Come stay and help on a small farm and holistic retreat in the English Lake District, UK
Last activity
: 13 May 2025
Profile information
Usually responds within 14 days
Min stay requested: 1 month or more
Workawayers needed
Possibility that workawayers are needed
No availability
Details
Host ref number: 981975153772
Website Safety
Feedback (19)
Left by host for Workawayer (Georgia)
Georgia was a joy to have as part of our team. She was hardworking, friendly and helpful. Everyone enjoyed having her stay, She was respected by all the family (kids and adults alike), our chef and other staff, and all the retreat guests.
Right up in until the end of her stay she kept with enthusiasm and positivity, which helped in keeping our
… read more business run smooth and with ease.
I would recommend her to any hospitality work-away experience.
Left by Workawayer (Georgia) for host
My experience here was genuinely more than I could have hoped of, Suzy, Phil and family really welcomed me into their family and work-life world. It is such a special place to live and work, with great opportunities to go off on days off exploring all over the lake district. Taking part in one of Suzy's retreats was a really beautiful opportunity
… read more and I would suggest you take part if you can. I felt very comfortable and happy living there and there was always good food available especially when retreats were happening, that food was some of the best I have ever eaten!! I was very sad to leave in the end, but will always appreciate the three months where I got to experience the magic here!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Matthew & Cadence) for host
My boyfriend Matthew and I spent 2 months with Suzy, Phil and their children. The time we spent there meant more to us than we ever expected.
Suzy and Phil have created a wonderful business together, with beautifully furnished barns and a yoga studio space. It was amazing to get to be a part of the business that they have created cleaning barns
… read more twice a week and helping out with dinner time. Suzy and Phil are very accommodating, making sure there is foods you like in the kitchen and Phil is happy to give you a lift if he is heading into town. Between the barn cleans, a weekly house clean and night time dishes we felt that the exchange was more than fair.
There are extra opportunities to work during the yoga retreats that Suzy hosts. This includes serving the guests and washing up dishes. It was great to meet the guests that made their way to the place and also to be in the kitchen trying out new vegan dishes.
We had a lovely cabin in their woodlands where we could sleep listening to the stream and wake up looking at a field of grazing sheep. The cabin has a wood burning fire place that was perfect for the winter months. The Lake District is an incredible area with beautiful mountains and woodlands to explore on your days off.
At the place, you really become a part of the family. You’ll see the chaos of family dinners or family game nights but these are unforgettable moments that you get to spend with the family. Don’t forget the three dogs and three cats too! That being said, there is always something going on and someone to chat with.
As I have experience as a yoga teacher, I was able to join Suzy for her yoga retreats. This time is something that I will never forget and changed my relationship with my yoga practice. Suzy is an amazing yoga teacher, creating a space where people can fully relax in nature and explore different yogic practices. If you are a yoga instructor this is the place for you!
All the love,
Cadence and MatthewYou can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Natasha) for host
My friend Taylor and I spent 7 weeks at the place and we cried when we had to leave. We had the best time getting to know everyone in the family and helping out around the house. We formed unique relationships with everyone in the family and truly felt like part of the family by the time we left.
The accommodation is a beautiful little cabin
… read more tucked away from the family house. You can hear the river down below and it was always cozy with the fire. Phil and Suzy provide you with everything you need and are happy to help accommodate your needs within reason. Suzy and Phil cook amazing meals and if you help with the Retreats then you also get the delicious, vegan Retreat food.
As for the work, as long as you are motivated to do a good job cleaning the beautifully renovated barns and the family home, you’ll be just fine. We enjoyed our cleaning days and we got through the cleans at a good pace and got to enjoy listening to music or podcasts. The barn cleans and family house cleans didn’t take much time so our other hours were usually centered around helping the family with dinner for the kids or extra cleans. We also helped with the retreat which just consisted of bringing out the food and doing the washing up after. We enjoyed that time, filling it with music or with conversations with whoever was in the kitchen.
