Join us in the Scottish Wilderness for a Retreat with a difference.
For a bit of magic that you can’t quite put your finger on.
One of those experiences that you struggle to articulate to people who weren’t there because you can’t do it justice in words, or because it just feels too special to share…
This is for you if you’d like to get away from it all and reflect on what’s important right now. We collaborate with nature and each other to unlock some great conversations and insights. We firmly believe in these group developmental experiences being a 4-way relationship between you, nature, your group and us.
You’ll leave with clarity, energy and a deepened relationship with the natural world.
Location
The Applecross peninsula - where the mountains meet the sea. Applecross, found in Wester-Ross, is a haven from the noise and pace of modern life.
From Applecross the views are out over the sea to the Cuillin mountains of Skye and the Isle of Raasay.
Accommodation
The accommodation is dependant on group size. We have a fabulous property, Cuillin View House, for smaller groups. For larger groups we are delighted to have use of Hartfeild House.
The Science Bit
When we slow down, stop the busy work, and take in beautiful natural surroundings, not only do we feel restored, but our mental performance improves too. David Strayer, a cognitive neuroscientist, has demonstrated as much with a group of Outward Bound participants, who performed 50% better on creative problem-solving tasks after three days immersion in nature.
The three-day effect, he says, is a “kind of cleaning of the mental windshield that occurs when we’ve been immersed in nature long enough. On the third day my senses recalibrate - I smell things and hear things I didn’t before,” Strayer says. “I’m more in tune with nature,” he goes on. “If you can have the experience of being in the moment for two or three days, it seems to produce a difference in qualitative thinking.”
Strayer’s hypothesis is that being in nature allows the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s command centre, to dial down and rest, like an overused muscle. At the end of the day though, we come out in nature not because the science says it does something to us, but because of how it makes us feel.
Example Retreat Experience
Your journey will begin before you’ve even left home;
A guided self-coaching walk
Stimulus on connecting with nature as a mirror
A Zoom call for introductions and practicalities
Day 1 - You’ll arrive into awesome and wild nature. We’ll spend time settling and connecting.
Day 2 - You’ll begin the journey of relationship with yourself and nature, exploring what really matters to you right now.
Day 3 - We’ll be connecting with nature’s rhythms and resourcing ourselves to achieve.
Day 4 - You’ll be reflecting on the experience of the last few days and committing to what will support you on your return.
Following the retreat, you’ll have a one-to-one coaching session, supporting you to sustain your commitments and helping you integrate your experience, into your life.
You’ll come home with…
A renewed sense of clarity and perspective.
Strategies to help you achieve your intentions.
A nature practice which integrates to your every day life.
Some amazing memories and experiences from a magical time in Scotland - great stories to tell and some to keep secret!