Name: 4 Day Space and Regeneration Weekend Yoga Retreat in Somerset, England, in the UK
Brand: Yoga in Somerset
Price: 267 GBP
Availability: InStock
Rating: 9.5 (5 reviews)

Accommodation

Check-in Time:

14:00

Check-out Time:

14:00

During this retreat, you will be hosted by local fellow yoga enthusiasts who have offered to open their homes, especially for this retreat. Choose from a variety of different rooms, single or double, with private or shared bathrooms, at different prices.

The accommodation is between one and three miles from the retreat venue. Lifts can be arranged if necessary.

Alternatively, you can bring your own tent and camp in the peaceful gardens at Extons Barn, look at the night sky, and hear the owls hooting!

The options include spaces in the following:

Large country house on the edge of Milverton (2 miles from retreat)
17th century house (1 mile from retreat, just outside of Fitzhead)
House in Wiveliscombe (3 miles from retreat)
Camping in the garden at Extons Barn

Program

Yoga practice

Over the weekend, you will work with a variety of active yoga exercises. You will learn how to stretch and open your body in a free and liberating way. Whether you are new to yoga or have some previous experience, the aim will be to improve your practice.

You will work in a detailed way with various positions so that you get a thorough understanding of how to do them. You will receive individual help in overcoming difficulties with the positions and learning how to form them correctly.

Regular practice of yoga over a few days can have an astonishing effect on your health. Not only do you become stronger and more flexible, but the entire energy in the body can flow more freely. Your organs and immune system will function more efficiently and you will feel calm, energized, and alert all at once.

Whatever your level, you will be encouraged to expand your potential one step further. In doing this, you will get to experience new strength and energy.

Beyond the physical

In joining this bank holiday weekend yoga retreat, you will step away from your busy life and spend four days in a tranquil rural environment. This will naturally help your mind with its busy chatter and unwanted thoughts and feelings to calm down. In the space created, some deeper, inspiring content can then provide a stimulus for new inner growth.

Beyond the physical benefits of the yoga poses, you will explore the personal strengths that you can develop and the deeper spiritual meanings of the poses. As a basis for this, you will work with inspiring words that can open up new depth and meaning in the movements.

You will then develop a sense of how each movement can encourage qualities within you, which will help your development in life.

Soul exercises

In addition to physical practice, various so-called “soul exercises” can awaken your deeper, more subtle senses and open up a more expanded view of life. These include calm observation of nature, your own body or breath, or some inspiring words.

With this expanded view, you will become able to think more clearly and create new, more wide-reaching ideas for the future.

Social aspect

The social aspect also plays a huge role on these weekends. Discussions will not enter into the private, personal sphere, but rather, they will explore some profound life principles meaningful to all of humanity. These kinds of discussions lead to a warm feeling of connection between people without being exclusive.

Here at Yoga in Somerset our aim is that you both unwind and recharge, taking home with you some new insights and an expanded perspective.

We do not see yoga as an isolated practice, but as something that feeds into the whole of life. Each participant can weave deeper spiritual content into their life in their own individual way.

Itinerary

The program will consist of a lot of yoga practice, punctuated by talks and discussions. The breaks for drinks and meals offer you an opportunity to relax in the gardens and get to know other participants. The evening sessions will include some recapping of the themes explored during the day.

A soul exercise might also be practiced then and some singing (or just listening). On Saturday evening, you will be treated to a bedtime story with story-teller Jan!

Daily schedule

Here is an approximate schedule, not set in stone. It can be adapted according to the needs of the day.

Friday

14:00 Arrival and welcome drink
14:30 - 17:30 Yoga workshop
18:00 Dinner
19:00 - 20:00 Evening session

Saturday and Sunday

10:00 - 13:00 Yoga workshop (theory and practice)
13:00 Light lunch with locally baked sourdough bread
Free time to relax in the garden
15:00 Country walk with tales of the land, led by Jan Copley
17:00 Tea, followed by storytelling with Jan
18:00 Evening meal
19:00 - 20:00 Evening session

Monday

10:00 - 13:00 Yoga workshop (theory and practice)
13:00 Light lunch
14:00 Departure

Included excursions

For those who wish to join, local walk leader Jan Copley will lead two-hour walks on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with tales of the land.

Instructors

Karen Patterson

Karen has been teaching yoga since 1992. Her main source of inspiration is the teaching of spiritual teacher Heinz Grill. Over the years, she has gained a deep knowledge of the yoga poses both in their physical practice and their inner meanings. She loves to use this experience to help people make real progress in their practice and to maximize their individual potential in life. She established Yoga in Somerset in 2002 and runs courses at all levels, from beginners to teacher training.

