An update from the heart......
Over 15 years ago, I had a dream, borne out of frustration & exhaustion at work whilst trying to bring up a young family.
You can read here how the little green hut story began, it is a relatable tale & I never underestimate the privilege it was to be able to follow my dream & create a better work/life balance for myself & my family.
Ofcourse, it was quite the gamble, it wasn't easy, there were plenty of moments of self doubt, "what have I done" moments BUT taking a leap can be very liberating & it also means you really HAVE TO make a go of it. From the off, you liked what we did. We didn't just offer a place to stay, it was much more than that. It was & still is an experience, somewhere to disconnect with the outside world & reconnect with each other.
It really honestly wasn't in the grand plan, but fast forward 10 years, a grown up family & a thriving accommodation business that had gained a large following & great reputation, it seemed the right time to expand, after all, "more is more" & who doesn't like to keep challenging themselves!?!
We had been looking on/off for a few years for the right property to add to thehuteyam business. I think everyone thought the natural progression would be another Shepherd's Hut or two, after all, we had the land. But honestly, what we do here at the little green hut, didn't lend itself to multiple huts. The whole ethos from the beginning has been to provide somewhere private for you escape, have some peace & quiet, relax, reconnect & just be. Multiple huts would have diluted that, & so the hunt continued.
Memorial Cottage came on the market in November 2022, a little Grade 2 listed property in the centre of Eyam. We booked a viewing, fell in love & the rest as they say is history!
It has all the right qualities of a little "bolt hole" that we were looking for. We easily used everything we had already learned from thehuteyam & mirrored it in the little cottage. It is very cute, very cosy, a place to hunker down for a week or a weekend together & escape from the world, whilst still having all the village amenities close to hand.
& boy have you kept us busy! There is rarely a night free. Your support has been mind blowing!
So, rewind 15 years to that overly busy life. A reminder of why we created what we did. For balance. Do you see where I'm going with this?
We no longer have young children, they are in or fast approaching their 30's (how did that happen!) & we now have a gorgeous little Grandson too. Haydn retired 3 years ago but it was never in his retirement plan to make beds & clean toilets! Oops!! We would like to spend more time with family & be on hand if/when needed to help. We aren't getting any younger ourselves & the open road with the camper van beckons.......
Its time for change, or actually, going back to our original plan - a little green hut for couples, friends & solo travellers to enjoy. A place where we can create magic for you, where you can make special memories & explore new places together.
Thehuteyam is here to stay. We love hosting you all, sharing our little corner of the Peak District & our very special place we call home with you. There will be a few tweaks, a few updates but please know, WE ARE MOST DEFINITELY STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Memorial Cottage will close at the end of 2026. You could say it's the worst business decision ever, we are definitely the "victims of our own success"! It may not be forever, but for now, it is the right decision for us & our ever growing family. The final guests leave on 1/1/2027. The best bit, it is going to be rented out to a lovely young couple & their two equally lovely dogs, our eldest son & partner are going to live there which makes me ecstatically happy. It's a new chapter for us all & we are very excited to see how it unfolds.
Thanks a trillion to all those guests that have stayed in Memorial Cottage & to those who have recommended it to their family & friends. We never imagined it would be so busy but we are so glad it has been. It's a special little cottage in an equally special little community, one which we love sharing with you & are very proud to call home.
Final dates to stay at Memorial Cottage & what you need to know:
November 1st-6th, 18th&19th (min 2 nights)
December 2nd&3rd, 7th-12th (min 2 nights)
Dog friendly
Sleeps 3 (1 x king, 1 x single)
Real fire
Central village location
Great pubs & cafe within walking distance
Eyam Hall Courtyard & award winning shops
Museum
Close to Chatsworth, Bakewell & Castleton
Book here - we'd love to see you for one last hoorah
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