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Mindfulness retreat: Nature, Self & Community - 6 nights in The Coach House
Connect to nature mindfully in peaceful & beautiful landscape
Summary
6 nights - Monthly
Any
Single
Short Periods
Max. Spaces: 18
We don't have any dates currently scheduled but subscribe to hear FIRST when dates become available
Overview
Connect with nature and spend 6 nights in The Coach House - a beautifully-renovated retreat centre surrounded by 550 acres of breath-taking, peaceful landscape.
You'll be cared for with plenty of time for rest, reflection and nature connection in the very special location of the Sharpham Estate. Our cook Wendy will prepare vegetarian & vegan food using produce grown in the 18th century Walled Garden.
Our experienced leaders and coordinators will gently guide you through three meditation sessions each day and you will get the opportunity to engage in mindful sessions with our gardeners in our amazing gardens.
In addition, this retreat gives participants the chance to experience and learn about our rewilding efforts on the estate.
This retreat is for you if:
- you want to explore the benefits of nature-based mindfulness and mindfulness meditation
- you will benefit from spending time in our wonderful heritage gardens
- you need to rest and rejuvenate
- you want to deepen your connection with nature and learn about Rewilding
- you want to experience periods of silence
- are aged 18 and above
What you'll experience on this retreat:
- be living in community with like-minded people, sharing experiences and tasks
- experience guided meditations, relaxation sessions and periods of silence and quiet contemplation, amid breath-taking scenery on the banks of the River Dart
- four mornings learning about and helping in our ornamental and kitchen gardens
- a chance to learn about & witness our efforts to re-wild the Sharpham Estate
- full-board accommodation in a Grade II-listed Georgian Coach House set within Capability Brownian parkland, with Grade 2*-listed gardens designed by Percy Cane in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty close to nature, amid breath-taking scenery on the banks of the River Dart
- a single-occupancy room and your own space in which to rejuvenate, with free time to deeply rest and reconnect with yourself, far from the busy-ness of daily life.
- a safe and supportive community with like-minded people, sharing experiences in the kitchen gardens and on the wider Estate
- delicious, healthy, home-cooked vegetarian food that regularly receives rave reviews
Getting your hands in the earth:
This Coach House retreat features morning sessions helping in our Grade II-listed gardens and grounds surrounding Sharpham House, as well as our 18th century Walled Garden, alongside our experienced garden staff.
We manage the gardens organically and the produce we grow supplies the kitchens in Sharpham House and the Coach House.
There are a mixture of tasks on our nature-mindfulness retreats, depending on the season. We invite you to bring your awareness to the land, plants and the nature surrounding you at Sharpham.
You don't need to know anything about gardening to participate - our team will support and assist you.
Rewilding:
This retreat includes the opportunity to learn more about our Rewilding efforts with a morning session led by an Ambios Team member who look after our rewilding project and deliver conservation training on the estate.
Find Out MoreWhat you'll need to know:
If you decide to stay with us, we’ll send you a list of what you need to bring for this retreat in your Welcome Letter that we send out after you've booked.
You can also find out more about staying with us on our Frequently Asked Questions page, including:
- accessibility information
- why we encourage you to come on your own and not with partners or friends
- what the difference is between our retreats
Schedule
If you're coming to stay with us on retreat, it is important to make a commitment to arrive in time for the first group meeting and to attend all the days.
This ensures you experience the retreat programme from start to finish and helps your group of participants to gel.
Silence
All our retreats include periods of silence as a way of deepening into mindful awareness.
If you are new to spending time in silence in the company of other people, it can feel awkward to begin with. But we encourage you to explore the silent periods with a spirit of openness and curiosity - people usually find it to be a positive experience.
The retreats typically move into silence each evening from 9pm - 9/9.30am the following day
Typical Schedule
Day 1: Arrive between 3 - 5pm for welcome meeting and settling in
| Mornings | Afternoons |
|---|---|
| 6.45am - wake up | 1.00pm - meditation |
| 7.00am – morning movement/meditation | 1.30pm - lunch |
| 8.00am - household tasks | 3.00pm – free time or group walk |
| 8.30am – breakfast | 6.00pm – supper |
| 9.30am – home group (silence ends) | 8.00pm - meditation and deep rest |
| 10.45am - gardening | 9.00pm – Personal time (Coach House moves into silence until 9.30am the next day) |
Final day: depart by 11am
The retreat will move into silence each evening from 9pm – 9/9.30am and on one full day in each retreat.
The Coach House retreat centre at Sharpham
When you stay at The Coach House on the Sharpham Estate, you'll be in comfy, single rooms in a beautifully converted 18th century stable block, set in the stunning scenery of Sharpham's grounds. You'll experience daily meditation and movement sessions, time in our gardens and on the land and you'll eat delicious and homegrown vegetarian and vegan meals.
Coach House retreats focus on nature connection through a varied programme of retreats designed to connect you to Sharpham's flora and fauna, with plenty of time for you to rest and reflect.
Get Directions View Venue
By Car
By Train
By Taxi
On foot or cycle from Totnes
By CoachLeaders
Barry Thurgood
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Coach House Coordinators
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Martyna Raczka
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Nicky Mason
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Costs
There will be a maximum of 18 guests on this retreat.
Rooms & rates
All rooms are comfortable single occupancy, giving you your own space in which to relax. Each room has an ensuite or a shared bathroom.
Click here for more information on our types of bedrooms and facilities
Rooms are allocated randomly and are bookable on a first-come, first-served basis, unless you have a medical need - please let us know on your booking form.
Meals, bedding, and towels are included.
Select from the following rates:
| Subsidised rate | Standard rate | Supporter rate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A heavily subsidised rate for those on low incomes who would otherwise be unable to attend. |
The Standard Rate for those not on a low income, covers the costs of your retreat and contributes a small amount to the upkeep of The Coach House. |
For those able to pay a little more, you'll make a wider, lasting impact, helping to preserve the estate and its wildlife, sustain the charitable work of the Trust and ensure future participants can benefit from the peace and renewal we offer. |
||||
| Up to March 2027 | £595 | £650 | £695 | |||
|
From April 2027 onwards, you can select a room with an ensuite or a shared bathroom |
||||||
| Subsidised rate | Standard rate | Supporter rate | ||||
| Ensuite | Shared | Ensuite | Shared | Ensuite | Shared | |
| From April 2027 onwards | £650 | £595 | £695 | £650 | £750 | £695 |
Bursary spaces for those on low incomes
We are committed to making Sharpham Trust retreats accessible to everyone, no matter their income, and we have a variety of bursary schemes.
See our Bursary Spaces page here to explore ways in which you can come on a heavily-discounted retreat.
Bursary Fund donations
If you’d like to support even more people beyond your own retreat, you can donate to our Bursary Fund. Every gift helps make retreats accessible to those who might otherwise miss out.
If you’d like to help another person go on retreat with us through our bursary scheme, you can give online quickly and easily by clicking here
Terms & Conditions
See our booking and cancellations policy here
Available dates
We don't have any dates currently scheduled but subscribe to hear FIRST when dates become available
At the heart of the Sharpham Trust ethos is our desire to build a more mindful, compassionate and environmentally sustainable world.
We connect people with nature and foster mindfulness and well-being through our programme of retreats, mindfulness courses, outdoor learning and the arts.
© 2026 Sharpham Trust | The Sharpham Trust Sharpham House, Ashprington, Totnes, Devon, UK TQ9 7UTUseful Links
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