Do you yearn to feel rooted in the sacredness of this life?

To be awake to creative possibilities ?

To appreciate the beauty of this world?

To devote to something larger than yourself?

To reclaim and nourish a sense of enchantment?

If any of those questions sparked something in you, then this may be a retreat for you: A long weekend under the waxing moon of unique practice to restore, receive and expand the power of the feminine.

We will gather in a remote part of Devon, known for its wild beauty and wonderful walks. Our base will be Little Barton Hartland - an old farmhouse and cottage with a barn dedicated and designed for movement practice.

Private and shared rooms are available, all bathrooms are shared. The accommodation is comfortable and creative. We will enjoy wonderfully, carefully created meals by Bex Mcleish brought to us to enjoy at the Farmhouse together. On Saturday night we will eat out locally.

The practices shared in this retreat will draw upon Mandy's years of study and practice of yoga and other wisdom traditions. Centre to the approach will be the Mother Goddess Yoga  teachings Mandy has received from Nubia Teixeira, her current main guide and mentor in yoga. Mandy will share a rich tapestry of asana, pranayama, visualization, incantation, mantra, yoga nidra, mudra and more...

This is an intimate, women's only retreat of 8-13  participants. 

Prerequisites

Please note that when you book you will be asked to complete some reflections in order to complete your booking. You can select any of the accommodation options to view the questions.

Accommodation is spread between the Farmhouse and the Cottage. 

It's a welcoming place to return to after coastal walks in wild weather. There is a large south facing garden at the back of the house to enjoy in the sunshine and another smaller lawn on the west side with a sea view - spectacular at sunset.

The beach is about a 20 minute walk away. From the garden you can hear the waves crashing on the shore at high tide. 

It is 20 minutes’ walk from Speke’s Mill Mouth and waterfalls and a 30 minute walk, along lanes and through woodland, to Hartland. It’s 45 minutes on foot (7 by car) to Hartland Quay and great swimming in an awe-inspiring cliff-scape.

There is a small vegetable garden and the family owners have planted a small area of traditional woodland and fruit trees. They also have a field that is managed as a wild flower meadow to help the bees, butterflies and other insects.

Over the last 30 years they have been slowly renovating the site, repointing the stone buildings with lime mortar, replacing roofs and making spaces useable. Care has been taken to try to maintain the 'spirit' of the original buildings.

Little Barton’s water supply is a bore-hole, providing delicious chemical free water. It has its own sewage plant which is a ‘clean water’ system – so we must avoid putting biological/enzyme/caustic products into it!

You can unwind in easy-going spaces with decades of input from family and friends: handcrafted furniture, well-travelled rugs, recycled fabrics, local pottery and paintings. Wander in the rambling, wildlife-friendly garden – see hares and stoats, butterflies and bees.

For the yoga the barn has the perfect sprung floor!

Getting there:

If arriving from outside of the UK, fly to London or Bristol.

Barnstaple is the closest train station which is 3 and half hours from London Paddington and 2 and a half hours from Bristol (change in Exeter). You can then either take a bus to Hartland and walk 30 minutes to the property or take a taxi from Barnstaple (25 miles) - Mandy will help to group people together for taxi sharing for those interested.

There are also good bus services from major cities to Barnstaple.

If coming by car, Mandy will send full directions after booking - please indicate if you are happy to offer a lift to someone and where you will be travelling from when you book.

This is a three night, 4 day long weekend retreat:

Arrivals from 5pm Friday - tea and cake available! 

Departures by midday Monday.

What to bring

Yoga mat and a shawl / blanket. The yoga space is not equipped.

All weather walking gear - waterproofs, layers,  and good footwear.

Swim stuff if you fancy a dip on one of the walks if the conditions allow!

If coming by car, please bring your own towel.