This outdoors-y startup-y business launched in 2016 with the first cabin in a remote spot just outside of Sydney, all built on the indisputable truth that spending time out in the wilderness (or ‘outback’ as the upside-downers call it) unlocks benefits for your mind, body, along with a spot of insane creativity.
Stop the press! As of July 2022, it’s not just Aussies that can have their mind expanded and their body unwound. Unyoked have brought their relax-tastic experiences to the UK - their first in the Northern Hemisphere. And if you were creating cabins for total relaxation, to ease all that stress out of you and leave you floating in a dream like sense of calm and peace, who would you choose as your bed partner? Bingo. eve Sleep.
Every cabin is equipped with one of our blissfully comfortable King-Sized Original Hybrid mattress, so that guests can enjoy that perfect eve sleep snooze surrounded by the chirps and chirrups of nature.
We caught up with Unyoked’s UK General Manager, Alex Darkin, to learn a bit more about the Unyoked experience (and to get some insider tips for our own Unyoked getaways, of course…)
1. What was the basis for founding Unyoked?
Unyoked was founded by our twin brother CEOs, Cam and Chris in 2016, based on their own experiences of extreme burnout and a desire to spend more time outdoors. The idea is simple: build small, mobile, off-grid cabins, and partner with brilliant landowners to unlock epic nature locations, easily accessible from the city. It was their mission to connect people more directly with the inspiring awe of being immersed in wild spaces and the natural flow-on effects that come from being yanked out of the smog and dropped back into our primal habitat - with some creature comforts, obviously.
2. Your Unyoked experiences focus on allowing people to ‘switch off’ and ‘recharge & reset’. How do you think sleep plays into that?
We all go to sleep each night, but the quality of our sleep can vary wildly depending on what’s happening during our day, how anxious and wired we are and what's coming up when we next wake up. Interrupted, poor sleep is a clear symptom of being stressed AF, something we know scientifically that nature helps relieve. So good sleep is an integral part of recharging and resetting, and we’ve designed the experience to make sure you’ll never sleep so well in your life. The bed is really the primary feature of the cabin. It takes up ⅓ of the floorspace and when you sit or lie on it you’re surrounded by huge windows with panoramic views of nature.
3. Why do you think better sleep is easier to achieve, with regular opportunities to take a break from a busy, always-on life?
Stepping away from the treadmill of work and life commitments is definitely one of the easiest ways to feel and sleep better. If our minds aren’t primed for relaxation, we’re not going to sleep well. There are countless studies which prove that regularly getting back in touch with nature reduces stress, which in turn allows us to get better sleep.
4. How are your cabin experiences designed, to ensure a stress-less escape?
Our cabins are consciously designed to take the guesswork out of your return to nature. We’ve got fresh coffee for you to grind, cookware to use in the cabin and on the campfire, hot showers, super soft linen - and of course, the most comfortable mattress going (Eve sleep’s King Original Hybrid). Just bring yourself and an open mind. Our cabins are built with sustainable natural materials and run on solar so you can feel less anxiety about impacting the environment, too.
5. What’s an ideal Unyoked experience bedtime routine?
Now it’s coming into winter you want to get the cabin nice and cosy. Get a good fire going in the wood burner, unwind with one of our sleeptime teas, get into bed under the warm duvet and leave the curtains up so you can slowly nod off underneath the stars.
6. What is your favourite Unyoked location in the UK?
It’s super hard to pick. We’ve put a lot of effort into making them all really special. Our whole thing is about going the extra mile to get these cabins in the very best nature locations so you can really feel immersed in it. I just stayed at Maynard, the arrival to that cabin is pretty cool - after about a 5 minute walk through woodland you arrive at this winding track on top of a ridge, you drop down, turn round a corner and then see Maynard waiting there for you, nestled in a completely secluded spot amongst the trees.
7. Can you give us an insiders tip on making the most of an Unyoked getaway?
Make the most of our early check-in and arrive early - sunset is a big part of our experience. All of our locations are carefully curated so that you can see the magic of nature in full effect at the end and start of the day. Oh - and bring some food to cook over the fire, it’s a key part of the experience that our past guests always tell us they love. Go full Bear Grylls- but without any of the rolling around in the mud.
Unyoked’s locations are carefully hand picked to be totally secluded and uniquely immersive to help maximise your ability to connect with the outdoors and leave feeling, well, “unyoked”. You’ll find yourself in remote, rolling countryside, ancient woodlands and vast landscapes with some breathtaking views.
All locations are within easy reach of heavily populated cities, with the intention for you to leave the stresses of everyday life behind and conveniently be in your own private cabin in the forest when you actually need it, instead of waiting for your next holiday.
Get the full experience at https://www.unyoked.co