Living the high life with all mod cons in Blean treehouse
Branch out and try
something new in this wooden kitchen
by Jamie Bullen
A Kent man claims to have built Britain's tallest holiday
treehouse – and has kitted it out with a hot tub, 60-inch cinema
and Sky TV.
Chris Whalley, from Blean, splashed out £60,000 over seven
months building the Treehouse Hideaway.
It sits 20ft off the ground and overlooks animal enclosures
at Druidstone wildlife park, near Canterbury.
You could be in the
groove with this wooden sink
The 54-year-old used scrap wood from a builders' merchants and
driftwood from Whitstable beach to construct the home, which he
claims is the tallest habitable treehouse in the UK.
He and wife Michelle have already taken bookings from as far
away as Australia and America and notched up five-star reviews on
Trip Advisor.
Chris said: "We were staying in the log cabin one night in the
hot tub with a glass of wine and I said 'I'm bored' – I needed
something to do.
"I said I wanted to build a treehouse at the top of the garden
and that was it.
"I built it from scratch. It was a bit ambitious and I'm glad
it's over; it's half-killed me.
"There are several treehouses in Britain, but none that are
habitable. People often have to go abroad to France if they want to
stay in one. We have had nothing but good responses so far."
The couple's dreams were almost dashed before they got off the
ground after Blean parish council and angry neighbours objected to
the plans.
Chris said: "There was a bit of controversy. We did have a few
members of the parish council and a neighbour that didn’t want it.
We have had a year of wrangles.
"Everyone now seems to have got over themselves and they seem to
have come to terms with what we are doing. We send a lot of people
to the Royal Oak pub and the local shops and we have people come
from all over the world."
Turning over a new leaf
- Chris Walley
The treehouse, which also has a log burner and tree-themed sink,
is available for between £150 and £200 a night.
28/11/12
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