La Pêche, Québec · Near Wakefield

Pine & Birch

Fifty acres to slow down.

A private lake, old-growth trails, ranch animals, and a cottage twenty metres from the beach—about 30 minutes north of Ottawa.

Check availability Explore the retreat

50: wooded acres
10: acre private lake
4: cottage guests
30: minutes from Ottawa

The place

Near enough for Friday.
Far enough to forget it.

For more than 30 years, guests have come here to stay, rest, and play on land shaped by pine forest and spring-fed water.

Less than ten minutes west of Wakefield, the ranch unfolds across pastures, an orchard, a garden, and forest trails. Melissa shares the property with two dogs, chickens, three horses, and two alpacas.

See what a day can hold

Who you’ll meet

Two dogs
Three horses
Two alpacas
The hens

The rustic red Pine and Birch cottage surrounded by tall forest — The romantic cottageSteps from the lake

Old-growth forest · Private spring-fed lake · Pastures & orchard

Pine Lake

Your day begins
at the water’s edge.

Swim from the little sandy beach, take a paddle, fish from the dock, or sit still long enough to notice the loons.

The romantic cottage

Creature comforts,
deep in the trees.

Open-concept and fully equipped, with the warmth of real wood, a fireplace, a long deck, and the shared beach only twenty metres away.

Warm cottage bedroom with a wood ceiling and wood-burning fireplace

Open cottage kitchen with a wood worktop and natural light

From CA$217 / night

Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Sleeping: Queen bed + double pull-out
Kitchen: Fully equipped + private BBQ
Comfort: Fireplace, bathroom & shower
Outside: Large deck, firepit & beach
Signal: Cell service, intentionally no Wi-Fi

Plan your cottage stay

Stay, rest & play

Nothing scheduled.
Everything available.

Move with the weather. The best days here are unhurried and mostly outdoors.

01
Lake time
Swim, paddle, fish, picnic, or read by the dock.
02
Forest time
Hike old-growth trails, birdwatch, or try forest bathing.
03
Ranch time
Meet the horses, alpacas, chickens, orchard, and garden.
04
Play time
Badminton, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, and campfires.

A curious brown alpaca looking into the camera in a snowy paddock

Magasin · Ranch store

Fresh eggs,
a few steps away.

The little timber store sits by the pasture fence, stocked with oeufs frais de la ferme — fresh eggs from the ranch’s own hens.

It is the easiest breakfast plan there is: walk up from the cottage, pick up a carton, and cook it twenty metres from the lake.

Farm-fresh eggsFrom the ranch’s chickens
On the propertyA short walk from the cottage
Garden & orchardGrowing just beyond the store

Retreats & gatherings

Bring your circle
into the pines.

Yoga weekends, women’s circles, workshops, and family reunions. The ranch has room to gather indoors by a stone hearth and outdoors in open meadows, by the lake, and around the fire.

Enquire about hosting

A group practising yoga on colourful mats in a sunlit room with a stone fireplace — Morning practice by the stone hearth

A woman meditating in the meadow behind a mirror altar of pillar candles and flowers — Circles in the meadow

Friends gathered around a long lakeside table covered in art supplies — Long tables by the lake

A tall bonfire blazing at night with red chairs around it — Fire after dark

IndoorsA wood-floored gathering room with a stone fireplace for yoga, breathwork, and workshops.
MeadowsOpen lawns beneath the pines for circles, movement, and sound sessions.
LakesidePicnic tables, Adirondack chairs, and a sandy beach for shared meals and swims.
FirepitsEvenings of music and stories under a sky dark enough for the northern lights.

Host a retreat

Tell us about your gathering.

Dates you have in mind, roughly how many people, and what you’d like the days to hold. Melissa replies to every enquiry.

Your name

Phone (optional)

First day (optional)

Your gathering

A season at Pine & Birch

Every season
has its own light.

Glassy lake mornings, horses in the shallows, alpacas in winter coats, and string lights glowing through the snow. Tap any photograph for the full view.

A drone view of the red ranch buildings, forest, and Pine Lake

Rider on a dark horse standing knee-deep in the calm lake

Small red cottage in a forest clearing beside the lake

Chestnut horse grazing with white daisies woven into its mane

Two fluffy alpacas side by side in the snow

Two red Adirondack chairs on a wooden deck overlooking the lake

Sandy lakeside clearing with picnic tables and docks beneath a blue sky

Green northern lights glowing above a dark forest

Warm string lights wrapped around pine trunks above deep snow

A small terrier riding on an orange tractor across the snowy ranch yard

A dog beside a wooden swim dock on the private lake

A family seen from behind looking across Pine Lake from the dock

Guests gathered around a glowing campfire at night beside a lit cabin

Red ranch house with a stone foundation overlooking a grassy clearing

Massage table in a quiet room with warm wood paneling

A dog on the frozen lake with a person beside the dock in winter sunshine

Small dog standing on an orange kayak beside a yellow kayak on Pine Lake

Snow-covered forest branches beneath a bright blue winter sky

Scenes from the ranch

Quiet mornings.
Music after dark.

The property can feel completely still, then open up for a night of live music beneath the pines. These are real moments filmed at Pine & Birch.

Live at the ranch

The first Wakefield Ranch Roots & Reggae Festival brought live music into the forest.

Lake time

A slow paddle across the private lake.

Four-season gathering

Acoustic music, winter air, and a campfire among the trees.

Twenty metres home

From the water to the cottage in a few steps.

Barn session

A quiet song for the alpacas, who listened closely.

Lawn chair jam

Summer afternoons that turn into music without anyone planning it.

Retreat morning

A group practice on the wooden floor of the gathering room.

Reserve

Choose your dates.

Choose an arrival date and we’ll select the seven-night minimum. Stay longer by choosing a later departure.

CA$217per night
7 nightsminimum stay
4 guestscottage capacity

Arrival Choose a date

7-night minimum

Departure 7 nights later

Choose your arrival date. We’ll automatically select the seven-night minimum.

Check-in: 3 – 10 PM, meet Melissa on arrival
Check-out: Before noon
Booking window: Up to 12 months ahead, 7-night minimum

Your stay

Romantic Cottage

Entire cabin · Sleeps 4

CA$217/ night

Guests

AdultsAge 18+

ChildrenUnder 18

PetsCA$20 per pet / day

Pick an arrival date to see your estimate.

Select dates to continue

Opens Hipcamp with your dates and guests filled in. Hipcamp confirms availability and adds its service fee and taxes at checkout.

Before you go

The useful details.

Arrival & access

Check in between 3 PM and 10 PM and meet Melissa on arrival. The cottage is accessible by 2WD, with parking for one vehicle.

Minimum stay & booking window

The current Hipcamp listing has a seven-night minimum and accepts reservations up to 12 months ahead.

Pets

Pets are welcome on leash for CA$20 per day. The ranch has resident dogs and farm animals, so review the host’s guidance before arrival.

Lake safety

The spring-fed lake and small sandy beach are shared with retreat guests. There is no lifeguard; children require direct supervision by the water.

Your week in the woods

The lake is waiting.

Find your dates

Pine & Birch

Near enough for Friday.Far enough to forget it.

Your day beginsat the water’s edge.

Nothing scheduled.Everything available.

Lake time

Forest time

Ranch time

Play time

Fresh eggs,a few steps away.