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Totally unplugged: a digital detox holiday in Cheshire
21.12.2023 - 11:54 / theguardian.com
It was at the M6 toll plaza that I realised just how much I relied on my phone. An old-fashioned paper poster read: “No phone payments, card only.” I hadn’t used my physical bank card since before Covid. Cue me causing a major hold-up at the barrier, as I raced round to the car boot and rummaged through bags trying to find it.
I was on my way to try out a three-night “digital detox” in an off-grid cabin in the Cheshire countryside with my partner and three-year-old. The idea was to escape from the madness of the Christmas season. Unplugged has a selection of traditional, insulated cabins around the country, but until now they have been aimed at solo travellers or couples. After visitor feedback, though, this particular one (Luna, between the villages of Tarporley and Kelsall) had been enlarged with a single bed for a child.
When we arrived at about 7pm, I was again reminded how much I rely on my phone. We’d forgotten to bring head torches to light the muddy path from the parking spot to the cabin and so, determined to do things “analogue”, we made our way along the trail by the light of the moon, our luggage slung in the wheelbarrow provided.
Once inside, with the fire lit (the only source of heat, sorely needed in temperatures falling to -2C), and our son tucked up in the single bed (impressively hidden in a corner away from ours), we shut our phones away in the lockbox and sealed the key in an envelope to further prevent temptation. In lieu of modern tech, a Polaroid camera, a cassette player, an old Nokia phone (for calls only) and boardgames are provided.
The cabin was light, airy and much larger than I expected – easily accommodating three of us – with light wood walls, picture windows and blackout blinds. Our double bed was generous, the tiny kitchen had all we needed, and the bathroom consisted of a compost toilet (surprisingly smell-free) and a shower with toasty warm water (vital in an unheated bathroom).
Before coming to Luna I had spoken to Unplugged co-founder Hector Hughes, who worked with tech start-ups, suffered burnout, went on a retreat in the Himalayas and became convinced that everyone could benefit from a digital detox. I couldn’t argue when I was forced to Google “how to turn off an iPhone”, much to my android-loving partner’s amusement.
“When we started we only had one cabin and used to personally meet guests for check-in before driving off with their phones,” Hector said. “Now with 22 cabins across the UK it’s impossible, though people say being able to lock them away is enough.”
I already missed mine. “Scrabble?” my partner asked. I soon spelled out the word “b-o-r-e-d” earning a triple word score.
I slept fitfully, mulling over the messages I might be missing, emails left
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