Last week you got to hear what my boyfriend thought of the Harptree Court treehouse, now it’s my turn…
I feel a little bit under pressure going second with the review writing. First off, a lot of the lovely things about Harptree Court treehouse have been said already; I can’t tell you all over again about the lovely food we were left, or the comfy bed, or the fact that I won the chess tournament. (Oh dear, I appear to have mentioned that again anyway.)
I mention the chess though not to gloat over my victory, although I admit there is a certain amount of pride there, especially as, unlike some people, I have never actually been the captain of a chess team. I mention it because it was one of my favourite bits of our stay. I know chess isn’t everyone’s idea of fun on a romantic night away, but I love a bit of mental battling; I’m super competitive and don’t like losing, so there is also something about things like chess that leaves me feeling strangely vulnerable and exposed. I quite like that. It feels like it’s probably good for me.
Of course this isn’t meant to be a glimpse into the depths of my psyche, it’s meant to be a review of a treehouse.
‘Living in a tree’ has been on my list of 40 things to do before 40 since the very beginning. There is something wonderfully primitive about trees. I’m typing this, trying to think of the right words to describe how trees make me feel, but I can’t quite get it – my hands instead spread wide, tense, solid, groping for the words like I might grope for a barmaid’s breasts in a Carry on Film.
Trees make me feel safe. I want to touch them. They have a solidity and permanence that I find both relaxing and grounding. Sometimes when I feel anxious I do an exercise where I put my feet firmly on the floor and imagine myself growing roots into the ground. That’s how trees make me feel.
(Not doing terribly well with the psyche/review balance here.)
The treehouse then. Boyfriend may have checked off most things on the review list but I did make him leave out the bath. I wanted to have one thing at least that could be my exclusive. As baths go, it’s definitely exclusive. Often baths are a bit long for my stubby legs but The Harptree Court treehouse bath is the absolute perfect size – you can sit up comfortably in it with straight legs, but not sink.
I did try it out without clothes too, but this is a family blog.
If you’re looking for a temporary escape from reality, with or without chess, you can’t do much better than the Harptree Court treehouse.
*Ticks another item off the 40 things before 40 list with a dramatic flourish*
Thank you very much to Linda and Charles at Harptree Court for having us as guests for the night.