***SORRY THIS WEEKEND IS CANCELLED – PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR OTHER RETREATS***
Friendly, uplifting & energising – all inclusive camping weekend with Yoga, Meditation, Creativity, Dance & more
Join us for our end of summer jamboree for this 3 night bank holiday weekend – it’s a veritable smorgasbord of ways to feel fabulous with Yoga, Qigong, meditation, belly dancing, foraging walk, musical performances, sing-songs round the campfire & delicious vegan food set in a beautiful private woodland valley with some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. It’s going to be some party and you don’t want to miss this one!
All our wellness retreat weekends are different and your weekend is unique to you, so take part in as many/few activities as you like. We pride ourselves on being accessible, friendly & enjoyable, our retreats are the perfect antidote to lockdown in a beautiful natural setting so let’s get together & feel good!
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- Robin Ellis
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- Sion Jones
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- Damian Lyons
Weekend schedule
We’ve got a fantastic, friendly team to help you supercharge your mental & physical wellbeing, connect with nature, have fun being creative, make new friends & let the good times roll!
Arrivals from 2pm Friday 27th August, departures after lunch Monday 30th August (bank holiday). Your weekend is unique to you so take part in as little or as much as you like:
- Up to 9 Yoga classes to choose from including beginner & advanced Hatha, Vinyasa (flow), Yin (relaxation) & Core Power plus talks/workshops – we’ll give you the full timetable in advance so you can reserve your preferred options (class sizes may be limited to ensure there’s enough space undercover)
- Qigong in the woods every morning & guided meditations including Nidra for deep relaxation
- Mindfulness in nature classes, foraging walk & river bathing (optional but bracing!)
- Belly dancing class & a special musical performance by Frank Perry
- Option to learn the ukulele – beginner crash course daytime Saturday & Sunday, and uke-jams round the fire in the evenings, we have spare ukes and for a head start see the YinYanBand page
- Optional massage, reiki & reflexology in the wellbeing tent (see below)
Our Welsh woodland camping venue
The venue is a stunning private woodland valley with river, Pencwmcanol Woods, near Aberystwyth (SY23 5AS) in West Wales – we have over 30 acres to ourselves so there’s plenty of room to spread out with camping pitches for groups & lone rangers. It’s wild – compost toilets/portable toilets, no electricity, no running water (drinking water tanks provided) & limited phone reception.
The woodshed & our ‘Big Top’ parachute canopy provides open sided weather protection all weekend, Irma’s wellbeing tent is for private treatments (optional extra), and Chef Debs will be cooking up a vegan feast in the camp kitchen (all food included). There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the campsite, river & woodland.
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- Feel the warmth
Food & Drink
Delicious, hearty & healthy vegan food is provided for your lunch & dinner, think warming chilli, tasty curry & wholesome soups – our charitable kitchen is being run by Debs with profits going to Foodcycle Liverpool. If you have any allergy or special requirements let us know. Fresh fruit (and toast in the Lake District) will be available to help yourself at breakfast, bring anything else you’d like in terms of a bigger breakfast/extra snacks. We provide compostable plates, bowls & cutlery but bring your own mug.
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- Wholesome & hearty
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- Freshly prepared onsite
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- 100% delicious
Our big kettle will always be on the fire because unlimited brews might just be the cornerstone of civilised society! A range of tea & coffee is included, along with drinking water. We don’t sell/provide alcohol but you can bring if you like – the emphasis is on having fun and enjoying yourself, and we’re here to have a good time together not judge anyone.
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- Campfire jams & performances
Fire Pits
The communal fire pits are the beating heart of our retreat. A fire will always be burning (all firewood included) so you can have a brew and warm your cockles anytime – in the evenings we’ll light more fires so everyone can feel the warmth, and Carter the hound always up for a cuddle! We can’t wait to be toasting marshmallows as we laugh & sing together under the stars – it’s so good for your soul.
Bookings Payments & Refunds for cancellations
- Weekend Pass (includes all classes, camping & food):
- Early Bird (limited numbers) – £195 per person
- Final Release (full price) – £230 per person
- Returning Customer Discount (weekend passes only) – if it’s your second YinYan retreat get 10% discount on your Weekend Pass, and another 10% off your third!
- 40% deposit required to book your place, remainder due 1 week before the event.
- If you want to borrow a ukulele for the weekend let us know and bring £30 deposit (fully refundable on return of undamaged uke – or you can take it home to keep!)
- Spaces limited so early booking recommended to avoid disappointment.
Everything is included in the price EXCEPT for ukulele rental (£30 deposit) & Irma’s treatments in the wellbeing tent (£20 for 40 mins) which are optional extras.
If we cancel the event for any reason (including Government restrictions) then you get the option of an alternative/rescheduled retreat at no extra cost (see all our planned weekends here, plus we have several ‘fallow’ weekends when nobody else is using the site so we can reschedule retreats if necessary) or you can choose a full refund.
If you cancel 14+ days in advance you can choose an alternative retreat at no extra cost, or get a refund less cancellation charge of £30 per Weekend Pass. If you cancel less than 14 days before the retreat your deposit is non-refundable (unless we find someone to take your place, in which case we will refund you minus our costs).
