An Eden Valley holiday company has been named one of the top 10 horse destinations in Europe by a UK national newspaper.
Wanderlusts, based outside Melmerby, has been rated number two in the Guardian’s top 10 list of horse holidays.
Owner Barny Maurice has been offering horse-drawn gypsy caravan breaks around the Eden Valley for almost 15 years — the only business of its kind in Cumbria.
Barny said: “I was aware that the newspaper was compiling a list and they contacted me to ask about Wanderlusts. Later I got a call and was told we had been placed at number two. It was a nice surprise.” Wanderlusts beat off competition from Transylvania, Greece, Portugal, Italy and Iceland among others to be placed runner-up behind a Spanish-based firm offering thoroughbred horseriding.
Aside from providing roaming horse drawn gypsy caravans between April and November, Wanderlusts has two peaceful off-grid retreats which are open throughout the year.
Described as a cross between “glamping” and “tramping” they take campers back to basics, cooking outdoors over a fire, but with the addition of a covered fire pit with sofas, and a rustic wood fired sauna and hot tubs.
From stressed high-flying executives keen to get away from it all, to enthusiastic nature lovers, Barney said he had welcomed clients from around the world.
His traditional horse-drawn bow top gypsy caravan (vardo) is harnessed to two mares, Meg and Biddy, who Barny leads down quiet country lanes to camp. Barny sets up a fire pit and canopy and tends the horses. Later he returns to lead everyone to the next location. The insulated wagons can accommodate a family of five.
Barny added: “We have had people from Australia come to see how their Romany ancestors lived, as well as stressed-out business people who want to slow down and get back to nature for a while. I’ve met visitors from Taiwan, Germany, Switzerland — couples and families. I teach them all they need to know, including how to light a fire for cooking.
“We focus on being off grid and technology free, offering people the opportunity to switch off, slow down and escape the screen and technology-driven world and appreciate nature and the great outdoors. I’ve lived mostly off grid for over 30 years and mostly for my part have raised my children that way.”
In a new development, this year, Barney is organising ‘screen free’ camps to encourage families to ditch their computers and phones and take time to enjoy nature.
“As a parent, I’m aware of the nightmare so many parents are facing with all the issues of screen addiction, so I’m in the process of organising camps for families that want to come together in a screen-free environment and share ideas of how to deal with these difficulties — and allow their children to be children in the outdoors.”
