Yurtopia

       Deep in the chilterns surrounded by a patchwork of undulating countryside there is a Mongolian yurt, squatting in a field. Open up one of the pair of little wooden door and squeeze inside away from the cold and rain and you find yourself in a perfect haven of warmth. There is something deeply comforting about being in a canvas space; the walls still breathe with the wind, canvas edges snapping and trilling against each other stiffly, the rain patters like fairy fingers of a drum, the cold goes on snarling and biting and yet you are insulated from its sharp edges, womb-like.
       The Yurt is clean and homely, furnished with pine and farm harvesting boxes. Some are stacked on their side as display units for wares on sale, others hold napkins, jars of cutlery and baked goods. Another table holds the till, a necessity of any business, almost hidden by a selection of tempting cakes. Before ordering at this diminutive counter you must decide where to sit. Do you choose a table close to the books and magazines held in a rack? Close to the warmth of the wood burning fire perhaps? Or do you choose a cosy corner or position yourself under the light of the central oculus? All are equally welcoming.
      The furniture is delightful, distressed  painted chairs in wedgewood blues and greens with wax scrubbed pine tables, a hedgerow arrangement at the centre of each. Once seated you can admire the construction of this cocoon, the curve of the upright spars, the warmth of the natural wood still glowing with life. The spokes of a giant cartwheel span out from the oculus backed with deep red felt insulating cloth to the trellised walls supporting the roof. It is December and the hallowe'en spiders webs and pumpkins have been replaced with trailing Ivy and fairy lights, and willow stars wrapped in twine and tinsel strands twirl slowly on their fixings.
     The menu is simple, homely, local and tempting and when you finally decide what to indulge in, anything from a cup of tea to brunch, it arrives on touching shabby chic mismatched china giving a sense that it is all run by a little girl playing with her grandmothers old tea sets and serving her dolls, yet with delicious aromas and beautiful attention to detail, right down to the tiny metal watering cans that are used to serve the sugar in.

     If this seems like your sort of place do feel free to comment and I'll let you know where it is....but I think some of you may already know!