Yoga, Sound Baths and Mandala Art Retreat in the Cumbrian Countryside

The retreat is based at St Marks Stays, a recently renovated Victorian vicarage with a lot of character — high ceilings, original features, and a garden that backs onto open countryside. The location is the quiet bit of Cumbria between two national parks, which means the walking is exceptional. You're a few miles from Sedbergh and eleven from Kirkby Stephen on the A683, with the church of St Mark's sitting diagonally opposite the house. It's genuinely in the middle of the fells, not on the edge of a town.

The yoga is led by Kate Holly, a British Wheel of Yoga Level 4 qualified teacher who trained as a Yoga Therapist in 2022. She's been practising for over three decades and works across public classes, community groups, and one-to-one clients. Sessions mix Hatha, Restorative and Vinyasa styles, with breathwork and meditation folded in, and the level is adaptable — beginners and advanced practitioners have all been comfortable in the group. The studio is a dedicated yoga shala with a deck, so you can hear the birds and the wind while you move.

On day three, Ruth Clayton — a graphic design graduate who taught art for years and ran her own studio in Lancashire before moving to a shared space at Farfield Mill — runs a mandala drawing and watercolour workshop. She demonstrates the process and guides a short meditation before you work on your own design, and suggests doing it in silence so the creative process can feel more like a meditation. Day four takes you to Farfield Mill itself, a working textile mill with a gallery and cafe, which doubles as a local history visit and a shopping opportunity — past guests mention the cream scones there often.

Evenings are where the sound work happens. Florence trained at the College of Sound Healing and works with 432hz crystal singing bowls and Tibetan singing bowls, and her sessions are described by guests as deeply calming. On the final night, weather permitting, there's stargazing by the firepit before the last morning yoga and a 10.30am checkout.

What's included

- 4 nights accommodation - 3 daily delicious and nutritious meals (plant-based) - Afternoon hot chocolate and biscuits - Water, tea, coffee served throughout the day - Daily yoga classes - Daily meditation classes - Daily pranayama classes - Mandala creating and drawing workshop - One-to-one complimentary sound healing session - Wild dipping (optional activity) - Group excursions/activities - Nature hikes with a trusted guide - Star gazing by the firepit - Charity donation (£25 from every booking) - Pre and post retreat support from the team - Parking - WiFi connection

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Flights cost - Transport to and from the retreat - Travel insurance - Visa fee