Nestled in the rural heart of Wales minutes away from the historic Elan Valley lies The Dreaming – an innovative award-winning wellness retreat centre founded by the acclaimed Welsh singer and campaigner Charlotte Church.
The Dreaming is the product of Church’s singular vision and years of campaigning for climate justice and advocating for a deeper connection with the natural and spiritual world. The retreat provides a tranquil antidote to the cacophony and busyness of the modern world, inviting its guests to heal and reflect in natural beauty. Set against the pastoral backdrop of the Welsh countryside with abundant gardens designed by the Chelsea Flower Show winner Juliet Sargeant, and sleek lodgings that used to house the British fashion designer Laura Ashley and her family, The Dreaming offers the opportunity to slow down.
The 2025 retreat programme boasts a variety of exciting experiences for guests to choose from, ranging from regular weekly 3-day retreats to specialist retreats and seasonal events. The guests are invited to roam around the 47 acres of Welsh natural beauty surrounding The Dreaming while making the most out of the activities offered as a part of the stay. This year’s specialist and recurring retreats include: Weekly Retreats (weekly), Mother & Daughter retreat (28-31 March), Charlotte Church led Song of the Soul (multiple dates across the year), Returning to the Queer Heart (18-21 April), Beltaine Retreat (28 April-2 May), Dreams of Ananda (5-9 May), Day Retreats (10 and 18 June), Belonging Family Retreat (29 July-1 August), A Call To Dream (23-26 May), Samhain Retreat (30 October- 3 November) and Grief Retreat (28 November-1 December).
Each of the recurring and specialist retreats are run by a selected group of specialists in their respective field, ranging from physicians, healers, yoga teachers, craftspeople, artists, writers and more. Church also brings in her years of research on sound and sound therapy by facilitating a variety of activities and experiences that harness the healing power of music and sound with no prior knowledge of music or instruments required. The various activities offered at the retreat invite the guests to slow down and disconnect from the overstimulation of everyday life. The Dreaming also honours the seasonal festivities of the Celtic calendar by hosting Beltaine and Samhain retreats that celebrate the change of seasons through sacred activism and ancient rituals inspired by Celtic and Welsh lore led by specialist collaborators
Charlotte Church, the founder and the custodian of The Dreaming says: “The Dreaming is a place for healing through experiencing beauty and wonder. It is a place for everyone and it is where anyone can learn to heal and even become the healer that their community needs. By learning how to create meaningful and magical experiences that make people remember what is possible, we can transform our relationships, communities, and even wider society. The beauty we all are capable of creating is accessible. It is our birthright. It is within us as part of our ancestral memory. And our mission is to remind you of it.”
Credit: Elliot Cooper
2025 RETREAT PROGRAMME
Weekly Signature Retreat | 3 Nights / Held Weekly All Year Round
The weekly retreats are a gentle call back to true nature, within yourselves and with the magical and ancient lands, forests and waterfalls that surround The Dreaming. Running each week from Tuesday to Friday or Friday to Monday, the three day retreats provide an antidote to the busyness of modern life. Through mindful activities, deep connection to the land, and ancient practices, The Dreaming aims to soothe and restore your nervous system, leaving you enriched by the enchanting landscapes, delicious food, and meaningful connections.
Mother & Daughter Retreat | 28th – 31st March 2025
This Mother’s Day, share a transformative experience at The Dreaming’s Mother & Daughter Retreat. This retreat offers a sacred space to deepen your bond, and celebrate the timeless journey you share. It is time to simply be together — exploring ancient forests and waterfalls, gathering around cozy fires, and sharing magical moments beneath star-filled skies. Slow down and feel the healing energy of these mystical lands, and enjoy soul-nourishing activities that will remind you of the simple joy of being together. With a carefully curated balance of activities and time for relaxation, you’ll have the freedom to bond in your own time, exploring the lands, or simply lounging on your day beds and spending time together.
Song of the Soul | 5 Nights / Multiple Dates in 2025
Song of Soul is Charlotte Church’s new ground-breaking series of signature retreats at The Dreaming that blends research, ancient indigenous practices, and her personal experiences with sound to help you uncover your unique voice in the world.
Harness the resonance and and the healing power of your voice as Charlotte leads you through a journey to discover the story of you, past, present, & future. Discover your authentic self and what makes your soul sing.
