The First Thing I Did When I Retired...

.... was to get rid of my allotment.

TL;DR

The allotment was a sanctuary from the 9 to 5. When I retired - I realised that I no longer needed the place to escape to.

It's an Odd Move - Isn't It?

When I first got my allotment, it felt like the perfect escape. Yes it was just a patch of soil, a shed full of tools, and more digging than actual fresh vegetables. For years, I would keep the weeds at bay whilst balancing the demands of work. The allotment was a sanctuary from the 9 to 5.

But when I retired, something changed.

The Freedom of Retirement

Retirement brings a kind of freedom you can't really appreciate until it arrives. Suddenly, my calendar was blank. I got to fill my time with stuff that I enjoyed - travelling, holidays, chilling....

But with that freedom came the realisation that the allotment was no longer the break I needed from daily stress — it was becoming another responsibility.

The Demands of the Plot

Weeds don’t stop growing when you want a weekend away. I wanted my retirement to be about choosing what I did with my time, not keeping up with the relentless weeds.

Shifting Priorities

I also realised that I no longer needed the allotment as an escape, and my sense of fulfilment started coming from different places — from travelling, and simply having time.

Letting Go

Giving up the allotment and moving on was surprisingly easy - just like with work. I needed to let that chapter of my life go to make space for a new one. I still pass it (the allotment) when I go out for my daily cycle. I've now stopped looking over the fence to see how the poly tunnel is looking.

I still garden — but on a smaller, gentler scale. A few pots on the patio, a raised bed for herbs. I've even started growing flowers.

Happy travels!