Mill Cross Retreats

07/02/2025

Who are we? We’re Kevin & Emma Ireland & we live at & manage Mill Cross Retreats.

Before we established Mill Cross Retreats, Kevin was an oak framed carpenter who had studied fine art & brings a brilliant eye for creative design to our place) & Emma worked in the charity sector as well as setting up her catering business, specialising in woodfired food.

We’ve lived here for nearly 7 years & we’re passionate about;

* giving our guests, visitors, friends & family a lovely, extra special place to visit-to step out of busy lives & have some space to relax & recharge
* the environment-we steward our 6 acres with care, using eco-conscious practices
* shopping & supporting local-there are so many wonderful independent businesses around us, so we’re very lucky
* all things woodfired-from our wonderful Gozney pizza oven to our woodfired hot tubs-we source our wood locally from Dartmoor
* going the extra mile to be generous hosts who care more & do more for you

When we’re not working, we love to walk with Juno our spaniel on Dartmoor or on the coast, cook & eat with friends or hang out with our 6 children, their partners and our 8 beautiful grandchildren.

We love our life here at Mill Cross Retreats & are happy to share it with you.

03/02/2025

There's something so comforting about the warmth & magic of our amazing Gozney oven which is the mainstay of The Bakehouse here at Mill Cross Retreats.

And no, we never get tired of pizza! Slow fermented dough, woodfired wonderment with top quality organic ingredients fresh out of the oven? Oh yeesssss!

Visit our info on our Bakehouse private cookery school or private dining to find out more.

31/01/2025

Wow! A sliver of silvery moon and an incredible array of stars tonight.

We’re so lucky to have clear skies with stars that never cease to impress…..

30/01/2025

YES we host team meetings here at Mill Cross Retreats with delicious organic food & drink, woodfired lunches & a wonderful, light & airy space.

Here's why you might choose us;

* We're in easy to reach Rattery, less than half an hour from Plymouth, Exeter & Torbay

* Our beautiful light & airy Bakehouse, surrounded by nature is a refreshing alternative to corporate meeting spaces & will stimulate your team's creativity

* Our delicious organic food & drinks will sustain you

* You can choose to add on a woodfired meal or cookery workshop

* Space for up to 12 people

*10% discount for NHS & Devon based charities

If you would like to know more, visit our MEET page https://www.millcrossretreats.com/meeting-space.

29/01/2025

There's so much hoo-ha about how to choose eco-friendly sustainable stays (which always involve a flight to an "eco"-resort)...when a UK stay with an independent host who genuinely supports local might be your greenest option.

And hey, there's so many beautiful places to visit in the UK with amazing food, great outdoor spaces and brilliant activities.

At we offer luxurious accommodation as well as placing a high value on buying & supporting local.

We encourage guests to do the same & provide masses of local info in our online guide.

We only use eco-friendly cleaning & household products, unbleached loo roll etc & have comprehensive recycling.

You can read more about our green values on our website & a longer blog about eco-friendly stays on our blogs page.

What matters to you?

28/01/2025

When you stay at Mill Cross Retreats, there is so much to do- from walks on Dartmoor to visiting South Devon beaches or seaside towns. Whatever you do, we urge you to stop, take time out and relax, breathe in the fresh air & get some R&R.

We are lucky to have Dartington Trust very nearby where you can see concerts, visit the Barn Cinema walk around the gardens or the deer walk, have great coffee at The Green Table or visit the White Hart pub.

Look at our VISIT SEE DO https://www.millcrossretreats.com/visit-see-do-ideas page for more but we suggest adding this as a great place to visit during your stay

27/01/2025

Looking for Monday supper inspiration?! Let’s cook a classic Italian comfort dish! Learn how to make the perfect Aubergine Parmigiana! https://www.millcrossretreats.com/blog

25/01/2025

Our beautiful granddaughter, Astrid, is celebrating her 1st birthday today…so I’m heading to Bristol armed with lemon, poppyseed & raspberry cake.

