Dad died unexpectedly.

He had not been well for a while, but there’s not being well and then there’s dying. We never expected the later.

I decided we needed to disappear & leave home for a few days … just chill with Mollie dog.

Disclaimer – NOTHING is ever very chilled with Mollie. She’s old, she gets me up at 5.00am most mornings for a pee and is constantly hungry ! But in my head a change of scenery would do us all the world of good… and it really has.

I was scrolling ‘the web’  looking for places to stay when The Everything Retreat popped up. It said it was an hour and a half drive from Sheffield which is doable with Mollie . As well as everything else I’ve mentioned Mollie doesn’t like car journeys anymore ! She’s our grumpy old dog … that we absolutely adore.

It looked like just what we needed plus 6 of the 12 lodges catered for dogs. These are the Signature Lodges and we stayed in number 1 which was situated nearest to the field and next to the pond …

and so began my love affair with the sheep and their lambs in the field- so close you could almost touch them .

If you are on instagram and follow me you will have no doubt seen my stories . I was smitten with them. You may refer to me as Tracey the Sheep Whisperer from now on.

Everything Retreat is located in Mellor a beautiful part of the country , there is alot of stunning countryside with amazing views. The resort itself looks out across the Ribble Valley and is just so very peaceful. 

As I stated the retreat consists of 12 lodges, 6 identical ones named ‘Signature Lodges’ ( that allow dogs ) and then 6 themed lodges where dogs aren’t allowed. All lodges have a hot tub, these are fairly private but you are visible to other guests if they happen to be walking past. 

Also on-site is the Balance Bar which serves food and drink but doesn’t open Monday or Tuesday.

Unfortunately for us due to staff shortages it was only open until 5.30pm rather than 10.00 pm on the Wednesday. We Still managed to squeeze a few cocktails in though and nothing spoilt – we just had a drink on the terrace of our lodge and I jumped in the hot tub … 

For 2 nights with an extra surcharge of £35 for Mollie we paid a total of £330 . It was booked under the Cheeky Escape option and I think it was amazing value .

Included in that cost was the accommodation and either Afternoon Tea with fizz or Charcuterie board on arrival (or when it suited during your stay ) and a Breakfast Box every morning that was delivered to you for 8.45am. The breakfast box surprised me with just how good it was. 

In fact all the food we purchased on site was exceptional

We had the Afternoon Tea with fizz on arrival and ordered the Charcuterie board ( at an extra cost of £35 ) for Wednesday evening.

They really are amazing value and you got lots of delicious food. 

I mean look at that …

The only thing that was missing and I would suggest they provide in future are dog bowls.

We always carry one with us . We are Surprisingly organised for a couple of divvies ! I’m 100% sure if we hadn’t have the staff would  have sorted it out for us . They were beyond helpful, and nothing too much trouble.

The signature lodges themselves are beautiful & compact with a bathroom ( power shower – no bath) small well-equipped kitchen, double bed/ sleeping area and a small seated area with a coffee table . They even had underfloor heating if you required it.

They are big enough so that you aren’t sat on top of each other. I seriously think I could live there 24/7 . 

There’s a large screen TV and we were able to access Netflix and Amazon and Micheal managed to see some of his beloved snooker championships !! You can take the man away from Sheffield … 

Some places of Interest around the Retreat that we visited …

The Glass House at Stydd Gardens – Stoneygate Lane, Ribchester PR33YN

Is a 10 minute drive and will get you to a lovely little spot where we had our lunch. This was actually recommended to us by the lady on reception and also a lady on instagram , so thankyou ! 

The prices are quite spendy and the food we had didn’t really warrant the price-tag but it was decent enough. £22 for fish & chips and £21 for scampi . The sandwiches and burgers looked like a better option and were slightly cheaper ! I had food envy at the ladies eating at the table next to us. 

We had a little wander around the beautiful landscaped gardens . The older I get the more I appreciate a plant … and a quick ganzy at some of the small independent stores. 

The Spread Eagle Pub – Mellor Lane, Mellor BB2 7EG

You could actually see this pub from our Lodge . It is a 15 minute walk up the hill, or a 2 minute drive. We drove, or rather Michael did. We had planned to walk up but It was hot and we didn’t want to arrive like 2 sweaty messes! 

There are two outdoor terraces with beautiful views across the valley and it serves a decent beer. They also serve food but as we didn’t eat there so I can’t tell you if it’s any good, or not.

To be honest if you just wanted a few days away , to totally unwind there really wasn’t any reason to leave the Retreat , it’s just me I can’t sit still and always want to see new places ! 

I would definitely recommend The Everything Retreat for a spot of ME time / for chilling / for reconnecting with nature …

I’m missing those sheep, views & alfresco breakfasts already

I’m sure we’ll be back …

Tracey x