Truly a breath of fresh air

“Moles are very open to negotiation,” says Brid Walsh, before we moved on to discussing other ways to live with visitors to your garden who may not always be welcome. 

We were sitting in the round by a warming woodburner in a beautiful room with oak flooring and natural colours and textures at 42 Acres, in rural Somerset, for a reconnecting with nature retreat. 

Brid credits her upbringing in rural Ireland, the ancient, remote and scenic Gougane Barra in West Cork, with her sensitivity to the environment. From a young age she was aware she could see and hear animals in a way that was unusual even for an area where the local community was very connected to the land. “There are 32 words for field in the Irish language,” she explains.  

Brid engages with the unseen world and demonstrated her dowsing prowess as we measured the aura of a magnificent tree both before and after it had been sung to. Cynical? Me too, and yet I did not doubt a word of what she said. Spending time with Brid is a balm to the soul. 

Listen to the natural world with an open heart; listen to each other with an open heart. It’s not a new entreaty, but it is one that feels as pertinent and challenging now as ever. And boy, does it make one feel good to be reminded of these ancient feelings we all can tap but rarely have the time for in our high-pressured, materialistic lives. 

For corporate groups looking to get away together and spend time immersed in the healing powers of nature, being reminded of our reciprocal relationship with the landscape that nourishes us – very literally feeds us - 42 Acres is a glorious place to do it. 

Nestled in extraordinarily pretty countryside in Somerset, the rewilding ethos, inspirational team and fabulous ‘soil-to-gut food’ is ideal for companies looking to help staff connect and relax. Food is vegetarian by default but high-welfare meat can be included if requested. And while this is not the venue for groups looking for a boozy few nights, alcohol can be made available for a corkage fee. 

42 Acres can accommodate up to 47 single occupancy in very comfortable and beautiful bedrooms across several buildings and has hosted as many as 100 for two nights/three days in a specially-built summer camp. Activities can be organised from wild swimming in the lake, qi gong, meditation, foraging in the ancient woods to a guided walk to see the extraordinary changes wrought on the landscape by the resident beavers. We had a workshop on making winter medicines from foraged plants including mushrooms, elderberries and rosehips. There is a sauna by the lake and staring into an open fire is part of the primeval magic. 

Sitting in 173 acres, including ancient woodland and a seven-acre lake, that is home to beavers, otters, wild boar and pine marten as well as species re-introduction projects with wild cats and white storks, 42 Acres sets out its vision as: “To live in harmony with self, nature and others. We use our deepest intuition, ancient tools and shared knowledge to establish regenerative spaces, curate transformational experiences and foster opportunities to learn, heal and grow.” 

Fry’s Wood is one of the last living fragments of the ancient Selwood Forest, a great wild wood that once stretched across Wessex. It is said to have been where Alfred the Great escaped the Vikings and managed to regroup his forces. Today 42 Acres has been pre-selected for the Government’s Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier programme and is replanting with native species. 

The quality of everything from décor, furnishings and catering is very high and the team are passionate and professional. 

Lisa Hawes, head of marketing and communications, says: “We offer a considered way of being, where visitors are held. There’s an integrity to all that we do. Part of the great pleasure of my job is seeing people arrive looking wary and sceptical before relaxing into what we can offer. 

“We weave the work on the land with the retreat business and can be very flexible particularly for corporate groups mid-week. We’d urge anyone interested to come and take a look or have a chat.” 

Further information can be found here Home - 42 Acres