Spring Light and wild water.. Finding joy in the Lake District

I first “discovered” Silverholme one cold winter’s night, well, in my head, while breastfeeding my two month old, Freddie. Zest Life had been running retreats for four years at a beautiful Anglesey venue, but I had a sudden, vivid idea. We needed a new location, one that would feel fresh and inspiring for the following spring.

I imagined long walks, shared meals, laughter around the fire, and mornings spent moving and breathing in the soft light of a new place. “Spring. Yes, a retreat in spring,” I thought. “This will be perfect in March.” There was a tiny niggle of doubt about Freddie, but the hormone fuelled supermum in me refused to let a baby stop the dream. He was coming too.

Two weeks later, I drove three hours to see the house. And wow. Weddings were held there regularly, but I immediately saw its potential for retreats. Opulent rooms, spacious living areas, a huge kitchen, and shimmering lake frontage. And the converted coach house was flooded with sunlight and perfect for yoga. I was sold.



Organising that first retreat was an adventure. My car was packed with food, flowers, and Freddie strapped into a backpack as I set tables, lit fires, and laid out tea and cakes. My partner took Freddie to stay in a cottage on site, but I still dashed over every two hours to breastfeed. Despite the chaos, the weekend was a triumph. I still have photographs of him sitting in the kitchen sink, and I often wonder how and why I managed it all.

I ran another retreat that autumn before life shifted again. Two more daughters arrived in quick succession, and three children under four made long drives to retreats far less appealing. Anglesey became our retreat home once more.

But the Lake District kept calling. Its lakefront setting felt made for yoga and wild swimming. I connected with Gilly McArthur, a vivacious and inspiring lover of open water, and together we designed a retreat celebrating the joy of being in water in your own skin, not a wetsuit. We focused on slowing down, calming the nervous system, and immersing ourselves in blue and green spaces. Community became the heart of it all, being in the water together, laughing, and sharing stories around the fire.

With Kelly, our wonderful plant based chef, the retreats have been swimmingly successful ever since. The water brings guests together, and the food and fireside conversations deepen trust. Day by day, bonds grow. Guests began booking for the following year before they even left, and our September retreat now fills before we ever promote it.

These women, my tribe, are extraordinary. They are not 20, 30, or even 40. They are older, fearless, and full of joy. A Navy doctor, another a lawyer, some mothers, others grandmothers, a few have returned more than ten times! Together, they hike mountains, dive into waterfalls, and play like children, begging for just one more minute in the wild water. Their laughter echoes long after the swims are over.

Now, driving up the motorway for a week of retreats, four and then five days back to back, child free, is pure liberation. Sharing this corner of the world with our guests is a privilege. As the poet Oriah Mountain Dreamer writes, “It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.”

And April in the Lake District is where that longing truly comes alive. Spring light dances across the water. The banks of Grasmere are carpeted with bluebells, and wild garlic grows underfoot, scenting the air and finding its way into our soups. Each day feels fresh and full, swimming in clear water from sunrise till dusk and beyond…., walking through new green forests, to gathering around the table as the evenings soften.

These retreats are more than a getaway. They are a return to joy, to nature, and to the simple, wild pleasure of feeling completely alive.