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Within easy reach of London and with a heated swimming pool, this is the perfect weekend retreat

Summer yoga weekends at Duncton Mill, a beautiful retreat venue in an East Sussex hamlet, serving delicious food!

Surrounded by tranquil, quintessentially English countryside, next to a crystalline mill pond.

Lovely walks and cosy fires in winter.

From May onwards a heated outdoor pool!

Duncton Mill is a hamlet uniquely placed within easy reach of London and Heathrow and Gatwick Airports: it is a hidden jewel nestling at the foot of the glorious South Downs. This makes it an ideal course venue, surrounded by peaceful lakes, extensive woodland and an organic farm, it is only a short step from the South Downs Way.

There is a heated open-air swimming pool on site, behind one of the cottages. This is available for our exclusive use in appropriate seasons.

On the hill above the farmhouse there is a dedicated bonfire site with plenty of dry wood fire lighters etc. There is also a large cloth labyrinth, designed to walk on, for use indoors or out.    
 

As well as the indoor yoga room there are two secluded outdoor Tai Chi or Yoga areas on grass.

Food

Duncton Mill is famous for its food.

Main meals will be eaten together in the dining room of the farmhouse with its wonderful refectory table which seats 20 people.

Breakfast is a "help yourself" affair with lovely ingredients to make the type of breakfast you prefer.

These will include:-

Tea, coffee, herb teas, cereals, muesli, porridge oats, yoghurt, fruit juice, a variety of fruits, eggs and bread.

Snacks and drinks are all included and breaks during the course of the day can be taken in the Apple Loft, with its own kitchen.

They do not operate a bar. If you wish and it is appropriate, please bring your own.

Sample menus below give an idea of how wonderful, healthy and mind blowingly scrumptious the food is!

Sample Menus

Roasted tomato soup with summer herbs
Pumpkin and cinnamon risotto
Peperonata (peppers stewed in olive oil with tomatoes, olives and fresh herbs)
Mixed wilted greens
Local goat’s cheese
Poached pears with vanilla mascarpone

Hot and sour soup with mushrooms, watercress and sesame fried tofu
Indonesian rice pancakes stuffed with a spicy aubergine and cabbage filling
Ginger roasted squash
Green bean salad with toasted peanut-citrus dressing
Fresh pineapple chutney
Sour cream
Thai style jasmine and lemongrass rice pudding

Your day

Yoga weekends vary in format according to which teacher is in residence. As a general rule there will be be two yoga classes on each full day, the first being a morning session followed by brunch, with a late afternoon class before sunset, followed by dinner. Pranayama and Meditation will often be incorporated into these sessions.

Arrival days usually have  on evening class before dinner and departure days a morning class.

Some teachers may wish to vary the programme and in our experience the above is the minimum with most teachers providing added activities and classes such as meditation.

There is both an indoor yoga space and two secluded outdoor yoga spaces

Accommodation

The accommodation at Duncton Mill retreat centre consists of a large farmhouse and three cottages. These cottages, the chef's cottage and the two workshops form the hamlet.

In the farmhouse there are four large twin bedrooms and two single bedrooms. There are two sitting-rooms with wood-burning stoves and TV. There are ample, well fitted bathrooms with plenty of hot water. The dining-room contains a magnificent refectory table, seating twenty in comfort. The house is spacious, well-equipped and elegant.

Two of the cottages at the retreat centre have two twin bedrooms each. Both of substantial size and with well-appointed bathrooms.

The third cottage, sometimes used by course leaders, has a twin-bedded balcony bedroom and bathroom.

All cottages are designed to be self-contained and include a sitting room, a fully equipped kitchen, wood-burning stove, TV, video, washing and drying machine. In other words, a complete house. Even a torch by the front door!

Each of the cottages has its own traditional and individual character.

updated 28/08/08