Hawkwood Logo

Our Programmes

Rest and Restore Weekend Retreat

5th September 2025 - 7th September 2025

Facilitator: Mel Skinner

Prepare to move from summer to autumn with deeply restful yoga and nature-based meditations and activities to help you connect with your surroundings, as well as your body. From restorative yoga to remove the effects of high stress, and gentle movement to create space for the breath, plus the relaxing meditative yoga nidra, this retreat promises to boost your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. All of this will aid you in the darker months ahead.

Event time: 5th September 2025 4:00pm - 7th September 2025 4:00pm

Interested in spreading the cost of this course? Select Clearpay at checkout.

What Is Included

For the majority of our courses, both residential and non-residential rates are available. Residential options are fully inclusive with all meals provided. Non-residential options include suppers, lunches and all refreshments and exclude B&B. Some of our short day courses, events and talks do not include meals and refreshments. For more details about this course, please see the Practical Information section below.

Additional Activities

  • Mindful walking through our woodland trails
  • Meditate in our Woodland Sanctuary
  • Go on a hike and explore the Cotswolds AONB
  • Discover surrounding charming market towns

At a Glance

  • Discover the reflective and healing side of yoga
  • Calm your nervous system, boost immunity and balance your hormones with yoga nidra
  • Connect with the beautiful surroundings through silent morning meditation walks, nature-based journaling and the gift of free time and space
  • Celebrate the year so far, and make preparations for the darker months

What You Will Gain

  • Reduce feelings of anxiety, fatigue, stress and more
  • Time to slow down, reflect and turn inward
  • Experience deep rest for mind, body and soul
  • Connect with the rhythms of the nature and feel a sense of connection to the land around you

Booking Options

Residential (single)Residential single rate
£470.00
Residential (shared)Residential shared rate
£420.00
Non-residentialNon-residential rate
£340.00

Interested in spreading the cost of this course? Select Clearpay at checkout.

Rest and Restore Weekend Retreat Tutors

Melanie Skinner

Melanie Skinner

More about Rest and Restore Weekend Retreat

Time to Reflect
At this time of year we start to lose the light, and feel the wheel of Nature turning us closer towards autumn and a new sense of energy as we leave the lazy days of summer behind.

This is time to reflect on all we have accomplished so far, and rest our intentions for the months ahead, letting go of what no longer serves us, and exploring what balance now means to us.

Yoga for Relaxation
This retreat offers the chance to de-stress, relax, and breathe more fully. We will practice gentle yoga stretches along with restorative yoga to help us find an inner stillness and relaxation. This can help us tune into what we really need as we prepare to move towards the winter months.

The inner contemplation of yoga helps us to face what we may have been avoiding, perhaps our physical sensations, or thoughts and emotions. Whilst this can feel uncomfortable, it is by being honest and open with ourselves that we develop a greater sense of strength and resilience.

Celebrate All You Have Achieved
We will support the relaxation process with free time, nature-based meditations. On Saturday evening, a nourishing gong bath with Rainbow Vibrations.

We will take time to celebrate all we have achieved this year so far, our accomplishments, but also our personal and collective challenges. By acknowledging all we have done, it becomes easier to change our goals and expectations for the winter months, and allow us to settle into a more natural rhythm and peace.

Practical Information

Participants to bring yoga equipment (detailed in the list below). Please also bring a journal/notebook, pen, and any poetry/readings they would like to share with the group.

*yoga mat
*yoga bolster (can substitute with pillows)
*yoga bricks and blocks x2 each (can substitute with pillows)
*blankets for warmth - 2-3 is ideal
*yoga strap
*eye pillow
*cushion for head

Note: Mel can provide some equipment, please email direct at mel@melskinneryoga.com to request equipment. Mel will also have blankets to sell.

"I enjoyed every minute of it!"
Previous Course Participant

About Hawkwood

Hawkwood is a stunning Grade Il listed 19th Century country house, surrounded by 42 acres of sustainably managed woodland, farmland, and gardens. Set in the heart of the Cotswolds - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - it is a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. With a diverse selection of nearly 150 courses, there's plenty to choose from, including courses in transformative leadership, future thinking, inner life, music and the arts.

Other Courses You Might Like

Forest Bathing

Forest Bathing

20th July 2025

Come and join Dee Aebischer, a qualified guide with the UK Forest Bathing Institute, who holds a Masters & PhD in Forest Science, as she leads you on a journey of discovery through the art of Forest Bathing (also known as Shinrin Yoku). This gentle, nature-based therapeutic practice was developed in Japan during the 1980s, with the purpose of reducing stress and enhancing mental and physical wellbeing. Although Shinrin Yoku is translated as “forest bathing”, there is no water involved, the term rather describes a state of becoming fully immersed in the forest atmosphere through awareness, observation and meditation.

Self-Guided Writing Retreat

Self-Guided Writing Retreat

18th August 2025 - 22nd August 2025

Unlock your creativity at Hawkwood. Escape the distractions of everyday life and immerse yourself in a peaceful, inspiring environment designed to ignite your creativity. Join us at Hawkwood for a transformative four-day self-guided writers' retreat, where you'll find the space, time, and support to focus fully on your writing. Whether you're a seasoned author or working on your first draft, this untutored retreat offers the perfect balance of solitude, creativity, and community.

Deep Ecology: Imbolc

Deep Ecology: Imbolc

2nd February 2025

Understanding human consciousness as a component of the ecological process, we will seek to inspire a creative response to the seasonal cycle. Participants will explore the connection between nature, human nature, and the quest for authenticity. Integrating ecological principles, ritual, and myth participants will develop a deeper awareness of the significance of time and place. We will engage with the land as an integral part of the ecosystem as we experience, through our physiological and psychological responses, the unfolding season.

Hawkwood Logo

Hawkwood is an arts and educational charity providing courses, facilitating training and offering venue hire, set in a stunning location in the Cotswolds.

Newsletter Sign-Up

If you would like to stay up-to-date with our latest events and courses then please subscribe to our newsletter.

© 2024 Hawkwood Centre for Future Thinking | Hawkwood College, Painswick Old Road, Stroud, GL6 7QW

Charity number: 311767 | Company number: 599678

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Site Credits | Site Map