And now we have big plans afoot!

To celebrate 10 years of B&B we have decided to take a year off, and we have been very lucky to find a wonderful couple to continue the business during this time.  We met Tim and Lottie through the Lyttelton Time bank www.lyttelton.net.nz and the more we talked with them the more we knew that at last we had found the people who would treasure Bergli and look after our guests in the same way that we would.

Another reason for the holiday was Rowena's experience of being a cancer survivor. Retirement in ten years time seems a long way away, so we decided to take a slice of early retirement.

The first plan is for two and a half months of sailing to Stewart Island. We haven't enjoyed a long summer holiday in New Zealand for more than 10 years, so we are looking forward to swimming, kayaking, walking and more.

From When we return in April we will sometimes be using a tiny smoko hut Max built, a few minutes walk from the house, through the forest. And we will have the use of Max's workshop for working on more windows.

Check in to this newsletter for more updates!

Message from Tim and Lottie:

We love waking up at Bergli – just one look out at the port hills and harbour views and we feel so lucky to have found our way to this magical place! Having spent the last 2 years travelling we arrived in New Zealand in August and planned to work for 3 months before heading on home. On our fourth day in the country we pitched up at the Lyttelton community garden. Before we knew it we were happily turning compost heaps, attacking couch grass with gusto and wondering whether going home to the UK was really such a good idea after all. Margaret of Project Lyttelton and the community garden then suggested we join her for a walk around Bergli to chat and brainstorm some ideas for the land with its owners. One thing led to another and well, six months later here we are! We’ve moved into Bergli and are busy preparing to look after the land and the B&B business for Max and Rowena, swapping places with them as they head off for some well deserved travelling of their own.

We are thrilled, nervous, excited but above all so happy to have been given a chance to live in this beautiful place and share it with others. Although we both grew up in rural parts of England we spent our twenties in South East London – quite a change then this slice of rural life!

So for the next little while we will be doing our best to ensure that everyone who visits loves the place as much as we do, keeping good care of cattle, sheep, alpacas and cats, working the land and treasuring every moment. There are sure to be some trials along the way so watch this space and we will keep you updated with tales of the highs and lows that ensue in the coming months!

Finally bon voyage and a huge thank you to Max and Rowena!