About Kaya at Blackhill Farm Rooms and Retreat
It has been a wild adventure setting up this exclusive retreat and little haven of goodness and we have worked with some really fantastic folk along the way. We have also really enjoyed being creative about what and where we source things, being huge advocates to keep things local and innovate where possible. Here are some highlights to give you an insight into our ethos and journey.
Our groundworks were a HUGE part of the project forming the underground life-source of our business. They bring beautiful water from our onsite spring, through filtration and into your units. It then back out again via flushing toilets and a range of glamorous washing facilities before retuning as pure water back to the earth through our treatment facility. The team who installed them are a local no nonsense family outfit lead by Alun. They truly helped us to keep our ducks in a row as we navigated a whole range of questions we didn't even know existed!
Wool has become a tragically undervalued commodity in the UK and combined with the massive impact of COVID, famers were barely covering their shearing costs. At Kaya, both yurts are insulated with 100% UK wool milled in Yorkshire. Cosy, beautiful and supporting UK farmers.
As a family, (now including our 18 month old who knows how to wield a screw and screwdriver!!!) we love to make things and Kaya has been our playground. Much of the furniture has been made onsite form wood felled or taken out in storms. Here you can see the bed and side table in Sky House.
Now where would we be without our neighbours. We are nestled between farming brothers who are always on hand with patience and grace to help us drag all manner of fancy baths and hot tubs up and down our fairly treatcherous slopes!
Now these bad boys, as you can see, were no mean feat to move! 'Tony the stone' is the hero in charge of mining them and getting them over to us from the neighbouring valley. You can imagine our surprise to discover there was a fellow South African loitering in the hills.
If you have already visited us you will know that we LOVE to build with local materials, ESPECIALLY corrugated zinc. The fetish developed when strolling past our neighbours barn we saw a large pile sitting unused on the floor. Before you know it we had set up another fab local supply chain to get those sheets working again!
And now for Ed! Where to we begin. This diversely capable, kind and knowledable chap has been alongside us for most of the ride. From helping us through various stages of planning permissions to milling the wood down the road and building the structural element of our decks. He is always on hand and generous with his time and knowledge. He heads up Crown and Canopy alongside an equally savvy team so if you want to throw your hand in and give it a go we can HIGHLY recommend looking them up.
Sustainability
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our efforts at sourcing good quailty, ethical and sustainable products so if something tickles your interest, do ask. From 'Who Gives a Crap' toilet paper, to compostable slippers, we are trying it all.