Halloween at Happy Valley

Follow us behind the scenes to a Halloween Week at Happy Valley. As Hallows’ Eve falls on the week of October Half Term, it is no surprise that our mini mascots are employed to take part in the mischief and mayhem.

The sun has dawned on Summer and now the moon, wide eyed in wonder, looks down at the scene unfolding. Tiny dew drops of rain can be seen building up on cobwebs of woven silk; nature plays its part as spiders and bats are ready to take their role in this spooky festival.

As the cold air lingers and a foggy mist descends, Annie and Barnaby step into their positions magnificently by brewing the potions (tea and hot chocolate!) and preparing the cauldron for a family feast (pumpkin cookies!). With no cat or ghost in sight, Timber the dog is roped into the day’s ritual and as pumpkin is going spare, he is happy to oblige.

Our first call to arms, is to find our coats, wrap up in a layer of protection from the howling winds, and step into the woodland of whispering trees to find the perfect chestnuts and conkers for our collection. We place these and the acorn leaves into the magician’s hat and utter a chant or two.

With spoons and (adult-supervised) knives at the ready, we carve out some fun by etching into the round, plump, pumpkins at our feet. Scraping out the fluffy, orange innards, we scoop this into our pot and place to one side (this will be noted on our post-Halloween-pumpkin-blog). Our future architect and nine-year-old carpenter, picks up his drill and creates a fiery sky of stars by drilling holes into the pumpkin’s thick skin.

Adorned with a witch’s hat and magic at her fingers tips, Annie brings a glimmer of sparkle to nature as leaves and conkers are coated in gold. The shimmery glow coming from the puddle below hints at the evening to come and a cackle echoes in the air, reverberating throughout the land. It’s almost time.

The candles are lit, sparklers ignite, pumpkins are placed, with fairies and sprite. Our two, adorable children transform into Witch and Magician. Skulls’ eyes are aglow and to the new, log cabin we go. Come friend, come foe, come ghost, come all, this year’s Halloween will be the best of them all!

If you would like to join us for a weekend of magic and fun, we have some last minute availability due to a local lockdown for our unfortunate guests:

Availability: Friday 30th October – Monday 2nd November 2020

Cabins: Woodpecker (£395) or Denver Rest and Tawny Hut (£320) - NOW FULLY BOOKED

To book, please contact hello@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk / 01485600719

With love,

Katy and Kirsty xx

Autumn Equinox

Today is the Autumn Equinox, aka Mabon, a powerful time of the year where day and night dance in perfect balance, where the sun and moon equally share the sky. We open the doors to Autumn and give thanks and honour the harvest just gone. Even when the harvest wasn’t quite what was expected there’s always something to be grateful for.

A time of balance between the seasons. Holding this transitional space without fear is on our Happy Valley affirmations list and not always easy in the current climate. But we all know that fears makes the wolf look bigger & we turn to Mother Nature for a word of wisdom.

The Equinox is a time honoured by many cultures including us here at Happy Valley. The nights become chillier and before we even see the change in the landscape our senses notice the changing seasons. We can marvel at how Mother Earth shows us that nothing is constant and how this is reflected in our world.
This too shall pass.

We celebrate the land and its history for it has seen this all before and we celebrate all of you who’ve shared this crazy journey which is 2020. We’ve made it to Autumn & that is worth celebrating.

The Wedding Wolves

There’s no better time to grab your attention than when we’re on an enforced, three week lock-down and in need of distraction so we felt it was high time to tell you a story:

A grandfather sat his grandson down and decided to impart some words of wisdom.

“A fight is going on inside of me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents darkness - he is regret, anger, sorrow, selfishness and self-pity and everything negative in the world.”

The grandfather looked at his captivated grandson, took a breath and continued, “The other wolf represents the light - he is peace, hope, understanding, compassion and faith and everything positive in the world. We all have the same two wolves fighting within us.”

The grandson, a fan of everything to do with war and battles turns to his grandfather and says, “which wolf will win?”.

The wise, old man simply replied, “The one you feed.”

What do wolves have to do with weddings?

During this time of uncertainty, there are understandably a lot of emotions running high and these are valid and necessary feelings for us all to be having.

