Slice Of Apple High

Fruit-picking and Valley Views During a Stay in a Himachali Home

- Neha Dara

Looking out the French windows that fill two sides of the living room, I see the threat of rain looming over the valley which was sunny just a few hours ago. Big clouds that are every shade of grey between delightful wisp and thundering rain fill the sky. Below them, the branches of apple trees heavy with half ripe fruit, streaks of red beginning to run through the green, seem to quiver in anticipation. A susurration runs through the much taller deodar trees in the forest beyond the orchards.

Monsoon in Himachal Pradesh’s sunny apple belt is a magical experience. It’s also the perfect time to enjoy the charms of Meena Bagh Ratnari, an almost 65-year-old stone-and-wood cottage set in the orchards that has been renovated to welcome guests with a delightful cocktail of rural rustic and modern comfort. The wooden floor is worn, and the bare walls show the layers of wood and stone that are typical of traditional construction in these parts. Bright pop-art cushions and bedspreads liven the space, creating cosy nooks in the sitting rooms that run along the front of the cottage, with windows overlooking the orchard-filled valley.