Rest & De-stress weekend Retreat
Holwell Holistic Retreats Centre
North Devon
19 - 21 June 2026


Your Invitation

The Rest and De-Stress Weekend Retreat is an invitation to slow down, do less, and reconnect with a gentler pace of life amidst the busyness of everyday demands. If your mind feels overwhelmed, your to do list never seems to end, and your body feels achy, tired, or depleted, this weekend offers a true pause. A space where you don’t need to strive, achieve, or fix anything, simply rest, nourish, and receive. Rooted in a holistic understanding that body and mind are deeply interconnected, this retreat supports you in settling your nervous system through beautiful yoga and restorative practices, thoughtful workshops, and nourishing food. There is also spacious, unstructured time to sleep, rest, read, walk, or simply be. A gentle reminder that it’s okay to slow down, to do less, and that rest itself is deeply restorative.

Your home for the weekend
This two night retreat takes place at the beautiful Holwell Holistic Retreat Centre, tucked away in the rolling countryside of North Devon. The lovingly restored farmhouse offers a calm, luxurious home from home, with cosy shared and private rooms, crackling log burning stoves, and a tranquil private garden, inviting you to slow down and settle in. The retreat is guided by Helen, an experienced, yoga teacher and trainee yoga therapist with a deep specialism in supporting stress, burnout. Drawing on her trauma informed approach and embodied understanding of how the body and mind respond to prolonged busyness and overwhelm, Helen offers practices that are deeply restful, intuitive, and nourishing. Each session is carefully held to support you in softening, restoring, and feeling safely supported as you rest more deeply than you may have in a long time. Rest & De-stress is perfect for you if you are new to yoga and Helen supports many people taking their first steps into these restful practices.



Rest & De-stress practice
​​Helen’s signature Rest and De-Stress retreats are grounded in slowing down, taking time, and supporting the nervous system to feel safe enough to rest. This weekend is a gentle invitation to step out of urgency and into a pace where nothing is demanded of you. There is no rushing, no pressure to participate, and generous space to listen to what your body and mind need in each moment. The yoga and gentle movement practices reflect this approach, recognising that some nervous systems settle through subtle movement, while others find ease in stillness. Helen intuitively guides each session, offering choice and permission so you can respond in a way that feels supportive for you.
From the moment you arrive, Helen will welcome you into a calm, supportive space and gently gather the group in a way that feels grounded and inclusive.
Friday evening begins with a restful, easeful candle lit practice and gentle breath work, designed to help your nervous system shift out of ‘doing’ mode and arrive safely into the weekend. Think blankets, cushions, soft lighting, gentle music, a cosy, dreamy space.
Saturday offers an optional morning practice, where you will be guided to take your time, curiously explore gentle movement, breath work and meditation. After breakfast, Naomi, a neuro-affirming arts and communication consultant, will guide you through a sensory rich workshop using a calming blow acrylic paint pour technique. The experience gently supports emotional regulation and mindfulness, inviting creative discovery, nervous system calming, and the exploration of communication and emotion through colour, breath, and connection.
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After lunch, there is plenty of unstructured time to rest, explore the surrounding countryside, enjoy gentle walks, or simply do nothing at all. As the day draws to a close, a deeply soothing yoga nidra practice will support you in unwinding and drifting towards sleep.
On Sunday, you’ll be offered a gentle morning practice before brunch, with time to slowly and intentionally close the space together.
As always within Rest and De-Stress, everything is an invitation. You are encouraged to take what supports you and leave the rest. You might choose to join a yoga practice and rest beneath blankets and cushions for the entire session, or you may feel drawn to move, stretch, or shift position, all choices are welcome and honoured.
Throughout the weekend, there will be additional gentle offerings, alongside delicious, nourishing food, all carefully curated to support safety, regulation, and a deep sense of being cared for.
Nourishment
Your nourishing food will be provided by a local chef Dan Tugwell, founder of Nomod Dining, who specialises in inclusivity with food and delivers high quality, locally produced dishes that will nourish, replenish and support you to rest. The menu is vegetarian and plant based, with dietary requirements catered for on request.
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Sample schedule
Friday​​
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3pm- Arrive and Welcome
4pm- Opening Circle
5:30pm- Gentle Yoga Practice
7pm- Dinner
8pm- Connect and conversation under the stars
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Saturday​​
8am- Morning practice​
9:30am- Breakfast
11am- Workshop with Naomi
1pm- Lunch
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Afternoon- free time, walks, read, relax, enjoy therapy treatments
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6:30pm- Dinner
8pm- Deep rest Yoga Nidra​​​​
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Sunday​​
9am- Morning practice​
10:30am- Brunch
12noon- Closing circle
1pm- Depart​​​​​
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A place to rest, everything included
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2 nights accommodation
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8 hours of yoga practices including, gentle movement, breath work, meditation, deep rest practices.
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Guided yoga nidra
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Reiki infused practices
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All meals and snacks each day, fruit, tea, coffee, refreshments throughout the day
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Sensory connection workshop
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Underfloor heated yoga studio with blankets and props.
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Garden experience over looking rolling hills
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5 acres of private gardens to explore
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Optional 45 min massage, reflexology, reiki (additional cost, paid directly to the therapist)
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Abundant time and space to do what you need. Walk, rest, read, relax.
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Tarot under the stars
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Rest & De-stress
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£545pp - Twin Room, shared bathroom
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£575pp - Twin Room & Ensuite
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£625pp - Private Room, King Bed, shared bathroom
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£685pp - Private Room, King Bed & Ensuite ​
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Early Bird Offer - Save £50 on a Private Room
- Bring a friend, book a twin room and save £50 each.
- Valid until 31st January 2026
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£150pp deposit to book.​
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Monthly Instalment payments (after deposit) available to help spread the cost.​
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Full balance payable within 8 weeks of the retreat.
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​A massage therapist will be available for a 45 minute holistic therapies at an additional fee, if booked in advance.​
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Price is per person and including all accommodation, meals and practices, as above. ​
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This is an alcohol-free retreat.
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Howell Holistic Retreat, East Down, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4NZ