Overall the work is straightforward and relatively easy, the family is amazing, and the location is outstanding. We enjoyed many nature walks from the trails right off the property and just being surrounded by nature was so refreshing. The family is always busy doing 10 things at once but we found comfort in the chaos and enjoyed cuddling with the dogs and cats (when they would let us). We cannot recommend this workaway enough (and we miss you guys so much!! ♥️)You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Photos
One of our beautiful holiday apartments
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Left by host for Workawayer (Georgia)
Georgia was a joy to have as part of our team. She was hardworking, friendly and helpful. Everyone enjoyed having her stay, She was respected by all the family (kids and adults alike), our chef and other staff, and all the retreat guests.
Right up in until the end of her stay she kept with enthusiasm and positivity, which helped in keeping our
… read more business run smooth and with ease.
I would recommend her to any hospitality work-away experience.
Left by Workawayer (Georgia) for host
My experience here was genuinely more than I could have hoped of, Suzy, Phil and family really welcomed me into their family and work-life world. It is such a special place to live and work, with great opportunities to go off on days off exploring all over the lake district. Taking part in one of Suzy's retreats was a really beautiful opportunity
… read more and I would suggest you take part if you can. I felt very comfortable and happy living there and there was always good food available especially when retreats were happening, that food was some of the best I have ever eaten!! I was very sad to leave in the end, but will always appreciate the three months where I got to experience the magic here!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Matthew & Cadence) for host
My boyfriend Matthew and I spent 2 months with Suzy, Phil and their children. The time we spent there meant more to us than we ever expected.
Suzy and Phil have created a wonderful business together, with beautifully furnished barns and a yoga studio space. It was amazing to get to be a part of the business that they have created cleaning barns
… read more twice a week and helping out with dinner time. Suzy and Phil are very accommodating, making sure there is foods you like in the kitchen and Phil is happy to give you a lift if he is heading into town. Between the barn cleans, a weekly house clean and night time dishes we felt that the exchange was more than fair.
There are extra opportunities to work during the yoga retreats that Suzy hosts. This includes serving the guests and washing up dishes. It was great to meet the guests that made their way to the place and also to be in the kitchen trying out new vegan dishes.
We had a lovely cabin in their woodlands where we could sleep listening to the stream and wake up looking at a field of grazing sheep. The cabin has a wood burning fire place that was perfect for the winter months. The Lake District is an incredible area with beautiful mountains and woodlands to explore on your days off.
At the place, you really become a part of the family. You’ll see the chaos of family dinners or family game nights but these are unforgettable moments that you get to spend with the family. Don’t forget the three dogs and three cats too! That being said, there is always something going on and someone to chat with.
As I have experience as a yoga teacher, I was able to join Suzy for her yoga retreats. This time is something that I will never forget and changed my relationship with my yoga practice. Suzy is an amazing yoga teacher, creating a space where people can fully relax in nature and explore different yogic practices. If you are a yoga instructor this is the place for you!
All the love,
Cadence and MatthewYou can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Natasha) for host
My friend Taylor and I spent 7 weeks at the place and we cried when we had to leave. We had the best time getting to know everyone in the family and helping out around the house. We formed unique relationships with everyone in the family and truly felt like part of the family by the time we left.
The accommodation is a beautiful little cabin
… read more tucked away from the family house. You can hear the river down below and it was always cozy with the fire. Phil and Suzy provide you with everything you need and are happy to help accommodate your needs within reason. Suzy and Phil cook amazing meals and if you help with the Retreats then you also get the delicious, vegan Retreat food.
As for the work, as long as you are motivated to do a good job cleaning the beautifully renovated barns and the family home, you’ll be just fine. We enjoyed our cleaning days and we got through the cleans at a good pace and got to enjoy listening to music or podcasts. The barn cleans and family house cleans didn’t take much time so our other hours were usually centered around helping the family with dinner for the kids or extra cleans. We also helped with the retreat which just consisted of bringing out the food and doing the washing up after. We enjoyed that time, filling it with music or with conversations with whoever was in the kitchen.
