Women's Wilderness 2027

Led by: Nagalila & team
Location: North Wales
Deposit amount: £100
Experience level: This retreat is for women. The invitation extends to people who have a lived experience of being socialised as women, but now identify as non-binary. Some experience of retreat and meditation is required.
Age group: Adults
Total suggested cost (including deposit):standard:£350, supported:£250, donation tier (helping others to come on retreat):£575

See our FAQ for an explanation of the deposit/dana/donation tier system. Please do read this if you think you will not be able to afford the retreat, or if you are not sure about the deposit/dana/donation tier system in any way. We have suggested donation amounts to guide you; these are structured to reflect what it costs us to run a retreat. However, you are free to give as little or as much as befits your circumstances.

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We will journey through the wild beauty of North Wales —walking and wild camping. We’ll walk the trails, carry what we need, and make camp each night under stars and sky, among trees, slate, moss, streams, and mountains. Each day we’ll cook and eat simple food, share the work of tending to camp, and ground ourselves in the raw simplicity of living outdoors.

With long hikes, shared silence, meditation, and ritual, we will shed the layers of daily life and return to the bones of things—muscles, breath, sky and earth. This retreat is an invitation back to our bodies, held within community, and held within the wild.

Please pack minimally, and with the conditions in mind. We will carry day packs while we walk, with a support vehicle carrying our kit. At the end of each day, we will carry our own camping gear and kit into our sleep spots, often uphill for up to 2 hours.

A detailed email will be sent closer to the time. This retreat requires a good level of fitness- be prepared to walk up to 15 miles a day, up and down, on uneven mountain and hill terrain.

Please consider…
This is a small retreat that gets fully booked and has a long waiting list, so places are precious. Please consider if these conditions are right for you, as we can rarely fill last-minute places due to the particular requirements.

FAQs

Am I fit enough to go?

We describe being prepared to walk 15 miles. In reality, the longest day is not expected to exceed 12 miles. However, this is hilly terrain with many ups and downs. You need to feel confident that you can walk for 5 consecutive days. We have a wide range of ages sign up, so don’t think you’re too old. Age is not a measure of fitness.

Am I Buddhist enough to go?

This retreat is aimed at all levels, including those new to Buddhism or just curious. We will walk mostly in silence, which will give us an opportunity to practice walking meditation or simply be close to our bodies and our experience as we move through the landscape. There is no expectation of having meditated before.

Can I do it at this short notice?

Yes. We are here to help you get clear on what you need to bring and answer any questions – we have a kit list to support your packing. You will need to get to the nearest station, and we can collect you from there, or we can suggest parking where your vehicle can be left safely for the duration of the retreat.

Why go on a wilderness retreat?

The landscape of North Wales is a very special, mythical and magical place. We will be journeying through peaks and valleys, passing waterfalls, lakes and rivers and sleeping in some incredible wild camping spots. This is a rare opportunity to walk together, with no aims or goals, but staying close to our bodies, the landscape, and each other.

Things to note

• We have an extensive Retreat FAQ page here. Please read this thoroughly- especially the questions related to walking retreats- and, if you have a question that isn’t answered, get in touch.
• As this is a gendered retreat, you may also wish to learn more about our approach to gender diversity and gendered retreats here.