-RETREAT-

By Sara

Luke and I have long argued about referring to “wellness” at High Grange. Luke hates the word and I know that many treat it with cynicism. But one thing Luke and I agree on is how important it is.

The world is a difficult place to live in right now. We live in politically uncertain times, and often feel isolated, living away from family and friends. Social media and increased societal pressures mean we’re all striving to be the best employees, the best parents, the best partners, but trying to achieve a perfect life can be overwhelming at times. So stress-related illness is on the rise, as are auto-immune conditions and mental health problems. In short, we are pushing too hard and resting too little.

Luke and I have been very open about the problems we’ve had. We are very lucky to have three beautiful children but the trauma of recurrent miscarriage, chronic illness, and the ensuing mental health problems they caused meant that we learnt the importance of self-care. So what does that look like for us?

Firstly, connecting with people and talking. Sharing how you feel, opening up and letting it out. Next, being in surroundings that make you happy. We married under giant redwood trees and always found being in woodland incredibly calming. Being in nature generally - in the wilds of the Scottish highlands or the middle of the New Forest - always made us happy. We realised we love being close to water, the fresh air and the lapping waves. We moved to the East Devon/ West Dorset border for that reason - the proximity to beautiful coastline and rolling hills - and we bought High Grange and its woodlands for its wonderful views, its calm and peace. Thirdly, being active in a way that makes you happy. For me, its yoga - the grace and calm it brings me. For Luke that’s cycling and wild swimming. And finally, eating and drinking well. For us that means local, fresh ingredients, cooked simply and with love.

So in 2020, we open the doors of High Grange to those who seek retreat. We know this means different things to different people. It might mean eating fresh fish round a camp fire and having a negroni. It might be doing a woodland yoga class or attending a writer’s retreat. You might need stillness and calm, or you might want hedonism and laughter. Whatever wellness means to you, we will help you find it.

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