Do you feel you’re on course for a happy and fulfilled Third Act… or do you feel untethered when you think about the years ahead?
Nikki Garnett has been working with MCIPD qualified coach (and long-time Midlifechic reader) Sharon Blake to develop the Midlifechic Retreat.
A weekend dedicated to helping you to define your vision of a happy future and plan out a route map so that you can make it happen.
What do we mean by the Third Act?
We’ve already lived through the first two ‘acts’ of our lives:
Foundation – education, skill building, early career and identity formation
Expansion – career growth, family building, financial and asset accumulation and broad experiences
Now we are moving into what could be the most exciting and rewarding time:
Fulfilment – which if we plan it well will be all about purpose driven living, lifestyle redesign, exploration, pleasure and our legacy
If we take a little time to work out what we want to get out of it, the fulfilment stage has the potential to be the most satisfying period of our life – and this is where the Midlifechic Retreat comes in.
What will the Midlifechic Retreat do for you?
By the end of the weekend you should have a clear idea of what will help you to feel as if you’re thriving throughout your fulfilment stage or Third Act. Everybody will have their own version of fulfilment so we’ll work both in small groups and individually. We’ll inspire and support each other as well as having time for personal reflection. We hope that by the end of the weekend we’ll have established a group of confidantes who will stay connected over the years and keep each other feeling encouraged and on track.
Sessions will be led by both Sharon and Nikki who will get you thinking about what matters most to you – and what you can leave behind. They will include proven coaching techniques and exercises as well as practical projects so that you have a visual map to take home with you.
Do you feel you’re on course for a happy and fulfilled Third Act… or do you feel untethered when you think about the years ahead?
Nikki Garnett has been working with MCIPD qualified coach (and long-time Midlifechic reader) Sharon Blake to develop the Midlifechic Retreat.
A weekend dedicated to helping you to define your vision of a happy future and plan out a route map so that you can make it happen.
What do we mean by the Third Act?
We’ve already lived through the first two ‘acts’ of our lives:
Foundation – education, skill building, early career and identity formation
Expansion – career growth, family building, financial and asset accumulation and broad experiences
Now we are moving into what could be the most exciting and rewarding time:
Fulfilment – which if we plan it well will be all about purpose driven living, lifestyle redesign, exploration, pleasure and our legacy
If we take a little time to work out what we want to get out of it, the fulfilment stage has the potential to be the most satisfying period of our life – and this is where the Midlifechic Retreat comes in.
What will the Midlifechic Retreat do for you?
By the end of the weekend you should have a clear idea of what will help you to feel as if you’re thriving throughout your fulfilment stage or Third Act. Everybody will have their own version of fulfilment so we’ll work both in small groups and individually. We’ll inspire and support each other as well as having time for personal reflection. We hope that by the end of the weekend we’ll have established a group of confidantes who will stay connected over the years and keep each other feeling encouraged and on track.
Sessions will be led by both Sharon and Nikki who will get you thinking about what matters most to you – and what you can leave behind. They will include proven coaching techniques and exercises as well as practical projects so that you have a visual map to take home with you.
You should leave feeling…
Relaxed, resilient, refreshed and most importantly refocused
with a clear idea of how you want to spend this next stage of your life.
You should leave feeling…
Relaxed, resilient, refreshed and most importantly refocused
with a clear idea of how you want to spend this next stage of your life.
Weekend outline
Friday afternoon
Check in from 3pm and just relax. Spend time in the Spa, go for a bracing walk along the sea front, mooch around the pretty little town of Grange-over-Sands, spend time in a cosy corner with a book or just relax in your room. Settle in and make yourself feel at home.
Friday evening
Meet up with the rest of the group at 6.30pm. Over a relaxed buffet dinner we’ll take you through the plan for the weekend, agree on confidentiality, begin a little intro work and just get to know each other in readiness for the next day.
Saturday
A full day of talks and breakout exercises. We’ll each review where we find ourselves now, what matters most to us in the years ahead and what holds us back. We’ll do hands-on work focusing on our individual visions for the future and there will be reflective coaching sessions along the way to keep us on track. There will be talks from Sharon and Nikki, small group discussions and time to work on our personal plans. We know that brains will be overloaded so we’ll end the day with a guided meditation.
Saturday night
Sit down dinner and social. Food, wine, friendship and laughter.
