The Gathering Fields Wellbeing Centre
ENTRY
from £15
WHERE
Lancaster
What it’s like
A wildflower-meadow retreat centre near Lancaster for group breaks, forest bathing, yoga and sound healing, booked out rather than dropped into.
This is a retreat centre built around a working barn and three acres of wildflower meadow, and it's set up for groups rather than a solo afternoon out. The barn has a kitchen, yoga mats and an open wood fire, plus an outdoor fire pit with cover, and it holds up to 20 people. There's also a bunk barn sleeping 8 and a camping paddock if you want to make a weekend of it.
What you actually do here is the point: forest bathing, sound meditation, yoga, natural craft workshops like wreath-making, and guided nature walks including one out at Abbeystead on the traditional haymeadow restoration project. Workshops run at £20 a head for groups of 6 to 12, so this suits a group booking a session together rather than a family turning up on the day. A half day in the retreat barn is £85, a full day £175, and a weekend hire is £435, which feels steep until you remember it's the whole barn and grounds for your group, not a per-person ticket.
Food is home-cooked and seasonal, vegetarian, and needs advance notice: £20 a head for a full meal, £15 for soup and bread, both designed for groups of 6 or more. One genuine faff worth knowing about upfront is the deposit structure. It's a 50% non-refundable deposit on booking, with the balance due six weeks before, and if you want a venue hire refund you need to cancel more than 8 weeks out. The retreat barn also has to be locked by 6pm unless you've arranged otherwise, which matters if your session plans to run into the evening.
Camping has no electric hook-up, and if you book the bunk barn on a weekday you may find yourself sharing with another group. None of that is a dealbreaker, but it's the sort of detail you want to know before you send round a deposit link to a dozen friends.
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- 50% non-refundable deposit required on booking
- Food
- On-site food provided by advance notice: home-cooked seasonal vegetarian meals for groups of 6+, from £15 (soup & bread) to £20 per person
- Book as a group: workshops run at £20 a head for 6 to 12 people, not solo drop-ins
- The retreat barn must be locked by 6pm unless you've arranged otherwise
- Take rubbish and food waste home with you as part of their environmental policy
- A positive COVID test before your booking gets you a reschedule within the same year, not a refund
Plan your visit
What can we actually do there?
Forest bathing, sound meditation, yoga, natural craft workshops and guided nature walks, including one at Abbeystead about the haymeadow restoration project. Workshops are £20 per person for groups of 6 to 12.
How much does it cost?
Half day barn hire is £85, a full day £175, and a weekend £435. Workshops and meals are priced separately per person.
Do we need to book in advance?
Yes, and there's a 50% non-refundable deposit when you book, with the balance due six weeks before your date.
What's the cancellation policy?
You need to cancel more than 8 weeks out to get a venue hire refund, and the deposit itself is never included in that refund.
Is there food?
Home-cooked seasonal vegetarian meals with advance notice, £20 a head for a full meal or £15 for soup and bread, aimed at groups of 6 or more.
Can we stay overnight?
There's a bunk barn sleeping 8 and a camping paddock, though the retreat barn itself has to be locked by 6pm unless you've arranged otherwise.
Is there electric hook-up for camping?
No, camping pitches don't have electric hook-up.
What if we're sharing the bunk barn?
On weekdays the bunk barn may have more than one group staying at the same time, so it's not always exclusive use.
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