Yoga and Wild Swimming in the Highlands

Nedd is a small township in the parish of Assynt, halfway along the Drumbeg loop (B869), one of the most dramatic and memorable drives off the North Coast 500 known for stunning coastline, beaches, mountains, lochs and islands. Nedd is a place that offers something increasingly rare: space, silence and a way of entering another world where one leaves behind distraction, noise and activity. Set in the ancient landscape of Assynt within an UNESCO heritage geopark and soon to become a protected dark sky area, Nedd offers a way of reconnecting with nature and the landscape to completely nourish the body and mind and connect with something much deeper: the landscape itself. Ancient landscapes have the power to heal - having had little interference by man and without intense agriculture - and whatever the weather Scotland offers, there is the changing light on the loch, the raw beauty of the elements, the sounds of birds and the water in the burn into the waterfall, the wind in the trees … an experience of what mother earth can truly offer us. Nedd offers the perfect setting to explore stillness and inner peace through contact with its natural spaces, and when the noise and activity of our lives ceases, we can reconnect with ourselves and rediscover who we really are.

Yoga and Wild Swimming at Nedd
Nedd, Drumbeg, north-west Highlands, Scotland
Includes accommodation in luxury shepherd huts at West Coast Hideaways https://westcoasthideaways.co.uk/, yoga twice daily with styles and practices to suit individual needs. Kari teaches Hatha, Yin, Restorative yoga styles and practices and is specialist at Yoga nidra, a deep relaxation, and mindfulness practices including meditation and self compassion. Swedish hot tub is available but needs to be booked as an extra. Yoga will be provided each day suited to the seasonal changes and depending on the energies and particular needs of individual. There is a meditation circle and firepit on the croft and the croft itself is a wonderful space to explore. Guests will be expected to self-cater during their stay.

Wild swimming will be offered in areas local to Nedd. Loch Nedd is a short walk away and there is an inland loch through the hills which is a beautiful spot. There are waterfalls and beaches not far from Nedd and you can have them all to yourself!

Dates to suit the individual. Two-night retreats can be arranged during weekdays or at weekends. Availability can be searched in the booking section of West Coast Hideaways website since you can see what availability there is in the diary. However, booking is done by contacting Kari directly. Bookings are open to individuals or couples or groups.

https://westcoasthideaways.co.uk/booking/

Since 2023 my partner Stefan and I have ventured into this new an interesting life in Scotland having spent much time in the wilds of Sweden and East Anglia. We are currently re-wilding the croft with partial grazing to encourage flower biodiversity, have planted 300 trees to support and sustain the temperate rainforest we are lucky to have on our croft and built a timber growing tunnel - the guests here benefit from home produce. Nedd is very wooded and it sits in a cover looking out to the Minch, the sea that separates the mainland from the islands of the Outer Hebrides. There will be times to simply listen and merge with nature, bird-watch, wild swim, take a canoe on the loch (only to experienced enthusiasts), discover areas of unspoilt beauty nearby.

Sound healing modalities

Wellness Yoga and Meditation Retreat at Nedd
Nedd, Drumbeg, north-west Highlands, Scotland.

This retreat is for those undergoing a life changing illness or who are in recovery from cancer or have found themselves burnt out by modern life. The retreat focuses more on relaxation and includes restorative yoga, restorative yin, self-compassion practices, simple movement with the breath, Pawanmuktasana (an energy releasing practice) and breath-awareness meditation. The accommodation is in luxury shepherd huts at West Coast Hideaways https://westcoasthideaways.co.uk/ and is self-catering. Guests are welcome to bring a loved one or carer during their stay.

https://westcoasthideaways.co.uk/booking/

For many an illness can become a life-changing call for attention and an opportunity to re-assess lives and priorities: the illness becomes a catalyst for healing, spiritual growth and transformation. Yoga, mindfulness and self-compassion practises can play a significant role in this transformative healing process, and those who share their knowledge of yoga with those who are going through it, can help them move forward from this profoundly critical point in their lives. The retreat will help you explore the ways in which many practices can support and nurture people in their efforts to cope with their disease and their treatment; and to consider how yoga can contribute generally to recovery and healing.
Mindfulness is powerful and sitting quietly in meditation offers an individual insights into the potentially overwhelming emotions a life-changing illness brings with it, and how mindfulness and meditation can help us to acknowledge, accept, and process these emotions.