I am sat here writing this at the kitchen table. I can just hear Emily in her office as she is Training life coaches online. My mind wonders to the fabulous work Emily does in human development and of the Being You Program she has just released and the golden thread that seems to run through both our work. I am looking up towards the orchard and meadow. I can just see Vanessa a regular camper of ours setting up her campervan in our campsite. These two things are where my inspiration has come from for this blog. It’s a good job really, I did not know what I was going to write before I sat down and paused.

There’s a particular kind of rest that only comes when we stop. Not just slowing down—but really stopping. No alarms. No meetings. No background noise of to-do lists or digital distractions. Just the big sky, the birds and the hills in the distance. That’s the kind of rest we see happen here at Old Bidlake Farm. It’s more than just a campsite.

More and more, our small campsite in a little corner of West Dorset is becoming a place of retreat—for those who don’t necessarily call themselves adventurous campers, but are seeking time to pause. A quiet midweek escape, a soul-deep breath before life gets busy again. We hear it time and time again from guests: “I didn’t realise how much I needed this.” Emily and I notice it in their shoulders as they get lower over their stay.

Out of the school holidays, the land falls almost silent. You might hear the cows in the distance or James pass on the other side of the hedge in his tractor, or the odd laugh from fellow campers—but mostly it’s just stillness. Where time stretches and sleep comes easier. It’s these quieter moments that seem to do the most healing.

As Eckhart Tolle writes in The Power of Now:
“Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found.”

Old Bidlake isn’t just a campsite—it’s a space to return to yourself. Some treat it like a retreat, building in practices that nourish the nervous system: with a massage from Emily, a Guided meditation session with me, or a refreshing dip in the sea down on the Jurassic Coast. There’s no pressure to do anything—just the gentle invitation to be.

You don’t have to drive for hours to feel far away either. We’re discovering a growing number of guests who live less than an hour from us, yet come to reconnect, rest, and recentre. They arrive carrying stress—and leave more relaxed.

You don’t need to spend hours packing either. We have also taken that stress away from you as our site has almost everything you need, Just look at our website www.oldbidlakefarm.co.uk. So there’s no need to load the car to the roof. In fact, the hassle-free element of your stay begins the moment you decide to escape to west Dorset to our quiet campsite. No overthinking, no complicated kit lists—just the essentials, and some space to breathe.

And here, in the stillness of a Dorset field, you might just find more than a break. You might find yourself.

My mind has wondered back to Vanessa. It’s the second time this year and I am sure we will see her again before the end of summer. She has brought a different friend with her and absolutely loves it here. It’s worth saying – while we don’t advertise as a campervan site, we do have space for a couple of vans. If you’re planning to visit us with your campervan, just let us know when booking—we’re happy to welcome you.