St. James’ Park
An Alternative Campsite and Hostel in Bulgaria
Holidays for Women
Really Interesting & Exciting Holidays For Women
I live in a little village where life hasn’t changed much for years. People farm in traditional ways and most of the food is grown locally. I have a beautiful field that I am slowly converting into a campsite. It’s full of wild flowers and its surrounded by trees – walnuts, apples, peaches, mulberries, quinces, apricots and loads of plums.
I’m having an adventure here: doing everything myself, using the materials I have available, doing things I never thought I could do and sometimes making it up as I go along.
I have come to realise, by the feedback that I get from everyone, that this is a pretty brilliant way of life and I’d like to share this with you.
If you get bored by the idea of lying around a pool doing nothing – if you want to push yourself a bit –if you’ve forgotten what its like to feel physically tired at night instead of mentally wiped out - if you want to meet new people and you’d like a bit of a challenge –if you’d just like to do something different for a week then this could be for you.
Watch the goats come home instead of watching the TV and look in amazement at the stars at night when you sit around the fire. Learn about a healthy holistic lifestyle - dont be put off by the words- we are not pretentious nor do we preach. St James Park is about being in a lovely space and taking the time to sit around and actually enjoy it. We love food and we celebrate food and we would ask you to leave you food hang-ups at home for a week- the food here will make you happy as well as healthy.
So what actually happens on this adventure?
I’ll offer you challenges that you may or may not choose to accept – things like:
- Cooking a meal for the group, on a wood stove, using just what’s available in the garden
- Taking the machete up to woods and gathering wood for the fire
- Making bread on an open fire
- Cutting the grass with a Kosa – a big lethal looking scythe
- Sitting in the shade of the vines and doing nothing
- Making liqueurs or jams from fruit you’ve just picked
These may not seem very big challenges, but if you normally go to the supermarket and buy just what you need to cook just what you want, and you’ve never chopped wood or picked herbs – then it becomes different. There will also be an introduction to Shiatsu, Homoeopathy and Biodynamic farming. And just for a bit of fun, I’ll arrange for you to go and have a meal in the home of one of my neighbours - they wont speak English but it will be fun!
We’ll get together at least once a day to discuss and reflect on the challenges – see what we’ve learned and see what you want to do next and we’ll sit around the fire, drinking wine and maybe making some music and certainly making friends.
Dates, costs and practical things
Dates: 6th to 13th September
(Arrive by 7pm Saturday & leave the following Saturday morning.)
Costs: £225 includes camping (tent plus airbed if you need it) and all delicious meals.
There will be a couple of bed spaces in the house if anyone really doesn’t want to camp in the lovely field.
Places are limited - this will be a small group - so pleasse send me an SMS 00359884595174 or call me 0035960386286 to book your place. Then could you please complete the booking form below, cut and paste it and email it to kathymcgowan2000@yahoo.co.uk and to complete your booking, please make a deposit of £50 through PayPal to secure your place.
Adventure Holiday Booking form.
Name:
address:
phone number:
email address:
which dates do you want to come:
just a reminder that this a women only week!
Getting here: Fly to Sofia or Varna – train to Popovo – taxi to Voditsa – I’ll send you more details if you need them. Alternatively, there are many overland routes through Europe by train and/or bus.
What to bring: a sleeping bag; sadly you need sensible shoes here; clothes that can get dirty; binoculars if you’re into wildlife and anything musical that you can carry.