Wild in Style

To say we are just a little been pleased.. no proud that we can now offer Gypsy Caravans holidays is a little bit of an understatement!

It is just fantastic that we can say that we have not just 1 but 2 caravans for hire, they are both traditional horse drawn bowtops and look amazing. We are also planning a bit of a grand entrance!

Our hopes are, that a couple of weeks into the season we will be delivering 1 of the 2 caravans to its lake side location via traditional methods.. drawn by horse. It will be an amazing experience for me to make the journey and be a fitting start to the season for a wagon that has been both home and wheels to many hope and dreams.. and we hope with its new guests will continue to be so!

or does the man maketh the name?

Being an Alex I can’t say – a name that doesn’t have any obvious characteristic associations; unless of course you are from Ancient Greece who has an interest in elephants. But by giving the yurts and gypsy caravans names I do think that we have inadvertently given them characters over and above what was previously, 16ft yurt, 18ft yurt etc! It came easier than naming our kids though and was no associated fine for not registering in 6 weeks! (madness but there you go!)

Well here they are:

• Roma and Zingaro – Our gorgeous and authentic Gypsy Caravans / Bowtops
• Hawthorn – 16 Ft Yurt : Perfect for small families and will sleep 4 people comfortably.
• Rowan – 18 Ft Yurt :  Perfect for small and medium families alike, will sleep 4/5 people an has a little more room than the 16ft to swing a cat.
• Birch and Oak : Our double yurts which we hope offer a little something different – its is essentially 2 yurts together and sleeps 5/6.. It is a small yurt with a double bed in it, attached to a larger living yurt with bed settee / futon’s for 3 as standard.

If you are holidaying in one of our yurts its still worth thinking about the following things…

In theory all you need is a kit bag and a smile.. BUT there are items you can bring that will make your stay a lot more enjoyable.. that said it applies not only to glamping but holidaying in general…

• Road map and map of the local area – there is so much to see and do in Cumbria and meeting the locals is great but having to ask them where you are isn’t..
• A head torch (an evening stroll can easily turn into a nightime hike, especially if you forgot the map)
• Wash kit (this is different for different people… you know what you need)
• Money / Credit card etc (no such thing as a free lunch – unless like me, you like your wild foods)
• Sunglasses (contrary to popular belief it isn’t always raining in Cumbria)
• Sun cream / sun block and aloe vera incase the SPF wasn’t chosen correctly!
• Insect repellent – a great tip: buy Avon “Skin so Soft” – a moisturiser with the unexpected benefit of being a fantastic insect repellent – no nasty DEET in sight..
• A small first aid kit, with plasters, antiseptic cream, arnica etc
• Swimming costumes – It is refreshingly beautiful swimming in the lake – well worth braving the pelvic freeze!
• Flip flops for dosing about in and wearing inside the yurt if you want… or after swimming so you can walk on the rocks..
• Warm clothes, once you get cold (to the core) – as does happen, it is hard to warm back up again – preventative woolens a must
• Waterproofs and relevant footwear – it does rain in Cumbria funnily enough!  Remember without the rain there are no lakes…
• Camera and charger – you can charge your batteries in the yurt if you request an extra battery from us
• Guitar – only if you can play it, or if you can’t, some more ear plugs for everyone else!
• Canoes / bikes / fishing Rods – all the serious sports stuff that you normally couldn’t fit in the car because it was full of all the bits that glamper’s don’t need to remember!!
• Fun games for kids of all sizes – skipping ropes, hackie sacks, balls, frisbee, kite, paper and pens, water pistols, books (it is as much about relaxing as activities!)
• A pocket full of fun and a receipt to say you have booked an Eco Adventure with Wild in Style..!

ENJOY – you are on holiday remember…

The fact you are camping is irrelevant, fun is universal…

Forget sterile environments, boring interiors, uncomfortable and cramp’t spaces and no fires to sit around – holiday with us and have those elements sorted.. now play and remember:

• If its muddy don’t fret – play in it!!