Each of us is fighting an internal battle between wanting to help our neighbours, friends, family and local businesses and at the same time worrying about what it might mean for our own finances, health or future happiness. We all want to be kind and understanding but we also all have fear and frustration.

Is our advice to feed the positive wolf and let the negative wolf starve? No, it would be an impossibility. They’re both there and they both have to eat. What we can do, is acknowledge that whilst we are having to face great disappointments and insecurity, we can also show the capacity for compassion and forbearance. The beauty of humanity is often found in the grey areas where despite the doubt and fear, we surprise ourselves with our own strength and resilience.

So, if each wolf is being fed at a time where food is being rationed and supermarkets are in short supply, who gets what?

That part is down to us but how we respond and which wolf we feed the most will define how we are viewed when this chaos is over. Our time in the grey area is now and our actions will show which wolf ate all the metaphorical pies.

Even though you’re justifiably worried about your future wedding plans, there are still ways we can lift each other up. Here at Happy Valley, we invite you to look at the following acts of kindness to show your wedding suppliers some support:

• If you’re pleased with the service you’ve received during this difficult time, consider leaving a positive review on their website. If you’re not, perhaps take into account unprecedented stress?

• Like, comment and share posts. Why not shine a light on some suppliers in need of encouragement?

• Make future reservations. For most suppliers, it’s not just the next few months that are of concern but their whole calendar year - show them some light at the end of the tunnel.

At Happy Valley, we hope you feel our negative wolves have been put on a strict diet of kale and lentils (not least because stress represses the immune system and we need to stay healthy right now!) and our positive wolves have been given the full, fine-dining experience.

We would like to thank our 2020 couples for their thoughtfulness and appreciation and are excited to give you the happy ending you all so deserve.

With love,

Katy, Kirsty and the team at Happy Valley xx

hello@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk

01485 600 719

Instagram - @HappyValleyNorfolk

Facebook - Happy Valley Norfolk

Memories of happier times. A woodland wedding photoshoot at Happy Valley.

Tribe Norfolk Weekend 2019

The gorgeous family festival that is Tribe Norfolk weekend returns to Happy Valley for the second year on the 13 & 14th July. The perfect day out in Norfolk or make a weekend of it and camp over. There’s a little glamping still available!

Celebrating all that is Norfolk. Guests will be able to enjoy the beauty of the wild, the splendour of Norfolk creatives, taste fabulous cuisine, dance to an array of Norfolk Musicians, buy local treats at the Norfolk Produce and Makers Market. Enjoy a range of workshops for all ages plus enjoy holistic therapies in the nurturing and supportive community in which Tribe Norfolk has become. 

BUY TICKETS HERE

The fab Mim Howell will be doing festival taster photoshoots for the family

Santosha Yoga

Emily will be returning to Tribe Norfolk Weekend 2019 with her hip hop and reggae yoga for all ages. Pre-booking will be available soon and we recommend securing your space (classes are free but spaces limited) and there may be opportunity for drop-ins on the day.

Mumma Wolf

Mumma Wolf is a project which aims to empower families through yoga,  mindfulness and a connection with nature. Working with Tribe Norfolk, we've created a yoga experience for all little people and families: short bursts of yogic story-telling, free for all families throughout the day, surrounded by the sighing stream and whispering willows of a magical little island nestled right in the heart of Happy Valley. For calm, for fun and for connection. We want your Tribe Norfolk Weekend to be as experiential as possible - an opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime. We have some wonderful workshops for you and your family to enjoy…. grab your tickets now!

BeWILDerwood

The Twiggle Team from BeWILDerwood will be at Tribe Norfolk festival again with some of your favourite curious characters from the woods. Expect games, giggles, storytelling and crafting in true BeWILDerwood style! Fabulous, family fun.

Stitch Me Happy

Grown ups and children can have fun learning how to turn old clothes and fabric scraps into simple and effective jewellery. With a focus on limiting the waste involved in sewing/clothes making, all of the buttons, beads, ribbon, feathers and tassels that can be added to the handmade jewellery are remnants/second hand or made from second hand materials.

Pottery Workshops

Claire of Wayside Pottery and Alice Cary Art will be joining forces to expand on the pottery workshops we held last year. Claire’s stand was booked through Tribe Norfolk 2018 and the feedback from the children was hugely positive.

