SUNSET YURTS
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Yurt Prices
  • Bell Tent Prices
  • Weddings
    • Stanford Farm Weddings >
      • Stanford Farm Bells FAQ's
    • Sophie & Dan >
      • Sophie & Dan's FAQ's
    • Kelly & Bethan
    • Lauren & Steve
    • Hannah & Matt >
      • Hannah & Matt's FAQ's
    • Matt & Mel
    • Tom & Christine >
      • Tom & Christine''s FAQ's
  • Yurt Workshops
  • Lfest 2019
    • Lfest 2020 FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Gallery

How To Clean and Reproof Your Bell Tent.

5/1/2018

0 Comments

 
I have cleaned and re-waterproofed 5 of my bell tents that are going to be hired out this summer .... still got 15 bell tents to do so I have devised a method that I feel is the most efficient and effective, however things change and I'm improvising as I go along!  This is the method I am currently using for cleaning and re-waterproofing a 5m cotton canvas bell tent with a zipped in groundsheet.  WARNING:  This cleaning method is likely to result in the canvas losing it's natural ability to repel water therefore you will need to apply a waterproofing agent following cleaning.  Once you have applied a waterproofing agent, it is likely that you will have to do so on an annual basis.
1. Brush off all dried debris from the canvas section of the tent.  
2. Remove all guy lines and unzip the canvas from the ground sheet
3. Soak the canvas in a large vessel (I use a water butt, but apparently a bath does the job too!) filled with hot water and at least 2kg of Vanish Gold.  I have also used a cheaper alternative, Astonish Oxy Active Plus and that seems to work just as well.  Leave to soak for at least 24 hours, longer if possible, agitate the canvas in the water as much as possible whilst it's soaking otherwise you'll get an uneven pattern on the canvas.
4.  Rinse with clean warm water and remove the canvas, leaving it spread out if possible until semi-dry.  I use a trampoline to spread tents out to dry whilst it's not being used!  Crawling inside a slimy, cold and wet bell tent to assemble it is not a pleasant experience so it's best to leave it to dry for as long as possible.
5.  Zip the canvas into to the groundsheet, erect the bell tent to make sure it's clean and dry.  Attach the guy lines and peg the tent out.
6.  Place a pair of stepladders inside the tent, loosen the guy ropes, remove the door frame and the central pole.  Sit the central cone atop the stepladders so that the tent is 'semi-erect'!  
7.  Apply Fabsil (reproofing treatment) to the cone and work your way around the tent, removing your shoes and without letting your dog jump all over your nice clean canvas.  Fabsil can be applied using either a brush (painted on) or a spray.  I have used both and there are pros and cons of both methods.  The spray method is only good if there is no wind at all, otherwise the spray goes everywhere, you'll use more Fabsil and you may waterproof your grass.  The brush method is harder work. I have used approx 7 - 10 litres for each 5m bell tent and I now usually spray the top half and paint the walls.
8.  Once you've painted / sprayed as low as you can go, remove the ladders and reinstate the central pole (you may end up with waterproof hair at this point as you can't help but brush your head on the canvas when reinstating the pole).  Reinstall the door frame and tighten up the guy ropes.
9.  Brush or spray the rest of the tent, including the 'windows' and door.  
10.  Leave up to dry and then pack away for your next trip!  Run yourself a hot bath (without Vanish Gold), get in it and soak those weary muscles!

If anyone has any comments or hints and tips that I haven't mentioned, please feel free to let me know :-)

0 Comments

FREE BELL TENT RENTAL!!!!

10/18/2017

0 Comments

 
SO THIS IS IT!!!! **** COMPETITION TIME! ****** We are so excited to be launching our new service we are offering FREE BELL TENT HIRE FOR 2 DAYS AND 2 NIGHTS!!! The winner will receive FREE rental of one of our stunning 5m bell tents, furnished for a sleepover or for a party (your choice) for 2 days and 2 nights FREE OF CHARGE. We will also throw in FREE delivery and pitching within 35 miles of our base in Malpas, SY14 7JJ (a small fuel surcharge will apply beyond the 35 mile zone). Terms and conditions apply, please see our website https://goo.gl/TNbvDG for details. FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN this amazing prize simply follow the instructions on the competition post on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sunsetyurts/
The lucky winner will be chosen at random and announced on 1 November 2017. Happy sharing and GOOD LUCK!
Please note that a £75 fully refundable damage deposit will be required upon booking. This will be refunded in full upon collection of the tent providing no damage has been incurred. This offer must be used between 01/04/18 and 01/10/18.
Picture
0 Comments

Macmillan Afternoon Tea in the Park

9/10/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture


​Come and join us for a cuppa and a slice of cake in the yurt!  Sunset Yurts are joining 'Friends Of Meadow Park' to host a 'Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning' on Friday 29th September 2017 between 2pm and 5pm to raise funds for Macmillan cancer support.   The yurt will be sited in Meadow Park and we'll have a selection of home baked goodies for sale as well as tea, coffee and hot chocolate.  Hopefully the sun will be shining so that you can enjoy sipping your tea outside in the sunshine, but if not don't worry, there's plenty of space inside the yurt and some comfortable chairs so that you can sit down and stay warm and dry.  All profits go to Macmillan Cancer Support.  See you there, Rachel.
0 Comments