Kids love mud, its parents that don’t!

Whats the worst that can happen? – Your 2 year old’s last set of clothes are now wet and dirty because he decided it is great fun sitting in the puddles… not a problem if you are staying with us, the clothes are just a wood burner away from being dry again..

• Swimming trunks are for swimming

So you have bought your kit, now its time to be brave, put it on and jump straight into the water.. The actual temperature of the water differs only a little from summer to winter but our perception more so.. but after you have been in the water you feel invigorated; even if it can feel like you have been scratched by icicles all over your body.. hey its feels different to everybody!!

• 2 of Spades

Cards, books, puzzles, chat, music, contemplation, sleep.. its all part of enjoying by relaxing..

Holiday with us – Why wouldn’t you?

Walk the country’s highest peak (Scafell Pike) or swim the countries deepest lake (Wast Water); visit Beatrix Potter’s farmhouse, be inspired in Wordsworth country and do this glamping style.  Get back to nature, not at arms length but amongst it, only canvas protecting you from the elements… But then you try it and realise that canvas is not only all you need but all you want!  It’s not just about what’s on the outside – that’s for everyone to share – but what’s on the inside.. Open the door and step into a spacious and fully kitted out Yurt or Gypsy caravan.  The term Glamping was invented with these in mind..

Cumbria has something for everyone – from the procrastanator to the intrepid.  Why not return from a day out in the Lake District (maybe a little wet!) and relax in front of the fire on a settee with your feet up and gazing out of the window at Lake Windermere?  Of course you should probably start the wood burner as it can take the chill off an autumn evening in Cumbria, it is also atmospheric and really relaxing!

Of course Cumbria is called the Lake District and you can’t have lakes without rain!  What gives Cumbria it’s awesome backdrop can also catch out many a holiday maker.  And this is where you just need to strip down and dry the clothes over the woodburner.. this is also the case if you are a watersports enthusiast and can’t face getting back into a wet wetsuit the following morning!

So with nature on your doorstep (literally), a luxurious ‘camp’ behind you it’s time to pack up and leave.. Grab your bag, throw in your clothes and off you pop.. its that simple.  Don’t forget your bikes, canoe’s or whatever else you brought with you – items that probably wouldn’t have fitted if you had to pack the car with a tent and camping gubbin’s!

Holiday over but hopefully you will be back..

• A walk that from the campsite that can be done in a day..

It offers great views of Lake Windermere in its entirity.

It is a short and, while quite steep in places, easy to complete walk. It offers some of the best views in the lake district for the amount of effort you have to put in..

Close to the start parking is good, although there are only a few places (in little lay-bys) or alternatively you can park in hawkshead and walk up..

Care should however be taken when it is wet underfoot (or icy for that matter), as I mentioned earlier there are some steep sections.. but if like me steep is just a quicker way of getting up then you won’t mind this!

• In the picture to the right is a view of the horseshoe from the bay that is less than a minutes walk from the yurts..

Ambleside – Nab Scar – Heron Pike – Great Rigg – Fairfield – Hart Crag – Dove Crag – High Pike – Ambleside

About 10.5 miles with 3.5k meter ascent. Good for the legs, great for the soul and if the weather is clear a fantastic view.

From our yurts a full day out.. although that is covering some ground so probably better to drive the 4 miles to the start and park..

The directions are intentionally scant, only to give you an idea of where to go, and that it is there – you should look at a map and investigate properly..

• Has a total ascent of 3500 feet and is 10.5 miles

Views are awesome though and the sense of achievement on completion is one of earning a beer rather than needing one.. Enjoy

Back to School

Put down your drill – not quite there yet! Here comes the fun bit.. no really!! So if I mention Pi and Pythagorus’ theory you know where I am at then you can ‘pass go and collect £200′ otherwise hang on in there..