We’re so lucky to have not just Astrid, but 7 other wonderful grandchildren to keep us on our toes!

24/01/2025

A rare sighting of The “Lesser spotted” Kevin…who’s made a lovely job of a new willow & hazel hurdle fence behind the Oystercatcher…all from coppiced wood here.

Kevin’s never happier than when pottering about making managing outside projects (when he gets any time away from lighting hot tubs!).

He’s always happy to share tips on projects like this with guests. Gotta ♥️my man.

23/01/2025

Hello neighbours….

Always a joy to look out & see livestock in the fields around us…they’re weathering the windy weather very well…I expect we’ll see some lambs before too long ♥️

20/01/2025

We’re so lucky to have so many brilliant artisan cheeses and wonderful cheese shops locally (our favourite is ) in Devon.

To make great use of some crunchy, tasty Somerset cheddar (or any other mature cheese of your choice), why not knock up some spelt cheese scones?

Absolutely scrumptious with a cup of coffee mid morning….

What’s your favourite cheese make?

16/01/2025

15/01/2025

“Thank you for looking after us all so well yesterday. I feel like we achieved lots of ideas and plans from our morning but spending time in your lovely place (and making/eating yummy food!) made the whole thing feel very relaxing and enjoyable.” (Yealm Medical Practice)

Here at Mill Cross Retreats, we host team meetings & away days in our beautiful, light, airy, creative Bakehouse for up to 12 people.

Add on a woodfired organic feast at the end of the day to make it super special or for groups of 8 or less, add on a woodfired pizza workshop & enjoy the fruits of your labour together.

With wonderful organic food & drink, we'll look after you while you enjoy the peaceful, natural surroundings in easy to reach Rattery, just 3 minutes off the A38 and 30 minutes or less from Exeter, Plymouth & Torbay.

If you're looking for somewhere to inspire you, look no further.

10% discount for NHS & Devon based charities too! To find out more visit us at https://www.millcrossretreats.com/meeting-space

14/01/2025

A postponement for Rosie means a win for you.... stay at Mill Cross Retreats for this special weekend- walking on the beach or moor hand in hand, have a leisurely woodfired hot tub, enjoy the comfort of The Oystercatcher with its woodburning stove, comfy bed & lovely views over the hills.

Why not book a cream tea for arrival & have a chilled bottle of organic fizz waiting for you too? Or book a private woodfired pizza class to enjoy with your loved one?

All availability for the month of LOVE can be seen at www.millcrossretreats.com where you can also book!

You just need to bring someone you love!

13/01/2025

Guests love our woodfired hot tubs- they are sooooo relaxing, help you sleep well & lower your blood pressure.

Perfectly private, using only fresh water & no chemicals, they’re a real treat after a day spent exploring the delights that South Devon has to offer.

10/01/2025

Yes, yes, yes, good ground coffee (real-caff or decaff) is high in antioxidants, van help protect against memory loss, is good for heart health, gut health & reduces insulin resistance. Best drunk in the morning though, according to the experts. ideally just two cups.....

At Mill Cross we use lovely coffee for our accommodation & workshops. At home we brew using a stove top espresso maker- expertly managed by Kevin.

My favourite local places for coffee? at Dartington, & .hairy.barista -all of which do a splendid flat white.

What's your favourite coffee & where do you get your best artisan coffees out & about?

08/01/2025

We're delighted that Lisa McGreevy has won our pizza, focaccia & pud course. Thanks to everyone who tagged and shared our post.

Lisa will join us in March with her husband for a morning & lunchtime of woodfired wonderment.

If you would like to join us for a private woodfired pizza class for 2 (or more), you can book a course before the end of Feb with a 10% discount using code PIZZA10

In the meantime,

07/01/2025

Yes- what are you waiting for? Sign up here.....

https://mill-cross-retreats.kit.com/