Look how far we've come...

This year marks the 10th anniversary of our arrival here at Blackdown Yurts and Halsbeer Farm. In January 2016 we were getting ready to uproot our young family and travel halfway across the country to settle down in this beautiful rural landscape.

It has certainly been an adventure, getting used to running two tourism businesses and managing and maintaining a 400-year-old farmhouse, four holiday cottages, four glamping yurts and 30 acres of land has definitely kept us busy. 

We've come a long way in ten years, particularly in terms of the improvements made to our offering at the yurts. When I look back at before and after photos it's really quite obvious. 

Badger Yurt and camp kitchen in 2016 and in 2020

Our earliest development was completely re-building the bathroom block at the end of the barn in 2017. I was so embarrassed by the state of the bathrooms when we arrived I don't think I ever took or shared photos of them, I certainly can't find any now. Thankfully I do have photos of their refurbished state (below) - a private bathroom for each yurt complete with hot showers and proper flushing toilets with a very cool rustic feel using reclaimed materials. A massive improvement on the 2.5 bathrooms with mud floors that were there before.

We  re-faced the barn in 2018 and later made improvements including new sofas and individual fridges for each yurt (below).

​In 2019 we brought Buzzard yurt down into the main yurt field which involved constructing an entirely new raised deck, camp kitchen, fire area and composting toilet. This formed the template for refurbishing Willow too.

Buzzard Yurt in its original position on Yonder Hill in 2018 and in 2019 in its new location in the main yurt field.

Willow Yurt in 2017 and in 2020 with new camp kitchen, new deck and vastly improved fire area.

In 2020 we had the luxury of time while the country was closed down by Covid so we undertook major rebuilding of Badger and Woodpecker Yurts into more cabin-like structures, which was finally topped off in 2024 by the installation of fibreglass roofs.  ​

Woodpecker Yurt in 2016 and in 2025

Just look at the difference between the old camp kitchens and the new! Oh my goodness how different they look. I think the only things not to have had a complete refurb so far are the composting toilets. 

Along the way we've been proud to collect multiple awards which reward the hard work including Bronze in the Glamping category of the Visit Devon Tourism Awards, a commendation in the South West England Tourism Excellence Awards, a Visit England Recognition of Service Excellence Award and a Gold Award in the Visit England Glamping accreditation scheme. ​

It's been super fun looking back over the last ten years and reflecting on all the upgrades we've made. Now to look forward to the coming season. The yurts are available to book now. We open for the season on Good Friday 3rd April. ​