Come the ‘ber months, the desire to be “always on” wanes. Temperatures drop, days grow shorter and we turn inward. Chasing the sun gives way to tending to a fire; barbecuing al fresco to slow-cooking ragu on the stove; and mingling at garden parties ‘til late to reading by candlelight. This is the time of year when the great indoors becomes the place to be. And there is joy to be had in missing out.
Perhaps the greatest pleasure of the colder months is the freedom to ask a little less of our days. To let the fire burn low, the hours slip by and the world carry on without us. The luxury of hibernation.
The art of doing nothing
There are some of us who applaud when rain lashes down at the windows, if only for the excuse to abandon the day's plans. Days like this allow us to carve out time, not for anyone else, but ourselves. At The Ark in Somerset, one bedroom comes with its very own library, making a compelling case for spending the morning reading beneath the covers. At The Knapp in the Cotswolds, afternoons might be whiled away watching the mesmeric flicker of an open fire, or making tea in a whistle kettle. At Limehouse Cottage in County Kerry, what greater pleasure can there be than watching the sun’s journey over the lake and mountaintops from behind glass? Or, at Alba Beach House in Cornwall, finding inspiration for a quick sketch as the waves lap at the shore.
The pleasure of pottering
There’s good reason why we're reunited with The Great British Bake Off at this time of year, as the act of dusting a kitchen with flour to make chocolate fudge cake, or foraging for pears to pickle, feel like rituals belonging to autumn. At Riverstone Mill in Cornwall, the kitchen is light-filled, warmed by a wood-burner and made by deVOL, which makes the desire to cook a feast all the more alluring. At nearby Morwell, goodies like apples and squashes can be scrumped from the farmhouse’s kitchen garden or woodland and turned into crumbles or curries; whilst late autumn flowers bring colour to windowsills on grey days. And at Ellesmera Mill in Devon, scrapbooking with beachcombed treasures like shells and seaglass, collected on blustery walks, makes light of drizzly afternoons.
The ritual of retreating
After a summer of full diaries, our own wellbeing can all too easily fall by the wayside. The quieter months bring an opportunity to turn our attention back to feeling rested and restored. At Solas on Scotland's Isle of Harris, the pleasure of a warm soak in a deep bathtub feels all the better while watching the sky pepper with stars at nightfall. There's something equally appealing about swimming in the depths of winter, whether in the year-round heated pool at The Shearling in Rutland, where steam rises against a backdrop of frosted fields, or the ice-cold natural swimming pond at Mirana in Cornwall, which offers a bracing antidote to sleepy mornings. For a more leisurely affair, Ariabelle in West Sussex has an entire spa to call your own, with an indoor pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub, all without so much as stepping outside.
Feeling inspired? View our Practically Magic homes, explore our collection of cottages with fireplaces or wellness retreats, or book an off-season last-minute escape.
