The Wisp Retreat

31/05/2026

Last week we were honoured to host a retreat organised by Projects in Palestine, whose work supports Palestinian women, children and farming initiatives throughout the West Bank.
It's difficult to put the week into words. What unfolded was far more than a programme of activities; it was a week of learning, connection, creativity, friendship and solidarity.
The retreat was beautifully organised by trustees Lisa, Rachel and Suzanne, with wonderful support from Sama, Rola and Nicky. Rola led the kitchen with incredible generosity, sharing delicious traditional Palestinian food that quickly became a focal point of the week, bringing everyone together to cook, eat, laugh and connect.
We learned the art of tatreez with Nicky, watched films exploring the history and lived realities of Palestine, spoke directly with people in the West Bank, made and flew kites in solidarity with the community of Burin, and even rose before dawn for a memorable visit to Samye Ling Buddhist Monastery for morning prayers.
The days were filled with poetry, stories, presentations, music, conversation and moments of reflection. We were also treated to a wonderful visit from the extraordinarily talented Hyperborea, whose generosity and music added something truly special to the week.
What stays with us most is not any single activity, but the sense of community that emerged. People arrived as strangers and left carrying shared experiences, deeper understanding, new friendships and a renewed sense of connection to something bigger than themselves.
We've put together this short video diary of the week. For those who joined us, we hope it brings back some beautiful memories. And for those watching from afar, perhaps it offers a glimpse of what can happen when people come together with open hearts, curiosity and a desire to learn from one another.
Thank you to everyone who made the week so memorable. It was a privilege to be part of it.
One particularly special moment came courtesy of Raina Wilson from indie band Nippy Sweetie. We'd recently wondered aloud on Facebook whether Sandy Denny's Who Knows Where the Time Goes? might just be the most beautiful song ever written. During the retreat, Raina helped us explore that question in the best possible way. Joined by trustee Suzanne and retreat participant Deirdre on vocals, with Eddie on guitar, she created a version that perfectly captured the spirit of the week. It now forms the soundtrack to this video diary.
As the song asks, none of us really knows where the time goes — but for one week at least, it was spent in very good company.

30/05/2026

Dinner isn't always about the conversation.....our guests respectfully enjoying their meal while the musicians bring a quietly powerful sense of tradition and ceremony to the room. More coming soon about our incredible week with Projects in Palestine.

19/05/2026

and a great location to explore the Borders!

09/05/2026

We don't do this very often but.......Friend of The Wisp James Nichol is fundraising for WithYou, a drug, alcohol and mental health support charity. With first hand experience of working with James / WithYou we understand how vital this organisation is. Its no overstatement to say that their work saves lives on a daily basis. A recent article detailing their work can be read on the BBC here : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyx6167wxno

Every penny counts so please, if you can, do support James and WithYou with whatever you can. The link to the JustGiving page is below and in return we'll be happy to reduce the price of any future bookings from any Wispers who donate by an amount equal to your donation (up to £50).

Thank you.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/james-nichol-1?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL

Help James Nichol raise money to support We Are With You

27/04/2026

Introducing… the very first Wisp Retreat cycling adventure 🚴‍♀️✨
We gathered with four wonderful humans—our brave and brilliant “guinea pigs”—to test out what happens when two non-cyclists organise a cycling retreat. What could possibly go wrong? 😄
Armed with good intentions (and not nearly enough bike knowledge), we set off with dreams of reaching the mystical Kielder Water and its famous 26-mile circular route, dotted with art installations. And yet… between navigation mishaps, closed roads, more closed roads, and then just for good measure—even more closed roads—we began to wonder… does Kielder Water actually exist? Or is it just something everyone’s heard about from a friend of a friend? 👀
But here’s the magic of it all—plans changed, and something even better unfolded. We enjoyed a beautiful day cycling around Hawick’s parks and connecting paths, followed by a well-earned café lunch (morale: fully restored ☕🥪). Then came another day of even brighter skies and a 14-mile round trip to Hermitage Castle, complete with a picnic and plenty of laughter along the way.
Heather, Lesley, Suzie and Kenny—you were absolute stars. Your patience, humour, and enthusiasm carried the whole experience and made it something truly special. You were exactly what we needed, and we’re so grateful 💛
On Saturday we headed to Carlisle to celebrate Wisper Catriona’s birthday—and what a celebration it was. Surrounded by warmth, creativity and some seriously talented people, the evening unfolded with beautiful music and performance poetry that completely captured the room. There’s something so special about words spoken out loud, stories shared in real time, and music weaving it all together—it felt inspiring, uplifting, and just a little bit magical.
And somewhere in the mix, as the music played, we found ourselves wondering… “Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” might just be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Some songs don’t just fill a space—they hold it still for a moment ✨
Catriona, you created such a gorgeous way to celebrate—full of heart, creativity and connection. It was an absolute joy to be part of it.
A HUGE happy birthday, Catriona! 🎉💫

15/04/2026

Don't miss out.
There are just 2 places left for our amazing Retreat in the Scottish Borders from 25th-29th May. £350 all inclusive.
Programme will be revealed to the attendees ahead of the retreat.
All food is Vegetarian. All rooms are double rooms for single use and en-suite facilities.
You will need to be able to make your own way to the venue which is near to Hawick in the borders.
Feel free to message and ask any questions.
Once the places have gone, they've gone.
Share with your friends, family and anyone you feel might be interested. This is open to those with no knowledge, a little knowledge or lots of knowledge.
There will be Palestinian food- with learning how to cook it. Arts and crafts, film, music and discussion, as well as downtime to enjoy what The Wisp retreat and its surroundings offer.
Come along and support our charity- all money raised is supporting education for children in different areas in the West Bank, and we will live link with places where our projects take place during the retreat.
So, who will be our last two bookings?
To book, please follow the link on www.projectsinpalestine.co.uk

12/04/2026

Our first two week retreater! We’d like to give a massive shout out to Jill Wells, who spent the last 3 back to back retreats with us. She helped enormously showing people round, offering yoga and mindfulness sessions, cooking up several lovely puddings and meals, as well as being a fully participating retreater herself. Not only that, but she bought along Poppy, who also offered therapy in terms of cuddles and cuteness. Well done to both of them, and we can’t thank you enough. Until July, when we will hopefully see you both again.

02/04/2026

Electric bikes at the Wisp! Help us trial them in April and June. For dates and more information go to www.wispretreat.co.uk/cycling-trial-retreat

27/03/2026

Our first work week of the year. Massive thanks to all our retreaters.

17/03/2026

**EDIT**THE CANCELLATION OFFERS HAVE ALL BEEN TAKEN. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON OUR WEBSITE TO SEE ANY FUTURE OFFERS**

3 cheap places for upcoming retreats! Due to cancellations we have 1 place on the First Retreat of 30th March at £100 and 1 place on the weekend retreat of 17th April at £75. First come first served - please message us.

Jill Wells with be with us for both of these retreats and also the retreat commencing 6th of April. Jill is always happy to share her passion of introducing absolute beginners to experience yoga that suits their body and health with any interested retreaters. She is also a mindfulness and meditation coach and enjoys sharing simple tools to bring our life back into balance and to help us through those challenging times that life can bring us.

For us, Jill is a Wisper (she's been here several times already!), and a gem. We can't wait to see you Jill, and Poppydog too!