Staycation : The Wilderness Reserve

A
few months back, I was lucky enough to be whisked away to the beautiful Wilderness Reserve in Sibton park, Suffolk. I was invited by the
wonderful team at Tenderstem for two days of fun, relaxation and (of
course) delicious food. On arrival myself and the other guests, a mixture of
journalists and bloggers (shout out to my fellow blogging babes Kristabel, Lucia and Melissa)
were greeted with afternoon tea. Now for those of you that know me or
have followed me and the blog for a while, you’ll know that afternoon tea is
a favourite of mine and this one did not disappoint. An array of yummy
bites, from scones, brownies, strawberries and of of course a very
special Tenderstem quiche…epic!

Once
we had all eaten enough to put ourselves into a food coma, we were each
taken to our rooms to freshen up. Whilst at the the wilderness reserve
we stayed in the newest part of the estate, the walled garden. A stunning eight bedroomed cottage, with a private garden and plenty of room to
relax, dine and unwind.
I adored my room, honestly the moment I stepped in I never wanted to
leave! It’s given me some serious #HouseGoals and is something I’d love to
recreate when I own my own home one day *crosses fingers.* After we’d all unpacked and settled in, we re-ensembled for a glass of
bubbly and to set off on a treasure hunt around the estate.

The
estate itself is a collection of luxury cottages and manor houses,
with the main grade-II listed Georgian country house dating back to
1827. It is very Downtown Abbey-esque
and perfect for walking, hiking, biking and wildlife viewing. Home to
100 different bird species along with hundreds of friendly sheep, the
estate is buzzing with life.
Having walked every inch and explored every corner of the estate finding
clues and solving riddles, we headed back to the walled garden to
compare answers and find out which team won… we did, woop! We were
congratulated with even more champagne and posh choccies – my kind of celebration!

Onto the main event, dinner! The Tenderstem team well and truly spoiled
us. Having all gone off and enjoyed some down time, I took full
advantage of the stunning outdoor pool. We all changed and gathered
again for a gin and tonic and to take the Tenderstem ‘food personality’ quiz (you can take it here)
after another gin
cocktail, I was starving. Luckily as soon as my stomach started to
grumble the chef invited us to take our seats as dinner was ready to be
served.
We talked, ate, laughed and drank to our hearts content. Sat around the
table with just candle light, it really was the perfect autumnal
evening. After an amazing three course meal, we all had a glass of red
wine, said our good nights and went off to our rooms to enjoy an early
night. For me of course this was the perfect opportunity to test out the bath!
So there I was, glass of wine in one hand, book in the other, lazing
away in a bubble bath of dreams. It was pure bliss, so much so I had
another one in the morning before we left…sorry bout it.

After
a good nights sleep we all met on the outdoor patio from some freshly
cooked breakfast. For me – eggs benedict (with a sausage on the side
because… why not eh?)
It was the loveliest getaway, short but definitely sweet. I left feeling
totally relaxed and recharged. The Wilderness Reserve is the most
beautiful setting, I couldn’t recommend it enough for a staycation here
in the UK. It’s the perfect destination to switch off and enjoy the beauty
of nature.
Thank you to team Tenderstem for inviting me along and for feeding me
some seriously gorgeous food!

Kate x