Silent Pool Deep Blue Dreams
Nestled in the North Downs of Surrey you will find the natural wonder that is Silent Pool. This old chalk quarry fed by underground springs boasts stunning turquoise blue water surrounded by evergreen box trees, making for an ethereal atmosphere as you overlook the picture perfect lagoon.
Being local to the area, it’s somewhere I’d heard a lot of great things about and been meaning to visit for a long time. There is of course the Silent Pool gin distillery based here too with its exquisitely designed floral blue bottle inspired by this luscious landscape.
I’ve never seen such truly turquoise water in a naturally occurring pool like this before and the plush green trees overhanging the water create the most incredible reflections.
Legend has it that King John rode on his horse to the pool and abducted a woodcutter’s daughter, who he forced into the deep water and drowned. This folklore dates back to a book by Martin Tupper written in 1858 and it’s even rumoured that the maiden’s ghost can be seen by the pool at midnight.
Given its otherworldly beauty and serene stillness, Silent Pool has been linked back to numerous historical stories like this and is even considered by some as a sacred site.
I too felt very peaceful and calm by the harmonious elegance of the lagoon as we walked along the narrow paths enveloped in luscious greenery. A top tip would be to take a blanket and a little picnic to sit by the waterside and soak up the tranquility of such splendid surroundings.
Next time I would be intrigued to take a tour of the gin distillery next door and have a proper insight into the history and background of Silent Pool. And if you’re looking for somewhere a little different to take a stroll or have a picnic with your partner or family, this is a truly unique spot which feels like heaven on earth ❤
Living in the beautiful Hampshire countryside, we really are spoilt with some of the most picturesque surroundings which we usually take for granted.
Hopping on the bikes and taking a new route each time we venture out, we’ve been lucky enough to discover some awesome new locations. So when we found this bluebell woods in full bloom we couldn’t wait to do a shoot!
The ideal time to capture such dense woodland is at sunset when the light is peaking through the trees and showering those golden hour hues. It’s always fun to just experiment in order to capture those more natural action shots.
So whilst we may have to wait to go out in the world and travel foreign lands again, I’m thankful to be chasing such picturesque sunsets back in my home country; it’s time to rediscover the natural beauty of our homelands ❤
Having previously made the move to Aus solo, it was a different experience to be holidaying with my buddy. As two outgoing, confident individuals, as a pair we had no trouble making friends and weren’t afraid to explore new places and try new things. Of course you can’t take yourself too seriously and it’s so important to be able to maintain humour particularly at yourself.
I would definitely recommend travelling with one or two very close friends to have that someone to share your experience with, laugh alongside and to have one another’s backs no matter what. That’s not to say travelling alone isn’t doable, as I did so myself, it’s just so awesome to have someone to do things with and reminisce on the moments shared.
One of the lessons I learnt early on in my travels was that ‘if you dare to remove yourself, the true you will follow.’ I know that taking myself away from the safety of home when I originally moved to Aus, was a huge learning curve and proved that I am capable of achieving so many things on my own. The same applies when you’re travelling even with a partner, as you are both out of your comfort zones and have to adapt to the spontaneity of the adventure.
Being my 3rd year in a row celebrating in Aus, it’s always a big one as coincidently my birthday falls on Australia Day – the anniversary of when the first fleet of British ships arrived on the shores of Australia. Although a controversial national holiday given the impact white man had on the indigenous Aboriginal people of the land, it’s an excuse to get out the BBQ and join together with friends to soak up the peak of summertime.
This year I found myself back down in the Southern Highlands with my closest friends from my time in Aus. It was also another friend’s birthday that weekend, so the guys pulled out all the stops for a fantastic party including delicious food, good old Aussie garden games and even a coffee cocktail cart!
One of my old housemates comes from a Portuguese family of foodies, so produce is super fresh and nothing done in half measures. I was very happy with the array of cocktails on offer, including my favourite Espresso Martinis made with the best Australian roasted coffee. The night previous I also got involved prepping homemade hummus and even fermenting sauerkraut and kimchi. However the star of the show was the Hog Roast which got going on the spit from 9am to be ready for the afternoon.
After such a feast and plenty of beers down, we spent the arvo basking in the sunshine and listening to Triple J Radio top 100, before going out into the field at sundown for an obligatory game of Cricket. It just wouldn’t be an Australia Day if we didn’t play Cricket and it’s become a tradition to do so on my birthday… along with the need for VB Beers to keep me smiling of course!
As golden hour glowed and the sunset, I was so happy to have spent another fabulous birthday in the land down under. I’m very lucky to have made such special friends during my time living in Sydney and I don’t doubt we will be partying together again in the very near future. Cheers for the beers and awesome times Straya!
It was Cara’s first real travel experience so it was my pleasure to show her the ropes of Aus and discover the wonders of Bali together. Being in each others pockets for a month proved our unbreakable friendship; from laughing til our bellies hurt and tearing up the club dance floors arm in arm, to opening up over a glass of wine and making sure we gave each other space when we needed it, a true friend is there in a heartbeat no matter what.
I can honestly tell this girl anything and I’m never scared to be totally myself around her – I hope she would say the same for me. So when she had to leave for England to get back home for work whilst I was going back to Sydney for another week, I felt like I had a limb missing! I even woke up one day back in Aus and started searching the flat for her for a good 15 minutes before I realised she wasn’t there.
Our month travelling together has only made our friendship stronger and I couldn’t wish for a more awesome, caring, funny, loveable bestie. I don’t doubt we will be planning our next trip together again very soon to add to our many special memories shared over the years ❤
This was our last evening together on Echo Beach with my travel buddy, a special time which I will cherish forever. Life doesn’t get much better than watching a sunset on the beach with beers and your best friend by your side.
