I have written about this before, but that will not stop me from writing about it again. Sometimes I get the urge to just disappear. Not because I am hiding from anyone, or anything, in particular, but rather because I crave simplicity. I have no desire to go feral, or to not pay tax, or not participate in society. But sometimes I just want to participate less.
When I save up enough money, you will likely find me hiding in Cornwall. It might be somewhere near some water, hidden in a valley, where all I can hear is birdsong and my thoughts, which will hopefully be less loud than they can be in London. Somewhere like Birch Studio, near Lamorna Cove in Cornwall. For sale for £575,000 with Lilicrap Chilcott.
I do not know much about the artist Lamorna Birch, but I feel like I understand him. The property was formerly his studio, and a cursory glance of his paintings makes it clear that Birch Studio must have been a place of great comfort and inspiration for him. Looking at the pictures of the property, it is not hard to understand why.
The pictures also suggest that he might not recognise the property in its current form. But he would likely appreciate the astounding amount of natural light that the large roof windows allow to flood the central living space of the property. He would appreciate the soft pastels and the wood. He might be confused by the sauna and hot tub, but you never know.
The temptation of Birch Studio is one of quiet contemplation. It is not large, just 427sq ft in size, with one bedroom, one bathroom and one kitchen/dining/living room. There is also a first floor mezzanine, which screams reading a great book.
But outside, I think you’ll agree, is where the spell is cast. That babbling stream running past the doorstep, the valley setting, the trees, the colours. It is an enviable goal, to wish to be lost in nature, to be secluded. Birch Studio doesn’t miss.
But maybe you would like to go to the pub. There is one within walking distance. As is the beach and the South West Coastal Path. Penzance is a short drive. There is much to see and do, if you’d like to leave.
But I would stay. I would retire here. Maybe one day I will. You could come visit. Just not that often.
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