Pi – 3.14 A magic number really, the greeks really were fantastic at their maths.. It relates to the relative distance of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.. That is to say a Circle is 3.14 times larger than its diameter (whole distance across the circle). You can also work out area of a circle as well which is great but read up on it further here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi

Pythagorus Theory –  This is the crux of what you need But again need to understand this and where there is already a (better) resource I will point you in the right direction!

http://www.mathsisfun.com/pythagoras.html

I think this is very important to understand, it gives you flexibility and the knowledge to make your yurt your own..

There are plans out there that you can use, or I could give you one myself but this isn’t the best way to go.. or at least if you do go that way I think you should understand the why’s of everything – if only so you can appreciate the beauty of its brilliance!

Get a template by all means but what if you want to adapt the design to let more light in? – A bigger crown / roof ring. What if you are 6′+ and sick of knocking you head on doors? – A larger door.. etc

It is worth noting that the yurt structure is flexible by its very nature, it is not precision engineering, there is a tolerance of error to work in. I say this not so you have an excuse in case you get something wrong and just move on, everything should be right.  But remember the yurt is an ancient structure that, like then, is still used today throughout the Asia steppe.  It is being erected daily as the nomadic tribes of the area call it home. Whilst the ground may be visually quite flat, it is also the earth and so isn’t! Anyway the yurt takes this in its stride and through the flexibility inherent in the structure it work perfectly.

TO BUILD A 16′ YURT WITH 6′ HIGH DOOR AND 10′ IN HEIGHT

The elements you need to sort out and decide upon before starting:

The Khana / Wall

The diameter of the yurt dictates the circumferance of the yurt.. So if you want a 16′ yurt then it will be (16*3.14=) 50.24′ (this also includes the door)

Now decide upon the spacing of the knots – this is part needs to relate to the strength of the timber.. If it is weak timber the spacing needs to be alot less, maybe 6″ and if strong then 12″ or even 18″ can be used.. For example a 1″ hazel / willow rod can be used at 12″ spacing.. the spacing can be any distance (e.g 9″, or 10″, or 10.5″!) and you will see why in a minute..

Once you have decided on the wall you want - height and length this will dictate the length of each individual piece of the khana. We want a 6′ door and as we are going for a traditional design with bent roof poles this will add 1′ onto the wall height before the roof slant begins, the walls only need to be 5′ high.

Using pythagorus’ theory : to get 5′ high with a right angled triangle the hypotenuse needs to be…. (sqrt(5*5 + 5*5))

…7′.07 or lets call is 7′ which equals 84″

I have just tried to continue describe the intricacies of the further calculations but to be fair it is too complicated without diagrams which I haven’t created yet.. there are calculators out there which I advise you use..

..or Email me at info@wildinstyle.co.uk and I will provide you with further info..

The Uni / Roof poles

The number is indicated by the calculations above as the number of X’s at the top of each wall tip will have a roof pole.. these will then travel up to the crown

The Tono / Crown

This is created to whatever size you prefer.. I like the bigger the better, the reasons for this are that I enjoy the light that streams in through the roof and by having a larger roof ring it requires shorter poles and to a certain extent less weight.  Traditionally which is the style I will be using the holes in the roof ring are burnt out using hot metal straight from the forge.

The Door

The frame is the important thing here with regards the structure.. The door just fills the hole, it isn’t needed although I wouldn’t have a yurt up for any length of time without some kind of door on if it has a canvas on – think sail and wind! But the door can be made of canvas or wood, styles and wood types all vary according to taste, weight and ability

The canvas

This requires you to have space, strength (as that quantity of material is heavy) and an industrial sewing machine

The Floor

Not a requirement as it can sit on the floor but something to think about as you don’t want the yurt sat on wet ground or in mud..

What do you want?

Here at Wild in Style we build our yurts – we have played around with materials and techniques and so whilst I am not trying to reinvent the wheel… we will pass on our experiences and thoughts.

I would say there are some fantastic resources out there, 1 of which I would like to mention is simply differently as it some some cool stuff like calculators etc..  and there is alot more besides.

Your first task is to decide – What style of yurt will I make?