Overall the work is straightforward and relatively easy, the family is amazing, and the location is outstanding. We enjoyed many nature walks from the trails right off the property and just being surrounded by nature was so refreshing. The family is always busy doing 10 things at once but we found comfort in the chaos and enjoyed cuddling with the dogs and cats (when they would let us). We cannot recommend this workaway enough (and we miss you guys so much!! ♥️)You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Bethan & Thomas)
Beth and Tom were excellent helpers who stayed with us for 3 months, they very quickly dropped into the routine of our family life and the chaos that sometimes rears its head, helping out when was needed and being a constant source of fun and interest for us and our three kids (9, 11 and 14yrs).
Once shown what was expected from them at work they
… read more quickly proved more than capable and performed to the level we expected throughout their stay with us.
Beth and Tom are conscientious and trustworthy people and I can recommend them to any business host or family.
Left by Workawayer (Bethan & Thomas) for host
Beth and I both had such an amazing time we thought we'd write a message each, for me I couldn't have been happier staying here! The cabin we stayed in was beautiful, secluded and really comfy, we couldn't believe it when we arrived. The required work of cleaning the air BnB is a very fair exchange and as long as you can make a neat bed you'll
… read more have no problems. Suzie and Phil felt like family by the time we left, their kids are awesome too! The land is absolutely beautiful and I feel like I got so much more from the exchange than I could have ever expected!
Beth: my time here was pretty transformational, the family were the family so amazing and the kids hilarious, and I really fell in love with Thier little family after 3 months.
I got to take part and teach on yoga retreats and Suzy really helped me in ways I can't quite explain. The work is easy, you just have to have an eye for detail and you get so much back in return. The cabin was amazing and we really loved sharing our space with Thier dogs, especially Alice.
Anyone looking to stay here, you're incredibly lucky! We will be back....You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Meliesha)
Meliesha was a fantastic part of the team here for all of her two/three months stay. By the end we were most definitely wishing that she was staying longer!! She has a great work ethic and is very honest with always a positive attitude. She was dedicated to all of the jobs we gave her, even the more menial ones.
She became a great part of the
… read more yoga retreat team cooking delicious foods and teaching some great classes both of which the students all really enjoyed. She is a very good yoga teacher and vegetarian/vegan chef, she really shines in these holistic and intuitive roles. We came to really trust her with all the retreat centre jobs.
Thank you for all your help Meliesha, and in helping us take the next step at the centre. I would recommend her to anyone reading this post.
Left by Workawayer (Meliesha) for host
Wow I had such a wonderful time working with Suzi and Phil. Such a great family. The space that they have created together is incredible. Suzi is an amazing yoga teacher and chef. I really learnt a lot from her and really enjoyed working with Phil outside on the farm.
Thank you so much for this experience and I hope to stay in touch!
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Pauline ) for host
I stayed for two and a half week at Suzy’s und Philip’s Retreat and I had a great time there!
Suzy, Philip and their three wild children are nice and open people. Indeed, they are a bit messy and always busy, but if I needed any help they were there for me.
My tasks mainly included:
cleaning the four appartements (bathroom, kitchen, bedroom,...)
… read more
help preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner for the guests (cutting vegetables,...) and serving the meals
stacking logs outside (they weren’t heavy!)
general help in the house like cleaning the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher, feeding the cats,...
I spended just one hour with the children on my own, but I think Suzy and Philip would appreciate it, if you like to undertake something with them. They are lively and friendly children! It never will be boring with them. I also had the possibility to walk with their gentle and uncomplicated dog Alice any time I wanted.
It was great, that Suzy and Philip have been very flexible with working hours. On Fridays and Mondays there always was a lot of cleaning work to do, because guests departed and new guests arrived on these days. But except of this, I was able to divide my volunteering time quite freely.
That’s why I had a lot of freetime to explore the surrounding. The Lake District impresses with it's amazing nature, which is perfect for hiking, cycling and swimming in the beautiful lakes! It was fantastic, that I always could borrow a bicycle to visit all the nice places nearby.
