Who is Emma?

"I have lived in the Yorkshire Dales for around 30 years after moving to Wensleydale with my parents when I was 9 years old. Although I have spent a lot of time working away, I always return to West Witton, my home village. My parents still live here too. The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a wonderful, raw location which I am so grateful to be able live. I am still discovering parts I have never been to, and I love it all year round.

I worked in my parents hotel/pub/restaurant from the age of 14 both in front of house and in the kitchen and spent a lot years not really knowing what I wanted to do or be. I spent some time working in a police control for a year when I was 18, then as a product trainer for an appliance manufacturer and then for a field marketing company as an Area Manager. I finally took the plunge at the age of 26 to go and work in a ski resort in France. During my years working abroad, I had many experiences and met some really amazing people, including my now husband, Clarke. After spending around 10 years working overseas in high end hospitality and hotel barging, I decided in 2019 to set up Emmas Dale. I wanted a business of my own which incorporated my love of trying new things, travel, food and people. Hospitality management, training, hostessing and cooking had been my main line of work for some time and I felt ready to start my own offering.

Emmas Dale has been thoughtfully put together to encourage likeminded individuals to come along to learn, engage, laugh and to be inspired. My own inspiration comes from travel, meeting many wonderful people and the ambition to give others a unique and special memory.

The retreats are very much Wellness Adventures and each one has been carefully designed with everything that I would look for in a trip away myself. They are fully catered with everything provided for you in a relaxed and unique environment. The aim is for people to feel comfortable to come together as individuals who will then leave with great memories, new friends, overcome personal challenges and learn something new”

The Food

Anyone who has been on an Emmas Dale Wellness & Adventure retreat will know that one element that is very important is FOOD. All meals are included on each retreat and the menus are curated and designed to not only be delicious, but balanced for an active trip away. Emma is the Chef and she designs what you will eat and has no qualms with pushing the boundaries of vegetarian cuisine. Combining amazing flavours with all the fabulous ingredients that there is on offer. Self taught and working alongside amazing cooks & chefs over the years has meant Emma has collated a huge repertoire of skills and recipe ideas which are modified to suit each retreat.

World travel is very much hinted at in these menus along with local produce and regional dishes coming to the forefront. Every year there are new creative ideas flowing in to the meals and one day that cook book will be finished…

Sample Menu

Breakfast - Spinach, Wild Mushroom & Ricotta Frittata with homemade mushroom ketchup. Overnight oats with cacao, almonds, honey, banana, pollen & cinnamon. Smoothie bowls topped with chia, fresh strawberries & desiccated coconut. Vegan blueberry muffins. Beautiful tropical fruit plates. Scrambled tofu cooked with soy sauce, turmeric & garlic

Lunch - Coconut daahl, with tarka, confit egg yolks, chopped cashews & garlic crème fraiche. Homemade cumin loaf, smokey paprika butter

Afternoon cake - Courgette, Lime & Coconut or Carrot, Walnut & Orange

Dinner - Homemade ravioli stuffed with chickpea ‘meatballs’, rich tomato sauce and a nutritional yeast, truffle & basil crumb. Mango, papaya, vanilla chai & honey frozen yogurt.