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In a world that often feels fast, noisy, and always “on,” rest has become something many of us have to consciously relearn. Not just sleep, but proper rest — the kind that comes from stepping away from routine, changing your environment, and allowing yourself space to slow down.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, we wanted to explore what rest really means, and why time away in nature can help us reconnect with a more balanced pace of life.
Rest isn’t only about doing less. It’s about giving your mind permission to loosen its grip on constant input.
For many people, everyday life is filled with screens, schedules, and expectations. Even when we stop working, we often don’t actually switch off.
Real rest tends to happen when:
This is why stepping outside of your usual surroundings can feel so powerful.
Even when we step away from work physically, it can still be difficult to mentally disconnect.
Research into modern work habits consistently shows that many people find it hard to separate from emails, notifications, and the expectation of being available outside of working hours. In the UK, remote and hybrid working has also blurred the boundaries between “on” and “off” time for many professionals.
At the same time, screen use continues to rise, with adults spending a significant portion of their day connected to devices — often extending well into evenings and weekends.
While technology brings flexibility, it can also make it harder for the mind to fully rest.
This is why intentional downtime, time where there is nothing expected of you, is becoming increasingly important.
Where we are has a quiet but significant influence on how we feel. Natural surroundings, slower rhythms, and open space can all help the nervous system settle.
Our lodges are set in a uniquely peaceful part of Somerset, nestled between the Mendip Hills AONB and the Somerset Levels — a landscape known for its wide skies, gentle horizons, and calming natural beauty.
There’s something grounding about being surrounded by space. Not in a dramatic or life-changing way, but in a subtle free kind of way — where time feels less pressured and attention naturally slows down.
When people finally get the chance to properly switch off, it often looks simpler than expected.
Long mornings. Slow coffee. Sitting outside without checking the time. Reading without interruption. Early nights that feel restorative rather than wasted.
In these moments, rest becomes less about structure and more about permission — permission to do very little, without guilt.
This is especially important for those who are used to constantly being “on” for others, whether at work or at home.
For some guests, rest feels most complete when it’s supported by gentle, restorative experiences beyond the lodge itself. The Somerset countryside is home to some exceptional spa spaces that complement a slower pace of stay.
Just under an hour away, the world-renowned Thermae Bath Spa offers a unique experience where guests can bathe in naturally warm, mineral-rich waters while looking out over the historic skyline of Bath. It’s a rare blend of city atmosphere and deep relaxation, rooted in centuries of bathing tradition.
Closer to home, the intimate Elements Boutique Spa provides a more rural, quietly luxurious setting. Known for its personalised treatments and calming environment, it offers a gentle extension of the restorative feel found in the surrounding countryside.
Whether as part of a wider wellbeing-focused break or a spontaneous addition to a stay, spa time can be a meaningful way to deepen rest — not by doing more, but by allowing yourself to be fully looked after for a while.
One of the challenges of modern life is that rest often still requires effort — planning, organising, and managing.
That’s why environments designed for ease can make such a difference.
Our luxury self-catering lodges in Cheddar, Somerset are created with that sense of ease in mind. Each space is designed to feel private, calm, and unhurried, with the flexibility to shape your stay in whatever way suits you best.
we provide superfast WIFI and smart TVs… But there’s no pressure to use them. Many guests choose instead to slow down into something simpler — evenings spent in cosy, starlit courtyards, fresh Somerset air, and the quiet rhythm of the surrounding landscape.
For guests who want to go a step further into relaxation, we also work with a mobile massage therapist, Jo, who can come directly to the lodge. It’s a simple addition that allows rest to stay uninterrupted.
If you’re exploring ways to rest more fully, whether this week or any other, it may be worth considering what kind of environment supports that for you.
For some people, that’s at home. For others, it’s a change of scenery — a place where the pace of life naturally slows down.
If you ever do feel drawn to stepping away, Strawberryfield Park is here as a quiet, private space to do exactly that — nothing more, nothing less.
Rest is not something you have to earn. It’s something you are allowed to take seriously…. and sometimes, the simplest way to rediscover it is to give yourself a little distance from everything that usually fills your time.