Autumn Retreat with Elise Carter at The Quaives Retreat centre, Canterbury

Escape to the Kent countryside for a restorative weekend of yoga, country walks, fireside reading and nutritious food with Elise Carter as your Host and Vanessa Jaich your experienced retreat chef.

Join Elise for a weekend at The Quaives, a stunning country house in the Kent countryside. The retreat takes place over the Samhain (Halloween!) weekend, so expect a deeply reflective few days; a chance to pause, to be looked after, to connect to yourself and to this spiritual and transitional time of the year.

We will practice vinyasa and restorative yoga and there will be a dance class to shake off the year and make space for JOY! Our retreat chef, Vanessa, is nutritionist specialising in gut, hormones and cyclical health, so you can look forward to a weekend that nourishes you from the inside out.

This retreat is for all ages and all abilities, beginners most welcome.

SCHEDULE

Friday

4pm Arrival & settle in at The Quaives

Welcome tea

Opening class and journaling

Welcome dinner

Saturday

Morning pre-Yoga snack & teas

Vinyasa Yoga class

Wholesome breakfast

Free time to explore the grounds, surrounding countryside & local village.

Lunch

Free time: book a massage or enjoy a luxurious soak in the outdoor hot tub.

Pre-Yoga snack & teas

Journaling session

Somatic Dance and Restorative Yoga

Dinner

Sunday

Morning pre-Yoga snack & teas

Vinyasa Yoga class

Wholesome breakfast

Free time for walk, reading, enjoying the grounds

Closing circle

Lunch

*Plus*

Scrumptious nutritious vegetarian meals

Scandinavian wood fired hot tub

Immersed in nature, surrounded by stunning gardens and the countryside

Countryside walks

*Optional Extras*

Massage treatments and with our wonderful Therapist.

*Not Included*

Transportation, massage treatments

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*Venue*

The Quaives country estate is less than 2 hours drive from London, in the village of Wickhambreaux, Kent. There are 19 acres of open space, manicured gardens and winding paths leading to private cottages, secret gardens, a underfloor-heated light-filled yoga studio, tennis court, swinging kissing bench, hot tub, outdoor yoga platform, tipi for ceremony's, fire pits, kitchen allotment. Surrounded by beautiful countryside great for walking and a near by stream for cold immersions.

*Your Host*

Elise Cater has been teaching since 2019 and has completed over 450 hours of training. She trained in Vinyasa, Yin, Pregnancy Yoga, Embodied Flow, Embodied Yin and Somatic Movement and recently completed an intensive course in the Skinner Releasing Technique, a movement practice that encourages releasing tension and exploring creativity through dance, somatic movement, drawing and writing.

Expect down to earth, friendly classes - her classes are both joyful and deeply nourishing. Elise is interested in how movement makes people feel, not what it looks like. She is also a dancer at heart and has been dancing all her life. Currently exploring ways to bring more dancing into our lives!

Elise teachs a diverse range of students every week, from pregnancy yoga, to yoga for adults with learning disabilities to yoga for sailors! Everybody is welcome to her classes. Nobody is too old/ young/ creaky… All ages, all abilities.

Connecting to our creative selves and connecting back to nature and the seasons is an important part of her work. Movement, creativity and nature are medicine. This concept is at the core of her teaching and the experiences she creates.

*Your Chef*

Vanessa is a Registered Naturopath and Nutritional Therapist specialising in hormones, gut health, and the impact of stress and trauma on the body. Her approach weaves together naturopathy, functional nutrition, and nervous system support.

Food was her first medicine. Healing her gut showed her the power of whole, natural foods and the body’s innate ability to restore itself.

Vanessa brings all her knowlegde, passion and wisdom into the meals she creates on retreats. Creating tasty, nutritious and inspiring dishes.

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ACCOMMODATION & PRICES

£250 non-refundable deposit

Price includes:

*Accommodation

*twice daily yoga

*journaling sessions

*all meals

*use of all yoga mats & props

Not included:

*Massages. These can be booked in advance

*Travel

Scandinavian Kula Dormitory

Beautiful Scandinavian style dormitory with 4 adult bunk beds in a stylish, cozy, clean spacious room, with 3 modern toilets & shower facilities.

£550pp

Songbird Cottage SOLD OUT

1 bedroom cottage with ensuite, kitchen and living room

Bumblebee Cottage

1 bedroom cottage with ensuite, kitchen and living room

Room with one king bed - £1,100 solo occupancy or £750pp sharing

Fuschia Cottage

2 bedroom cottage with bathroom, kitchen and living room

Room 1 - 1 king/ 2 single beds £1,100 solo occupancy or £750pp if sharing

Room 2 - 1 adult bunk bed - £650pp

Sunbeams Room

A room in the main house with 1 king bed and shared shower and toilet

Solo occupancy £850 or £650pp if sharing

Chesnut Tree Twin Room

A room in the main house with 2 single beds and shared shower and toilet.

£750pp

Clair de Lune Room SOLD OUT

A semi ensuite room (own toilet, sharing a shower room) in the main house with 1 king bed

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TRAVEL

The nearest train stations are Canterbury West and Canterbury East. If you are coming from London, the quickest trains are from Kings Cross St Pancras or Stratford, and takes about 51 minutes to Canterbury West. The trains to Canterbury East are slower with more stops. There are cabs you can pick up outside of Canterbury West, but Canterbury East we would recommend booking ahead.

There is also free parking on site for those of you driving.

Cabs

A ride is £15 one way, and takes 10-15 minutes.

Cabline Taxi’s - 01227 555555

Green Light Cabs - 01227 722 222

Canterbury Taxi’s - 01227 444444

Canterbury City Taxi’s - 01227 498888

Longport Taxi’s - 01227 458885