Wild Poetry

Exploring the mysteries of nature and the psyche

5th - 6th July

"There is grandeur in the beatings of the heart"

- William Wordsworth

This retreat is currently fully booked - to join the waiting list please email alfoxtonevents@gmail.com

Alfoxton is the place that inspired Wordsworth and Coleridge during what has been described as "the most famous year in English poetry".

In the gentlest of ways, and with the profound holding and grounding that only nature can provide, this weekend provides ways to drop into a conversation with the deep, wild and mysterious language of our hearts and souls, and explore the ways in which the "poetry" that we find there is echoed and mirrored by the natural world.

"Your soul senses the world that is waiting for you", declares the great poet John O’Donahue. Just as our souls long to guide us in our task of orienting towards our deepest longings, the more-than-human world of nature longs to be a part of the conversation too. When we invite nature in we find that we are met in ways that are as profound as they are mysterious.

Facilitation Team

Ollie Bettany

Ollie is a counsellor, ecopsychologist, teacher, men’s work leader and wild home maker, living on the edge of Dartmoor with his wife and son. Over the last fifteen years, as a therapist and activist, he has supported individuals and organisations during periods of profound transition and change.

Find out more about Ollie here

“Ollie has opened my eyes and heart to deeper nature. His profound relationship with this realm, and the ease with which he shares and facilitates this, is a gift I will always be thankful for.”

Who is this retreat for?

Anyone who is asking big questions of themselves about their gifts, their purpose and their place in the world. You do not need to be a poet, or want to write poetry in order to get something out of this weekend.

What can I expect?

A summer weekend spent immersed in nature with a group of fellow travellers exploring, sometimes together, sometimes alone, the mysteries of nature and psyche.

This is a camping retreat with optional invitation to spend the night bivvying on the land.

Timings & Travel

Timings

Please arrive on Saturday at 10am for a 10.30am start. The retreat will end at 4pm on the Sunday.

Travel

The nearest railway stations are Bridgwater and Taunton. We are about 1h 15min from Bristol by car.

The 15 bus leaves Bridgwater at 16:50 during college term dates and stops at the Plough Inn in Holford. We are a 15min walk from there.

Please get in touch for further advice with public transport, or for help arranging lifts / carpools.

Make sure to put "Coach House 2, Alfoxton Park" into Google Maps. Other variations will take you to Alfoxton House nearby which is not us. Otherwise use grid reference 51.165187, -3.220080.

The What3Words for our car park are ///soup.candy.huddling

Accommodation & Food

Accommodation

This is a camping retreat - bring a tent or live-in vehicle. Toilets, showers and a sauna are available. We have limited accommodation indoors for those with specific needs. Please let us know when you book if this is the case for you.

There is an optional invitation to spend the night bivvying on the land. Please let us know at the time of booking if you'd be interested in this.

Food

Please bring vegetarian lunch to share for both days. A vegan meal will be provided on Saturday evening.

Accessibility & Diets

We are committed to Alfoxton being a fully accessible venue and are working hard to achieve this. However, while the renovation work continues, visitors with specific mobility or accommodation needs may experience barriers to accessing all areas of the building and land.

If you have any questions or concerns, just get in touch, and please inform us of any significant dietary or accessibility requirements before submitting your booking request.

Costs

Alfoxton Park is a charity and works on the principle of Dana or a 'gift economy'. Read more about Dana here.

A deposit of £54 will secure your place. You will be invited to make a donation to Alfoxton when you attend.

If you are an Triratna Order member and need financial support to pay a retreat deposit, you can apply for a grant from the Abhayaratna Trust.

Technology, alcohol and drugs

All of our events are alcohol and drug free. During the meditation retreats we ask you to turn off your mobile phones and other devices and not contact people outside of the retreat. For all other events and workshops we ask you to be mindful of the use of devices and stay present, in order to make the most of your time here.

Any Questions?

Check our FAQ page or send us an e-mail at events@alfoxtonpark.org.uk

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