If you are looking for the perfect gift for someone special in your life, then a retreat at The Dreaming could be the ideal solution.
Recently named “Wales Spa of the Year” in The Times and Sunday Times 50 Best UK Spas guide, The Dreaming is nestled in the spectacular surroundings of the Elan Valley in the heart of Wales.
Founded by Charlotte Church, The Dreaming hosts regular retreats throughout the year, plus specialist retreats every month or so. These retreats provide a variety of experiences for guests, from a three-day break, relaxing and soaking up the natural beauty of the location, through to ‘a life changing experience’, as reported by previous guests.
The accessibly-priced retreats all offer luxurious shared accommodation, with delicious and nourishing meals and refreshments included; specialist retreat sessions and workshops led by carefully selected practitioners; two natural plunge pools for wild bathing; free roam of the land, including 47 acres of ancient woodland, plus a digital detox and cleanse. It really is a gift with a difference!
If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few retreats that you could spoil your loved one(s) with:
THE SIGNATURE RETREAT
This regular retreat has an impressive range of wellbeing offerings which guests are invited to participate in, to whatever degree they choose. Offerings could be yoga, sound healing, foraging, mythic storytelling, stargazing, cold water immersion, singing at dawn, den building, sensory portal building, painting, dance, dreamwork, outdoor cinema, herbalism, woodwork, meditation, Qi Gong, silent disco, nighttime forest bathing, and many more.
As well as the crafted offerings there is always time for exploring the land at your own pace. Visitors may wish to take a sheepskin and herbal tea and sit amongst the soft mosses, or spend the afternoon relaxing at one of the natural plunge pools. Alternatively, they can grab a book and make a nest in their room, or go stargazing at night under the second darkest sky in the UK. The Dreaming encourages guests to feel completely free to explore and engage however they choose.
WHEN: every week, Tuesday to Friday or Friday to Monday
PRICE: from £540.00 to £1,344.00 / person per retreat*
SONG OF THE SOUL RETREAT
If you know your loved one would be delighted by the opportunity to go on a journey of self-discovery, or if they are open to an incredible experience – or are, perhaps, a fan of Charlotte’s amazing voice – you will definitely make their Christmas by treating them to a ‘Song of the Soul’ retreat, Charlotte’s new ground-breaking series of signature retreats.
‘Song of the Soul’ is a culmination of Charlotte’s life’s work and shares a transformative programme which is open to anyone who wants to feel empowered, loved and rooted in themselves. The aim is to help guests remember that they are wild, by harnessing the resonance and healing power of their voice, and to lead visitors through a journey to discover the story of themselves, past, present and future.
Curated and delivered by Charlotte herself and inspired by her own journey through voice and sound, the programme isn’t about singing and voice in a performance sense, and your loved one doesn’t need to be a singer to take part. Rather, it is inspired by research that shows the profound impact breath work and sound healing can have on emotional and physical wellbeing. With Charlotte being Charlotte, guests can also expect a ton of fun by joining her for silent discos at dawn, among other enjoyable activities.
WHEN: February 12th – 17th 2025, April 22nd 27th 2025, September 2nd – 7th 2025 and November 18th – 23rd 2025
PRICE: £1,550 to £4,050 per person per retreat for 5 nights*
FAMILY RETREAT
Why not treat your whole family to a gift that is so much more than just a family break away? This retreat is designed to help families learn how to reconnect with each other and the earth, in love, trust, and mutual respect. What could be more important?
The Belonging retreat will provide two parallel programmes for parents/carers and their young people aged 7-16, recognising that amidst the relentless pace of modern life, we can find it challenging to properly nurture the relationships that are most important to us: those within our own families. Parents and guardians are trying to find balance between work-life commitments and focused time spent with their kids, and can feel they are not doing enough to foster trust and friendship in those relationships. Meanwhile, the demands upon young people’s attention from social media, gaming, and potentially unhealthy peer groups, can add to the strain upon the parent-child relationship.
Over four days, the retreat enables parents to transform the bonds within their families through sharing practical parenting strategies, exploring psychology and the neuroscience of the developing brain, acknowledging healing of inter-generational pain, and remembering how to play.
Meanwhile, the young people; through serious play and awe-inspiring stories, learning woodland skills and tribal practices, and immersion within the deeply magical land of The Dreaming; will learn who they are in relation to their families and the earth, what they want to do and how to state their needs and hold onto hope in a world turned inside out.
WHEN: 29th July – 1st August 2025
PRICE: For the entire retreat – prices are fixed for children at £270, adult prices are on a sliding price scale starting at £540.
Whichever retreat you choose as a gift for your loved one(s) this Christmas, it will certainly be a gift they remember and appreciate for a long, long time.
To book see: https://www.thedreaming.co.uk
*The Dreaming believes that no one should miss out on the opportunities to rest and recuperate because of money, so it offers a “Pay What You Can” space for one person at every weekday and weekend retreat. This means that no matter what you can afford per night, you can still access The Dreaming. Due to the high volume of applicants there is a waiting list, and recipients of the bursary are chosen at random.
