We offer life-changing mindfulness retreats in the stunning, elegant, yet comfortable Grade 1-listed Sharpham House, within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, beside the River Dart in South Devon, UK.

It would be difficult to find a more ideal setting for a retreat! The beautiful natural environment really provides the opportunity to connect at a deeper level

When you come on a retreat here, you’ll be staying at Sharpham House, a Grade 1-listed mansion at the centre of the stunning Sharpham Estate, within beautiful Capability Brown gardens offering delightful views over the River Dart.

Here we help you develop your mindfulness practice, giving you fantastic opportunities to connect with nature, whilst caring for you in the historic surroundings of this Georgian villa.

Who are Sharpham House Retreats for?

Those in need of rest, rejuvenation and renewal
Anyone interested in mindfulness or meditation for beginners as well as those more familiar with the practice
People interested in mindfulness with the specific themes of the retreats
People with a love of nature and the natural world

What you’ll experience on retreat in Sharpham House

The chance to begin or develop a mindfulness practice that will have transformational effects on your daily life
Escape from your busy routine to a place far from traffic or city noise and close to nature, tranquillity and peace
Meditation, shared learning and companionship within a group of like-minded retreatants, overseen by skilled, kind and friendly retreat leaders
The run of a stately home, with elegant yet comfortable rooms in which to relax
An abundance of delicious, home-cooked, locally-sourced vegetarian food
Full-board, with Sharpham House staff on hand to support, assist and look after you
A nurturing atmosphere of space and calm in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, close to the River Dart, with woodland and formal gardens to explore
A retreat timetable with plenty of free personal time alongside scheduled meditation times and periods of silence

Do I need to have prior knowledge or experience of mindfulness before coming?

All of the retreats at Sharpham House are suitable both for people new to meditation and mindfulness, as well as those looking to reconnect with their practice. Each retreat typically involves x3 20-30 minute guided formal sitting meditation sessions per day. The retreats are not held in silence, however there are usually silent periods in the evening and first thing. Most retreats also include a half-day of silence to deepen your mindfulness experience. If you are totally new to mindfulness we recommend that you visit our mindfulness resources page and some pre-reading on the subject would be useful before you come. More experienced meditators might want to consider The Barn Retreat Centre also on the Sharpham Estate which includes longer sitting and silent periods, as well as taking your practice into shared work periods of cooking, cleaning and working on the land.
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What is the accommodation like?

Sharpham House has a mix of accommodation comprising 17 bedrooms of various sizes. Retreatants also have access to 3 beautiful rooms for relaxing and resting including the Library, Octagonal and Tuesday room. The rooms are priced according to 5 larger rooms with views over the river Dart and 10 standard rooms. All bedding and towels are provided and there is constant tea and coffee making facilities available in the dining and toasting room. All rooms are single occupancy. There are 2 en-suite rooms, which can be reserved only if you have specific medial / health needs. Retreatants have access to the woodland, formal and walled gardens as well as the open air swimming pool.
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What’s the food like?

Our cooks regularly get rave reviews for the high quality seasonal, vegetarian food they produce. We source food whenever possible from our kitchen garden and support local food suppliers. We are able to accommodate a wide range of dietary needs
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What dietary needs can you accommodate?

We are used to accommodating a wide range of dietary needs including wheat free, diary free, vegan etc. Please indicate on your booking form if you have dietary need. The booking form wull be sent as a link once you have booked and paid for a retreat
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Do you have access for people with disabilities?

Due to the nature of the House which was built in 1765 we can’t make the property fully accessible, however we intend to install a lift in December this year which will improve access. Please contact us if you have other access needs to make sure we can best accommodate you.
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Is there Wi-Fi available

Wi-Fi is available on some ground floor rooms, though we cannot guarantee a signal because of the thickness of our walls. Likewise, mobile phone coverage is not very good in the main house. We strongly encourage participants to turn off their mobile phones during their stay and keep use of laptops/tablets to a minimum. This helps you and everyone else to disengage from daily life and provides the rare opportunity to live fully in the simplicity and quietude of a country retreat. If someone needs to contact you urgently then please ask them to call 01803 732583 leaving a message if there is no reply. Please be assured this number will be checked regularly during your stay, allowing you the chance to relax into your retreat.
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How sustainable is it to stay in the house?

We take sustainability seriously! All of the hot water and heating in the house is produced by a state of the art bio-mass wood chip boiler and we have 2 large photo-voltaic arrays on barn rooftops. Our gardens are managed organically and we only use biodegradable cleaning products.
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Can I come on retreat with a friend or partner?

We recommend you come on a retreat without anyone you know. If you bring an important part of your life with you then you aren’t really retreating! However, we also realise for some people it isn’t possible to come separately (eg visiting the area together). If you do come with a partner we recommend you book into separate rooms and that you discuss how you will share the space together on retreat before hand.
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What I should wear and what should I bring with me?

We recommend that you bring loose comfortable clothes for indoors as well as a pair of slippers / indoor shoes. Although Sharpham is a very grand old house, we try to maintain the informal feel of a family home. There are some fantastic walks and opportunities to be outdoors so we recommend that you bring outdoor clothes and walking boots / wellies as well as warm, waterproof outdoor clothes for all times for the years. A note book and pencil can be a good idea for occasional notes / reflections during your stay

Sharpham House Retreat

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