Could you survive having your phone locked away in a box for three days? Our plucky digital detoxer gave it a try at the Unplugged Retreat in Hertfordshire.
I know I spend too much time on my phone – we all do. The average Brit scrolls for over three hours a day, which explains why our brains so often feel overloaded. Add city life into the mix – sirens, crowds, constant hustle – and burnout feels almost inevitable. Burnout can creep in quietly, leaving you mentally and physically drained before you even realise it.
That’s why Unplugged, a three-day off-grid retreat, caught my attention. The concept is simple: hand over your phone, lock it in a box and spend the next 72 hours recharging somewhere quiet and beautiful. No WiFi. No notifications. Just stillness.
I’d been meaning to go since Unplugged launched in 2020 but, ironically, could never carve out the time. Freelance life doesn’t come with annual leave, and while I talk a big game about balance and self-care, I struggle to practice either. So, when a rare free weekend appeared in my diary this summer, I booked it as a much-needed reset for me and a friend.
Here’s how I got on…
Unplugged’s minimalist cabins are scattered across the UK, each carefully placed in its own slice of countryside. I chose Frank, one of their newest outposts, set on a working farm in Hertfordshire.
It’s only a 30-minute train ride from London (Euston), yet somehow it felt like the depths of Cornwall. Frank sits on a gravel patch overlooking rolling hills and we couldn’t believe how quiet it was – the kind of silence you rarely find, broken only by birdsong and the occasional bleat.
Powered entirely by solar energy, the cabin proves that living sustainably doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort. Inside, it’s small but perfectly formed: lots of natural wood and thoughtful details make it feel more boutique than basic. There’s a hot shower, fluffy towels and Piglet in Bed linen that was so good I made a mental note to look it up the moment I got the internet back. Best of all, a huge picture window beside the bed overlooks the countryside views, where sheep wander, trees bend in the breeze and skies stretch endlessly above.
Unplugged is self-catered, which suited us perfectly. The kitchen comes with the essentials – coffee, tea, olive oil and a stove – but you bring everything else. We arrived with tote bags full of goodies from my local organic shop, ready to create our ‘girl dinners’: creamy cheeses, charcuterie, crisp salads, hunks of sourdough, Perello olives and a couple of bottles of Amie rosé.
Every evening, we lit the fire pit, poured wine and ate on the deck as the sun dipped behind the hills. During those nights, with no distractions, we had some of the deepest conversations I think we’ve ever had.
The real joy of Unplugged is rediscovering how to fill time offline. Before going I’d wondered if we’d have enough to do, but it turns out, there was no shortage of simple pleasures. We played cards, read for hours in the sun and wandered the fields, picking wildflowers to decorate our cabin.
One afternoon, we unfolded the paper map provided (a novelty in itself) and set off for The Alford Arms, a nearby pub. Our route turned into a gorgeous one-hour ramble along streams edged with blackberry bushes, past Tudor cottages and beside what we guessed was a disused railway track. The pub was typically English, decked with hanging baskets, and served excellent farm-to-table food.
By the end of three days, I felt calmer and more rested than I had in a long time. The constant itch to check my phone had stopped – and honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted it back.
Of course, I couldn’t stay unplugged forever, and normal life resumed quickly – but with a few changes. I now read before bed instead of scrolling, mute notifications more often and am generally trying to be on my phone less. I’ve also vowed to make Unplugged an annual visit and can’t wait to experience that kind of peace again.
Unplugged is a simple idea, beautifully executed – a modern antidote to overwhelm. I’ve already planned my return, this time to the Healf cabin in Tunbridge Wells, where a sauna and ice bath add an extra wellness twist.
Lead image credit: Samantha Lewis
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