28TH APRIL - 2ND MAY 2025
Beltaine Retreat
Come and gather with us on this 4 night ceremonial retreat, where the fire of Beltaine burns bright as we honour this Celtic tide in the moment suspended between Spring’s tender bloom, and Summer’s golden embrace.
Honouring Beltaine
Join us at The Dreaming as we celebrate Beltaine, the vibrant Celtic festival that marks the midpoint between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice, a moment when the earth stirs with fertility, growth, and the promise of fullness.
As Beltaine ushers in the warmth of summer, we acknowledge the union of masculine and feminine energies and the renewal of life in all its forms. As always, we will deeply connect with the natural world and embrace the abundant energy of the season.
This sacred gathering will be guided by Kerry Sanson, one of our lead practitioners at The Dreaming, known for her deep knowledge of ancient traditions and rituals. She will be joined by Naoko Takiguchi, our Shamanic practitioner and Fire Ceremony facilitator, and Rebecca Wyn Kelly, artist and environmental activist.
Beltaine is a joyful celebration of life, love, and the interconnectedness of all things, making it a time to honour not only the earth, but also our own cycles of renewal and creativity.
The Retreat
Rooted in the Celtic traditions of Beltaine, this retreat invites you to step back in time and embrace the practices of our ancestors in a beautiful gathering of kindred spirits.
Your stay at The Dreaming will be a nurturing blend of rest, renewal, ceremony, and joyful celebration, all set within the tranquil embrace of nature.
Gather around the fire for a powerful ceremony where intentions are set, fears released, and growth welcomed. Fire plays a central role in Beltaine celebrations, symbolising the return of the sun's energy and the warmth needed to nurture life. As the flames dance, the evening comes alive to the rhythm of drumming and the joy of dancing, uniting us in celebration of the season’s abundance and energy.
Connect with nature through the peaceful art of crafting flower crowns, weaving seasonal blooms into symbols of beauty and harmony with the earth and one another. Joy spills over with the traditional Maypole dance, where ribbons intertwine, reflecting the union of energies and the strength of community.
Take time to immerse yourself in mindful walks through the blooming landscape, letting the sights, scents, and sounds of nature’s renewal restore your spirit. Guided meditations and grounding practices will draw upon the earth’s energy, leaving you feeling rooted, centered, and empowered.
All of this unfolds on the mystical, healing lands of The Dreaming, where the natural beauty of plunge pools, deep forests, cleansing waterfalls, and expansive grasslands invite you to reconnect with your true self and the interconnectedness of all life. Nestled beneath the second darkest skies in the UK, this sacred space offers the magic of star-littered nights and rising moons, a perfect setting for reflection and renewal.
Once the home of Laura Ashley and lovingly restored by Charlotte Church, our luxurious retreat home invites you to lean into deep rest in our beautifully decorated rooms and communal spaces. Enjoy a nourishing menu of delicious home-cooked meals crafted by our Head Chef, Zac, featuring fresh ingredients from our own kitchen garden.
This retreat weaves a rich tapestry of connection, joy, and transformation. Join us in celebrating Beltaine’s uplifting energy as we honour the rhythms of life and the blossoming of the season.
Your Teachers
This retreat is curated by our guest teachers, Kerry Sanson, and Rebecca Wyn Kelly. Kerry, our lead facilitator, integrates ancient traditions into grounding practices that resonate with the essence of Samhain.
Inspired by indigenous wisdom, Rebecca celebrates locale-specific stories, aiming to rekindle wonder for the places we inhabit through her artistic offerings and sacred activism.
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Kerry Sanson has 24 years’ experience as a holistic therapist, personal trainer, movement specialist, Qigong instructor and musician.
In 2022 she published her first book, ‘The Book of Health Hacks’, a new compendium of forty tried and tested health boosting regimes.
After experiencing a spontaneous healing whilst on a Gypsy Singing Retreat in Eastern Europe, Kerry has been on a constant learning journey, delving into many disciplines and studying with a diverse array of teachers and leaders in Spiritual disciplines.
She holds an MSc in Health Psychology and is an Instructor of Spring Forest and White Tiger Qigong. Kerry has been a student of ReWilding Mystery School, Yogic Inner Engineering with Sadhguru, Breath and Meditation with Dr Joe Dispenza, and the Ido Portal Movement Method, amongst other practices, all of which add to the broad wealth of knowledge and she brings to her facilitation and workshops.
Kerry runs a busy private studio, runs workshops and retreats helping clients on their health, nutrition, fitness, breathing and relaxation. She has been a key member of The Dreaming Team as a Retreat Coordinator, bringing with her, her own unique wealth of holistic health knowledge.
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Rebecca's artistic and spiritual journey delves into the concept of the future ancestor, portraying interconnectedness within a cosmic narrative.
Inspired by indigenous wisdom, she celebrates locale-specific stories, aiming to rekindle wonder for the places we inhabit.
Water, symbolising life, is a central theme, drawing attention to environmental issues, and honouring the element of water through sacred activism.
Through her art, Rebecca advocates for climate justice, inviting viewers to reflect on their role as future ancestors and join in preserving the planet's beauty and vitality.
The Details
Dates : Monday 28th April - Friday 2nd May 2025
Check In : 3pm
Check Out : 10am
Location : Rhydoldog House, Rhayader, Wales, LD6 5HB
For more info on how to get here, click here.