The Retreat definitely is a perfect place for a couple or two friends who love the calm and quiet of nature. But also a single traveler who likes to spend time on his own will have a great time.
Moreover, Suzy is a fantastique cook! She cooks healthy and very tasty meals. I also was allowed to care for myself, if I liked to eat something else.
All in all, I am very happy about making this wonderful experience and can recommend the place to all those who enjoy the healthy lifestyle and being in nature.
Thank you again for enable me this experience!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Hayley & Colin ) for host
Honestly, this experience was so much more than I ever could have imagined! It has been months since we have been there and our trip has ended, but I can honestly say it was the best part of my adventure. I had the most amazing time on the farm. Working with Suzie was such a joy and a pleasure. The children kept us laughing and we had a ball
… read more watching movies with Phil. I speak for both of us when I say we loved every minute of it, we wish we could stay longer and we hope to return some day. We both live in a city environment and the farm was a very relaxing and rejuvenating place. They made us feel like family right off the bat and we were so sad to leave. Suzie’s cooking alone is reason to make the trip, it was an incredible learning experience for anyone wishing to learn more about wellness, hospitality, or farm life.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Nora Rose) for host
It was an indescribable wonderful time, thank you again for everything and see you soon :)!
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Helen) for host
I stayed for one month in the beautiful Lake District on the Farm and I can only say that it was amazing! It was my first workaway experience and the family made me feel at home and as a part of them from the first minute.
Suzy, Philip and their three lovely children were great company and I had a lot of interesting conversations with them and a
… read more lot of fun playing and messing around with the kids. The work I had to do was easy and not too hard, it was mostly focused on cleaning the apartments they offer for tourists on Mondays and Fridays and on the other days I helped in the household, played with the children, helped Philip with some work on the future barn and other very light jobs. On my free days I spend a lot of time hiking and exploring the surrounding landscape and towns. What always cheered me up when I missed home during my stay were the 6 absolutely adorable kittens the family had when I was there. They were so much fun and brought a lot of excitement in the family.
In general I can only recommend going there, because the Saunders are an amazing and lovely family! So if you want to spend a great time in England go there, you won't regret it at all and I'm already planning on coming back, although it might just be for a holiday in their wonderful apartments!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Jessica & Joey) for host
We had an amazing time with the Saunders and the memories we made in the English Lake District will forever be in our hearts! The work we did was simple and easy. Helping Suzy cook, playing with the kids, and hanging out with pets was an absolute joy! Thank you for a great workaway experience....we miss you guys!
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Jennifer) for host
I spent two amazing and interesting weeks at Suzy and Philip's farm. It was my first experience as a workawayer and I think it couldn't be better. They are very helpful, friendly, respectful and interesting people. In a short time I felt as a family member. I had my own bedroom and could decide if I want to use de family-bathroom or a separate
… read more one. You have your privacy if you want, but you can also spend time with the family when you finished your work. Suzy cooks various, healthy and it was always very tasty even if I haven't tried it before.
About the work: the most important tasks were housekeeping and cleaning the apartments. But I also helped with cooking, playing with the children, collecting firewood, walking with the dog and helped wherever I'm needed.
The place was cool to discover the landscape on my days off. It is very beautiful to do some walks.
Maybe it's possible to come back once. Thank you very much for the great experience!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Carole & Mathieu) for host
We spent two amazing weeks at Phil and Suzy's farm! They are very nice, interesting, caring, respectful persons with a great lifestyle and a lovely family!
Suzy is a real chef so don't worry about the food, the meals are healthy, varied and, above all, tasty!
The accommodation is really good, you have your own room with a double bed, and you can
… read more use either the family's bathroom or a separate one.
About the work, we've done several tasks from painting, to cleaning the guest houses, collecting wood, cooking or playing with the children, so you won't get bored. And Suzy and Phil are always here to help you if you need.