Sunday
A half day working session where we’ll begin by reflecting on the progress we made the previous day and review any further work that needs to be done. With visions planned out we’ll test them and then put SMART actions in place for future review. There will be more group activities and discussions to help us understand what we’ve learned. We’ll then move on to a late lunch and after that Sharon and Nikki will still be around in the afternoon so you can stay and talk things through if you feel there’s more you need to work on, take a further opportunity to relax in the Spa or make your way home.
Weekend outline
Friday afternoon
Check in from 3pm and just relax. Spend time in the Spa, go for a bracing walk along the sea front, mooch around the pretty little town of Grange-over-Sands, spend time in a cosy corner with a book or just relax in your room. Settle in and make yourself feel at home.
Friday evening
Meet up with the rest of the group at 6.30pm. Over a relaxed buffet dinner we’ll take you through the plan for the weekend, agree on confidentiality, begin a little intro work and just get to know each other in readiness for the next day.
Saturday
A full day of talks and breakout exercises. We’ll each review where we find ourselves now, what matters most to us in the years ahead and what holds us back. We’ll do hands-on work focusing on our individual visions for the future and there will be reflective coaching sessions along the way to keep us on track. There will be talks from Sharon and Nikki, small group discussions and time to work on our personal plans. We know that brains will be overloaded so we’ll end the day with a guided meditation.
Saturday night
Sit down dinner and social. Food, wine, friendship and laughter.
Sunday
A half day working session where we’ll begin by reflecting on the progress we made the previous day and review any further work that needs to be done. With visions planned out we’ll test them and then put SMART actions in place for future review. There will be more group activities and discussions to help us understand what we’ve learned. We’ll then move on to a late lunch and after that Sharon and Nikki will still be around in the afternoon so you can stay and talk things through if you feel there’s more you need to work on, take a further opportunity to relax in the Spa or make your way home.
Where we’re staying
Netherwood Hotel & Spa,
Lindale Road,
Grange-over-Sands,
Cumbria, LA11 6ET
The Netherwood is one of those country hotels that’s perfect for winter. It has cosy old rooms with warm fires where we can sit and chat and it will really feel like a retreat from the weather outside (which, knowing the Lake District in January, will probably be bracing!). That won’t matter to us though because we’ll be able to huddle up inside while we’re doing our sessions and then relax over great food in the evenings, looking out through the huge windows to the sea beyond.
There’s a lovely Spa with a thermal suite and a gym if you feel you need to do something physical to combat all of the thinking you’ve been doing. Outside are fifteen acres of beautiful gardens and woodland and at the end of the grounds lies the sea.
It truly is a lovely place to stay and as it’s on the Cumbrian peninsula it’s somewhere that most people miss in their rush to the main Lake District honeytraps. If you’re in the mood to explore before or after the retreat, the foodie village of Cartmel is only a five minute drive away and you have the whole of the Lake District on the doorstep.
How to get there
The Netherwood is only a 15 minute drive from the M6 or, if you’re coming by rail, you’ll take the spectacular branch line from Lancaster station which has to be one of the most beautiful train rides in the world as you cross over the water at Arnside.
By Car
From the M6, exit at Junction 36 and join the A590 towards Barrow. Continue for roughly 13 miles through scenic countryside, following signs for Grange-over-Sands. Turn onto Lindale Road and the Netherwood Hotel & Spa will be on your left, about 15–20 minutes after leaving the motorway.
By Train
Travel to Grange-over-Sands on the Furness Line, usually connecting via Lancaster or Preston. On arrival, the Netherwood Hotel & Spa is a ten minute walk from the station.
Where we’re staying
Netherwood Hotel & Spa,
Lindale Road,
Grange-over-Sands,
Cumbria, LA11 6ET
The Netherwood is one of those country hotels that’s perfect for winter. It has cosy old rooms with warm fires where we can sit and chat and it will really feel like a retreat from the weather outside (which, knowing the Lake District in January, will probably be bracing!). That won’t matter to us though because we’ll be able to huddle up inside while we’re doing our sessions and then relax over great food in the evenings, looking out through the huge windows to the sea beyond.
There’s a lovely Spa with a thermal suite and a gym if you feel you need to do something physical to combat all of the thinking you’ve been doing. Outside are fifteen acres of beautiful gardens and woodland and at the end of the grounds lies the sea.
