Sometimes we need to unplug in order to recharge, to escape the big smoke for a taste of country air and experience luxurious pampering or off-the-grid solitude and quiet. Our quest was to find three very different accommodation experiences, close to Tauranga, that offered loads of ‘me time’, where we could kick back and relax. We have already shown you The French Country House and the Warm Earth Cottage. Let’s have a look at The Cob Cottage now!
The Bay of Plenty has an abundance of locations offering opportunities to recharge and get back to basics. The Cob Cottage, sitting high on the Papamoa Hills, offers a glamping experience and is only a 20-minute drive from The Mount.
If you’re a sucker for a bit of rustic charm, the Cob Cottage is for you. The cottage is a quaint, organic building that was lovingly created by owners Tess and Marco Partridge, along with a team of helpers. The couple lives on the property with their three children, Marco’s dad Don, and a menagerie of animals including chickens and a small herd of cows. The family lives a sustainable lifestyle and were keen to offer accommodation that used natural resources to blend in with the surrounding area.
The method of mixing clay, sand and straw to build a ‘cob’ is an ancient and natural method of building. The cob has incredible thermal properties, soaking up sunlight in the walls during the day and releasing the heat at night. This helps keep the cottage warm in winter and cool in summer. The walls are left to dry for a few months before the cob is finished off with an interior and exterior application of natural earth plaster.
Our campsite has various sections. The Cob Cottage is the bedroom part and contains a queen-sized bed with comfortable linen and blankets. We also have an outdoor self-catering kitchen equipped with gas stovetop, pots, pans, cutlery and crockery. There’s no fridge, just a chilly bin with ice bricks, so we quickly unpack our groceries and perishables.
We read the instructions for the composting toilet – non-flush with a bucket of sawdust and shovel – all part of sustainable living and keeping the carbon footprint to a minimum.
The Cob Cottage is off the grid and powered by the sun so although there’s lighting in the bedroom and campsite, the single plug is only to be used for recharging devices such as iPads and phones and not for hairdryers, straighteners or other electrical items. Although there’s no WiFi available, we do get mobile reception which, of course, means I upload a few stories to Instagram and check my emails. As it’s a work day for most, I’m also interrupted with a few phone calls before doing the right thing and turning my phone off!
We enjoy a short bushwalk on the property before cooking our dinner of steak and mushrooms. Our outside dining room has peaceful views across the countryside to the twinkling lights of Tauranga harbour. Firing up the brazier and toasting marshmallows is tempting but we decide to leave it for our second night and instead immerse ourselves in a hot outdoor bubble bath. A cup of tea while chatting under the starry sky sees the end to a pleasant day.
We set off the next morning for a brisk walk on the adjoining Summerhill Golf course – it’s an easy walk with undulating terrain and, on one side, gorgeous views across to Papamoa and the Tauranga harbour. If you’re a golfer, bring your clubs or hire a set – Green fees are just $20. The entry to the Otawa Trig DOC walk is accessible down the road from the campsite and the Kaiate Falls, with its choice of swimming holes, is a two-minute drive down the road. If mountain biking is your thing, there are heaps of mountain bike tracks nearby.
The rest of the afternoon is spent lazing on bean bags, reading and soaking up the tranquillity, but, after discovering a basket full of board games under the bed, we spend the evening kicking back with some competitive entertainment.
Before we know it, it’s time to pack up and head back to the city. We’ve had a chance to enjoy a healthy dose of Mother Nature – we’ve relaxed, reset our course and enjoyed the fresh country air. Thankfully we don’t have too far to drive home and we hope it’s not too long before we enjoy another taste of serenity in one of the wonderful properties that we are so lucky to have right here on our doorstep.