August at The Rhynd

emily4052
Nov 4
4 min read

THE RHYND FOREST ROOMS

Many years ago, my wife Lisa and I stayed in a cabin on the west coast of Scotland. It was lovely, and it had a fantastic view over the sea. We made mistakes, though. One was to take our two spaniels, and the other was to stay for more than two nights.

There was nowhere to hang anything up, nowhere to put anything, in fact. I think there’s more useful space in a Ford Fiesta than there was in that cabin. Washing up whist sat on the bed was amusing on the first night, slightly stressful on the second, and then just plain rubbish after that. Want to cook something? No problem at all, just clear some space by putting your underwear outside first.

In January, we decided to look into cabins for The Rhynd and so begun a journey that took me to Vilnius in Lithuania via a meltdown trying to get the things through planning. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has withdrawn its objection – as one cabin was too close to a water source – and we have now received planning for 10 cabins. The plan is to do four this year, which will be up and running in mid-October. What we really wanted was a luxury cabin that had some thought put into it. No, you don’t wash up from bed, and yes, there is plenty of space to store luggage.

The Rhynd Forest Rooms, as they will be called, are built by Konga in Lithuania and they will be quite different to what many are used to. Architect Mette Fredskild was chatting to Konga’s owners about making the perfect hotel room in the forest, and the result is what you see here. They are even more extraordinary in the flesh.

has been a furniture maker for 15 years and fits out hotel rooms across Europe. The cabins are a relatively new venture, but even a 12-hour trip to within 150 miles of Russia’s border didn’t make them any less special when I spent the night in one. They’re built using sustainable timber, and once the larger pieces are cut for the frame, the off cuts are used for the 25x25 shelving and the kitchen. The design of the different-sized windows is all on purpose as well – the changing heights and sizes mean you get varying views whether you are standing, sitting, or lying down.

It's probably also a good time to mention that the cabins will be over 60 metres apart. The architect who did the planning for us said, “It is quite different to usual when we’re trying to make sure there’s a minimum of six metres between the units!” As soon as planning comes through and we have a launch date, you will be the first to know.

Photo credit: Mark at Thursford Castle

Photo credit: Mark at Thursford Castle

Photo credit: Mark at Thursford Castle

The proposed location for The Rhynd Forest Rooms

Many thanks to Mark at Thursford Castle for allowing us to use images of his Konga cabin.

ELSEWHERE THIS MONTH

We’re absolutely delighted to have been honoured by TripAdvisor again – the clay ground remains in the top 10 per cent of attractions worldwide based on reviews. It’s a testament to everyone at the Scottish Clay Shooting Centre and we couldn’t be prouder.

The Scottish Clay Shooting Centre

We recently had some influencers in to try out our wine safaris and forest feasts. It’s always nerve-wracking having reviewers in as, while we love what we produce, you’re never sure they will. Thankfully they had an amazing time and have since been posting about the events on social. The reaction has been extraordinary – our head chef Jack has been offered jobs out in Dubai (hands off people!), and the events are now booked out until next year.

One of five delicious courses served at the event (photo credit: Helshka)

Dinner is served in a secluded stretch tent at the edge of the forest

Do have a look at our upcoming events as there are spaces on our winter chef’s table series.

I also recently judged this year’s Diversification of the Year shortlist for the British Farming Awards. The entries were extremely varied, but all fantastic examples of what farms can do to help secure the future. The winners will be announced in October at the annual awards. It’s just a pity we could only pick one winner.