It truly is a lovely place to stay and as it’s on the Cumbrian peninsula it’s somewhere that most people miss in their rush to the main Lake District honeytraps. If you’re in the mood to explore before or after the retreat, the foodie village of Cartmel is only a five minute drive away and you have the whole of the Lake District on the doorstep.
How to get there
The Netherwood is only a 15 minute drive from the M6 or, if you’re coming by rail, you’ll take the spectacular branch line from Lancaster station which has to be one of the most beautiful train rides in the world as you cross over the water at Arnside.
By Car
From the M6, exit at Junction 36 and join the A590 towards Barrow. Continue for roughly 13 miles through scenic countryside, following signs for Grange-over-Sands. Turn onto Lindale Road and the Netherwood Hotel & Spa will be on your left, about 15–20 minutes after leaving the motorway.
By Train
Travel to Grange-over-Sands on the Furness Line, usually connecting via Lancaster or Preston. On arrival, the Netherwood Hotel & Spa is a ten minute walk from the station.
Only 18 spaces
When
Jan 30th – Feb 1st 2026
Where
Netherwood Hotel & Spa,
Lindale Road,
Grange-over-Sands,
Cumbria, LA11 6ET
Cost
£795*
Payment Schedule
Oct – £250
Nov – £250
Jan – £195
*Price includes: Ensuite accomodation with single occupancy, Friday night buffet, Saturday breakfast, lunch & dinner, Sunday breakfast & lunch. Full access to the Wellness Centre, Gym & Spa. Regular tea & coffee breaks, all coaching sessions and training materials, follow-on group membership
Nikki Garnett
Nikki’s professional background lies in working with retailers to help them understand their customers – so ‘insight’ is her thing. For over 10 years she has also been writing Midlifechic, a blog dedicated to midlife women and she is currently writing a book about the challenges that come with this stage of life. One of the biggest dilemmas that she has uncovered is the uncertainty that lies in the transition from the busy years of professional and often family life to the pre-retirement/retirement phase when time opens up. She was inspired to develop this retreat by the number of people who’ve fed back to her that midlife is a time when they’ve felt lost. She absolutely understands that feeling – and she’s looking forward to participating actively herself as she needs a map as much as everyone else!
Sharon Blake
Sharon has dedicated her career to facilitating personal development and individual growth working for blue chip organisations such as Nationwide and BNP Paribas as well as coaching numerous individuals to help them get the most out of their lives. Her success lies in her coaching style which is described as being supportive and challenging as well as empathetic and encouraging. She will use all of her skills and experience to help attendees work out what it is that they really want to get out of this next phase of life. Her intention is to help make this retreat professional, fun and, most importantly, thought provoking.
Only 18 spaces
When
Jan 30th – Feb 1st 2026
Where
Netherwood Hotel & Spa,
Lindale Road,
Grange-over-Sands,
Cumbria, LA11 6ET
Cost
£795*
Payment Schedule
Oct – £250
Nov – £250
Jan – £195
*Price includes: Ensuite accomodation with single occupancy, Friday night buffet, Saturday breakfast, lunch & dinner, Sunday breakfast & lunch. Full access to the Wellness Centre, Gym & Spa. Regular tea & coffee breaks, all coaching sessions and training materials, follow-on group membership
Nikki Garnett
Nikki’s professional background lies in working with retailers to help them understand their customers – so ‘insight’ is her thing. For over 10 years she has also been writing Midlifechic, a blog dedicated to midlife women and she is currently writing a book about the challenges that come with this stage of life. One of the biggest dilemmas that she has uncovered is the uncertainty that lies in the transition from the busy years of professional and often family life to the pre-retirement/retirement phase when time opens up. She was inspired to develop this retreat by the number of people who’ve fed back to her that midlife is a time when they’ve felt lost. She absolutely understands that feeling – and she’s looking forward to participating actively herself as she needs a map as much as everyone else!
Sharon Blake
Sharon has dedicated her career to facilitating personal development and individual growth working for blue chip organisations such as Nationwide and BNP Paribas as well as coaching numerous individuals to help them get the most out of their lives. Her success lies in her coaching style which is described as being supportive and challenging as well as empathetic and encouraging. She will use all of her skills and experience to help attendees work out what it is that they really want to get out of this next phase of life. Her intention is to help make this retreat professional, fun and, most importantly, thought provoking.