I am not the religious type but there’s something almost spiritual about sleeping in a church - especially one that no longer requires repentance to enter. In Lower Portland, a sleepy hamlet on the banks of the Colo River in New South Wales, we escaped Sydney for the weekend to stay in an 1880s weatherboard church that’s been lovingly converted into a cosy riverside retreat. Once a place of sermons and hymns, its now a place to get away from the madness of the City.
Inside, the old church has been reborn with warmth and charm. The timber floors creak in that reassuring way that old buildings do, as if whispering their history with every step. A slow combustion fireplace takes centre stage, turning the room into a glowing cocoon by night. There’s nothing quite like the simple joy of sitting fireside, glass of red in hand, pretending you’ve earned this moment after a hard day’s work (when in truth, your only achievement was locating more firewood).
The next morninig, despite the body not wanting to leave the cozzie warmth of the bed, we pull ourselves away for an early morning run. The air was crisp, clean, and filled with the scent of damp earth from the light rain overnight. As the first rays of sunlight peek over the gums, the rays of light provide a somewhat goddly experience (fitting for where we have just spent the night).
This is perfectly matched by the otherworldly sight of mist rising from the Colo River, the surface shimmering like a ghostly veil in the early light.
Having worked up an apetite, eventually, the lure of good food tempt’s us away from the Church. A scenic drive through winding roads and green pastures leads to The Settlers Arms Inn in St Albans. Established in 1836, this Georgian-style sandstone pub once served as a vital stopover for the Cobb & Co. stagecoaches rattling between Sydney and Newcastle. Today, it’s more about slow lunches and a nice Guiness than horse-drawn haste.
Not a bad way to end a loveley weekend escape.
