Even when we're on holiday, many of us struggle to fully switch off and often spend hours glued to our phones. In a bid to stop the endless scroll, a company called Unplugged is inviting visitors to make the ultimate commitment to their holiday time.
To try and help people disconnect from their devices, friends Hector Hughes and Ben Elliot launched a series of off-grid 'digital detox' huts in beautiful countryside settings. To ensure holidaymakers fully immerse themselves in nature, visitors are asked to lock away their phones.
As the founders explain on their website, a digital detox is when you voluntarily give up your smartphones, laptops and social media for a period of time to help you feel reconnected. Unplugged's first hut up north was launched in the Cheshire countryside last year and now they've unveiled a sister cabin.
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The new pet-friendly cabin, called Peggy, is located just an hour from Manchester near Tarporley and just minutes from Cheshire's Sandstone Trail, which stretches for 34 miles through Delamare Forest and was voted one of ‘Britain's Favourite Walks’.
With huge panoramic windows - designed to let in lots of light - and a very minimal interior, even if you were tempted to snap a picture, you wouldn't be able to as on arrival guests are asked to put their digital devices, including mobile phones, in a lockbox for the duration of their stay.
In return, guests are given a an old-fashioned Nokia, complete with the game Snake, a map of the local area and an instant camera with film. Inside the hut there’s plenty of books and board games to keep you occupied, and unsurprisingly there's no Wifi.
A little different from sister hut Luna, which launched last year, the off-grid cabin has a lower bed and a different shaped structure but still has a hot shower, hotel-quality bedding and a fully equipped kitchen with tea and coffee and crockery. There's also a wood-fired stove with logs for cold nights and an outdoor fire pit for long summer evenings.
All stays at Unplugged last three nights, which its founders believe is the optimum amount of time to reap the benefits of a digital detox. By embracing a tech-free weekend, guests can experience improved sleep, better concentration and develop a healthier relationship with their devices following their trip.
The new Peggy cabin is located near Tarporley and is one hour drive, or an hour and thirty minute train ride from Manchester. All escapes are on a three-night minimum.
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