(Photo: Caroline Graham outside The Feathers Shepherd’s Hut)
Having travelled all over the world, Caroline Graham has opened her dream lifestyle business reconnecting people to nature. The Feathers Shepherd’s Hut is a beautiful retreat where visitors watch ducks and hens from the comfort of their armchairs while they relax. She has also designed two retreat packages for guests, and recently opened a women-only holistic treatment centre.
Caroline, originally from Ahascragh, studied Food and Beverage in Cork, coming home each weekend to work in Gullane’s Hotel. She then worked in Germany, London, and on the prestigious QE2 cruise liner. She moved to working on Irish Ferries where she met her husband, Stephen, and they moved to Ahascragh and raised children while Caroline worked in the medical device industry. However, she says that she was “always planning for this next chapter”.
With a love of gardening and a large outdoor space, she designed The Feathers “with love and intention…it is nestled in its own secret garden, and offers guests a slice of ‘slow living’ ”.
Caroline says that the journey to reach this point “hasn’t been easy.” She has self-funded the development of The Feathers, and juggled work with higher education to achieve her dream. However, she added that: “I’m finally stepping fully into this hard-earned chapter of creative independence and I can’t wait.”
The Feathers is available to book on www.airbnb.com as a haven for couples and nature lovers seeking a romantic escape or a “digital detox” (2-night minimum).
However, inspired by the solo female travellers she has hosted, Caroline has also designed a two-night all-inclusive solo retreat that is focussed on empowerment and reconnection. The package includes vegetarian/vegan dining and curated holistic treatments, allowing guests to focus entirely on themselves. “Once they arrive, every detail is handled – all they have to do is breathe” Caroline notes. The weekend vpackage runs from Friday – Sunday and costs €540, while the mid-week package costs €480.
She has also designed a 24-hour Mother-Daughter retreat, an idea born out of her personal experience. “I lost my mother to cancer when she was just 56, leaving a huge void,” Caroline says. “I often wish we’d had a place like this to simply be together. I inherited my love of baking and gardening from her; every time I teach children to plant seeds or bake with a mother and daughter, I am passing on her legacy.”
Her Mother-Daughter retreats (from 13+) start from €300, and include a programme of bread-making, foraging, cacao ceremony, and Reiki. If guests would like to do additional baking instead of a different activity, Caroline will try to accommodate this.
Guests can also avail of Nature Spirit Holistic Therapies, a female-only treatment space in Caroline’s home. As a graduate of the Obus Academy, she combines professional Holistic Massage and Reiki Healing with “herb magic” from her garden. Treatments are also available to women in the community by appointment only. Caroline says that she is “thrilled to grow this wellness space, passing on the healing traditions that have been shared with me”.
To book a treatment, retreat you can contact Caroline on 086 065 8243, or carolinegraham@gmail.com. You can also book via the link on her Facebook pages: “Nature Spirit Holistic Therapies” and “The Feathers Retreat.” She is also on Instagram: @thefeathershutandretreat.
