The Shangrila Guest Ranch Cowgirl Retreat, South Boston, Virginia

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein 

Shangrila Guest Ranch, a working guest ranch located in South Boston, offers a week long trail riding retreat for women, yet from the moment you arrive at this biannual Cowgirl Retreat, you quickly discover that you’re in for so much more.  I was fortunate to attend two evenings of a Cowgirl Retreat as a guest of owners Gary and Julie Holmes, and it was every bit magical! Women from near and far attend this retreat each spring and fall, where they are treated to massages, trail riding, open air dining, wagon rides, and campfires with new and old friends alike, in the serene pastoral setting beloved by guests of Shangrila Guest Ranch. 

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. ~William Shakespeare 

Though words cannot adequately convey what an enjoyable experience the Cowgirl Retreat Week was for me, I can offer a glimpse of the retreat through my eyes, and hopefully you will take advantage of the opportunity to experience it for yourself. I arrived on one particular afternoon to two certified massage therapists setting up massage tables inside of a rustic style cabin, surrounded by a large rustic wooden porch.  The cowgirls, who had spent the earlier part of the day on the trails, were in for relaxing full body massages prior to their evening trail rides. Following the late afternoon massages, the group gathered together on the wide cabin porch and settled into comfortable wooden rocking chairs. Sandy McPherson of Hunting Creek Vineyards, a local vineyard and winery in Nathalie, poured wine and educated us about their local vineyard, grapes, wine making processes, and even discussed how each wine got its name.  Red and white checkered tablecloths covered porch tables, as an assortment of cheeses and crackers awaited to be paired with the various wines, with names such as Temptation, Repentance, Decadence, and Pure Luck. We cowgirls rested and rocked in those wooden chairs just long enough to get our fill of the evening breeze wafting through the early evening porch, share stories and laughter, and begin to form the sort of friendship that can only be forged through mutual adventure and a shared experience.    

There is nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse. ~John Lubbock, "Recreation," The Use of Life, 1894 

Following the wine talk and tasting, ranch hands led us out to the barn where we were paired with our horses.  The other cowgirls assured me that even though they rode all morning, they were ready to mount again for an evening ride into the sunset, and that’s just what we did. After all, they did come to ride horses. We rode off in a group, and as the path began to narrow, the horses made their way one in front of the other through the winding wooded path. The evening sun shone through the opening in the trees above us, as it illuminated the lush green tree tops as well as the old tobacco barns along the trail.  We talked and laughed as we rode, and at times we rode in silence, giving ourselves an opportunity to fully appreciate the natural unspoiled beauty of this special place. 

We rode together until we emptied into an open field, in which there stood Chef Stephen Schopen of Molasses Grill, donning his chef apron, grilling utensil in one hand, and steak seasons in the other. He seasoned our steaks over an open air grill, while the group gathered round the campfire to listen to Halifax County’s native singer/songwriter Matt Boswell sing and play his guitar. We continued to taste wines, listen to Matt Boswell strum his guitar while he serenaded the group, and smell the aroma of Chef Schopen’s steaks on the grill. It was one of those evenings that you wish would last forever.  

 

The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears.  ~Arabian Proverb 

We savored our dinner, our campfire, and every song as the sun lazily set behind the trees around us. Late at night, long after the sky was dark, we mounted our horses to head back through the trails. I was nervous riding a horse in the dark, but the ranch hands promised me that horses have a sixth sense and could easily make their way home even in the dark. There was something that felt daring, yet freeing about riding through the woods in the dark, putting your confidences in the horse and relying entirely on its instincts instead of your own. The group made its way safely back to stables and cabins, and I left Shangrila wanting to soon return. The time I spent there that week, as well as during my day visits, has left an indelible impression on me. 

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.  ~Winston Churchill 

The Cowgirl Retreat Week was certainly a special treat, but you don't have to attend the week long retreat to still take advantage of Shangrila. When our lives get a little too hectic and we need to reconnect, our family loves to head to the horses for quality family time in this relaxing natural setting.  Shangrila offers something for everyone, such as sitting by the stocked pond with a good book or fishing, feeding the ducks and other farm animals, volleyball, horseshoes, walking trails, and children love gathering the eggs from the chickens, roasting marshmallows by the campfire, or simply stargazing.   In addition to the Cowgirl Retreat Week, Shangrila offers all-inclusive riding packages, family vacation and reunion packages, girlfriend getaways, and hourly and day trail riding opportunities, in which you are welcome to use their horses or bring your own. Whether you are a first timer or a seasoned rider, you will have the opportunity to ride some of the most beautiful trails in Southern Virginia. 

If rest and relaxation is what you crave, if a horse adventure is what you like, or if you need time to reconnect with yourself or family, reach out to Gary and Julie at Shangrila.  You'll be in for the time of your life... time to slow down, time to enjoy life, time to unplug, time to reconnect with yourself or your family, and time to make memories for a lifetime! 

Shangrila Guest Ranch is conveniently located near Hwy 501 and Hwy 58 in South Boston, Virginia, just minutes from Virginia International Raceway, downtown South Boston, and just minutes from the Town of Halifax, state parks, and the Southern Virginia Wild Blueway.  For a more detailed description of the property and to learn more about the ranch and its owners Gary and Julie Holmes, please visit www.shangrilaguestranch.com. Please call (434)-517-0888 for reservations.

Have you seen this post somewhere before? I originally wrote this article for the May 2015 issue of Southern Virginia Perspective Magazine. Much love and many thanks to Shangrila for including me in this, and thanks to Southern Virginia Perspective Magazine for letting me share this special place in Southern Virginia with its readers. 

xoxo, Erin

Southern Virginia Mom

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