Why 2021 is the year to do a retreat
From silent and grief retreats to art and laughter classes, there s never been a better time to calm the soul and clear the mind
Retreats of all kinds are the perfect post-pandemic antidote, whatever your needs
Credit: d3sign/Getty Images
It’s late September, and I’ve sneaked in a retreat between lockdowns just a 30-minute drive from my home. I’m at Sharpham House, a splendid Palladian mansion set on a bend of the river Dart near the Devon village of Ashprington, writing at a table on the terrace and eating plums straight from the orchard. Fellow guests – sitting two metres apart – sip tea, read or chop veg (part of the mindful deal). Everyone is enjoying the stupendous view and the autumn sunshine, and none of us are speaking, for, quite gloriously, we’re on a silent retreat.