Returning to the Queer Heart | 18th – 21st April 2025
This retreat will be a reverent offering of love, drawing upon devotional practices for our queer hearts. You are warmly invited to join the specialist leaders of the retreat to gather and tend to the wounds of unlove, seeded by society and cultivated by the pervasive climate of I, me and mine. The retreat will be paying loving attention to processes of heartbreak, community rupture, grievance and grief, with the loving company of remembrance, stillness, awakened care and spiritual practice. This retreat is a queer invitation to return to the fullness of one’s humanity, building altars to the messiness of being alive, and opening up to a collective sense of we, us and ours.
Beltaine Retreat | 28th April – 2nd May 2025
Come and gather at The Dreaming for 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. 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 the 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.
Credit: Elliot Cooper
Dreams of Ananda | 4 Nights / 5th May – 9th May 2025
The Dreaming presents this unique retreat in collaboration with some of the world’s foremost practitioners from Ananda in the Himalayas. This spiritual soul journey will immerse you in the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Meditation, held by the deep listening lands and offerings of The Dreaming. This unique healing retreat is crafted to restore your mind, body and spirit to a state of ‘Ananda,’ the Sanskrit meaning of Bliss. Led by the expert facilitators, The Dreaming’s Founder and Custodian, Charlotte Church, esteemed Ayurvedic Physician, Dr Harilal, and Ananda’s Head of Yoga, Malati Mehrish, this blend of East and West brings you the pinnacle of expertise in spiritual healing and growth.
A Call To Dream | 3 Nights / 23rd – 26th May 2025
Led by Lesley Asare, Leila Halid and Jazreena Harlow, the 4-day retreat presents a journey into the heart of the Elan Valley, where melanated women of African and Caribbean descent are invited to gather to remember the sacred art of dreaming, to rediscover the joy of play, and to sink into deep, nourishing rest. “A Call to Dream” is a retreat created for melanated women of African and Caribbean descent to rest, release, and re-imagine what it means to simply BE. Together, over four days we will slow down, tune into nature’s rhythm, connect with the earth, anchor our roots, savour the art of flow and create a sacred space to honour the divine within.
Day Retreats 1 Day / 10th & 18th June 2025
One day retreats offer the perfect opportunity to experience a small slice of the full retreat experience at a fraction of the normal cost. The Day Retreats invite you to slow down, reconnect with nature, and nurture your creative spirit while being surrounded by the magic of the land. Guests will spend the day weaving moments of stillness, creativity, and exploration, guided by the rhythms of the natural world. Through hands-on nature crafting, mindful connection with the land, nourishing meals, and a full Rhydoldog House tour, this retreat offers a glimpse into the heart of our retreat centre with an opportunity to deepen your relationship with yourself, the Earth, and the simple joys of life.
Belonging Family Retreat | 3 Nights / 29th July – 1st August 2025
A radical new family-attachment retreat, providing two concurrent programmes for parents and young people, to learn how to reconnect with each other and the earth, in love, trust, and mutual respect. It is so often the case 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. The Dreaming provides two parallel programmes for parents/carers and their young people aged 7-16, to learn how to reconnect with each other and the earth, in love, trust, and mutual respect.
Samhain Retreat | 4 Nights / 30th October – 3rd November 2025
Embark on a 5-day journey deep in the lands of the Welsh Cambrian Mountains, where the guests are invited to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors, guided by the ancient Celtic traditions of Samhain. As the natural world turns inward, we gather for our Samhain Retreat, immersing ourselves in the rich traditions of Celtic and Welsh lore. This season marks a profound cycle of death and rebirth, inviting us to acknowledge what has ended and prepare for new beginnings. At this sacred moment, when the veil between the seen and unseen worlds is thin, we invite you to join us in walking the path of our ancestors. Together, we will engage in mindful rituals rooted in ancient Celtic wisdom, embracing the darkness while celebrating the light within.
Grief Retreat | 3 Nights / 28th November – 1st December 2025
Join Death Doulas & Grief Facilitators Tree Carr and Rachael Carter for a transformative four-day journey of healing and renewal in the serene landscapes of The Dreaming. This is a sanctuary for those navigating the profound emotions of loss, grief, and bereavement, offering a compassionate, nurturing space to honour your personal journey. Set against the backdrop of The Dreaming’s serene and sacred landscape, the retreat integrates a person-centred approach with nature, meditation, art therapy, dreamwork, and sacred rituals. Each session is designed to help you reconnect with yourself and the natural world, guiding you through the profound processes of reflection, renewal, reconciliation, and rebirth.
Charlotte Church by Elliot Cooper