Payments to our bank account – “Yin Yan Ltd”, account number 45402817, sort code 60-13-19 – please include your name & retreat date (i.e. “Jane Smith 27 Aug”) as the payment reference. For bookings/queries contact us / [email protected] / call Robin on 07912 031543.
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- Irma Farrés
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- Damian Lyons
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- The Retreat Team
The team – dedicated to helping you feel fantastic
Our mission is for you to have the best weekend of your life! We have top team of teachers dedicated to your health & happiness, while Chef Debs is leading our vegan charity kitchen and Irma is looking after all your treatments (optional) in the healing tent.
Robin found Yoga, Pilates, Meditation & ukuleles when dealing with chronic pain after spinal surgery – he became a teacher and in 2015 his passion for giving normal people the chance to experience the mental & physical benefits for themselves led to YinYan. His Yoga classes are very inclusive, giving beginners the perfect place to start & more practised students advanced options in line with basic principles – the YinYanBand was born to do the same with ukuleles!
Damian Lyons is a Yoga, Meditation & Qigong teacher from Liverpool, and he is also a swimming instructor at the University of Liverpool – he’s passionate about bringing the benefits improved wellbeing to all parts of the community. Frank Perry & Stu Alexander are both Yoga Teacher Trainers who have helped hundreds of people become teachers through Banyan Tree (including some of us at YinYan!) – Frank is also music creator & performer.
Siôn Jones is a mindfulness expert, transformational coach & yoga teacher. He travelled the world learning the skills and insights he now shares in his online programs, workshops, and retreats – empowering those struggling with issues such as anxiety, helping them to overcome their difficulties and reach their highest potential.
Irma is a Complementary Therapist who loves helping people and embraces healing for herself and everyone who crosses her path! With healing and massage therapies (£20 for 40 mins) she brings balance & harmony to your world while you experience comfort, vitality & relaxation – further info on treatments below.
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- Treat yourself in the healing tent with Irma
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- Private woodland
Massage, Reiki & Foot/Hand/Face Reflexology
Option to enjoy a sumptuous 1-2-1 treatment (or two, you’re worth it!) with Irma in the wellbeing tent – choose from Five Bodies Wellbeing 1-2-1 Treatment options in the magical healing gazebo (all in line with all the relevant covid guidelines). Just £20 for a 40 minute treatment – a total bargain, especially considering the rave reviews she always gets.
Pre-book by email [email protected] or book when you arrive. You’ll need to fill in a form – it will help if you can print & bring with you (leave the green parts blank) but don’t worry we’ll have spares: Reiki form or Massage Form or Reflexology form – you decide!
Parking
Parking is available and we will manage vehicles accessing the valley floor to maintain the peace & quiet in the woodland – we have a 4×4 buggy to take all your bags to your camping pitch on the valley floor when you arrive & depart (cars will be left at the top of the road into the woods or safely on a nearby road). To minimise our carbon footprint please car-share where possible.
Covid-19
All classes, activities & treatments will be run in line with government advice & relevant local guidelines at the time. At some points you may see some PPE – you do not have to wear a face covering but it is optional for the treatments in the wellbeing tent (regulations subject to change). Please help to keep everyone safe by:
- Using the anti-bacterial hand gel supplied (and bring your own) & the hand washing station…especially before & after eating & when filling up your water bottles
- Please stay out of the kitchen area unless asked – if you need something just ask
- When being served food follow the instructions given
- We will clean the compost toilets & drinking water stations several times a day
- Respect others & the relevant guidelines at all times
Hazards, Dogs & Kids
The venue includes a river & working woodland – there are ditches, slopes & hazards so please watch your step & sturdy shoes/wellies are recommended. Carter (Robin’s hound & YinYan’s official head of wellbeing) will be there – if you would like to bring your dog please contact Robin on 07912 031543 (they MUST be kept on lead at all times). Happy to discuss if you want to bring children, just get in touch 🙂
Suggested Packing List
- Tent
- Sleeping bag & pillow/cushion, the nights might be chilly and an extra blanket is great for the meditations & keeping cosy around the fire pits
- Bed/sleeping mat (the ground is uneven & there are some brambles on the ground)
- Water bottle
- Yoga mat & block – if you need to borrow/buy a mat let us know
- Camping mug, plate, bowl & cutlery (we have disposables if you forget)
- Snacks, drinks & anything you want for breakfast (there is a small fridge)
- Toiletries including anti-bacterial gel & anything else you need such as wet wipes (we will provide toilet paper, hand sanitiser & antibacterial wipes around the site)
- Footwear – wellies/boots/sturdy trainers (it might be muddy), bring a pair of old trainers to use in the river if you’re planning on getting wet as it is rocky & uneven
- Clothes – hope for the best but prepare for the worst with a waterproof jacket, fleece/warm jumpers, plenty of layers, spare socks etc. & bring clothes you can move freely in for yoga
- Towel & swimming costume if you’re planning on bathing in the river
- Headtorch / light for your tent
- Hat & scarf
- Sun hat, sunscreen & sun glasses – we live in hope!
- Phone/camera/battery pack – useful to keep your phone charged so you can take lots of photos/videos
- If you play an instrument please bring it for the camp fire sing-song!
- Chair (there are benches & logs to sit on too)
- Carrier/rubbish bags – great for wet clothes & refuse…please take everything with you & leave no trace!
For bookings & enquiries contact us / email [email protected] / call Robin 07912 031543.
