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Mindfulness retreat: self-guided - 4 nights in Sharpham House
Design your own structure for your quiet-time at Sharpham
Summary
Duration: 4 nights - run annually
For those with meditation & retreat experience
Single occupancy
Longer periods of silence
Max. Spaces: 20
Overview
Our self-guided mindfulness retreat is a 4-night stay in our Sharpham House retreat venue in beautiful South Devon, with a simple structure so that you can design your own retreat experience.
Self-guided retreats offer you the chance to structure your own retreat rather than following a group retreat schedule.
The retreat is suitable for those who already have some experience of meditation and of retreating.
We offer the following sessions as a simple outline structure for your retreat and the rest is up to you.
- Morning movement - Yoga or Qi Gong
- 3 meditation sessions per day before each meal
- 1-1 mindfulness teacher enquiry session (optional)
- Delicious full board food – at set times 8.30am, 1pm and 6pm in a shared dining room
- A comfortable single room
- Some simple household tasks to bring mindfulness into an everyday activity
- Silent spaces for those who prefer more time for reflection and contemplation
Read on for more details on this retreat and click the Leaders, Schedules and Venue & Directions tabs above for further information.
This retreat is for you if:
- Would like a more flexible stay at Sharpham with the opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty and peace of Sharpham house and the wider estate, outside of a group context
- In need of rest, recuperation and renewal in comfortable surroundings
- Have a project to work on in an intentional way – you might be an artist or a writer and looking for some time away to meditate, be catered for and focus on your work
- Love spending time in nature and would like some time out from your busy life, where day to day needs such as food are catered for
- Looking for a digital detox and the chance to step away from your digital devices
- Need some time away for contemplation and reflection – this might be in relation to life changes and transitions or just time away from the busy distractions of everyday life
What you'll experience on this retreat:
To make your stay meaningful we recommend that you spend some time setting your intention before the retreat and designing your own schedule, considering how you might spend your time here. Your schedule and stay might include:
- Meditation and movement-based practices
- Nature connection and self-guided walks exploring the beautiful 550 acres Sharpham Estate
- Letting go of your digital devices
- Time for resting and recuperation, slowing down and time alone
- Reading, journaling or writing or other creative activities such as visual art / making / poetry
- Swimming in the summer months in our pool
- Listening to pre-recorded teachings (which you select and bring in advance along with a means to listen to them)
- Self-generated ceremony and ritual
- Time for contemplating life changes, transitions and decisions
What 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 - 9am the following day
Typical retreat schedule
Day 1: Arrive between 3-5pm for welcoming talk and settling in
| Mornings | Afternoons |
|---|---|
| 7.00am - wake up | 12.30pm - guided sitting meditation |
| 7.20am – mindful movement | 1.00pm - lunch and tasks |
| 8.00am - meditation | 4.00pm - optional session |
| 8.30am – breakfast and tasks | 5.20pm - meditation |
| 10.30am - one to one enquiry sessions | 6.00pm – supper and tasks |
| 8.00pm - evening practice | |
| 9.00pm – House moves into silence until the next day |
Final day: There is a closing circle at 10.30am and depart at 12 noon.
Sharpham House on The Sharpham Estate
Sharpham House is the perfect place to experience a mindfulness retreat: a Grade I-listed Georgian mansion at the centre of the stunning Sharpham Estate, where you're nurtured with delicious vegetarian and vegan food (much of it grown organically in our Walled Garden).
The House is set in beautiful gardens within 18th century parkland thought to have been designed by Capability Brown, offering calming views over the River Dart, in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Get Directions View Venue
By Car
By Train
By Taxi
On foot or cycle from Totnes
By CoachLeaders
Ethan Pollock
Read more +
Patti Summerville
Read more +
Costs
Rooms & rates
All rooms are comfortable single occupancy, giving you your own space in which to relax.
Rooms are either ensuite or have the use of a shared bathroom.
They are allocated randomly and are bookable on a first-come, first-served basis, unless you have a medical need for an ensuite - please let us know on your booking form.
Click here for more information on our types of bedrooms and facilities
Meals, bedding, and towels are included.
Select from the following rates:
| Standard room | Premium room | Heritage room | ||||
| From April 2027 | £555 | £615 | £715 | |||
Bursary places 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 Places 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
Available dates
2027
19
Apr
Sharpham House: Self-Guided retreat (4 nights)
With Ethan Pollock & Patti Summerville
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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