Alice’s work is inspired by her travels and the Norfolk coastal landscape. Alice creates functional ceramics, some of which are illustrated. Alice also works with various printmaking techniques onto clay using coloured slips, sponges and rollers. She creates her own work from her studio in north Norfolk. At Tribe Norfolk she will be helping with have a go at a throw as well as the primitive clay workshops. 

Pretty Cactus Plants

Donna of Pretty Cactus Plants will be offering simple macrame workshops, making plant holders and beautiful home decor. Email Donna direct to arrange your workshop, drop-in on the day may be available.

Feathers and Futures

Feathers Futures Community Interest Company was set up to empower and enable women to make positive choices about their futures. We have a base in Great Yarmouth where women over the age of 18 are welcome to come and access support, build confidence, resilience and reduce isolation. Currently there are around 50 women accessing our workshops and courses on offer, as well as our peer support groups. Our aim is to offer that safe, supportive place for women to grow.

We have some amazing musical talent in Norfolk and a stellar line-up of bands and artists appearing at Tribe Norfolk Weekend 2019. Buy your tickets before the event to avoid higher prices on the door and to the full list of artists performing, pay a visit to our Bands Page.

Last year’s performers Sam Coe & The Long Shadows will be headlining again with their blend of modern country and we’re delighted to welcome Pirate Joe / The Foreign Locals - an unmissable act with a unique cabaret of travelling stories.

Mengelmoes will delight with a jazz-funk, alternative, indie mish-mash from the band hailing from Norwich and Front Bangs appear with an indie rock sound and energetic stage show. The Magic E’s are a melodic rock ‘n’ roll band with years of music industry experience between them whilst Backwards City are a new up-and-coming trio with an ambient, downtempo sound.

Mengelmoes will delight with a jazz-funk, alternative, indie mish-mash from the band hailing from Norwich and Front Bangs appear with an indie rock sound and energetic stage show. The Magic E’s are a melodic rock ‘n’ roll band with years of music industry experience between them whilst Backwards City are a new up-and-coming trio with an ambient, downtempo sound.

A Disabled access Treehouse in Norfolk

So it has arrived. Toad Hall treehouse has disabled access from the minute you arrive. Parking on hard surface. The ramp takes you into the treehouse. There’s double doors leading our from the king size bedroom. A wet room with seating. Open plan living with access out onto the private terrace where you can find a private hot tub.  

Autumn at Happy Valley

The beauty transforms through colour and this time of year is rather special at Happy Valley. The mix of trees in the forest make for the most splendid colour display and you can experience Nature therapy at it’s best.

The evidence is forever mounting that being immersed in Nature has huge health benefits and it’s not hard to see why. Experiencing the forest, embracing the seasons and getting outside with your loved ones is why the guests at Happy Valley keep on returning.

Norfolk Sunsets are hard rivalled and you get the very best views at Toad Hall.

What our Guests Say -

Very grateful to have received this award for the 9th time in a row. Lucky to be blessed with some amazing guests who all love Happy Valley as much as we do. #HonestHosting

Tribe Norfolk Weekend

Save the date!

22 - 23rd September 2018

So excited to announce that the first Tribe Norfolk Weekend will take place at Happy Valley

Inspired by Norfolk for people who Love Norfolk

#TRIBENORFOLK 

Tribe Norfolk was created in December 2016 to connect individuals, businesses and all who love Norfolk, a county in which we are all spread out but have an abundance of wonderful producers, makers, musicians, crafters, growers.... right on our doorstep that we may not even know about.

Tribe Norfolk Instagram, Facebook & Twitter were created to provide a platform for people to connect, unite, discover, collaborate and celebrate everything about Norfolk. 

A positive vibes only platform welcome to all who want to bring back some community spirit.

Guests will be able to enjoy - 

The Beauty of the Wild, the Splendour of Norfolk creatives, taste fabulous cuisine, dance to an array of Norfolk Musicians, buy local treats at the Norfolk Produce and Makers Market. Enjoy a range of activities for all ages plus enjoy holistic therapies in the nurturing and supportive community in which Tribe Norfolk has become. 

Pic up some beautiful Vintage one offs.

Pic By Emily Jane - Vintage Deli Dress

There will be a fabulous Makers, Vintage and Produce Market at Tribe Norfolk Weekend where you can pick up some local one offs and discover the fab independants on offer in Norfolk. Can't wait to tell you who else we've got coming. 

