Cabin Life – Winter at Swell View

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

Winter in North Devon

Winter in North Devon is not for the faint-hearted — especially when you live remotely, on what is technically a building site, in the middle of a wetter-than-normal season.

This year, the rain hasn’t held back. The ground around the cabin is saturated, boggy and endlessly muddy. And while I adore the outdoors, I’ll admit — I’m not the biggest fan of mud.

Not when you have:

• A long-haired Aussie Shepherd

• Two -four children

• An active building project

• And a beautifully small cabin space to keep clean

It’s a constant balancing act between embracing wild living and protecting our peaceful little haven indoors.

The Track That Isn’t Quite a Road

Our “road” in is actually a maintained dirt track — maintained by us, well Craig to be honest. After weeks of relentless rain, it’s once again transformed into a potholed, puddle-filled obstacle course. Every journey in or out is a bumpy reminder that rural life has its quirks.

There’s something humbling about it though. You slow down. You plan ahead. You accept that some days, the mud simply wins.

Keeping the Cabin Clean (and Sane)

We’ve learned a lot over the winters — some lessons more enthusiastically than others.

The Outdoor Shower (Warm, of course!)

One of my non-negotiables with Craig was this: Boda (dog) is not being washed in our shower room. Humans only. So our outdoor warm shower has become an absolute hero. Muddy paws, sandy belly, wet fur — all dealt with before he even gets near the door.

Wood Floors & Underfloor Heating

Easy wipe, easy mop wooden floors have been a lifesaver. Add underfloor heating and the cabin stays snug and dry. Wet footprints disappear quickly, and there’s something deeply comforting about warm floors on cold mornings.

The Welly Box

Boots live outside. Always. That was a firm learning curve and a design decision already noted for the main cabin build — we will absolutely have a covered porch entrance. Mud needs a transition zone.

Winter Footwear Reality

Living in rural Devon has naturally reduced my relationship with heels. On the rare occasion I wear them, they travel in a bag and are put on at the destination. The winter walk from cabin to van is strictly boots or trainers you don’t mind sacrificing to the elements.

Even the short walk to my garden office requires strategy. Slippers wait patiently inside the door — and Boda is definitely not allowed in there.

Mud, Perspective & Swell View

As much as the mud can test my patience — and it probably is my biggest winter bugbear — perspective arrives every single time I pull up in daylight.

Even with the building work partially interrupting the full panorama, that ocean view still stops me in my tracks.

Swell View.

The reason I bought this land almost five years ago next month.

The winter light dancing on the water. The ever-changing blues and greys. The rawness of the sea against the sky. It never fails to ground me, to lift me, to de-stress me.

Yes, the track is bumpy. Yes, the dog is muddy. Yes, the boots are lined up like a small army outside the door.

But the simplicity of this life — the connection to nature, the space to breathe, the dream slowly taking shape through the build — makes every soggy step worth it.

Winter in the cabin isn’t pristine. It’s real, messy, muddy and beautifully grounding.

And I wouldn’t trade Swell View for spotless floors