The Shire, our hobbit home for the weekend, was so perfect that we half-expected to be welcomed by Bilbo Baggins himself.
Our usual excursions to the countryside progress from overcrowded interstates, to less crowded ones, through smaller and smaller towns and smaller and smaller roads until we finally find a turnoff from a winding wood-lined roadway into true wilderness. But this weekend trip into Southern Maine took us one step further away from our daily lives, past wilderness, and into fantasy.
In the wilderness surrounding Springvale Maine, down a dead-end road, we entered into a hidden realm, tucked away from the world, inviting us to immerse ourselves in its magic. When we stepped out of the car we were greeted by the aromatic embrace of pine and earth, and the distant sounds of nature’s symphony. With each step, we felt the cares of the outside world slip away, replaced by a sense of calm and tranquility. As we approached the entrance of The Shire, we were already ready to forget the outside world existed.
I had carefully avoided telling my wife specific details of our lodgings, looking forward to watching her reaction. Her look of amazement built as we went down the chipped wood path to the stone patio and the hobbit home entry. Here eyes widened as she saw the hobbit home that awaited us. That look alone made the drive from Rhode Island worth it.
The Avallones, the Parekhs, and the Valcourts – the families who had brought this dream to life – had carefully crafted The Shire as a place where sustainability and luxury converged in perfect harmony, all along the way echoing the vision of the cozy houses of the home-loving hobbits, whose idea of high adventure is straying beyond sight of their chimney. The vision our hosts shared went beyond a mere vacation experience; it was a quest to explore a way of living in harmony with nature, leaving a smaller footprint without sacrificing beauty or comfort.
We couldn’t wait to get inside the hobbit home with the promise of fulfilling Tolkien’s vision of a warm hearth in a cozy, safe shelter. The inside of the shire had high arched ceilings, completely unexpected for being earth sheltered. No, not underground like a cave. In fact, once inside, we were completely unaware that earth and sod were the outermost layers of the home, keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer in an incredibly environmentally-friendly way.
And it was much bigger than we had expected. The Shire is an earth-sheltered cottage, larger than we anticipated from people attempting to describe the experience as a “tiny home” or “glamping”. Two bedrooms with queen-sized beds, a full kitchen, closets, and a modern bathroom with a big comfortable shower lined in blue tile.
Outside on the patio awaited a hot tub, plenty of seating, a picnic table, and a fire ring with arcane elvish language from “the one ring”.
My wife and I didn’t take too much time to settle in – we needed to check out the path down to the lake.
The Shire was the newest of the five properties at Purposely Lost, so the path too was new, with patches of moss and little delights like colorful fungi springing up along the way.
At the lake we found a metal dock reaching out onto the calm waters of the pond. Pickeral weed, a bright green water plant with purple flowering heads grew to the right and the clear waters stretched out before us. It would be the perfect place to spread a picnic blanket and have a quiet intimate lunch.
Each of the properties has a canoe or kayak for a little bit peaceful paddling. Not for us this trip, but the potential was there. Mostly, we just wanted to rest and forget about civilization.
The pond is stocked with trout, so there was a temptation to grab the collapsible fishing pole I kept in my trunk and try my luck. Had I decided to, I could get a one-day fishing license online, but instead we wandered back to the cozy home just to enjoy the quiet and solitude.
After our explorations, we returned to our treehouse to prepare dinner in the well-equipped kitchen. Our hosts had thoughtfully provided everything we needed – from Henkel knives to Calphalon pans – ensuring that our culinary endeavors would be as enjoyable as they were back home. With laughter filling the air, we cooked up a delicious meal and savored the flavors of our homemade creations.
As the night sky unfurled its velvety canopy of stars, we stepped out onto the patio. The surrounding woods seemed to embrace us, cocooning us in a sense of peace and wonder, reaching so high that the stars barely had space to peek through above us. Instead, we had flickers of lightning bugs in the forest around us as I stoked up the fire in the fire ring.
Armed with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers, we couldn’t resist the nostalgia of creating s’mores over the crackling firepit. The sweetness of the marshmallows mingled with the crisp night air, and we reveled in the simple joys of life – the kind that warm the soul and create memories to cherish.
As the night deepened, the tranquility of The Shire enveloped us like a gentle lullaby, and we knew that we had found something truly special.
Here, amidst the harmony of nature and the comforts of eco-luxury, we had discovered a sanctuary to rejuvenate, reconnect, and embrace life’s wonders. We finally bid farewell to the patio and retreated to the cozy interior of our treehouse. The plush bed beckoned, promising a restful slumber after a day filled with exploration and wonder.
Morning sunlight filtered through the windows, gently rousing us from our peaceful slumber. The gentle chirping of birds outside served as a melodic alarm clock, inviting us to embrace the new day with open arms.
