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Seasonal mindfulness retreat: Spring Unfolding - 6 nights at The Coach House
Blending mindfulness, stillness & nature connection, as the season turns
Summary
Duration: 6 nights - run seasonally
For those with any meditation experience - or none
Single occupancy
Silence nightly until morning & on 1 whole day
Max. Spaces: 18
Overview
The Spring Unfolding seasonal mindfulness retreat is a 6-night stay at The Coach House retreat venue in beautiful South Devon, offering daily meditation, nature-mindfulness practices and time spent in Sharpham's beautiful, peaceful scenery at this wonderful time of year.
As the Earth stirs with new life and the first blossoms awaken, so too can you. Our Spring Unfolding retreat invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and gently return to yourself amidst the fresh beauty of Spring on the Sharpham Estate.
This retreat offers a chance to be nurtured by nature and held in mindfulness — all in the heart of the stunning South Devon National Landscape. Let the energy of Spring inspire your own renewal as you immerse yourself in nature, with meditation amongst ancient trees and unfurling leaves and blossoms.
This retreat is for you if you:
- long to reconnect with yourself in nature’s embrace
- wish to explore the richness of the season through meditation and contemplative practice
- are seeking rest, renewal, and inspiration
- are aged 18 and above and are open to gentle mindfulness and community living
What you'll experience on this retreat:
- living in community with like-minded people, sharing simple tasks and meaningful moments
- 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 the South Devon National Landscape close to nature
- 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 guests consistently rave about
You’ll be surrounded by blossoming life, birdsong, and the gentle unfolding of the season. Our deep aspiration is that all of these elements will provide an opportunity for you to come home to yourself.
What is a mindfulness meditation retreat?
What you 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
Martyna Raczka
Read more +
Mary-Rose Finnegan Clarke
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Costs
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 | £655 | £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
2027
02
Mar
Spring Unfolding: a 6-Night seasonal retreat at The Coach House
With Barry Thurgood & Emma Dibben
2027
17
Apr
Spring Unfolding: a 6-Night seasonal retreat at The Coach House
With Martyna Raczka & Mary-Rose Finnegan Clarke
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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