Why this mum takes a bath OUTSIDE in an old water tank
Cheers! Helen McGrath-Doherty enjoys a soak in her special bath that is outside. - Credit: Danielle Booden
Hot tubs might be all the rage but this Norfolk mother-of-two has created her own version - and it's soaking up a lot of use.
Enjoying some relaxing time in the bath - Credit: Danielle Booden
Helen McGrath-Doherty, 55, from Woodton and her husband Pete, 55, wanted a proper bath or shower outside in their six-acre wildflower meadow.
In the tub: Helen McGrath-Doherty - Credit: Danielle Booden
They've created a tucked away cabin retreat which they built themselves after renovating their barn home. But they were stuck with what to do with an old farm water tank - until they hit on the idea of converting it into a bath.
Not a hot tub but a bath that's outside - Credit: Danielle Booden
So they insulated the tank and placed a cast-iron bath inside, added a surround and taps.
During the winter, a log burner inside the cabin heats the water and a boiler in the summer but the water drains into a reed bed - so it's environmentally friendly.
The bath tub - Credit: Danielle Booden
The couple have found the unusual tub with a beautiful private view has been a real selling point when it comes to renting out the cabin for holidays. However, during lockdown, when the cabin was closed, they themselves enjoyed a soak - with the bath big enough for two people.
"It's something completely different, but it's more eco friendly than a hot tub which uses lots of chemicals," she said.
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"Guests absolutely love it...you fill the bath, light the firepit and lots of candles and sit beneath the stars. A relaxing, child-free, digital detox."
The cabin retreat - Credit: Polly Baldwin Photography
Located in the Waveney Valley on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, the cabin at Albion Nights comes with an open-plan living area and kitchenette, a separate double bedroom and an en suite bathroom.
It's been so popular that the cabin is completely booked up until October when just a few days are available.
Prices are from around £364.50 for three nights.
Conventional hot tubs have rocketed in sales because of lockdown - and holiday firm Hoseasons saw an upturn in sales when it decided to put them into its holiday properties.
