19 Jul Merete and the “green pill”

Posted at 18:41h in Nature lovers by

It’s well known that gardens have a soothing effect on people. Green plants stimulate the senses in many ways: by smell, sound, and sight. With that in mind, Campanyon host Merete has spent years building an oasis of peace and quiet on her family’s property in Valldal, Norway. She shares with us that she had one objective in mind when signing up as a Campanyon host: to invite campers to live the good life.

When you enter Merete’s Garden, a special host is here to greet you: Lotus, one of her three determined cats. Like his mistress, he gladly gives a tour of Myklebust Farm, where Merete was born. He certainly enjoys taking a peek at guests who come here to relax, soak in the homemade sauna, or practice yoga in the glass greenhouse, where classes take place from May to September.

Qualified yoga teacher, bodynamic therapist, and gardener: Campanyon host Merete is all of it at once. “I was living in Denmark, studying self-development, and how to keep your mind and body healthy, shares Merete. I wanted to create a place where you could feel good, to make a better place in the world. I inherited this farm from my parents, and it’s therapy in itself”.

Merete grew up here, in Valldal. Surrounded by nature and just a short walk from the river Valldøla, Valldal is nestled in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage area of Geirangerfjord and Tafjord, surrounded by snow-covered mountain peaks and the deep-blue fjord of Norddal. A “green pill”, as she calls it; a home she returned to in 2009, taking over her father and grandfather‘s heritage, who both also had a passion for what comes from the earth.

With the fortune he made gold-digging in Alaska, Merete’s grandfather managed to start up his own jam factory on the estate, using fruits and berries from the area. Indeed, Valldal is known as the ‘strawberry village’. “I can recommend places to pick mushrooms, wild berries, blackcurrants, or blueberries,” she says. Then in 1953, her father started horticulture on the farm, growing tomatoes and cucumbers in the old greenhouse, now home to Merete’s Japanese garden. “When I was living in Oslo, I used to visit the Botanical Garden to find inspiration to build my own Japanese garden. These spaces are well-known for meditation and mindfulness.”

Japanese gardens are designed to open your senses and feelings, and prompt you to experience balance between the four elements – earth, wind, air, and fire. Their winding paths allow you to find zen by forcing you to slow down your tempo and to pay attention to the elements the garden is built upon.

On the property, the luxurious landscape is dotted with six eco-cotton tents that Merete rents from spring to fall. As guests, you can expect to fall asleep to the sound of the nearby river, and wake up to the singing birds before starting the day with a yoga class. “Camping was the only way we would go on holiday when I was a kid. Once a year, for one week, we would go to Norway or Sweden. I love camping: the simple life, the simple meals where you could just be happy about eating a tomato from the garden”, she remembers.
With a glamorous twist to her childhood memories and applying her approach of self-development and well-being learned over the years, Merete has taken her family story to the next level, creating a glamping experience where bodies and souls can come to rest.

Merete’s meditation tips

    1. Stand or sit down in silence.
    2. Be aware of your surroundings and listen carefully to any sounds in nature: running water, birds singing, wind brushing lightly on your skin.
    3. Be aware of your naturally free breath: allow thoughts, pictures, worries, and sensations come and fade away as they like during focus on your breath.
    4. Slowly come out of the state of mediation and feel the here and now.
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