Natural Retreats

What Claire thinks...

Natural Retreats is a beautiful venue for a family friendly holiday - both for eco-conscious families but also those seeking an 'away from it all' break.

These properties are in a lovely, rural location and are stylish and luxurious inside, with high quality decor & furnishings. The living areas have a spacious, airy feel and the open plan layout means parents can cook whilst still supervising the children and enjoying the views from the floor to ceiling windows (plenty of squirrels and a fox passed by our residence in just one morning!)

All the residences are built and run on environmentally friendly principles. They are constructed from sustainable local materials to keep the carbon footprint low but also to ensure that they blend into their surroundings. The residences were built and are run using green technology such as sedum roofs, E solar glazing and natural spring water. Recycling bins are also provided at each lodge, along with Ecover cleaning materials and energy-efficient lightbulbs.

On arrival, holidaymakers receive a ‘Natural Treats' hamper containing organic (& where possible, local) produce - fruit, cereal, bread, wine, Ella's Kitchen baby sachets, butter, cheese, tea & coffee.

There are a number of local walk routes provided in each residence and there are woodland trails and wildlife ponds for little people on site.

We visited in December and our little people (1 and 2 and a half at the time) had a wonderful time building snowmen on the deck and stomping about in the snow!

There are 2 beautiful residence styles, both with 3 bedrooms...

Residences 2-6, 12-14 and 18-19

These properties are accessed via a glass door from the deck into the main living space. These properties consist of an open plan living area with solid wood floors and 2 fully glazed walls (safety glass) from which to view the unspoilt surroundings and spot the visiting wildlife. At one end, there is an island kitchen with a black granite worktop, stainless steel gas hob and integrated dishwasher, fridge and stainless steel electric oven. There is a separate utility room with washing machine, microwave and laundry equipment.

The dining area in the middle consists of a solid wood table and chairs for 6 people. The lounge area has leather sofas, a coffee table, 32" flat screen TV, DVD player, radio/CD player and wood burner (logs & lighters provided). The whole living area is both airy and spacious, giving a sense of being part of the landscape due to the large windows. In the evening, there is the option to close the blinds and light the fire, creating a warm, cosy atmosphere, or sit out on the deck with a glass of wine (weather permitting!) once the children are in bed.

The master double bedroom has a feature porthole window, exposed beams, door to the outside deck and an ensuite wet room. There are also 2 further smaller double bedrooms and a family bathroom with a bath and shower over it. Both bathrooms have natural Temple Spa toiletries and all the bedrooms have Egyptian cotton linen.

Parent points:

There are floor level radiators in the main living spaces so parents should be aware of children leaning / climbing on them.

Residences 1, 7-11 & 15-17

These properties are also accessed from the deck but into a separate entrance / utility area, with lockable storage cupboards and laundry equipment. From here you enter the open plan kitchen and living area.

The kitchens have black granite worktops, a stainless steel gas hob and integrated dishwasher, fridge and stainless steel electric oven; the dining areas contain a stylish wooden table and bench seats for 6 people - this faces the full glass wall and deck so with the doors flung open, makes a lovely, peaceful spot for lunch on a warm, sunny day, or a quiet sunset supper once the little people are asleep.

Next is the living area with bespoke sofas, a coffee table, wall mounted flat screen TV, DVD player, radio/CD player and wall mounted fire with child safety features. There are 3 good sized double bedrooms leading off this space, each with an ensuite shower room. All the shower rooms have natural Temple Spa toiletries and all the bedrooms have Egyptian cotton linen.

Parent points:

In these residences there is no family bathroom and there are no baths in the ensuites, so these are less suited to families with older babies / young toddlers.  Guests with younger babies can be provided with a baby bath on request. For older tots, the walk in showers may well prove to be a fun attraction!

Click here for a site map of Natural Retreats Yorkshire Dales.

The residences are built into a beautiful unspoilt setting with views across wildlife ponds or out to the surrounding forested areas, providing a sense of tranquility and privacy. Rabbits, foxes and deer, as well as many birds, can be seen from the deck, and the whole area is a Winter wonderland in the snow or a peaceful haven in warmer weather.

All residences have a timber decked area running around the outside with table & chairs provided.

There are wildlife ponds in front of residences 2-6 and numerous walk routes around and from the property are provided.

Parent points:

One would choose to visit Natural Retreats precisely for it's natural, sustainable approach and should therefore be prepared for the child supervision that ‘nature' entails:

• The decked areas are not fenced and in some cases there is a fairly steep step off the edge to the ground. Very small children should therefore be supervised on the deck.
• A torch is needed outside daylight hours (one is provided in each lodge but guests would be advised to take one themselves if they expect to arrive after dark).
• Wooden decks & access pathways can be a little slippery in bad weather so supervision to avoid slipping may be necessary.
• There are unfenced ponds in front of lodges 2-6 so normal supervision whilst in this area would be required.
• Residence 1 - this is close to the access road into the site so normal road safety supervision would be required (very limited traffic however - only other guests coming and going a couple of times per day).

• Travel cots
• Microwave
• Steriliser
• Highchairs
• Baby bath
• Plastic plates, cups and cutlery
• Fireguards
• Welcome hamper containing Ella's Kitchen baby sachets

For the children...
The residence surroundings are a hive of activity for the local wildlife and there are many walks from the door, out into the countryside or into the local town (Richmond, 1 mile away). A holiday at Natural Retreats is a real ‘get away from it all' break for all the family and the wildlife ponds will offer little nature lovers the perfect chance to don their wellies in search of frogs!

Natural Retreats is set amongst 54 acres of pristine countryside in Swaledale, just a mile from the historic town of Richmond, where there are many shops, restaurants, coffee shops and a supermarket, not to mention the Castle.

Richmond Castle, sited on a rocky promontory above the River Swale, is among the oldest Norman stone fortresses in Britain. There are also many other castles within easy reach, with Ripley Castle (Harrogate) offering special children's tours, walled gardens, a play trail and a deer park.

Mother Shipton's Cave (Knaresborough) is the home of England's most famous Prophetess, who lived some 500 years ago. This is a great place to visit for budding witches and wizards.

There are numerous caverns across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, such as Stump Cross Caverns (Nidderdale) and Ingleborough Cave (Ingleborough). There are gardens galore, including the quirky Forbidden Corner (Coverham), a labyrinth of tunnels, chambers and surprises set in a 4-acre garden.

Fountains Abbey (Ripon) has deer, a lake and easy guided walks, suitable for pushchairs and little legs. Lightwater Valley Amusement Park and Birds of Prey Centre is only a few miles away near Ripon.

The National Railway Museum (York) and the Wensleydale Railway (Leeming Bar) will appeal to 'Thomas' fans and train buffs, young and old alike!

The famous 'Coast to Coast' walking and biking path runs along the southern boundary of the land and by following this, you will very quickly find yourself in the National Park itself. Mountain bikes can be hired and delivered to the retreat and there are many riding stables in the area, hacking out on to the moor. Fantastic fishing can also be found on the Swale as close as Richmond itself.

There are many more family-friendly walks and attractions throughout the region and details of these can be found in the information file in each residence.

Before booking, please read our Terms and Conditions. 

Please note: Properties at Natural Retreats are available for bookings of less than a week, and the arrival / departure dates are also flexible. Please contact us for details.

As there are 19 residences at Natural Retreats, the calendar shows prices but no availability as it is rare for all residences to be fully booked.

The calendar below shows a change over day of Saturday. However change over days are flexible and as such prices may vary accordingly.

Bookings for Natural Retreats will be taken by Tots to Travel and once we have received confirmation of your booking, you will be looked after be Natural Retreats directly.