Traditional / Modern

Traditional – you will be steaming and bending the wood in both the roof poles (Uni) and the walls (Khana).. You might use wood ‘in the round’ in which case you will probably need a shaving horse..

Modern – A popular modern style is to have wood that has been through a lathe and so uniform dimensions.   Some (although more of an american technique) is to use steel rope for the top tension band.. the roof poles are then mounted on this without the need to place a roof pole into each cross section of the wall you can play around with the design a little..

Opinion is very divided on this subject and so it is down to personal choice, I have to say I like them both, they do have very different feels, but the skills and techniques used to build them are very similar..

What will I use it for?

What size do you need / want? I can say that if comparing a yurt to a bed(!) the same principal of space applies.. from double to king is only 6″ but actually goes along way. So relatively 2′ in the diameter makes a huge difference.

10′ – A camping yurt, can be packed into the car and taken with you.. Sleeps a small family

12′ – A large camping yurt but you would only want to take this when basing yourself somewhere for a while

14′ upwards – Multiple uses: a spare bedroom, a workshop, a spare bedroom, artist studio, classroom.. the list is endless. Unless you know exactly what you are going to use it for or are definatly going to be using it for camping and so needs to be mobile I would suggest a 16′ or 18′ yurt..

As they are such a beautiful structure from both the inside and out they are a pleasure to behold. Simple but very effective, light and airy (as much as you want given you can control the amount of light you let in), warm and cosy, ergonomically windproof (except when you leave the door open in a storm and the wind is blowing right in!), completely secure and elements can be fixed on demand with complete ease…

The various parts of the yurt that needs to be built or ‘created’ as it feels more like a craft..

Tono – Crown / Roof ring

Uni – The roof slates / poles that go from the top of the wall to the Crown

Khana – The wall sections which will be a many as you want / require

Door Frame / Door – The designs are endless.. stable standard, arched etc etc

Canvas – Roof / Walls / Tension Band

Tension Band – Worth special notice as it usually (on traditional yurts) is made of canvas holds the integrity of the structure in place. Very important bit of kit, not hard to make but just to note v.important.

So lets build.. ..or alternativly you could buy from us

It is now September and whilst some fruits are past their best, and some fungi are yet to take off, it is definitely a time where you can go out and collect, for your enjoyment, some of the fruits of the forest or hedgerow..

Here in Cumbria, in the North West of England, exposed to some harsh and often sustained weather.. the climate is different to many parts of the UK.  There are many microclimates in the Lake District and so most things do grow here; in most cases, in abundance, but the season might be shorter, later or potentially isolated only to that complimentary habitat.

Available now, available for free and good to try on your holiday:

Fruit

• Blackberry  - jam or a fruit Pie
• Elderberry – wine or cordial
• Rose-hips (either the Japanese or the dog rose variety) – a vitamin C boosting syrup
• Rowan – jelly
• Hawthorn – jelly or syrup
• Sloe – gin of course
• Damson (and all the variants) – wine, jam, chutney, gin or vodka
• Apples – from the tree to the mouth or cider, fruit pie, apple sauce
• Pears – likewise from tree to mouth, caramelised pear..
• Cherries – the wild ones are smaller than those you might find in the shops but tasty and used in many recipes.. I don’t eat cherries myself but my daughter loves them!

Nuts

• Hazelnut – those that the squirrel hasn’t yet got!  As good as a wild nut gets!
• Sweet chestnut – still a little early up here as yet, something to look forward to..
• Acorn – can be used to make flour, but have to process it to make it edible so probably best avoided unless you know what you are doing..
• Conkers – for some conker fun as also used in herbal medicine for piles / varicose veins or swelling of the lower leg..

Mushrooms

• There are also plenty of mushrooms at the moment – ‘flushing’ in quantity now that there has been a little (ok, a lot) of rain – but when picking mushrooms you should either know what you are doing or be with someone who does..

Being on holiday you can try a few things that you normally wouldn’t, so why not spend an hour breathing in the fresh Cumbrian air and trying some of the above?