10 Things to do with the kids this summer

7/16/2017

0 Comments

 
Wondering what to do with the kids over the summer holidays?  Take a look at our Top 10 Tips for some ideas.
  1. Tennis for Free (TFF): The TFF Sessions, run at participating parks, welcome all members of the local community.  The sessions are family oriented meaning that there's something for everyone and the sessions are split into sub groups to accommodate the differing standards.   https://www.tennisforfree.com/TFF-Session.html​
  2. Free Swim Safe sessions:  This summer, Swim Safe offers FREE outdoor swimming and water safety sessions for children aged 7-14. Public and school sessions are in 20 coastal and inland locations across the UK. Book a session near you.    https://swimsafe.org.uk​​   
  3. A Walk in the Park:  Check out this website for local award-winning parks http://www.greenflagaward.org.uk
  4. Pet Workshops:  Find FREE workshops for you and your children at your local Pets at Home store. Help teach children how rewarding pets can be and how to care for them. http://community.petsathome.com/workshops/
  5. National Citizen Service:   If you're 15 to 17 years-old, this is your chance to embark on exhilarating challenges, make your mark and build skills for work and life. More than 275,000 young people have already said YES to NCS. Don't. Miss. Out.  http://www.ncsyes.co.uk/what-is-ncs
  6. Become a nature detective:  Free Woodland Trust activities can be downloaded from the website. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives/activities/search/ 
  7. Get Reading:  The Summer Reading Challenge gets three quarters of a million children into libraries to keep up their reading skills and confidence during the long holidays while Chatterbooks reading groups help build a lifelong reading habit. Because everything changes when we read.  https://readingagency.org.uk/children/
  8. Geocaching:  If you've got a GPS device, try geocaching!  It’s a great way to educate the whole family about your local area and beyond, and have fun searching for goodies.  https://www.geocaching.com/play
  9. Get Creative:  http://www.flora.com/article/category/1097501/family-activities  Family activities to keep the kids entertained in and out of the kitchen.
  10. Camp out and star gaze - Rent a yurt  http://www.sunsetyurts.com for your childrens' sleepover.  Safe in the knowledge that they are warm and dry, breathing in the fresh air, gazing at the stars through the yurt crown and waking up to the sound of birdsong.  
Picture
0 Comments

What's So Good About Yurts?

7/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
When you see a pile of sticks that constitutes a yurt, it seems incredulous that the pile of sticks can transform into a shelter that is so strong and stable that people can live inside them on the windswept plains of Mongolia and withstand storms, heavy snow and strong winds, yet can be packed up within a couple of hours, slung on the back of a yak, and set up somewhere else that same day.  This is my pile of sticks….

and although I don’t have a yak, I have a VW Transporter that my sticks will easily fit inside for  transportation.  I think my transportation is a whole lot easier, cleaner and less smelly (usually)!
​

Since I started making my own yurts, my admiration for them has increased ten-fold. Every assembly is different, every component works together to form this amazing, self supporting structure.  Paul King describes it perfectly on his website:          www.woodlandyurts.co.uk/Yurt_Facts/How_Yurt_Works.html

“In all but the strongest winds the yurt will stand with nothing but gravity attaching it to the ground. This rigidity is maintained by opposing forces exerted by different parts of the frame. The walls are firmly tied to the doorframe to form a complete circle. The conical or domed roof, with its heavy crown exerts a force on top of the walls. This force is kept in check and put to advantage by strong bands tied tightly around top of the wall. These opposing forces give the frame great rigidity, which is further reinforced with the addition of downward pressure from a heavy roof cover and the inward pressure from tight wall covers”.

Picture



Opposing pressures which give the yurts its inherent rigidity © Paul King 2001

So THAT is what is so good about yurts, not only are they works of engineering genius, they are also visually stunning, portable, weatherproof, breathable, environmentally friendly and durable.  Finally there’s that feeling one gets when sitting inside a yurt that is hard to vocalise.  For me, it’s a feeling of peace and calm and contentment and when I’m inside a yurt, I can’t help but smile.  Rachel.
Picture
0 Comments

    Archives

    May 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Yurt Prices
  • Bell Tent Prices
  • Weddings
    • Stanford Farm Weddings >
      • Stanford Farm Bells FAQ's
    • Sophie & Dan >
      • Sophie & Dan's FAQ's
    • Kelly & Bethan
    • Lauren & Steve
    • Hannah & Matt >
      • Hannah & Matt's FAQ's
    • Matt & Mel
    • Tom & Christine >
      • Tom & Christine''s FAQ's
  • Yurt Workshops
  • Lfest 2019
    • Lfest 2020 FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Gallery