With the aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchen, we eagerly ventured into the day, ready to savor each moment our stay at The Shire had to offer.
After a leisurely morning stretch and another visit to the pond to marvel at its serene glassy surface, we gathered in the kitchen to whip up a delightful breakfast. The well-stocked kitchen became our culinary playground as we prepared our morning feast.
The hobbits of lore had remarkable appetites for such little people, but we settled for some eggs and fruit, anxious to get our day’s adventures going. We savored each bite, feeling a sense of gratitude for the simple joys that life could offer. The view from the window showcased the picturesque beauty of the surrounding woods, reminding us of the serene paradise that awaited just outside.
Beyond The Shire, other properties barely peeked through the foliage, each boasting its unique charm and allure. Canopy, the first treehouse at Purposely Lost, stood majestically on its stilts, up among the swaying branches of the trees. The prospect of staying at the treehouses or the other earth-sheltered hobbit home house should fill anyone with excitement, knowing that each offers a distinctive retreat, carefully designed to blend seamlessly with nature.
The three treehouses, maybe more properly described as cabins, were raised up to the level of the tree canopy with sturdy legs. They are accessed via spiral staircases and give a different perspective to being in the wilderness.
I had the chance to look inside the one called “Skyframe” — it had a traditional A-frame construction, albeit sitting at least 20 feet above the ground. A full kitchen like we had in the Shire, two bedrooms with queen-sized beds, and a comfortable living area makes this cabin in the sky an ideal place for natural retreat with all of the luxuries you could imagine.
All five of the properties have their own hot tubs, own boat docks with canoes, and their own fire ring. While my wife and I aren’t hot tub people, the hot tubs are very popular with the guests of Purposely Lost.
Like the Shire, there wasn’t a clock or TV set in sight within the treehouse. It makes staying there a timeless experience, a chance to connect with nature.
While Purposely Lost provided us with a captivating world of natural wonder and idyllic seclusion, nearby Kennebunk beckoned with its alluring charm and coastal allure. As we contemplated the possibilities, we realized that venturing into Kennebunk would mean temporarily leaving behind our enchanting wilderness retreat.
However, as we sat contemplating the prospects of a brief foray into civilization, a sense of tranquility washed over us. The siren call of the wild was too compelling to resist. Our souls craved the embrace of the forest, the soothing whispers of the trees, and the unhurried rhythm of the pond.
The decision was made with ease—we chose to remain immersed in the sanctuary of Purposely Lost. We preferred the melodies of chirping birds to the hustle of city streets, the rustling of leaves to the buzz of traffic, and the shimmering pond to the vastness of the ocean.
Our retreat at Purposely Lost offered an opportunity to disconnect from the fast-paced world and reconnect with the essence of nature. It allowed us to unwind, rejuvenate, and discover a simpler way of living—one in harmony with the environment and our inner selves.
We cooked dinner together, played cards, told stories, gazed at the stars, listened to the frogs and the rustle of the leaves, and forgot at least for a while that civilization existed.
In this enchanted world, time seemed to slow down, and we felt a profound connection with the natural world around us. The symphony of night sounds—the chirping of crickets, the croaking of frogs—harmonized with our laughter and stories shared. Our worries and stress melted away under the magic of the moment.
As the morning sun gently filtered through the tree canopy, we awoke to the birds’ symphony, bidding us a sweet farewell from our cozy hobbit abode. The rustling of leaves outside our window seemed like nature’s gentle way of coaxing us to embrace the day with gratitude.
With a mixture of contentment and wistfulness, we gathered our belongings, knowing that it was time to bid adieu to this magical place.
As we reluctantly walked the path from the hobbit house to our car, we couldn’t help but glance back, hoping to capture one last glimpse of the Shire. Its charm and the memories we had woven into its walls held a special place in our hearts.
The drive back to civilization was bittersweet, each mile taking us further from the serenity we had grown to love. Yet, we knew that we carried a piece of Purposely Lost with us—its tranquility, its beauty, and its promise of renewal.
Paul not only writes many of the articles in the pages of this magazine, he is also the publisher and editor of all of the magazines in the Amygis Publishing’s family of travel magazines. He loves exploring, traveling the back roads, experiencing the world, and finding what is unique and memorable about the places he visits.
And he loves writing – poetry, short stories, essays, non-fiction, news, and. of course, travel writing.
For over 20 years, he has shared his explorations with readers in a wide variety of outlets, from groundbreaking forays into the first stirrings of the dot-com boom to travel guides, local newspapers, and television, including Runner’s World, Travel Lady, Providence Journal, and Northstar Travel Media. He currently publishes and writes for Amygis Publishing’s magazines Jaunting, Northeast Traveler, and Rhode Island Roads.
