Retreats for those ready to slow down and draw strength from the natural world.
At Oakhill Ponds we host a small number of retreats — from elemental day retreats to long weekends dedicated to reading and writing — in a beautiful landscape, with spring-fed swimming, wood-fired saunas and creative work shaped by the seasons.
Whether reading, writing, moving or simply being outdoors, each retreat is designed to weave stillness with imagination in a setting alive with wildlife and history.
Explore the thinking behind our different retreat types:
| elemental retreats | reading retreats | writing retreats |
upcoming retreats
All overnight retreats are fully catered. See each retreat page for details of accommodation and what’s included.
Elemental Day Retreat · Sunday 19 April 2026
A seasonal day of paddleboard yoga, swimming, sauna, rest and good food to welcome spring.
An elemental retreat with Alice Brown
Cost · £120 pp
Day retreat with optional overnight stay available
Elemental Weekend Retreat · 3–5 July 2026
A summer Pilates retreat with Kelly Lewis of Pilates by Kelly, bringing together strength, mobility and enjoyment in nature. Kelly’s encouraging, challenging and joyful style makes this a weekend designed to build confidence, get people moving, and have fun — with mat Pilates, optional paddleboard Pilates, spring-fed swimming and sauna.
with Kelly Lewisof Pilates by Kelly and an optional guided sauna ritual with Tara Dougal
From £465 per person · all meals included · 2 nights
Reading Retreat · 28–31 August 2026
Three spacious days for readers craving time, quiet and deep reading — with spring-fed ponds, sauna, firelight, and a celebratory supper with a visiting author.
Includes an optional full-moon swim on Friday evening.
A reading retreat hosted by Amanda Miles
From £645 pp · all meals included · 3 nights
Poetry Retreat · 2–5 October 2026
A three-day writing retreat exploring landscape as archive, with time to read the traces held in pond, marshy meadow and woodland at Oakhill Ponds.
Through guided workshops, sensory mapping, discussion and time outdoors, you’ll create poems and writing shaped by site, memory and the living world.
A writing retreat led by award-winning poet JLM Morton
+ guest author · 3 nights · all meals included · from £675 pp