As October rolled around, it struck me that we'd only been on one little trip this year. It's hard to know whether this was down to the pandemic, the fact I started a new job in March or that we took on a hefty garden renovation project that ate up most of our summer months.

Then I saw a couple of Instagram stories a fellow blogger had posted about their week at Kudhva and got the urge to book a weekend away right at that moment.

Luckily, we had the means to do that, which wasn't the case for most of the year. (Garden renovations are expensive!) It had been roughly four years since our last venture to Kudhva and I was excited to see how it had changed during that time. So, in mid-October, we packed our bags and headed South.

Our car, once again, lurched up the stony quarry track and pulled into the car park. The Engine House, standing proud on the hillside above, greeted us like an old friend. 'Kudhva' is the Cornish word for 'Hideout' and the camp is set within a disused slate quarry on the North coast of Cornwall.

We checked into K1 again, the architectural cabin (and original prototype) that we stayed in the first time around. Whilst the cabin itself was pretty much the same, the vegetation around us had really thickened out, creating a private little nook just for us within the 45-acre site.

The last time we were here, we let ourselves in and unloaded our car in the pitch-black night. We didn't see a soul until daybreak. This time it was mid-afternoon, there were a lot more people about, some new faces and some old ones too, like Mabel.

We met Mabel on our 2017 trip, during the faux wedding photoshoot they were having on-site. She was the bride, Finn (who is now over in Aus) was the groom and we (therefore, somewhat immortalised in the promotional material) ended up being 'guests'.

The wood-fired hot tub that sits on the hilltop overlooking Trebarwith Strand beach to the West, was there last time but we didn't use it for some unknown reason.

We sat there, after dark and under the stars, a chilled cider in hand and Keaton Henson playing in the background. The hot water prickled our skin whilst the cold breeze whipped at our faces.

I highly recommend a sunset dip if you are thinking of booking anytime soon.

Something that wasn't there last time and I was eager to see, was The Danish Cabin.

Located through the woods and down towards the waterfall, you'd be fooled into thinking it had been there forever. Like some relic leftover from a bygone age but still in immaculate condition.

The Danish Cabin sleeps six people and has large sliding doors, which open out onto the wooden deck beyond, forever blurring the line between indoors and out.

It is built on stilts, under which a babbling stream runs by, meandering its way down to the waterfall's edge. I particularly love how they have incorporated the established trees, often building around them so they become part of the design. Adding further to the illusion that the cabin has always been there.

As we wandered further into the dense woods and down a sturdy wooden ladder, we came out into a beautiful clearing by the waterfall. The vegetation all around us was a patchwork of colour in Autumn.

This is probably my favourite part of Kudhva. When you're down there all other sounds recede and you are left with just the soothing sound of cascading water.

Dan had a go on the floating pontoon but we weren't feeling brave enough for any wild swimming in the reservoir that time of year (something I'm hoping to improve next year).

Some other additions to Kudhva are the two neighbourhood goats, Lincoln and Mississippi (Missi for short). When they aren't in their corral, you can find them out and about in the undergrowth, nibbling on low hanging branches.

Another highlight of our trip was seeing just how matured the vegetation and landscaping had become around the Kudhvas. You can see a before and after of K3 here. To be honest, I might have to do a before and after blog post as I find that kind of thing fascinating.

Lastly, we were given a sneak peek at what's next for Kudhva by the owner, Louise (and our favourite resident camp doggo, Winter). It's top-secret I'm afraid, so no photos at this point, but it's an exciting new chapter.

I keep saying I'll go back there to unwind, read my book and welcome the slow-life for a couple of days but, in reality, I run around like a mad-hatter trying to take photos of everything at the best time of day. Not wanting to miss a moment.

That being said, I don't think I'll leave it another four years before visiting again. Besides the beautiful surroundings, I always feel like I'm part of the family when I'm there. I'm thinking a Summer break in the Shanti Tipi field when the daylight hours are at their longest.