Upcoming Retreats
Immersive residential and day retreats in beautiful wild surroundings
Welcome to Retreats at Elmley
Some of our upcoming and past retreats are shown here. Not all retreats are listed here so please do ask to find out if there is something coming up which may suit you
Downtime Friday 13th to Sunday 15th March
A thoughtfully designed weekendDowntime is a weekend retreat.
The goal of the weekend is to provide guests with a rare chance to spend quality time far removed from surface distractions, tube stations, stress and city strife.
An opportunity to relax, as well as a place to find insipiration, clarity, stillness, reflection and contemplation.
To help things along, we’ve created an opt-in programme of events and a few simple rules (like turn off your phone).
You’ll be in complete control of your time here. Want to sleep in? No worries. Want to skip yoga? Fine. Want to do everything? Go for it. Spend time with like minded-people or take yourself off to a quiet corner.
There’s nothing particularly special about the weekend. No tricks, no hacks, no one trying to sell you on anything. Just all stuff you know you should do more of; being in nature, stretching, breathing deeper, eating better quality food, spending more time away from your screens and more time being present.
More information and booking here
CLEANSE. BALANCE. FLOW with Down to Flow Escapes - 27th - 29th March 2020
Down to Flow Escapes are hosting CLEANSE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE …
‘Cleanse. Balance. Flow’ retreat is our complete body, mind and energy detox. By targeting all three areas we want you to be cleansed in order to create balance. When our body is in balance, physically, mentally and energetically we slip naturally into our ‘state of flow’. This flow-state allows our minds to expand, our thoughts to become clearer and our mood to be elevated, leaving us with a sense of new found energy and focus.
Our aim is for you to leave fully reenergised!
Mind - We will be using mindful movement in the form of yoga, meditation and walks around the land that surround us. By tuning out of life, we can tune into how our body and mind truly feels.
Body - Juices will be provided to help cleanse our digestive system. When we take a break from eating our body goes into a state of ‘repair’. With less pressure on our digestion our immune system is able to take full control. To further help this healing and cleansing process of the body we will be providing massages to help sooth tense and stressed muscles.
Energy - Energy blockages within the body can cause mood swings, a feeling of unease or not being yourself. Through forms of reiki and meditation we will help bring the metronome of life back to rhythm.
The unadulterated UK countryside offers us the perfect home for this retreat. With a little luxury in the form of luxury shepherd hut’s and renovated farm buildings, we will be in the middle of a tidal island off the coast of Kent. With wildlife all around us, crashing waves on the near by beaches and fields to stroll through, there’s no better place to fully switch off and bring balance back to the body.
WHAT TO EXPECT…
2 nights in a beautiful renovated farm buildings or private luxury shepherd hut, both over looking the Nature Reserve
Twice daily yoga, including yoga nidra, yin yoga and restorative yoga
Reiki energy healing session
Nourishing full body massage
Cold water therapy
2 day juice cleanse
1 welcome dinner to kick off the retreat
Daily guided meditation and exercises on breathing techniques
Guided walks through the nature reserve
Group exercises on how to detach yourself from stresses in modern life
One surprise treat
For more information on this beautiful retreat and booking please see here
Spring Week Personal Development Retreat - 24th April to 1st May - AUTHENTIC MIND
Join Sue Allsworth of Authentic Smile for a spring week personal development retreat. Immerse yourself with nature and journey of self-discovery and delve deeper into your authentic mind, body and soul to connect with your Authentic Smile.
MAINTAIN YOUR AUTHENTIC SMILE Explore your authentic mind and gain clarity in your life and of your authentic truth. What we choose to think and believe has everything to do with how we live life. The fears, doubt and negativity that we hold onto can quietly undermine our sense of well-being.
Reconnect with what truly matters to you in this life-changing AUTHENTIC MIND week retreat. It is a journey through which you discover and extraordinary personal freedom in becoming more mindful of your thoughts and how they affect your life experiences.
