Blackdown Shepherd Hut is cleverly designed to make use of every inch of space, so you’ll have plenty of storage for additional blankets and cushions. Great for cosying up as the evening temperature cools a little.

2 Don’t worry about the weather
Whether it’s an awning off the side of a Blackdown Retreat Hut, or a Blackdown handcrafted Oak Canopy, there’s a solution to the great British weather. With options including Blackdown’s Oak Canopy Swinging Day Bed, there’s also a comfy spot to relax, come rain or shine.

3 Pretty up your space
Collect a couple of blooms from the garden or some excess foliage and display in small vases, jars or even milk bottles. It’s a simple touch, but one that’s sure to delight your guests.

4 Savour the veggies
Colourful and caramelised on the grill, veggie kebabs will suit all tastes, either as a tasty main or a sensational side. And even if the heavens open, there’s always the hob in your shepherd hut to whip up a last-minute plan B.

5 Sweet like candy
A retro-style pick ‘n mix will go down a storm, as will ice cream or summer fruits. Simply grab a stack of bowls, serve up and satisfy that sweet tooth.

6 It’s cheesy, but… It’s a classic
For those who prefer something a little more savoury, serve up a cheese board with plenty of crackers, chutneys and grapes, all guaranteed to delight your guests.

For more information and inspiration, visit blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk or follow on Instagram: @blackdownshepherdhuts.

Sponsored post | A Hut For All Seasons

Whether you’re after a holiday in the garden or maybe even a holiday business, Blackdown Shepherd Huts might just have the solution for you

Home is where the heart is – and over the past year, our homes have been so much more than we could ever have imagined. They’ve been our sanctuaries as well as being an expression of who we are and what we love.

With many of us having spent more time at home than ever recently, we’ve found ourselves pottering and rediscovering the joys of a simpler lifestyle. And as we head into summer, any time spent tending to the garden over the winter and spring is now paying dividends. So when it comes to enjoying the fruits of your labour, what could be better than a beautiful shepherd’s hut in which to enjoy the views? The team at Blackdown Shepherd Huts know how special our homes and gardens are, so have created a range of traditional shepherd huts that can be tailored to your needs. Whether you’re after a home office, extra space for yourself or guests, a business venture or simply somewhere to retreat to when you need a little ‘me’ time, Blackdown has the answer.

Escaoe the masses

Lovingly built at their workshop in Ilminster, Somerset, each bespoke hut is designed to utilise every last inch of space, offering style, craftsmanship and flexibility. In fact, Blackdown customers have often described their shepherd hut as ‘a holiday at the end of the garden.’

And with that in mind, a Blackdown hut may also offer the ideal opportunity for a new enterprise, with many huts having taken up residence as luxury glamping or bed & breakfast businesses, delighting guests with their quirky designs and modern comforts.

Not that you need any further convincing, but should you fancy road testing a Blackdown hut, you can find glamping locations throughout the UK on its sister site: shepherdhutbreaks.co.uk. Or perhaps experience them in the luxurious settings of The Fish hotel in the Cotswolds or overlooking the Exe estuary at Lympstone Manor, in Exmouth. And, as you unwind beneath the stars, be inspired by where a Blackdown shepherd hut could take you.

What’s your style?

From a bespoke design created to suit your needs to a ready-to-go turnkey hut, Blackdown Shepherd Huts are all built with the same passion and craftsmanship

1 The hotel lover You can explore Blackdown’s Brace Huts at beautiful hotels, like The Fish Hotel in the Cotswolds or in the grounds of Lympstone Manor in Exmouth.

2 The glamping enthusiast Escape in style with a shepherd hut staycation. Find sites and experiences throughout the UK at shepherdhutbreaks.co.uk.

3 The green-fingered grafter Whatever the weather, create a cosy retreat or sun-soaked garden room to sit back and enjoy the spoils of all your tender loving care.

4 The social butterfly For a dinner party or barbecue with wow factor, gather your loved ones to eat, drink and makes memories in a classic Blackdown Brace Hut.

5 The family timer Host family and friends throughout the seasons in a Turnkey hut that’s ready and waiting to delight your guests.

6 The DIYer Love a project? Awaken your inner artisan with a Blackdown Self Build Hut and revel in the satisfaction of really turning your dream into a reality.

7 The work bee Be it a home office or business space with a difference, there’s a shepherd hut set to inspire

For more information and inspiration, visit blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk or follow on Instagram: @blackdownshepherdhuts

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From our June issue…