Woodlands Retreat Straw Bale Cottage 2 bdrm

Woodlands Retreat Straw Bale Cottage is a warm, cosy, comfortable 2 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 10 mins from Mt. St. Louis Ski, 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. Please note, our cottage is Not suitable for Children under 12. In 2006/7 we built the main (Straw bale) 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 - to keep it cool, we open up all the windows in thru the night and keep them closed during the hot daytime). It is heated by GeoThermal that runs heat through the pipes in the floor, called radiant in-floor heating in winter, with a cozy propane fireplace for back up. This self contained one or two bedroom cottage invites you to 'let it all go' and soak up nature and reconnect with your roots. We Welcome bookings with a 2 nights minimum. ** Long weekends are a minimum of 3 nights booking** Please also note, while we do have wifi, it can be unpredictable (satellite) and is not suitable for streaming or netflix. We invite you to 'give yourself permission' to unplug for your stay and soak up all nature has to offer you in your surroundings. *During Covid, the cottage will have been thoroughly cleaned gand sanitized to give you an increased comfort level* During your stay here, you will have access to all the nature trails on the property (some are actually named). 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, croquette, or just sit and meditate. During the winter months, we offer complimentary snow shoe's for you to use on the property to explore the private trails. With abundant bird life right outside your door, you may witness (depending on the season) Bluebirds in their nesting boxes, Baltimore Orioles feeding, Woodpeckers (Pileated, Hairy and Downy) 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 - bring sturdy walking shoe's/boots (or snow shoe in winter) 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 (summer and winter) and bug spray [spring/summer].. we do live in the country after all! It's very 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 (Spring/Summer/Fall), 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. Every Saturday Orillia Farmers Market one at Odas Park, one downtown at Orillia Opera House 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 is 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, Foodland; 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. We have Mount St. Louis ski hill 10 mins away, Horseshoe Valley 20 mins , Hardwood ski & bike 20 mins. 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 show or Xcountry ski in winter (need your own equipment) or if you want to go into Orillia, (15 mins) there are numerous nice beaches there too. Be sure to check out our winter Snow Shoeing experience. 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 : Full size fridge, 2 burner induction cook top, toaster oven (capable of cooking a whole chicken or pizza), invertion microwave, toaster, kettle, coffee maker, keurig machine (bring your own pods), blender and outside we have a full size BBQ (during no snow season). We do not have a full stove/oven. 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 bottle of shower gel and shampoo/conditioner 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. We provide our home made antiseptic wipes for use in the cottage.