Cabin Life – Spring Is Stirring at Swell View

Eat Clean, Health and Dream – A Journey to A Simpler Life

The First Signs of Spring in North Devon

After what has felt like one very long, very muddy winter here in North Devon, the smallest changes feel monumental.

The daffodils have begun to appear — bright, unapologetic bursts of yellow against still-sodden ground. We’ve had the odd teaser day where the sun stretches its arms across Swell View, gently reminding us that lighter days are coming.

And then there’s that sure sign of seasonal shift — the clocks jumping forward later this month. Longer evenings.

A subtle lift in energy. Spring is no longer a hope; it’s happening.

Vegetable beds in the polytunnel

The Ground Is Still Wet… But So Are the Possibilities

Let’s be honest — the ground up here is still wet. Very wet. Wellies are absolutely staying in rotation for now.

But mentally? I’ve already stepped into gardening mode.

Winter may have been about surviving mud and managing chaos, but spring is about renewal.

That means it’s almost time to:

• Pull on the gardening clothes

• Tackle the polytunnel

• Clear out the veggie beds

• Sweep away the winter debris

• Start planning what delicious abundance we want this year

The polytunnel, in particular, needs some serious love. After months of damp air and minimal activity, it’s ready for a full clean down and reset before seedlings begin to claim their space.

Preparing the Polytunnel & Veggie Patch

There’s something deeply satisfying about the spring tidy-up. Clearing old stems. Turning the soil. Reclaiming beds that winter tried its best to flatten.

It’s not glamorous — it’s muddy, back-aching, and usually accompanied by a slightly overexcited dog trying to “help.” But it marks the beginning of another growing season, another opportunity to live a little more in rhythm with the land.

Before any planting begins, there’s planning.

And that might be my favourite part.

Sitting on the decking of the cabin, seed packets scattered everywhere, dreaming about what colourful selection of fruit, vegetables and herbs we’ll grow this year. Do we repeat last year’s successes? Try something new? Be bold with colour? Focus on staples?

Growing our own food, even on a modest scale while the main build continues, keeps us anchored in why we chose this life in the first place and of course keeping our freezer full.

Vegetable beds in spring in polytunnel

Longer Days, Lighter Evenings

When the clocks change later this month, everything shifts.

Evenings stretch out before us instead of disappearing mid-afternoon. There’s time after dinner to wander the land. To check the beds. To stand quietly and watch the ocean shift colour under a softer sky.

Even with the ground still squelching beneath our boots, hope feels tangible.

Spring at Swell View isn’t polished. It’s muddy, practical, full of lists and preparation. But it’s also full of promise.

Soon the polytunnel will be bursting. The veggie patch will be mapped out with intention. The herbs will scent the air. And those daffodils? They’ll just be the beginning.

From surviving winter… to preparing for growth.

Spring is on its way.