Nature mindfulness retreat: Wildlife Discovery - 4 nights in The Coach House

Julian Carnell - Trust Director

Julian is the Director of The Sharpham Trust which owns and cares for the 550-acre Sharpham Estate.

He originally trained as a teacher before working in international development overseas. This has led to a career in environmental education, conservation and estate management.

Originally a teacher he worked for two years with Voluntary Service Overseas in Pakistan helping to set up a teacher training programme and various development projects. On returning to Devon he continued his work in the charity sector working for a local countryside trust, setting up an educational programme, a residential centre, and an organic farm. He was involved in the early stages of Transition Towns in Totnes and has built on these experiences at Sharpham.

"I came to Sharpham because I wanted to integrate conservation work with mental health and the spirituality side that was often missing when environmental issues are discussed. I wanted to foster a more holistic approach and make Sharpham a beacon for new approaches."

Julian loves canoeing on the River Dart which meanders past the Estate and in 2024 he set up the River Dart Catchment Partnership which is working with multiple partners to restore the river, see www.riverdart.org for more information. 

Julian has recently published a book which follows a pilgrimage exploring the wildlife, landscapes and history surrounding the river as it descends from the high granite tors of Dartmoor through the lowlands before becoming an estuary and reaching the ocean 47 miles later.

Lisa Carnell

Lisa has many years’ experience teaching ecology, natural history, wild plant identification and foraging in the field, across the seasons.

Lisa says "When people tune in, nature has the incredible ability to bring awe and wonder, to calm, to heal, bring perspective and stimulate the intellect in many ways".

Lisa’s passion for plants was ignited during a windy but wonderful university botanical survey on Cader Idris Mountain in Wales. It developed deeply during her plant survey training across a great range of Somerset Wildlife Trust nature reserves. She started on her path of teaching outdoors with the Field Studies Council in Wales and knew from then on that she always wanted to work sharing knowledge about plants and the natural world to people of all ages.

She says: "I feel exhilarated and alive when I am with people and am able to ignite their interest and open up a new awareness of our local nature through first hand experience in our life-enhancing countryside".

Lisa is The Sharpham Trust's Education and Events Coordinator. Previously she worked with the Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust for many years, and as a Biology teacher before that.

Maite Alonso

Maite has a background in general and psychiatric nursing, and Movement and Drama Therapy. Since 1990 she has been practising meditation and attending retreats in different traditions, mainly Insight Meditation and Zen, in India, Europe, the UK, and the USA. 

She has trained in Sivananda Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and Shakti Dance and has been working for the last 12 years as a yoga teacher and massage therapist. In the last 6 years, she has been co-leading retreats at Sharpham.

Maite's passion is co-creating spaces where people can find insights through connecting with their bodies, with nature, and with each other. Embodiment practices and using the body as a source of wisdom are also her passion.

Maite as a Mindfulness through Yoga retreat leader

Maite's style:

• incorporates slow, flowing stretches coordinated with the breath, softening and opening up the body and letting the energy flow through freely. 
• focuses the mind in the subtle changes happening in body-mind moment by moment, opening and expanding into deeper states of awareness beyond the physical. 
• helps rediscover and embody the joy of movement, breath and awareness.

Mary-Rose Finnegan Clarke

Mary-Rose is a mindfulness practitioner, psychotherapist and group facilitator based in Bristol. She has spent over a decade supporting people as a BACP-accredited psychotherapist and EMDR therapist, and feels deeply nourished by holding meditation spaces and sharing mindfulness practices in community. In 2019, she co-founded Wake Up Bristol, a young people’s mindfulness community in the Plum Village tradition. She has also trained with Processwork UK, facilitating awareness at individual, relationship and collective levels. Mary-Rose brings a warm, gentle and playful presence to retreat spaces. 

Mike Cooke - Ecologist

Mike’s career in conservation spans 30 years, with specialisms in wildlife surveys, habitat assessment and ecological evaluation. 

He has worked with nature conservation training organisation Ambios since 2005 and has played a central role in the development of its programmes over the last 10 years. 

At Ambios, he oversees training in species identification, wildlife monitoring techniques, field ecology and ecological restoration approaches. He  also provides continuous residential support for trainees as they progress through their placements.