Celebrate the art of doing nothing on an off-grid cabin escape in the UK

Bracken would be a very good place to be a fugitive. First off, the cabin’s location is a bit of a mystery — you only find out exactly where it is once you’ve booked. Secondly, it’s a bit of an adventure to reach. Turning off a quiet B road running through the Shropshire Hills north of Ludlow, guests bump along a farm track for a mile or so before abandoning the car altogether and continuing on foot through woodland, pushing bags in a wheelbarrow.

By the time you arrive, all thoughts of normal life have been forgotten. And that’s exactly the point. It’s one of the newest from a growing stable of off-grid cabins scattered across England and Wales run by Unplugged, whose philosophy is that we ‘would be happier if we dedicated time to going offline for a few days each year’. The first step to a more contented life, according to their instructions, is to lock your phone away in the box provided for the duration of your stay.

Tech-free is no deprivation here. You’ll likely be too distracted by your surroundings to miss your phone. Backed by woods alive with the sounds of foxes and muntjacs, Bracken looks out over steeply banking hills and fields, with kestrels screeching overhead. There’s not a road in sight, just the tiny dots of farmhouses far in the distance. The cabin’s enormous picture windows mean you can watch the landscape change under the passing clouds and arc of the sun. And with so little light pollution, stargazing from the double bed or by the firepit outside is a particular highlight.

The cabin’s design is pared back but comfortable, with a kitchen, shower room and log-burner. There’s analogue entertainment in the form of board games, a radio, an instant camera and books — but, really, it’s the natural world, slowly unfurling after winter, that will absorb all your attention. To be closeted away from life in a patch of countryside that feels all your own is more than enough to occupy your time.

What else to do in the area

Visit a historic market town
It's worth spending some time getting pleasantly lost on medieval Ludlow's narrow streets before exploring its hilltop Norman castle. There are a couple of delis, too — ideal for picking up supplies.

Go for a walk in the woods
A 2,500-acre plot of conifers, oak and beech, Mortimer Forest has numerous marked walks. The nine-mile Climbing Jack Trail gives a good overview of the forest, with superb views along the way.

Glide over the Long Mynd
For a loftier perspective on the Shropshire Hills, head to Church Stretton and launch yourself off the Long Mynd plateau in a tandem paraglider, accompanied by a certified guide.