An Extravagant Tent: A Yurt
Who wouldn’t want to stay in a yurt? It’s an inexpensive, fun, unique place to stay. Get away from the traditional hotels and motels and experience something new. A relaxing, circular, tall ceiling, and echo-friendly environment. Their history goes way back to central asian nomads. Meredith Bower discusses in her article “A Yurt Holiday on the Isle Wight: Cheap and Cheerful,” the history, the facts, and the attractions of a yurt and surroundings.
However, the name of the company was intriguing (who isn’t making an effort to be “green” these days) and we still needed a place to stay, so we followed the link. We were sold on the idea as soon as we saw that the yurts came furnished with full-size beds (some four poster), and could each comfortably sleep five people.
We were shuttled to Afton Park Orchard and there, nestled among the apple trees, was a crop of four yurts, each completely and comfortably outfitted. From lanterns to linens just about everything in the yurt appeared to be from Ikea.
A quick tour of the site revealed the many environmentally friendly features of the compound. Of course there is recycling, and the wood used in the stoves and outdoor grills is collected from local landowners who have cut down dead or unsafe trees.
The shower is solar heated and environmentally friendly soaps are provided for bathing as well as dish washing. And then there is the composting toilet…enough said.
Being on the western end of the island we were within hiking distance of the famous Needles Rocks, stacks of chalk that jut out of the tip of the island into the blue waters of Alum Bay. We endured gale force winds as we explored the Battery, a Victorian coastal defense and secret rocket testing site perched high above the bright, white rocks.
“From what people tell us, we are popular because we are different and fall between traditional camping and a holiday cottage. I also think most people are more aware of things like recycling and reducing our carbon footprint, and we are one of the few holidays in the UK that genuinely try to make it easy for guests to be as green as they want to be.”
