Woodlands Retreat 1 bdrm Cosy Straw Bale Cottage

Woodlands Retreat Straw Bale Cottage is a warm, cosy, comfortable 1 bedroom, self contained one level space. As a new addition to the main house, the lock off door provides complete privacy. Nestled on beautiful acreage 15 mins from Orillia, surrounded by trees, birds, woods, wildlife and complete serenity, you will have a chance to find yourself again, unplug, reconnect with nature and recharge your batteries. In 2006/7 we built the main house and the cottage was completed in 2019. It is a cosy ground floor (no stairs) Straw Bale Cottage. This means the walls are super thick (and yes, they 'breathe'), the insulation factor is very high ( R40 to 50), therefore no Air conditioning required). It is heated by GeoThermal in non summer months, that runs heat through the pipes in the floor, called radiant floor heating in winter. This self contained one bedroom cottage invites you to 'decompress', 'let it all go', feed your soul with nature and reconnect with your roots. **During Covid, rest assured that the cottage will have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized as per Air B&B protocols** During your stay here, you will have access to all the nature trails on the property (some are actually named and you will have access to a map to navigate). You are Welcome to find a comfortable spot anywhere in the extensive garden, that has many unique features and sitting areas, or by the fire pit (seasonal). You could fly a kite on the open area ,(weather dependant of course) play badminton, croquett, or just sit and meditate. In winter, you can explore the trails on the property with our complimentary snow shoes. With abundant bird life right outside your door, you can witness (Spring) Bluebirds in their nesting boxes, Baltimore Orioles feeding, Woodpeckers that will come so close you could almost touch them, and so many other kinds of birds and wildlife too numerous to mention. Go for a gentle hike (sturdy footwear advised) into the back 40, on our well maintained trails. *Please note you assume all responsibility for your health & well being by virtue of using the trails. Bring your binoculars and camera. And don't forget the sunscreen and bug spray.. we do live in the country after all! We Welcome bookings for a min of 2 nights or more. ** Please note, long weekends are a minimum of 3 nights booking** Most likely I/we will be here during your stay to answer any questions you may have or help with advice on what to do, where to go in the area. Most often, you'll find me/us in the garden as it is my passion and is always requiring my attention! You will have your own private sitting area if you prefer to be on your own. You may well tho, be visited by one of our '4 legged ambassadors ' ... Molly-dog, or Sally-cat. FYI, Covid questionnaire must be answered prior to arrival: Woodlands Retreat Straw Bale Cottage on Air B & B PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL: During these challenging times, Air B & B and our policies, procedures, have had to change: To stay with us, you must pass the criteria of our COVID-19 screening questions: • Have you have a fever, cough or any flu/cold-like symptoms or generally feeling unwell in the past 14 days? • Have you travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days? • Is there any chance that you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 or any flu/cold like symptoms? • Have you or anyone in your household had close contact with some who has travelled anywhere outside of Canada in last 14 days? If you are able to answer NO to the above, then you are clear to come and stay with us. Please follow these protocols during your stay here: *Upon arrival please wear your mask (as will I) while I show you to the cottage and go over a few important 'things you need to know'. *Please observe social distancing at all times with your host, and do not shake hands. Interaction with pets is fine. * For your safety and peace of mind, all surfaces have been wiped down with disinfectant wipes, after a thorough cleaning was performed. *Sanitizing wipes are very hard to find in stores up here, so we provide a homemade bag of wipes for your use (made from equal parts 70% alcohol and boiled water, Dawn dish soap and tea tree oil) . If you prefer to bring your own, please do so. Please , before your departure, remove all garbage, compost and recycling to the outside bins and wash out bins, strip beds and put all linens and towels in bag provided. Wipe down all high touch surfaces with the provided wipes: door handles, light switches, counter tops, toilet, taps, hand rails , fridge and appliances as much as possible with the wipes. If you need more, please let us know. Thank you for your co operation and understanding during these difficult times. We are nestled just outside of Coldwater, in the country but easily accessible. This area is a 4 seasons area. Plenty to do if you want to explore. Mt. St. Louis Moonstone Ski hills are 10 mins away, Horseshoe Valley Ski, 20 mins, Hardwood Ski & Bike 20 mins. Blue Mountain, Collingwood is about 45 mins away. Orillia: 15km Boating, lakes, beaches, shopping, festivals, Opera House, hiking trails, restaurants, farmers market, marina, Coldwater 5 km: quaint village, Antique Grist Mill, Museum, farmers market Gravenhurst 30 km Gateway to Muskoka, steamship tours, farmers market, beaches, quaint town, restaurants and more Midland: 20 km Gateway to Georgian Bay, shopping, waterfront, marina, restaurants, Georgian Bay, hospital, Wye Marsh, Saint Marie among the Hurons, Martyr's Shrine. Casino Rama is 40 mins away for your entertainment enjoyment. There are farmers markets on many days of the weeks, with unique artisans to visit. Many studio tours run throughout the Spring/Summer/Fall season. Orillia has a festival most weekends in the summer. Bass Lake conservation area is 10 mins away : swim/hike, snow shoe or X country ski (need own equipment) , or if you want to go into Orillia, (15 mins) there are numerous beaches there too. If you wish to stay closer to home, we offer complimentary snow shoes for use on the property during your stay. You need a car. There is no public transport in the area. It's a great area for biking and often times, during the Spring, Summer & Fall, the area is a favorite for those training on their racing bikes , as the undulating terrain provides unique training challenges. Unfortunately, if you are a smoker, this is not the destination for you. We have zero tolerance for smoking (anything) ANYWHERE on the property. You will be asked to leave immediately if you violate this rule. Please note, we have a dog and a cat. The kitchen is equipped with the following appliances : 2 burner induction cook top, toaster oven (capable of cooking a whole chicken or pizza), invertion microwave, toaster, kettle, blender, coffee maker, keurig machine (bring your own pods) and outside we have a full size BBQ (non snow months only) . We do not have a stove. Kitchen is fully stocked with pots, pans, fry pans, dishes and cutlery, storage containers, bowls, glassware, utensils etc. Everything you'll need during your stay! We have a TV, with basic cable and DVD with a decent selection of movies. Maybe you prefer to play some games from the selection in the living room cabinet, or croquet or badminton outside on the grass. We even have a kite you can fly! In the interest of guests who will follow you, we ask that you leave heavily scented perfumes, aftershaves, potions, lotions & sprays etc at home. We attempt to keep the artificial 'scents' to a minimum and to that end, we air dry all linens & towels, either outside or on the Eco rack inside. We do not use any fabric softners or harsh cleaning chemicals. To limit the use of plastic we provide pump liquid hand soap and a bottle of '5 in 1' for the shower. *** Please rest assured, Air B & B Covid protocols are followed with a full disinfecting of all hard surfaces, door knobs, handles, switch plates, toilet, sink faucets, remote controls, countertops etc after the complete and through cleaning has been performed.*** If you prefer to bring your own wipes, feel free to do so