The location was perfect to discover the Lake District on our days off, we had a lot a wonderful walks like Tarn Hows or the Old Man of Coniston. We could also appreciated the charming town of Ambleside thanks to the family's bikes!
It was our first workaway experience and they were the perfect hosts. We were sad to leave and we want to thanks them so much for the enriching experience! Hope we'll have the occasion to come back.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Elissa) for host
I had a really great time staying with Philip and Suzy! They are good company, very interesting, welcoming and funny. I immediately felt appart of the family, the kids are adorable and very energetic. I was never bored!!
About the food : It was really easy for me to be vegan there, every meal was delicious. I enjoyed cooking different meals with
… read more Suzy and learning a lot about healthy and easy alternatives for food that is harmful to your body. Although they usually don't eat a lot of meat or dairy, they have eggs, cow milk and butter. If you're not vegetarian or vegan, they could cook meat for you; you're free to eat whatever you like if you ask for it! :)
About the work: Nothing was too complicated, I basically cleaned the appartments, feed the chickens and helped cooking for dinner. The work is enough to keep you busy all day!
About the stay: The room was lovely and the bed really comfortable. Yes the bathroom door has no lock but it is not a problem; everyone knows that when the door is closed you don't come in. :) They also have 3 adorable cats to keep you company during the stay and you can walk around the farm, hike, go see the lakes or go to the nearest town in your free time.
Overall, I really liked my experience at this farm. I particularly enjoyed Suzy's holistic courses, I learned a lot. I'm very thankful for this first workaway experience. If I go back to the Lake District I'll be more than happy to join them again!!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Ben) for host
Amazing time with Phillip and Suzy! Immediately felt like apart of the family and very comfortable. The kids are fantastic and full of energy and Phillip and Suzy were great company! Learned a lot in my short time there and had a great time. Tried many new foods and expanded my horizons. No complaints at all! If I'm ever back in the Lake District
… read more I know who to call:)You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Michael & Brooke)
Many thanks for your comments, both positive and negative.
We will update our profile to include details of the animals on our farm and in the farmhouse.
However we would like to address the other comments as we feel a little misrepresented.
We are not vegetarian as we regularly eat fish, if any of our helpers express a need for meat we
… read more will happily buy this for them and have done so for many helpers. This said we find that most helpers enjoy the chance to eat our healthy food . Every now and then we do eat meat that is reared on our own farm. We have a milkman who delivers milk every other day and we will ask him to deliver every day if helpers drink a lot of milk. We also use butter, and are happy to buy cheese.
You arrival was very much planned for, we collected you from the train station, and also took you back there when you wanted to leave. Rather than asking you to catch a bus to our local town I offered to pick you up from the town further away with a train station, i do this for helpers that are staying for a longer period of time.
The linen was not on your bed for when you arrived this is correct, it had been laundered that day and you kindly offered to make your own bed when you arrived, your room was clean and otherwise ready for you to move into, we ask all our helpers to clean their own room and to make their own beds, leaving the room clean and beds stripped when they leave. We are not a hotel, we are a family that welcomes helpers into our family home, to experience all that entails.
The bathroom in the house does not have a lock on it as we have small children, the rule is a simple one, if the door is closed then someone is in the bathroom, we have had no problems with this either from our kids who are very respectful of this rule, neither have we previously had a problem with helpers.
The radiator in the room was turned off, it just needed turning on. I will check this in the future.
I hope this clarifies some of your misunderstandings, we feel that if you could have stayed longer than 48 hrs most could have been discussed and easily sorted.
Left by Workawayer (Michael & Brooke) for host
Staying with Phillip and Suzy was our first workaway experience. Unfortunately, whilst we had intended to stay for 4 weeks, we ended up having to leave after two days. Here are the positives and negatives of our experience which we hope will help other Workawayers determine if this is the right placement for them.
Positives:
- Philip and Suzy
… read more were very interesting and hard working people and their kids were full of energy and brought a smile to our faces.
- The Lake District area itself is stunning and there are plenty of places to explore on days off.
- We learnt how to cook some new recipes, which were very tasty.