In a way that can seem quite magical, you will find yourself letting go of old anxieties and negative beliefs, re-emerging into the here-and-now flow of your Authentic Life with more confidence of claiming your authentic truth. More info and booking here
Autum Week Retreat - Friday 2nd to Friday 9th October - AUTHENTIC SOUL
Authentic Soul Wellbeing
Immerse yourself with nature and journey of self-discovery and delve even deeper into your authentic, mind, body and soul to connect with your Authentic Smile.
MAINTAIN YOUR AUTHENTIC SMILE
Explore your authentic soul on this personal development week which encourages you to befriend all parts of who you are and what makes you so beautiful. Open yourself up to live from a place of Trust, Faith and Surrender within.
Reconnect with your inner child and your AUTHENTIC SOUL in a way that will forever transform how you view your own existence and your relationship with the Universe. It is a journey through which you will discover more clarity of who YOU are as a human and as a soul.
On this very personal journey you will find yourself letting go of old hurts and pains by replacing them with the willingness to love and to forgive. Re-emerge by the end of the week into the present with a stronger connection to your AUTHENTIC SMILE.
The environment for this personal development journey is the perfect place of solitude surrounded by the beautiful marshland landscape of Sheerness in Kent.
Whether you are new to these ideas or well on your journey, delve deeper into what makes YOU who you are.
Delve deeper into your inner knowing that is part of your soul and gain new clarity and confidence within.
RETREAT SCHEDULE
Friday 2nd October
Welcome Session & Ceremony
Saturday 3rd October
Befriending your Inner Child
Sunday 4th October
Facing the shadows
Monday 5th October
The Heart of Forgiveness
Tuesday 6th October
Soul of the Heart
Wednesday 7th October
Need a little Faith
Thursday 8th October
If only it could all be let go!
Friday 9th October
Closing Ceremony
Lunch
Please note that each full day starts with a meditation at 8 with a couple of exceptions.
Breakfast 9am – 10.30am
Morning Session 10.30am – 1pm
Lunch 1pm – 3pm
Afternoon Session 3pm – 6pm
Dinner - 6pm – 7.30pm
Evening Session 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Escape to Elmley Nature Reserve to relax, rejuvenate and go on a personal journey within.
PAST EVENTS - The Nature Sessions TO THE SEA
Weekend Retreat
Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June 2019
Join us for a special early Summer weekend retreat here at Elmley Nature Reserve.
The Nature Sessions offer a gentle programme of workshops that will nourish and feed your soul, leaving you feeling revived and refreshed.
Modern life can be frantic and leave you feeling disconnected, exhausted, overwhelmed and anxious. Press the pause button on life and create space; space to feel inspired, reconnected and to simply be.
Come by yourself, with a partner, friend or family member, everyone is welcome.
Over the weekend, we will move in nature with wild swimming and daily yoga and meditation. We will sleep in nature in our luxurious and ever so stylish tents and shepherd’s huts. We will eat nourishing plant based food in nature, under the stars and on the seashore. We will create with nature, using items foraged from the sea shore to make with our hands, inspiring our creative sides. Finally we will simply be in nature, time on the reserve or by the sea to perhaps collect your thoughts, journal, draw, write or just be.
Our base for the weekend is Elmley Nature Reserve, your own patch of wilderness, just an hour away from London. Elmley is a magical place that has a restorative effect on all who visit.
Retreat to nature. Leave feeling restored, inspired and calm.
“In just three days I rediscovered my creativity, the joy of being in my own company, the equal joy of meeting other women and sharing our journeys and I just allowed myself the freedom to breathe and relax...and smile. It was the best investment I could have possibly made for myself and I look forward to returning in 2019!”
— Lucy Wheeler, Wellbeing Retreat guest, 2018
To the sea includes:
- Create: Workshops inspired by the sea including Styling with the Sea from Hannah Bullivant
- Move: Wild Swimming - Jump in off of Elmley’s shores and awaken your senses and enjoy grounding daily Yoga and meditation with Kim Hill
- Reconnect: Seashore Safari with Gareth Fulton, Elmley owner and conservationist - learn about nature and the sea shore
- Eat: Nourishing plant based food eaten under the stars
- Be: Time alone to enjoy soul stirring skies from our hosts, Elmley Nature Reserve
- Sleep: Luxury accomodation in nature. Chose from Elmely’s iconic shepherd’s huts, or immerse yourself camping in a very stylish bell tent (with a comfy bed and duvet!)
