by Mark Wood

 As I sit here on the only flat piece of land that exists at St. Olaves house, it re-enforces that the life we create has nothing to do with luck. Eight weeks ago, we left the comfort of our normal life, to live a life on the road, not knowing what we would be doing or where we would be each day.

Eight weeks of adventure has brought us to this idyllic place at the top of Dartmoor in Devon, where the views take your breath away, and the kaleidoscope of wildflowers stop you in your stride. 

You can hear the hypnotic flow of the river Teign at the bottom of the property, it reminds you that if you are fluid with your thoughts you can navigate around any hurdle in life.

It is a simple way of life; you work a few hours a day in exchange for a bed and food. It makes me think of how life must have been for people before it all got so complicated, no money is exchanged. It is a cultural exchange of knowledge and skills, where both sides benefit from meeting each other.

We have cooked for each other, using lots of naturally grown ingredients from Jon and Jane’s amazing garden. We have drunk homemade ginger beer, just like my Nan used to make, there’s been elderflower drink that tastes as fresh as the morning air. Each evening isn’t complete without the herb tea, taken from the garden as the kettle boils, lemon verbena being my favourite, it reminds me of lemon sherbet drops.

You see, when you slow down a bit you start to notice that the world is full of magical moments. The secret is to be in those moments completely, every sense being used to connect to what is in front of you.

Whether it is weeding a vegetable garden, sanding a new worktop you have put in, pruning bushes, feeding the chickens and the quails, picking fresh raspberries, cold water swimming in the river Teign, picking wildflowers for the daily vase, making compost, sitting around a firepit, watering the plants, listening to the huge array of wildlife, the list could go on. But these are just some of the magical moments we have been able to experience through doing this workaway.   

Life is not easier if you follow your dreams, Jon, and Jane work hard every day to create this paradise hidden in the hills of Dartmoor. It may not be everybody’s dream, but it is theirs. It hasn’t come to them by luck, they made big decisions and changes for it to exist.

Karen and I are both grateful they did because it has given us the opportunity to experience something life affirming, even just for a short moment in time.

Workaway is a wonderful opportunity to learn, exchange skills, meet people you wouldn’t normally and have fun.