Retreat location

The retreat will take place at Exton's Barn, near Milverton, Taunton, Somerset, England, United Kingdom. Exton's Barn is a barn conversion set in rural Somerset, surrounded by fields and woodland. Not another house is in sight. The light and airy yoga studio is built in the garden next to the house, but if the weather is nice, you can practice outside.

There are ample off-the-beaten-track walks straight from the venue, with stunning views over rolling hills. Many visitors comment how their heads feel clearer the minute they step out of the car.

Distances

Taunton - 20 minutes drive

+−

Food

During the retreat, you will be provided with a light lunch of local Somerset produce, including locally baked sourdough bread, and a delicious, nutritious cooked evening meal daily as well as snacks, home-produced apple juice, water, teas, and coffee available throughout the day, included in the price.

All food will be vegetarian, organic whole foods, and artistically prepared with thoughtful attention. You can have breakfast at your bed and breakfast (B&B), or if you choose to camp at Exton's there are facilities to prepare your own food or a self-service breakfast can be provided upon request.

Let Yoga in Somerset know if you have any special dietary requirements and they will be happy to cater to you.

The following meals are included:

Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
Drinks

The following drinks are included:

Water
Coffee
Tea
Detox juices

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Vegetarian
Lacto-ovo Vegetarian
Vegan
Organic
Whole food
Other dietary requirements on request

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

Things to do (optional)

The nearby town of Wiveliscombe has an open-air pool. You can book an early morning swim. The cost is 6 GBP.

What's included

Activities
3 nights accommodation
Dinners on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Lunches on Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Breakfast is included at the Fitzhead and Milverton accommodation
Lifts to and from the accommodation each day and also from Taunton station at the start and end of the retreat are included

What's not included

Travel insurance
Flights
Airport transfers
Breakfasts at Extons Barn and Wiveliscombe accommodation

How to get there

Recommended Airports

BRS

Bristol Airport

53 km

Transfer not provided

Driving directions from the north or East, via Junction 25 on the M5 and Taunton

Take the main road through Taunton, following signs to Minehead and Wiveliscombe.
Once you are out of Taunton, keep following signs to Wiveliscombe (B3227).
About 6 or 8 miles from Taunton, this road goes through a village called Preston Bowyer.
As you come out of the village, round a sharp bend and up a hill, there is a small turning on the right signed Fitzhead.
Take this road, following it round to the left, then straight on over the staggered crossroads.
The track leading to Extons Barn is a concealed entrance about 300 yards after the crossroads on the right.
Look out for a small wooden sign on the hedge saying “Extons Barn”.
If you get to the egg farm, you have gone too far.

Driving directions from the south via Junction 26 on the M5 and Wellington

Follow signs to Wellington.
From Wellington town center, turn right following signs to Milverton.
Go through Milverton village center, bearing right at Milverton Stores.
Down the hill and straight on until you reach the big roundabout on the main road.
Go right at this roundabout then immediately left up the narrow lane (signed Fitzhead).
At the top of the hill, turn left.
The track leading to Extons Barn is a concealed entrance about 300 yards after the crossroads on the right.
Look out for a small wooden sign on the hedge saying “Extons Barn”.
If you get to the egg farm, you have gone too far.

Driving directions from Bishops Lydeard

Take the main road out of Bishops Lydeard to the A358.
Turn right onto the A358 and then immediately left towards Ash Priors, over the railway bridge.
Continue on this road, passing Ash Priors green on your right and then left towards Halse.
In Halse, turn left at the New Inn.
Take the second road on the right towards Milverton.
Follow this road for 1.75 miles, (ignoring the small lane on the right to Fitzhead and Tarr).
At the top of the steep hill, turn right at the staggered crossroads (signed Fitzhead).
The track leading to Extons Barn is a concealed entrance of about 300 yards after the crossroads on the right.
Look out for a small wooden sign on the hedge saying “Extons Barn”.
If you get to the egg farm, you have gone too far.

Driving directions from Wiveliscombe

Take the B3227 towards Taunton.
After about 3 miles, you come to a large roundabout.
Turn left up the steep narrow lane following signs to Fitzhead.
At the top of the hill, turn left.
The track leading to Extons Barn is a concealed entrance about 300 yards after the crossroads on the right.
Look out for a small wooden sign on the hedge saying “Extons Barn”.
If you get to the egg farm, you have gone too far.

Please note that it is probably best to avoid driving through Taunton between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays or during shop opening hours on Saturdays. At these times, drive down the motorway and come off at J26.

Arrival by bus

There are coaches from London and Bristol to Taunton and Wellington with National Express, Berries, and Stagecoach Falcon. Yoga in Somerset can collect you from Taunton or Wellington.

Arrival by train

The nearest train station is Taunton, and the journey from London Paddington takes two hours. Yoga in Somerset can collect you from Taunton or Wellington.

Cancellation Policy

A reservation requires a deposit of 25% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid 7 days before arrival.

Explore

Hello there.
Glad to have you!