The ideal retreat home

Kevin Peacocke

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Whether it be your retirement home, a getaway from the city, a little place far away where you can just be happy, what does your heaven on earth look like?
For some it may be a log cabin in the woods, or by a peaceful lake with deer coming to see you. Some a tent under an acacia tree at the end of a sand track.

For me it is a set up on the Zambezi under huge albidas, a collection of thatched rondawels, canvas chairs around the fire to share with visitors whafting in, much like this pic from Wild & Jag magazine.
What would your's be?
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Great topic @Kevin Peacocke.

If I may suggest perhaps, I’d be interested in what our members from all over the world would consider their ideal retreat location as well. In the real world I mean. With all things considered.

What place would be better than most others due to the rule of law, climate, fauna and flora, taxes, freedom, people, etc. to go find your perfect retirement/retreat home?
 
Great topic @Kevin Peacocke.

If I may suggest perhaps, I’d be interested in what our members from all over the world would consider their ideal retreat location as well. In the real world I mean. With all things considered.

What place would be better than most others due to the rule of law, climate, fauna and flora, taxes, freedom, people, etc. to go find your perfect retirement/retreat home?
A bit different and wider than what we are talking about here VBE, I'll start a different post on that too?
 
A few years ago I missed an opportunity to buy a rundown stone bothy (shepherds hut) in the Scottish highlands. It was on a small parcel of land in the hills along the whisky route. Fly fishing and deer stalking on the door step. My ideal retreat would be along the lines of ‘Alone in the Wilderness’ by Dick Proenneke- basically no people and unspoilt wilderness, but living in the UK means that scenario is very rare.
 
A modest house in or near the mountains of Alberta or British Columbia has been discussed by my wife and I. It would be a great place to have some trophies displayed that are not allowed in the USA but are allowed in Canada, such as polar bear, elephant ivory, etc…. but then COVID came along and Canada was closed for a long time. Not sure now!?! We also enjoy alpine skiing so that’s another reason to think about it.
 
This is mine..a cottage in the norwegain mountains, 1015 meters above sea..love to walk, ski and hunt this area..yes it takes some snow shoveling...I said that before your remarks.. :p

Hytta.jpeg
 
This is mine..a cottage in the norwegain mountains, 1015 meters above sea..love to walk, ski and hunt this area..yes it takes some snow shoveling...I said that before your remarks.. :p

View attachment 523559

Does look nice as long as it's in a picture postcard....that be close enough for me :E Big Grin:
 
Whether it be your retirement home, a getaway from the city, a little place far away where you can just be happy, what does your heaven on earth look like?
For some it may be a log cabin in the woods, or by a peaceful lake with deer coming to see you. Some a tent under an acacia tree at the end of a sand track.

For me it is a set up on the Zambezi under huge albidas, a collection of thatched rondawels, canvas chairs around the fire to share with visitors whafting in, much like this pic from Wild & Jag magazine.
What would your's be?
View attachment 523523
I drift to two different places when daydreaming about such things. One is definitely as you describe. The other is in Northern Canada. I aim to split my time between somewhere in southern Africa and my camp up north here.

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Here’s mine on sixty sixty acres surrounded my wildlife conservancy land. 22kms from the nearest road and only accessible by atv. One of the few brook systems to still contain trout runs through the meadow. Invasive species namely pickerel and bass have all but wiped out the trout locally.
 
Ultimate retreat home?:

1.) In USA
2.) In growing agriculture range zone 4 to zone 7
3.) Has its own woods, water, and agriculture
4.) Has abundant game and fish
5.) Isn’t within 250 miles of a nuclear missile base
6.) Is near a major interstate
7.) Has fireplaces and ample hardwoods
8.) Low taxes
9.) Has high speed telecommunications
10.) Has an orchard and garden
11.) Has no lawn to mow
12.) Inconvenient to trasspassers


I think I sorted all that out, the only thing it is not is off-grid, otherwise it would be a sustainable place to live under virtually any circumstance.
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Building mine now, I retire in 3 years.
log home at 8500ft elevation in the Bridger-Tetons of Wyoming that butts up to 10 million acres of public land. Elk, moose, deer, Pronghorn, Grizzly bears, Mt lions, wolves etc. right in my back yard.
pic of the house plan we're building
Cabin 2.0 1 story.jpg

This is where the walk out basement is poured and will be the view out the front. Framing starts in June.
Dubois view 1.jpg
 
Does look nice as long as it's in a picture postcard....that be close enough for me :E Big Grin:
I am with you. :A Way To Go: We retired to Texas because we no longer do snow. :oops:
 
My get away in Northeastern Missouri. Spend a lot of time working on the habitat fro the wildLife. Plenty of time to remember what is important in life while running a chainsaw or spraying the fields.

2A2A834D-997B-4F14-BA80-4F610EDD4DB6.jpeg
 
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This is where I’d like to be.
Fairly remote area of Lake Tanganyika, a special place for me and my family.

unfortunately I can’t/don’t spend the time there that I’d like.
E11E9CE1-4805-4398-9698-DB7164F59FAA.jpeg


water is essential for me!
 
Building mine now, I retire in 3 years.
log home at 8500ft elevation in the Bridger-Tetons of Wyoming that butts up to 10 million acres of public land. Elk, moose, deer, Pronghorn, Grizzly bears, Mt lions, wolves etc. right in my back yard.
pic of the house plan we're building
View attachment 523583
This is where the walk out basement is poured and will be the view out the front. Framing starts in June.
View attachment 523584
You are not far from what I was going to say.

I used to base out of the Hawks Rest patrol cabin on Yellowstone Meadows.
 
I drift to two different places when daydreaming about such things. One is definitely as you describe. The other is in Northern Canada. I aim to split my time between somewhere in southern Africa and my camp up north here.

View attachment 523561

View attachment 523562
Very cozy, especially with a wood burner inside when it is cold weather.
 
Ultimate retreat home?:

1.) In USA
2.) In growing agriculture range zone 4 to zone 7
3.) Has its own woods, water, and agriculture
4.) Has abundant game and fish
5.) Isn’t within 250 miles of a nuclear missile base
6.) Is near a major interstate
7.) Has fireplaces and ample hardwoods
8.) Low taxes
9.) Has high speed telecommunications
10.) Has an orchard and garden
11.) Has no lawn to mow
12.) Inconvenient to trasspassers


I think I sorted all that out, the only thing it is not is off-grid, otherwise it would be a sustainable place to live under virtually any circumstance.
View attachment 523580
View attachment 523577
View attachment 523578
View attachment 523579
Wow that is great, is that your actual home Rook, or you live elsewhere?
 
Building mine now, I retire in 3 years.
log home at 8500ft elevation in the Bridger-Tetons of Wyoming that butts up to 10 million acres of public land. Elk, moose, deer, Pronghorn, Grizzly bears, Mt lions, wolves etc. right in my back yard.
pic of the house plan we're building
View attachment 523583
This is where the walk out basement is poured and will be the view out the front. Framing starts in June.
View attachment 523584
Beautiful place to retire to. Is there hunting on that public land?
 
A few years ago I missed an opportunity to buy a rundown stone bothy (shepherds hut) in the Scottish highlands. It was on a small parcel of land in the hills along the whisky route. Fly fishing and deer stalking on the door step. My ideal retreat would be along the lines of ‘Alone in the Wilderness’ by Dick Proenneke- basically no people and unspoilt wilderness, but living in the UK means that scenario is very rare.
There are more, go for it, I'll come and help you with the trout. Or the whiskey. Or both.
 

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