- Additional activity to be announced shortly
- Massage and Reiki treatments available at an additional cost
Prices from £350 for one night or £550 for two nights. A Payment plan is available.
Past Retreats
WELL BEING RETREAT (booking now closed)
8th, 9th, 10th July 2018 (booking now closed)
Join us this July at our Wellbeing retreat at Elmley Nature Reserve, just an hour from London. Over two days we will offer you a gentle programme of workshops that will nourish and feed your soul, leaving you feeling revived and refreshed.
Dive deep into the beautiful wilderness and soak up all that Mother Nature has to offer.
This retreat is not just about escaping for a couple of days, we want to give you the opportunity to slow down, check in with nature and give yourself some space. You will learn how to take care of yourself and how to be kinder to yourself in your daily life going forward.
Prices from as little as £490 per person.
Our retreat offering
- Meditative wellbeing workshops, that will reawaken the creative side in you, all suitable for complete beginners, including:
- Styling with Nature from our very own, Hannah Bullivant
- Scented candle making workshop with Milkwood Candles
- Screen printing with nature with Fable and Base,
- Daily Wellbeing routines with Forage Botanicals.
- A nature safari around the reserve, led by Gareth from Elmley. This is a chance to get an 'insiders' look at the incredible wildlife available on the reserve.
- Grounding daily Yoga and meditation with Kim Hill
- Journalling session led by Hannah Bullivant and your very own Elmley inspired journal to fill in whilst on retreat and take home
- Incredible vegan food
- Luxury accomodation in either bell tents or Shepherd huts
- Soul stirring skies from our hosts, Elmley Nature Reserve (the only reserve in the country in which you can stay over)
Retreat Programme
8th July:
Arrival day. Make your way to the reserve for 3pm. Settle down into your hut or tent.
Gather and join us for our first session, a guided tour of the reserve and an opportunity to see some of the wildlife. Back at base, we'll hold a formal welcome session and grounding meditation around the fire. An informal dinner of delicious vegan food will follow before hot drinks at bedtime.
9th July:
Wake up to wilderness and enjoy a tea or coffee and a light breakfast snack before our morning yoga session.
A delicious breakfast will follow before you settle down to the first of your wellbeing workshops (Workshop leader to be announced soon!).
Lunch will be about soaking up the natural setting at your own pace. With a beautiful individual picnic you will be able to wander, pick your own spot and eat in the splendour that is Elmley Nature Reserve.
After lunch you will check in for your third wellbeing workshop (to be announced soon!)
Come the evening, we will feast outside by the fire and under the stars, it will be an evening to remember with incredible food and wine – all beautifully styled by Hannah Bullivant.
10th July:
The next morning we will wake and stretch together with yoga, before enjoying breakfast.
You will then settle in for our fourth workshop session (Announcement coming soon - make sure you're all signed up to our mailing list), before enjoying a delicious lunch with the group.
After lunch we'll have our fifth and final session of the retreat. You will return home, with a sense of calm and fulfilment. Your bag packed with tips and advice to help you include a wellbeing routine in your daily life.
*Please note that this programme is subject to change. As much as we hope to hold everything outside, we are dependent on the glorious English weather. Should we have inclement conditions we have full exclusive use of Elmley’s incredible barn.
Accommodation options Treat yourself to something just a little bit special with Elmley’s Shepherd Huts or for the fully immersive experience, camp in the beautifull bell tents, available for single use or double – wake up to the sound of bird song and the smell of nature.
Included:
· All workshops
· All food – vegan and gluten free available
· A tipple on both nights – an honesty bar is also available
· Yoga and meditation
· Accommodation – chose from your own Shepherd’s Hut, or go wild in our bell tents
· Teas and local sourced coffee – available all day
VISIT THE NATURE SESSIONS TO FIND OUT MORE OR TO BOOK YOUR PLACE
