From falling in love with Rhydoldog House, the home that once belonged to Laura Ashley, to spending almost two stressful years creating her dream country healing retreat, Charlotte Church has now officially opened the doors of The Dreaming to guests.
The Welsh singer songwriter has had a clear vision of what she wanted the house and 47 acres of glorious grounds within the Elan Valley, Powys, to become and her determination and hard work, ably assisted by a team of dedicated professionals, has culminated in reality.
The sometimes tortuous 15-month journey from rundown house to remarkable retreat has been broadcast across two series by discovery+ and the Really Channel and it's been a bumpy road for Charlotte and her team.
READ MORE: Charlotte Church's Dream Build renovation is complete and the transformation is incredible
Charlotte says during the filming of the show: "I've just constantly got to readjust my expectations around what's going to happen and keep trying to make myself OK with the uncertainty of it all. But really, I have total faith that everything will come good."
And it certainly has, because now The Dreaming is officially open as a wellbeing and healing retreat and it looks amazing. See the the before and after pictures here.
Charlotte Church says: "I have regularly tried to use my platform to campaign for climate action, economic equity, and wellbeing for all. Some of that has turned out to be effective and meaningful, but I always felt there was more I could be doing.
"I think that’s why I fell so utterly in love with Rhydoldog House, as it gave me a vision of an integrated healing centre in line with my most deeply held values. The realisation of that vision has completely changed my life and I hope that we can help our guests change their lives too, even if it's just in small ways." See how the property looked before bought it here.
Each retreat lasts for three days and take place at the weekend, called The Journier, and mid-week, called The Nurturer.
During the stay at The Dreaming, guests are offered a wide selection of wellbeing activities that include yoga, foraging, mythic storytelling, star-gazing, cold water immersion, singing at dawn, den building, painting, dance, outdoor cinema, herbalism, woodwork, meditation, silent disco and even night time forest bathing. And of course there's singing on the timetable too, usually at dawn.
Guests are invited to participate in as many or as few of these offerings as they like; they can enjoy a very full three days or simply curl up somewhere comfortable in the beautiful surroundings and read a book. Charlotte and the team have created a property that is conducive to relaxation and connection with the natural surroundings, with all the rooms carefully planned and themed, and tastefully and ethically decorated.
It inclues east-facing rooms which allow guests to fully immerse themselves in the sunrise; to the purifying Moon room that looks out over the moon garden; to a Japanese themed room echoing the beautiful forest which can be seen from the window. All rooms have ensuite facilities and three meals a day are provided in the characterful refectory, which offers spectacular views down the sweeping landscape at the front of Rhydoldog House while you eat.
The grounds of the retreat are also impressive and retreat stays include access to all 47 acres. Walk through the natural beauty and immerse yourself in special spaces, such as The Waterfall Shower, Wood Henge and The Pool of a Hundred Reflections. For the super adventurous, The Den allows for outdoor sleeping to comfortably experience the nocturnal wildlife.
Charlotte says that the curated gardens are central to the sustainability ethos of The Dreaming and form part of many of the activities such as The Physic Garden providing medicinal herbs for the apothecary, where guests can craft teas, balms, tinctures, soaps and other lotions and potions.
The potting shed is a place for retreaters to mix soils and pot seeds, offering skills and insight into compassionate and responsible horticulture that can be applied when they return home. While many people might like the idea of a three day wellbeing retreat, some might expect the cost to be prohibitive.
But, with one of the founding principles being economic equity, prices start at just £450 for three nights including all meals and activities and Charlotte has included a 'pay what you can' space within the pricing structure on every three-day retreat.
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