- The work that we did participate in was manageable and enjoyable.
Negatives:
- We were not advised before arriving that three cats lived in the house (which we are very allergic too).
- We were not told that the family only ate vegetarian food and no dairy products. Whilst this was not a problem for us, it may be beneficial for other Workawayers to know this beforehand.
- It seems that our arrival was not planned for, as there were no sheets or towels left out for us when we arrived.
- The family share the one bathroom, which does not have a lock on the door. If you would like to use a separate bathroom, you'll need to go outside.
- The heater in the workaway bedroom was broken which resulted in cold nights.
Overall, whilst we did have a nice time, we wish we had have communicated better with the family prior to our arrival.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Jessica & Mitchell) for host
WOW! first of all we want to thank Philip and Suzy for this amazing opportunity. We had such an amazing time with you guys. We did so much while we were here. We learned new trades (fencing, and wood splitting), we participated in holistic retreats, we explored their beautiful land, walked to beautiful Lake District, and enjoyed the company and
… read more stories from them and the kids! They make you feel right at home and basically part of the family. I would recommend this opportunity to anyone, thanks again guys! Tell the kids we miss them and next year the Dolphins play in London ;)You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Claire) for host
It was a great opportunity to stay three weeks in this beautiful farm ! Philip and Suzy are extremely nice and they know how to make you feel like home. The work was variate and not difficult, they both have amazing ongoing projects and it is a pleasure to help for it. Thanks for everything and good luck with the cookbook, the barn and the trees !
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Katharina)
Quite simply one of the best helpers we have had in the 5 years we have had helpers stay with us, Kat is helpful, cheerful and a very beautiful person. The Kids miss her still and talk about her fondly. Great at cleaning and at all the hard work needed around the farm here too, always done with a smile on her face. You can not go wrong having
… read more Katharina help you with your project.
Left by Workawayer (Katharina) for host
Hello everybody! Please don´t wait to contact this family, it is definitely worth to do it. I spend t´three wonderful weeks with Philip, Susy and the three lovely children, Roan, Aron and Yuna. It was never boring. You will have plenty of time exploring the sorrounding area. Ambleside, is a nice place, which you can reach by walking. From there
… read more you could go for a little boat trip (not to expensive) visiting other places arround the Lake District. The work tasks were varied and not hard. I helped tidying up, in the garden, preparing some tent poles for a Tipi, yes it´s quite cool. The kids are lovely, three whirlwind, I looked after them.. listened to their stories, told an exciting adventure and tried to make a bonfire.. how I said I tried it.. it didn´t work.;) It was a really nice time and I enjoyed it thanks to the family. Many thanks for everything! I hope we see again. You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Ali)
Ali was a tremendous helper and fitted right into the family unit, and was great company too.
Left by Workawayer (Ali) for host
I was grateful for the opportunity to stay with Phillip and Susan in their farm. The weather was terrific, the work not so difficult, and the area wonderful to explore. Philip and Susan are experienced hosts with over five years of hosting so it felt very comfortable to be in their company. Great organic food, too!
Thank you.
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Join our local team at our beautiful little restaurant in the Scottish Highlands, UK
Pet sitting in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Wales, UK
We've noticed that there's less than 3 photos uploaded to your profile. With the new host profile layout this we would highly recommend having more than 3 photos so your profile stands out visually.
Please take a few moments to choose some images that show off your place or area:
Please log in to your Workawayer account to contact this host, or
sign up here!
Information for those planning to visit the UK
Please note due to the UK leaving the EU, freedom of movement from the EU to the UK ended on 1st Jan 2021. If you are not a UK citizen, Irish citizen, settled status holder, Commonwealth citizen with the right to abode in the UK, BNO passport holder with valid visa or have a Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme (working holiday) visa and you are entering the UK to work or study you may be refused entry to the UK after Jan 1st 2021 unless you have the correct visas and permits in place. To find out more information about visas and work permits for your nationality you need to contact the embassy in your home country BEFORE travelling.
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
