Seasonal retreats for those ready to slow down and draw strength from the natural world.
Our elemental retreats are shaped by water, fire, earth and air: swim in spring-fed ponds, warm through wood-fired saunas, listen to the land, breathe and begin again.
Take time away from the to-do list to move and reconnect with nature through gentle practices; time for solitude and time to gather, to deepen and to rest.
We host a small number of in-house elemental retreats each season, co-led with like-minded practitioners, in a private yet expansive landscape.
Some retreats at Oakhill Ponds unfold over a few days on the land; others are spacious day gatherings, sometimes with the option to stay over. You’ll see the set-up for each date clearly on the booking page.
at a glance
upcoming retreats
what to expect
- morning movement to arrive in body and breath
- swims in spring-fed ponds and time in wood-fired saunas
- quiet times for reading, journalling, hammocks, walking or stillness
- seasonal, nourishing, mostly plant-based food
- fire-lit evenings: a balance of reflection and rest and sharing joyful moments together
who it’s for
- anyone who feels drawn here - readers, writers, makers, nature-lovers, the tired, the curious
- no prior pilates, yoga, sauna or cold-water experience required
collaborations
We co-create with practitioners who work with care, creativity and connection to place. If this feels like you, you’re welcome to introduce yourself
previous retreats
Sunday 1 February 2026 · 10am–5pm . limited to 10 guests with
This second elemental retreat is an invitation to embrace deep winter stillness – a day of yoga, saunas, fire, good food and good company, and a chance to pause, breathe and rest while the trees stand bare and the ponds lie clear and cold.
The day includes:
- morning embodied flow & breathwork in the yurt
- guided wander around the ponds and through the grotto, noticing what’s astonishing in snowdrops, wild garlic, water and stone
- seasonal organic vegetarian lunch with local and foraged ingredients
- wood fired sauna with optional cold swim in clear spring-fed water
- cacao/ fire pit time & restorative Yin to close
Extras:
- optional overnight stay in shepherds huts or room at Oakhill Ponds (booked separately)
Sunday 16 November 2025 · 10am–5pm · limited to 10 guests
An 'elemental retreat' at oakhill ponds, co-created with Alice Brown(White Lilac Yoga) & Amanda Miles (oakhill ponds)
As autumn deepened and the land turned toward rest, this first Elemental retreat was a day of warmth, movement and gentle preparation for winter – yoga, saunas, fire and good food, with time to breathe and notice the shift in season.
The day included:
- Welcome hot drink & morning yoga in the yurt
- Guided wander around the ponds and through the grotto, exploring mushrooms, stories and the history of the land as prompts for curiosity
- Seasonal vegetarian lunch indoors
- Wood-fired sauna with optional cold swim in clear spring-fed water
- Restorative Yin by firelight to close
Amanda and Alice first met at East 15 Acting School, rehearsing at dawn in Epping Forest and sleeping under the stars – an early mix of courage, laughter and friendship that still shapes how they work together now: yoga and imagination, movement and stillness, body and story rooted in the natural world.