Saturday 3rd June 2023
10 am - 5 pm
National Trust Footprint, Windermere
Time to rest and reconnect in the Lake District
This exclusive day retreat offers time and space to rest, reconnect, and be rejuvenated.
The day includes gentle, nurturing activities in nature to reflect and connect; simple traditional crafts, making with our hands; mindfulness and movement; woodland walks; and grounding rituals.
Our venue is the beautiful National Trust Footprint. A private woodland with a beautiful and cosy straw bale building, situated on the outskirts of Windermere in the South Lake District. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the building bring nature connection whilst indoors and the woodland is rich with a variety of native trees, plants, and animals.
We’ll take breaks throughout the day for nourishment, with a delicious lunch, mid-morning, and afternoon tea and cake included.
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If you’d like to give a retreat as a gift, email us to let us know, and we’ll post or email a card that you can send to the recipient. Let us know in the booking if you’d prefer it emailed (if time is of the essence).
A certificate of attendance will be emailed to each participant following the day, in case it is useful for CPD.
Workshop Host: Nes
Nes is an ecotherapist, well-being coach, yoga therapist, forest school leader, mountain leader, a UKCP accredited psychotherapeutic counsellor, and is trained in somatic trauma therapy. Nes has vast experience of facilitating groups and workshops in nature.
Nes is a co-author, with Babette Rothschild, of 8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery Workbook and soon-to-be-released Wild and Wellbeing Card Deck.
Nes lives in the Lake District and enjoys walking, growing and eating veggies, dog cuddling, and cycling.
Workshop Host: Sam
Sam is experienced at facilitating groups, most often in his other role as a mountain bike guide. He is trained in outdoor first aid and is a fabulous cook. Mostly on these retreats, Sam’s role is helping behind the scenes- assisting with the cooking and setting up and packing down of the site.
Sam lives in the Lake District and enjoys mountain biking, and dog walking on the fells. His favourite part of a yoga class is the guided relaxation.
Where?
The National Trust Footprint is a beautiful secluded and spacious straw bale building with cosy wood burner, with accessible toilets and car park, and a beautiful woodland with covered spaces that are wonderful even in the rain.
You wouldn't know its only 20 minutes walk from Windermere and the train station that you can arrive to from London, Manchester etc and Windermere Town, bustling with cafes, galleries and shops.
Who?
This day retreat is open to all adults who feel they would benefit from taking time out to rest, reconnect with their body and the rest of nature, nurture their curiosity and imagination, and emerge from the day feeling rejuvenated. You might be a helping professional, education worker, carer, medical professional, parent, or simply someone who would benefit from experiencing some respite, calm, and rest as well as developing practical strategies to bring more of these feelings into daily life.
You don’t need to have any prior knowledge, experience, or particular skills. You are welcome just as you are.
We will be a small group so that the space is inviting even for the introverted. All activities are an invitation, you are welcome to spend time alone or to adapt the suggested activities to best suit your needs on the day. We will offer suggestions for those adaptions too. We will ask that everyone is respectful of each other’s boundaries, including personal space, to maximise comfort.
We will move between being indoors, outdoors, and undercover outdoors. All activities will be gentle and accessible for those reasonably mobile, you don’t need to be particularly fit, and the site is wheelchair accessible. However please get in touch if you have questions or additional needs.
Practicalities
Typical Schedule
(Please note, this may change due to weather, group dynamics, etc.)
10 am: Welcome and cups of tea
10.15 am: Gentle, mindful movement practice (indoor/ outdoor depending on weather)
11.20 am: Fire Lighting and Fire meditation
12 pm: Mindful Nature Connection- may include natural art and creativity, forest bathing, mindfulness, movement, or simple natural dyeing.
1 pm: Lunch and free time- the choice to help with/ learn campfire cooking and baking
1:45 pm: Restorative Yoga and guided relaxation practice (indoor/ outdoor depending on weather)
3 pm: Mindfulness Nature Connection- may include natural art and creativity, forest bathing, mindfulness, movement, or simple natural dyeing.
3.45 pm: Tea and Campfire Baked Cake
4 pm: Mindful walking in the woodland
4.30 pm: Time for journaling and reflection
4.45 pm: Closing circle
5 pm: Departures
Cost
Full payment: £95
Split payment plan: Initial deposit: £50; and payment of £45 by 20th May
Food
All retreats include mid-morning and mid-afternoon refreshments and a delicious plant-based lunch. Please let us know about any specific dietary requirements when you complete the booking form.
What to bring
For all retreats, please bring layers of comfortable clothes, and sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy. Waterproof coat and trousers are handy, especially in the changeable weather of the Lakes. Slippers or cosy socks would be good to wear indoors, as we’ll ask you to remove your shoes.
It may be useful to bring a notebook and pencils or pens. It can be a great opportunity to take a break from screens, so we ask for phones to be switched off. We will provide a phone number when you book for people to be able to contact you if they need to.
Accommodation
We do not offer accommodation as part of the day retreat. There are many options in the locality. If you would like some suggestions, please email us.
Access
Access to the woodland and wider grounds is via steep steps or a medium slope.
Accessible toilets.
There is an accessible drop-off point at the front door of the Footprint building.
Level access to the Footprint building
Getting There
On foot
A 20-minute walk from Windermere train station, via the woods from the bottom of Orrest Head.
By train
Windermere Station 1.5 miles
By bus
Services from Windermere Station to Troutbeck Bridge.
By road
Off the A591 to Troutbeck.
Parking: There is a small car park that can park up to 12 cars. Parking is free and only for the use of those booked on to the retreat.
Sat Nav: Use: LA23 1NH
Please note, the group may not go ahead if the numbers are low. We will try to give you as much notice as possible of this, but we recommend getting insurance to cover accommodation and travel expenses in case this happens.