Enjoy Tribe Norfolk Weekend in laid back luxury with a Weekend Glamping Ticket.

*TICKETS will be released at the end of April*

Glamping & camping at Happy Valley - 

A mix of Shepherds Huts, Tree temple, New Woodland Lodge and Bell Tents. Happy Valley sits on a Norfolk Wildlife Trust site in rural North West Norfolk. Immersed in nature with incredible woodland walks and close to the Norfolk Coast. The perfect place to switch off from the world and to start making memories. Reap the benefits of Forest Therapy. 

There will also be camping options so you can bring your own tents & campervans.

Enjoy Glamping at Tribe Norfolk Weekend - Pic taken from a photoshoot which included 2 posh 2 pitch and Wedding Wheels next to the Sea. Photo Credit - Rebel Heart Team

A chance to make some priceless memories with the whole family. Try Woodcombing, Nature Photography, family yoga, Dance like nobody is watching, sing along if you fancy it. This is a festival where inhibitions are left at the door. Get dressed up and come and have some fun in the wild.

A Wild Woodland Venue in unspoilt Norfolk Countryside. Close to Massingham, Sandringham, Houghton and the North Norfolk Coastline. 

If you'd like to get involved as a trader, musician, producer, performer, caterer etc then please go to the landing page of the website and follow the link.

www.TribeNorfolk.com

If you LOVE instagram, Twitter or Facebook  then you can find Tribe Norfolk - @TribeNorfolk 

Please use the Hashtag #TribeNorfolk so you can be discovered.

We can't wait to celebrate with you all in September

From all of us at Happy Valley,  Tribe Norfolk and Creative Orchard

xxxx

Feeling the Love at Happy Valley

So, a few Sundays ago I awake with a message from a friend to say we've been featured in the Mail Travel Section. Heart palpitations the lot - initially i thought it was online only but then heard we were in the Sunday newspaper on a double page spread. #hysteria 

We've been so overwhelmed with the feedback we've had from our new little site in rural Norfolk. 

Happy Valley holds so much magic that we feel totally blessed that we can share this with everyone else. 

It has been a long old slog with planning permissions and the great Scottie (my husband) building everything you see. Yes, he's the clever clogs with incredible vision and I often play devils advocate & look for possible criticisms that guests may have so it's not been plain sailing for him either.  It's so heart warming to hear the incredible feedback and I have learnt a few things along the way. Everyones ideals are all different. I can't react to every suggestion by redesigning the site & it's contents!

Then to the discover we were in the Telegraph Travel pages last Saturday was the absolute cherry on top. You may have noticed I do bang on a little about Forest Bathing (shinrin-Yoku) - it means taking in the Forest atmosphere and was developed in Japan during the 80s. It has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese Medicine.  There is lots of evidence showing how it can benefit your health (see previous blog) and Happy Valley is the perfect environment for this. 

So, next news is that our Woodpecker Cabin is complete - I went in today & was blown away. I hope you are to. Here's a little sneak peak - Accepting bookings NOW email hello@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk or call Katy on 07739892144

Taking Bookings Now - 0773989214 or 01485 600719 email hello@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk

Bedroom with a view in the Woodpecker

The Woodpecker has more living space in a beautiful round home with bedroom extensions. A wood burner stove, hot plate, hob, toaster, kettle. BBQ, fiepit, outdoor seating, woodland garden. There's lovely waterfall showers and toilets close by. 

BTW - The hot tubs are on hold as a new idea has taken over.... more on that soon.

The Woodpecker has both woodland and open views, a wood burner, king size bed, bunk beds, hob etc

Bedroom View from the Woodpecker

Below are our other units thus far................. we've also added a childrens play area :)

our Spacious King Bell Tent is an under canvas experience for the whole family. Beautiful dappled light shines throughout and you're surrounded by nature.

no pics today Mum! couldn't leave this one out though. The lights are constantly changing #NaturalLight  

We are lovers of Instagram and you can see all our progress at Happy Valley on there - @HappyVNorfolk our hastag is the same #HappyVNorfolk

Twitter - @HappyVNorfolk @NorfolkGlamping & @NorfolkVenue

Facebook - Happy Valley Norfolk - Venue & Glamping Retreat