Gurt Yurts

Just 15 miles lie between Bristol and Gurt Yurt in Somerset’s Mendip Hills but, travel them and the distance might feel greater. Most of them whizz by as you drive south on the A38 but, soon enough, you find yourself on a country lane and then a rough road on the route of an ancient drover’s track. You’re slowing down but not quite to a stop. A quarter of a mile later is where you park your car and the last part of the journey is made on foot, down steps, through a sloping bluebell wood. When you emerge, you see where you’ll be staying: a secluded six-metre yurt, pitched on a platform with glorious valley views.

This is the northern edge of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. But it’s not just what you see that makes this landscape special – it’s also what you can do. The limestone gorges and outcrops make it a place of action and adventure with caving and climbing among the many options. It’s as north as Somerset gets but so much of what the county is known for is within hiking or biking distance of here: Thatcher’s Cider Farm is a two-mile walk, Cheddar Gorge a six-mile ride. The Mendip Activity Centre, with its dry ski slope and climbing wall is less than a mile – as are no less than four recommended pubs.

But what of Gurt Yurt itself? This hillside hideaway sleeps up to four. It has proper beds, a kitchenette, a log-burning stove and a veranda to help you enjoy the valley view. It has its own composting loo and hot water shower just outside on a lower deck. And down on the ground, there’s a fire pit with seating. It’s tucked away in the four-acre grounds of host Tim’s house, which, elsewhere, has a few wild camping pitches. And despite the comfort of the yurt, that’s the vibe here: wild. It’s a place to listen to birdsong, have a campfire and generally enjoy the outdoors. If you need a hand doing that, Tim’s your man. He’ll transport your luggage to the yurt while you wander through the wood and he’s happy to help you light a fire. He can give you a run-down of climbing hotspots and local pubs, and knows all the right people from gliding guides to expert fly fishermen. But you may simply want to enjoy the blissful seclusion of this place – and it won’t take you long to find it.