Held by the hills ~ a weekend retreat for women

Held by the Hills

A weekend of remembering our place within the living world. 

28-30th May 2027 | The Forge, Corwen, North Wales

 Come and walk with me...

What does it truly mean to be human?

Not the version of ourselves shaped by busy diaries, endless demands and the pressure to keep up, but the part of us that knows how to slow down, to listen, to create, to gather and to live in relationship with the world around us.

Held by the Hills has been quietly growing in my heart for a long time. It isn't a retreat about escaping life or becoming someone new. It's an invitation to spend a weekend living a little differently, drawing on the wisdom our forebears left us and exploring what it might mean to live well together today.

For three days, we'll create a small village in the hills of North Wales. We'll sleep beneath canvas, share nourishing meals, gather around the fire, walk ancient pathways and spend our days moving, creating, resting and reconnecting with ourselves, one another and the land that holds us.

This isn't about returning to the past. It's about remembering that to be human is to be of the Earth, and discovering what becomes possible when we begin to live from that place once again.

The Way We'll Gather

Our weekend begins on Friday evening as we arrive at The Forge and settle into our home for the days ahead. Together we'll create a shared altar using natural treasures gathered from the land, share our first meal around the table and end the evening with a deeply restorative sound bath.

Each morning begins with gentle earth-based somatic movement before the day opens into spaciousness. There'll be time to enjoy the wood-fired sauna, take a dip in the natural pond, wander through the woodland, rest in a hammock, share conversation or simply be.

As the land shifts from spring towards summer, we'll honour the season through creativity and ceremony. We'll spend time connecting with a tree that calls to us, listening to its quiet wisdom before weaving our own dream catcher using natural materials gathered from the woodland around us.

On Saturday evening we'll share an early meal before making a gentle pilgrimage to the ancient hillfort of Caer Drewyn. We'll walk ancient pathways through the Welsh hills, gathering small offerings from the land along the way. As daylight softens, we'll create simple earth mandalas in gratitude before sitting together to drum, listen and simply be held by the landscape around us.

On Sunday we'll greet the day with movement once more, gather for a leisurely brunch and begin our journey home, carrying with us whatever the weekend has quietly awakened.

Our Home

For three days, The Forge will become our village.

Surrounded by the rolling hills of North Wales, we'll make our home beneath canvas, living simply and in close relationship with the land.

Beautifully furnished bell tents offer a warm and welcoming place to rest, while outdoor camp kitchens, wooden decking, hammocks, surrounding woodland, the fire circle, natural dipping pond and wood-fired sauna provide spaces to gather, wander and reconnect with ourselves and one another.

Accommodation is in beautifully furnished shared bell tents, sleeping two or three women, each complete with comfortable beds and a log burner.

Simple comforts. Ancient landscapes. A place to belong.

Ancient Ground

Some places hold more than history - they hold memory.

Nestled amongst the hills above Corwen stands Caer Drewyn, an Iron Age hillfort that has watched over this landscape for more than two thousand years.

As dusk falls on Saturday evening, we'll make our way there together. Carrying our drums, walking ancient pathways and listening to the stories this land still holds, we'll gather in gratitude beneath an open sky.

Sometimes the land doesn't ask us to do anything at all - only to arrive and to listen.

Our Village

Held by the Hills is intentionally limited to just eleven women. Not to create exclusivity, but because I believe there's something deeply special that happens when a group is small enough for everyone to know one another.

We'll share meals around the same table, gather around the same fire, give space when someone is quiet and celebrate when someone laughs. For one weekend, we'll create a small village together where everyone has a place, every voice matters and everyone belongs.

What's Included

Your place includes:

Two nights in a beautifully furnished shared bell tent

Lunch and evening meals throughout the weekend

Opening and closing ceremonies

Earth-based somatic movement

Seasonal creative workshop

Sound bath

Pilgrimage to Caer Drewyn

Fire circles, drumming and song

Full use of the wood-fired sauna and natural dipping pond

All workshop materials

Investment

Held by the Hills 28-30 May 2027

£600 per person

Places are intentionally limited to 11 women.

Booking Terms & Cancellation Policy

By booking your place on Held by the Hills, you are agreeing to the terms below.

Securing Your Place

Your place can be secured by either:

• Paying the full balance of £600 at the time of booking, or
• Choosing one of the monthly payment plans available at checkout.

If you choose a payment plan, your first payment secures your place and is non-refundable.

If you choose to pay in full, the first £120 of your payment is treated as your non-refundable deposit, with the remaining balance being subject to the cancellation policy below.

Payment plans are a commitment to pay the full retreat balance. By selecting a payment plan, you agree to complete all scheduled payments.

Cancellation by You

If you need to cancel your place, please let me know as soon as possible.

More than 90 days before the retreat: Any payments made beyond your non-refundable deposit will be refunded.

Between 90 and 30 days before the retreat: Refunds will only be issued if your place can be filled from the waiting list. If your place is filled, all payments made beyond your non-refundable deposit will be refunded.

Less than 30 days before the retreat: Unfortunately, no refund can be offered unless your place can be filled.

If you are paying by instalments and choose to cancel, any future scheduled payments will be cancelled once your cancellation has been confirmed.

If I Need to Cancel

In the unlikely event that I need to cancel Held by the Hills due to unforeseen circumstances, all payments made will be refunded in full.

Please note that I cannot reimburse travel costs or any other expenses you may have incurred. I recommend taking out suitable travel insurance if you feel this would be beneficial.

Accommodation

Accommodation is in beautifully furnished shared bell tents, sleeping two or three women. Every effort will be made to create comfortable room pairings.

Health & Wellbeing

Held by the Hills includes gentle movement, walking on uneven ground and optional use of the wood-fired sauna and natural dipping pond.

Please ensure these activities are suitable for you and let me know of any medical conditions, injuries or dietary requirements before the retreat so that I can support you as best I can.