In April this year, renowned singer-songwriter Charlotte Church opened the doors of her countryside healing retreat, known as The Dreaming, to guests after spending 15 months transforming the period property in Powys, Wales.
The retreat can be found at Rhydoldog House - which once belonged to Laura Ashley's family - and is nestled into the base of a wooded hillside that includes rock formations so special that they have a protection order on them.
Charlotte's mission to transform the grand building into a centre for mindfulness was the subject of a two-series programme called Charlotte Church's Dream Build, but what is it like to actually stay at The Dreaming?
Wales Online reporter Joanne Ridout headed to Powys to find out, and said that the well-being lessons she learnt during her stay will be "life-changing". Below is her account of what happened during her visit.
The television programme cannot do the house or the location justice - both are utterly mesmerising in appearance and atmosphere; it's a very special place indeed and I could feel it the moment I stepped out of my car.
If you're staying for The Nurturer Retreat that runs from a Tuesday afternoon to Friday morning there's a chance that Charlotte will be at the property and I was lucky enough to be staying when the charismatic, creative driving force behind The Dreaming was in attendance.
When Charlotte is at The Dreaming she leads most of the activities which are called 'offerings' because they are offered and not forced on you - Charlotte explained during the welcome talk for my group of eight people that the retreat is all about what you want and need to get out of your stay.
You can do all the offerings or you can just sit in the garden and explore the land on your own, just take a walkie-talkie with you so you don't lost within the 46 acres of land that cocoons the property, much of which is protected by SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) status.
There's no network coverage at the site so phones, social media and news become the least important things in your life, although there is a landline number supplied with your booking confirmation to give to family for emergencies.
The total love and deep connection Charlotte has for the land that the house sits within was evident as she explained her core reason for going through the financial and emotional challenge of creating The Dreaming - to share its nourishing, nurturing, and healing location with others.
It's a sentiment most homeowners would not embrace, happily buying and keeping this unique house and its magical land to themselves, but it's obvious that Charlotte is a kind and caring soul that feels very deeply the desire to share the nourishing qualities of the land with others.
Food nourishment came via chef Zac, who conjures up organic vegetarian and vegan meals with obvious care and consideration, much of it using produce grown on-site, that were wonderfully tasty and satisfying. Any dietary restrictions you can flag up on your booking form before you visit.
Sharing a meal with strangers on the first day, getting to know each other over a hearty meal, is such a natural thing to do, a community ethos that is maybe becoming a rare thing. And these strangers soon became supportive friends as we journeyed through this wonderful experience together.
The first evening was dedicated to sound therapy in the healing room. We lay on yoga mats as gongs, bells and birdsong built up from simple rainfall to a stirring cacophony, which then subsided and left me with the oddest but most wonderful of feelings. It felt like the sounds had resonated through my body right down to a cellular level and I felt rejuvenated and yet totally relaxed, with all my anxieties floating away on the waves of sound.
Gong therapy is said to help the brain reach deep relaxation and help to ease stress, but the main aspect of this session that was the most special for me was the surprise that Charlotte starts to sing with the sounds. Her voice is completely and comprehensively intertwined with the layers of sounds and you leave the experience feeling blessed you could be part of it.
My stay coincided with the longest day of the year, and we marked the summer solstice by gathering around the campfire together, followed by wandering down to Woodhenge, a ring of carved tree slabs that encircle the waterfall that flows into the Pool of One Hundred Reflections.
Here, accompanied by musical bells and drums, we threw flowers into the water one-by-one in solitude, accompanied only by our own thoughts.
My advice to anyone thinking about staying at The Dreaming is to treat yourself to some peace, and when you're there dive into everything on offer with an open mind, enthusiasm and a willingness to embrace it all.
Some offerings took me way out of my comfort zone but once I realised I was not going to be judged or laughed at and fully embraced the offerings, what I got back in return was a nourishment of my soul and a feeling of being rested and yet revived, with some wellbeing knowledge to take home that could even be life-changing.
The Dreaming has two retreats to choose from with The Journeyer running from Friday 3pm to Monday 10am and The Nurturer running from Tuesday 3pm to Friday 10am. All meals and wellbeing offerings are included in the price including snacks and a range of teas and coffee.
Prices start from £450 per person per bed per retreat with a 'pay what you can' space on every retreat. Near future developments include a fully-accessible bedroom and bathroom scheduled for the end of 2023. For further information contact The Dreaming directly via the website here.
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