Back To nature retreat
sight - sound - touch - smell - taste
16th-18th of May 2025
Reconnect with yourself. Reconnect with nature.
Escape the demands of everyday life and immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty of Sussex’s countryside at Forest Gardens, Shovelstrode. Our Back to Nature retreat offers a unique opportunity to reconnect with the natural world through the power of your five senses.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to lose touch with the elements that ground us. This retreat invites you to pause, breathe deeply, and rediscover the simple joys of nature. Through mindful experiences, you’ll be guided to awaken each of your senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—so that you can experience nature more fully and deeply than ever before.
There will be a mix of activities which you can take part in from Dawn Chorus walks, yoga classes, saunas, wild swimming, Art classes and meals together as well as sound experiences and music performances.
This retreat is a collaboration between Yard Yoga and Good Vibrations Society to bring together the best of both worlds of wellbeing and celebration. Whether you’re looking to de-stress, find clarity, or simply reconnect with the world around you, the Back to Nature retreat is for anyone seeking to slow down and experience the healing power of nature. It’s perfect for:
City dwellers craving peace and quiet.
Nature lovers wanting a deeper connection to the outdoors.
Anyone looking to reset and recharge, mind, body, and spirit.
the team
This retreat is hosted by Johnny Scratchley from Good Vibrations Society and Daphne Harman-Clarke from Yard Yoga. They have come together to create an experience that ticks all the boxes, from dawn chorus walks, yoga classes and music. They believe that this retreat is an ideal representation of how they would like to experience life. Enjoy every small moment, observe the silences and appreciate the moments in between. You never know what might happen when you give yourself time and space with others.
Hazel Flintan is a locally well renowned chef with 15 years of working in professional kitchens and private catering events. Having travelled around the world she has refined her palate and creates flavours to stimulate our taste buds and heighten our senses through tastes, textures and colours. Having been born on the Ashdown Forest, she has a deep understanding of foraging in our local area. Hazel will providing us with home cooked, fresh, and locally sourced food to nourish our bodies during this reteat.
Tom Forward, our local wild life expert guide will be taking us on a magical journey starting before first light and letting us be woken by bird song from trees, hedgerows, woodland and along fields. He will guide you to tune into the dawn chorus which he describes as their ‘unique love song’.
Ursula Stone
What to Expect
At Forest Gardens, you’ll spend your days surrounded by the beauty of ancient woodlands, serene gardens, and the sights and sounds of the countryside. Our expert guides will lead you through:
Sight: A mindful journey through vibrant forests and calming vistas, inviting you to really see the beauty around you.
Smell: A sensory experience through fragrant wildflowers, fresh earth, and the crisp air of the outdoors.
Taste: Savor local, organic food prepared with love, designed to nourish your body and reconnect you to the land.
Sound: Soak in the natural symphony of birdsong, rustling leaves as the world wakes with Dawn Chorus walk led by local wildlife specialist, Thomas Forward. As well as carefully selected music performances and sound experience.
Touch: Engage with nature’s textures through mindful outdoor activities—feeling the earth beneath your feet, the leaves in your hands, and the wind on your skin. There will be daily yoga classes, saunas and wild swimming to awaken our senses
Why This Retreat?
Reconnect with Nature: Escape the noise of modern life and rediscover the simple, profound beauty of nature.
Holistic Experience: Engage all five senses in a unique, immersive retreat that nurtures both your body and soul.
Expert Guidance: Enjoy gentle guidance from experienced facilitators who will help you deepen your connection with the natural world.
Tranquil Setting: Stay at Forest Gardens, a peaceful retreat center nestled in the heart of Sussex, surrounded by 16 acres of woodland, gardens, and wildlife.
Location and Accommodation
The accommodation for the retreat is in shared traditional American style log cabin made out of Cedar wood. Tucked away amongst the trees across a private woodland in West Sussex on the edge of the Ashdown Forest, in the South East of England.
Each Cabin has 2 double beds, a wood burner and an open plan living space as well as outside space. There is a Yurt available for small groups and there are also Bell tents available for private accomodation.
Bathroom facilities are shared in the main venue area with warm showers. There is a kitchen area that is used by our in house chefs but refreshments and warm drinks will be available during the days.
Rates
Includes three night accommodation. Arriving Friday afternoon, two full days of planned activities, saunas, wild swimming, yoga classes, sound bath, art class, group discussions and all food. Departing either on Sunday Evening or Monday morning.
All cabins are fully furnished and finished to a rustic standard, with cosy decor and heated by woodburners.
Triple £550 per person - 3 Single Beds
Twin Room £700 per person - 2 double Beds
Private Room £950
Cabins are not equipped with toilets or bathrooms. Bathroom facilities are shared at the main site area.
A deposit of £150pp is required to secure your spot with the remaining amount to be paid one month prior to the event.
Saturday Day Pass £150 pp Come enjoy a Dawn Chorus Woodland walk, yoga, sauna, wild swimming, music and amazing food - a perfect day retreat.
