SWAPPED NARROWBOAT FOR A GEORGIAN MANOR

Lottie Reeves, 39, runs Galloway Glamping (@gallowayglamping) and lives in Dumfries with her partner Kevin, 37, 20-month-old daughter Matilda, and mum Caroline

When lockdown was announced, my partner Kevin and I were living on a narrowboat and I was pregnant with our daughter, Matilda.

Ever since Kevin and I met in his native South Africa, we’ve loved travelling. For the first few years we were together we travelled around the coast of South Africa together.

Then, after moving to England six years ago, Kevin saw a narrowboat on a canal and instantly fell in love.

We had one specially made and travelled the length of the country. Although we were nomads, we met up with narrowboaters and felt part of a community. We loved the freedom.

Kevin was working in the film industry and I was an antenatal teacher. But when lockdown hit, life changed. We had to moor our boat in the same location and couldn’t mix with others. We felt isolated and stuck.

Then my mum decided to retire as leader of Guildford Borough Council, and I discovered I was pregnant. It was time to make a change and lockdown gave us the push we needed to pursue our dream to run a glamping business.

Mum sold her house, we sold the narrowboat and we pooled our resources to look for a permanent home together. One day we saw a run-down six-bed Georgian manor house in a remote part of Scotland.

It was on the market for next to nothing and needed gutting and refurbishing. Kevin went to see it and we immediately put an offer in.

It was a huge gamble, but our beautiful manor house surrounded by the unspoilt wilds of Scotland is wonderful. The renovation has been stressful but it’s amazing to finally put down roots. And I love that Matilda will be able to go to primary school in the local village and make some permanent friends too.

Seeing her run about in the garden makes the stress of moving worthwhile.