Fuelling Your Adventures with Apostle Coffee & Nymetwood Treehouses

This is where our conversation begins - two friends sitting by the fireside in ‘Blackcap’ one of the Nymetwood Treehouses, tucked away in the Devon countryside.

I’m Jon Stanford, founder of Apostle Coffee, and across from me is James Moore, the man behind Nymetwood Treehouses. We’ve both built our businesses around the same idea: that slowing down, reconnecting with nature, and savouring the small rituals in life, like a great cup of coffee, can change how we live.

Jon:

James, it feels fitting that we’re sitting here surrounded by trees, talking about how both of our journeys started. Tell me, what was it that led you and Cherie to build Nymetwood Treehouses?

James:

The seed for Nymetwood was planted on a trip to Iceland where I was attending a film festival (I'm originally a documentary filmmaker). One evening, my friend Mike drove me out into the countryside beyond Reykjavík, where we came across a cluster of summer houses. There was something magical about them - quiet wooden sanctuaries where people came to slow down and feel close to the land. That vision stuck with me.

We wanted to create something that gave people a similar space to breathe, slow down, and just be. So we teamed up with local craftsmen and built the first treehouse by hand, using locally sourced timber and sustainable materials. It was a labour of love, but from the start, we knew it was about more than just building a place to stay. It was about helping people reconnect.

Jon:

That really resonates. Apostle Coffee was born from a similar kind of moment, that need to slow down. As you know from our time working together, I’d spent years living in London, always chasing the next project and rushing from one exiting film shoot to the next, but one afternoon down the road from our production office, I had this incredible cup of coffee at a bakery on Columbia Road, and it stopped me in my tracks.

It was what would usually have been an unremarkable, quiet moment but it reminded me how powerful simple rituals can be. It became the germ of an idea that eventually brought me and my family back home to Shropshire, where we started roasting coffee off-grid - building Apostle around that same idea: that something as small as brewing coffee can ground you and reconnect you with yourself, your environment, and the people around you.

James:

I love that. It’s so true, those everyday rituals really matter. Here at Nymetwood, we see it every week. Guests come rushing in from their busy lives, and within a few hours they’re moving differently, breathing differently. The feedback we get about your coffee is always so positive – they talk about taking their coffee out onto the deck in the morning, quietly watching the mist roll along the valley below. It’s such a great way to unwind. There’s something deeply human about making coffee - the smell, the warmth, the patience of it.

It’s a reminder to slow down and appreciate where you are.

Jon:

Exactly. For me, coffee’s never just been about the caffeine (although it’s a big reason I have a cup or two each morning!) but more than that is the connection with others. Whether that’s with the people we share a cup with at home, on our travels or to think about the connection that a simple cup of coffee has with the people who grow and produce it halfway around the world. Every bean has a story. From smallholder farms in Peru to cooperatives in Brazil, we work directly with producers who care deeply about their land and communities and I think that makes the coffee taste all the better.

There’s something about that connection, about knowing where your coffee comes from that can bring a real sense of grounding, something that mirrors what you’ve guys have built here at Nymetwood. Both are rooted in sustainability, with working and building something with the very best craftsmen and all whilst caring for the land that sustains us.

 James:

That’s a huge part of what drives us too. We’ve planted native trees, restored wildflower meadows, and created habitats for birds, bees, and butterflies. It’s not about luxury in the traditional sense, it’s about luxury of experience.

We want people to walk away feeling restored, not just because they’ve had a lovely stay, but because they’ve reconnected with something deeper: the natural world, their loved ones, even themselves.

Jon:

I think that’s what makes what we do so complementary. Coffee fuels adventure, whether that’s hiking across Dartmoor or just taking ten quiet minutes to yourself before the day begins. And when you combine that with a space like this, it’s a reminder that life doesn’t have to be rushed.

Sometimes, all you need is good company, a fresh brew, and the sound of a gentle breeze moving through the trees.

James:

I think we both built what we built for the same reason, to help people feel human again. There’s a lot of noise in the world, but the good things, the meaningful things, are usually simple. A fire, a view, a cup of coffee, and the people you care about. That’s it.

 Jon:

I couldn’t agree more. And maybe that’s the real adventure, not going somewhere far away, but learning to see the world around you with fresh eyes.

About Nymetwood Treehouses

Nymetwood Treehouses is a family-run retreat in the heart of Devon — a secluded escape designed for slowing down, switching off, and reconnecting. Built from sustainable timber with care and craftsmanship, their two luxury treehouses overlook sweeping views of Dartmoor.

👉 Discover more or book your stay: nymetwoodtreehouses.co.uk

About Apostle Coffee

Apostle Coffee is a small, independent roastery based in the Shropshire Hills. We roast off-grid using renewable energy and compostable packaging, working directly with sustainable producers around the world to bring you coffee that fuels your next adventure.

👉 Explore our Coffee Clubs: apostlecoffee.com