As we sipped our beers and watched on as the sun dipped below the horizon, I had an overwhelming feeling of content and happiness. Life can get on top of us all at the best of times, but in taking myself out of my comfort zone and exploring new places over the past few years, I have gained a more worldly perspective on my privileged life.
Little did we know that our time in Bali together was to end on such a high as following these sundown drinks, we had another spontaneous night out partying. After meeting more great Aussie guys who ended up being our companions for the evening, we found ourselves dancing on the beach at Sand Bar again until 3am!
I thought Bali was good for my soul in so many ways; from the stunning beaches lined with palm trees and awesome clubs open at any hour, to the laid back lifestyle of friendly locals and their outstanding health food scene, I’m hooked on the place. Bali, I will be back for more wonderfully wild times again soon ❤
La Brisa really is an oasis by the sea encapsulating the essence of boho chic Bali style. Built amongst the palm trees upon a natural decent towards the beach, it’s like a wonderful maze walking amongst the different areas to discover the hidden bars and pools.
Whether you just want a sundown drink and good tunes, or fancy renting your own daybed complete with cute nautical style decor, this place is a sanctuary for metropolitan and nomadic travellers alike.
Being just a 5 minute walk from our hotel, we couldn’t help but wonder down to catch sunset with a few drinks at La Brisa most evenings!
With treehouse inspired architecture and enchanting decor made from hundreds of reclaimed Balinese fisher boats, La Brisa is an otherworldly escape amongst the madness and beauty of Bali.
One of the places high on my list to try in Canggu was Give Cafe, sister to the famous Kynd Cafe in Ubud. This colourful little eatery with its pretty interiors gives all of its profits to charity, so at the end of your visit you pop your token into one of the charity boxes that they support to choose where your money goes. A fully vegan menu includes local dishes such as the Balinese curry which I opted for, as well as nutritious salad bowls and meat free alternatives which could be mistaken for the real thing – those satay skewers were just like chicken!
Another awesome cafe we were keen to hit up was Cinta Cafe which overlooks a rice paddy. This makes for a picture perfect lunch setting in the heart of Bali, especially when enjoyed sitting back and sipping on a coconut.
Next we tried Shady Shack for dinner as we’d heard great things about this hidden gem nestled in the trees just off the main drag in Canggu. Sat on wooden benches amongst the foliage glistening with fairy lights, it makes for an intimate dinner setting with friends or a partner. I was overwhelmed with the extensive choice of salad bowls and vegan dishes, but finally settled on the green bowl including zucchini noodles, broccoli heads and lettuce drizzled in a creamy peanut sauce and topped with a sweet almond brittle. Everything was so fresh and portions were certainly generous without compromise on flavour; this was my favourite dinner spot as I can’t resist a loaded salad bowl.
Back to brekky, I had my eye on the acai bowls I’d seen on Instagram from The Loft. A little on the pricier side given its reputation, I couldn’t fault the presentation of this perfectly formed bowl which even came with a cute pineapple gold spoon for me to scrape every last bit from the coconut. Located on one of the main strips in Canggu, I sat out on the terrace and savoured by sweet acai bowl whilst watching the madness of Bali scooters racing by.
Given our short trip, we weren’t in Bali long enough to sample all of the fabulous places I’ve seen scrolling through Instagram. We did however cover a lot of Canggu and on the most part everywhere was reasonable and eating out was relatively cheap, with the total cost of dinner and drinks typically about half what you’d pay in England! Whilst I didn’t manage to photograph every place we went – I was enjoying myself too much 😉 – below is a list of some of the best cafes, restaurants and bars we did visit and would highly recommend trying for yourself:
At just 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah (about £25) for a private two hour lesson, including the hire of boards and rashy also, it was a bargain! Although I had already surfed quite a few times before, it was great to have one on one tuition and I learnt so much too including how to turn and gather more speed on a wave.
By the end of our two hours my friend who had never surfed before was catching waves and we didn’t want our afternoon to end. I must admit though, my muscles were aching a lot afterwards especially in my arms as it takes strength and stamina to paddle to catch those waves.
Our instructors were very pleased with our hard work and even brought us both a beer afterwards. They were a good laugh and made us feel comfortable and safe in the water which is so important when learning an extreme sport like surfing.
By sunset we were sipping the last of our beers and discussing the night’s plan for partying ahead. We grabbed a polaroid with our new Balinese mates and later that evening found ourselves sharing more beers together at Old Man’s. What a perfect Bali day – surfing until sunset and then partying by the beach until the early hours – living the dream!
The next week exploring Bali was so eye opening and exceeded all expectations. The Balinese people are incredibly welcoming and friendly and on the whole I felt very safe walking around. We spent our time in the beautiful town of Canggu in our stunning hotel just off of Echo Beach.
I was obsessed in trying all the trendy health food cafes and restaurants which were just so cheap as well. It was hard to resist getting yet another smoothie bowl every morning and the vegan foodie scene is next level, even meat lovers would find it hard to resist.
Likewise shopping in Bali is reasonable if you’re brave enough to haggle! We were spoilt for choice when it came to cool surfer shops and luxurious swimwear brands, but one of the best places to bag a bargain in Canggu is the Love Anchor Market.
We totally emerssed ourselves amongst the bustling social scene of Bali too which would seem to have no care for what day of the week it is, everyday is a party! From sipping beers on the beach at sunset to partying the night away at Old Man’s famous midweek Wednesday blow out, we certainly lived it up Bali style.
I’m looking forward to reliving some of our best moments in Bali here on the blog, so stay tuned for all the wonderful memories we made and tips if you plan on visiting Canggu yourself 🙂