Pricing
Pricing is on a sliding scale based on your room choice, staring from £800 for the entire retreat. Head to our bookings page for more details.
What’s Included:
4 night’s luxury accommodation
All of your nourishing home cooked food & drinks
Beautifully curated retreat programme
Access to 47 acres of ancient, breathtaking lands
Access to our natural plunge pools
Enjoy our tranquil home and gardens
“Words can’t describe the energy that this place holds, from the minute you arrive you can feel the magic. We had the most beautiful weekend with the most amazing people, I will cherish the memories for a lifetime.”
- Claire Wright
The Nurturer Guest, 2024
“I knew my time at The Dreaming would be a wonderful break in stunning surroundings but I was not prepared for it to be life changing. You leave The Dreaming wondering, "Was I dreaming?" but thankfully, it's all real.”
- Kiri Pritchard McLean
Comedian, Writer & Former Artist in Residence
The Location
Nestled in the heart of the Elan Valley, Wales. Our retreat offers a serene and rejuvenating environment, away from busy work life, whatever the weather.
Set within forty seven glorious acres of ancient land, The Dreaming is a rural wonder which offers true serenity and blissful tranquility. Once a 15th century Cistercian monastery, this fabulous property passed through Georgian and Victorian aristrocratic families to the designer Laura Ashley and her family in the 20th century.
Laura Ashley directed her multinational interior design company from Rhydoldog House and then, in 2020, our founder Charlotte Church, with the help of talented collaborators, reimagined, refurbished and reconfigured it.
Accommodation
Luxurious rooms with modern amenities awaits you, each designed by award winning designers to provide comfort and tranquility.
Each rooms interior reflect our passion for other cultures. Natural materials and tactile draping create den-like spaces, whilst original floorboards and textured walls give coherence and a cosseting feel to the seven rooms, each with its own distinct name and character.
The essence of connection thrives through our shared rooms. Our distinctive approach assigns beds individually rather than by room, encouraging meaningful interactions with fellow guests.
Embracing shared living is ingrained in The Dreaming’s values, creating an environment where bonds flourish.
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For 2 Individuals Sharing
Inspired by Luna herself, The Moon is designed to honour the lunar goddesses. Using handmade natural materials, it is a purifying and calming space, with soft flowing white fabrics. Luxurious beds with fabric privacy screens, a spacious seating area, and an ensuite with moon-shaped bath overlooking the Moon Garden.
It is south facing, overlooking the Elemental garden, with a breathtaking view of the Nant Caethon Valley.
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For 2 Individuals Sharing
South-facing with a balcony, to take in the breathtaking views of the Elemental garden and the Nant Caethon Valley, The Mystic’s furnishings have been hand-sewn using a collection of decadent Indian saris, drawing attention to the changing tones throughout the day in its spacious seating area, and luxurious beds with fabric privacy screens.
Perhaps the most magical of all, this warm room also has an ensuite with a golden tadelakt shower, surrounded by botanical plants.
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For 2 individuals sharing
The best place to experience the breaking of day, The Dawn is south facing with a balcony to enjoy the view of the Elemental garden and the Nant Caethon Valley.
The handmade soft furnishings were created using natural dyes to reflect the colours of sunrise, bringing a brightness to the room. With luxurious beds and fabric privacy screens, a seating area, rustic pine furniture, and an altar to honour the solar deities, a stay in The Dawn is an energy restoring experience. Its bathroom is across the hall, and has a Moroccan-inspired tangerine tadelakt shower.
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For 2 Individuals Sharing
Inspired by the wonders of mycelium (the network of fungal threads that connects all the plants of the forest together) The Mushroom is designed and crafted using rustic natural materials to achieve an earthy, grounded feel, dark antique wooden furniture and warm neutral tones in its spacious seating area, and luxurious beds with fabric privacy screens.
It is south facing, overlooking the Elemental garden, with a breathtaking view of the Nant Caethon Valley, and includes an ensuite bathroom, with a walk-in shower, and a bath with a view, surrounded by a selection of botanical plants.
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For 3 Individuals Sharing
A stay at The Wanderer is an immersive experience, with natural materials and artefacts from Africa, Peru and Mexico. This is the room for explorers, and has a spacious seating area, and luxurious beds with fabric privacy screens.
The room is south facing, overlooking the Elemental garden, with a breathtaking view of the Nant Caethon Valley, and includes an ensuite bathroom, with a shower and bath, and a window seat to take in the view.
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For 1 Individual or Couples
Honouring the design and forest reverence in Japanese culture, Forest Spirits is north facing and overlooks the ancient woodland.
With traditional Japanese tatami flooring, a spacious seating area, and a luxurious king-size bed, the room also has an ensuite bathroom with a black tadelakt shower and a porcelain lotus sink. Immersive Japanese experience for all of the senses, including the scent of traditional Japanese Tatami Mats.
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For 2 Individuals Sharing
North-facing to the deep forests, The Womb is a celebration of womanhood. With soft flowing fabrics, all handmade and dyed using natural ingredients, it has the nourishing, secure feeling of being swaddled. Luxurious beds with fabric privacy screens, a seating area, and a playful ensuite with a pink tadelakt shower.