Gayles Retreat

Gayles is a special and magical place set on the South Downs near Eastbourne. The setting is stunning and the way the grounds lend themselves to quiet reflection adds to the magic. The weekend retreat experience of walking in nature, yoga amd meditation is the perfect way to switch off, unwind and learn from the incredibly wise and kind Roz. I have been three times over the past 10 years and every experience has made me want to return. Roz continues to hone and develop the retreat experience, and caters for the group she has in front of her. You are looked after body and soul from the moment you arrive on Friday evening to when you leave mid Sunday afternoon. The fresh, healthy food is a highlight - all vegetarian and they cater so well for vegans and gluten free too. If you go when the weather is good a swim at the lovely local beach at the Cuckmere Haven is also an option. After experiencing what Roz and Derry offer on the beautiful South Downs I can’t imagine going anywhere else.

What a place and what a weekend.. I feel super blessed for having found this silent retreat and spending a blissful weekend at the beautiful Gayles house. Roz and Derry made us feel incredibly home, and i couldn’t have asked for a more accessible but profound few days of coming back to myself. A huge plus that this is only 1.5 hour train ride from London and an easy bus ride to the venue. Thank you so much for this nourishing outer and inner environment that you have created

Review from October 2023 weekend retreat. A perfect restorative weekend of walking, meditation, yoga and silence, in an amazing setting and with excellent food. I'm new to retreats but Roz and Derry were so welcoming and made everything so easy. Highly recommended.

Gayle's is my hands down favourite place to retreat. Roz and Derry have created a gorgeous space, simply kept and showing nature at her best. The location (sitting atop the Sussex downs within an area of outstanding natural beauty) is gorgeous. Food here is amazing. I've lost count of the times students ask for Derry's recipes.The spaces are quiet, simple and perfectly arranged to encourage quiet contemplative practice.

What a beautiful and extraordinary retreat. Fully recommend to anyone who wants to rest, recharge and reset & who are curious to learn more about themselves, mindfulness and yoga. Or, if you just want to walk in beautiful countryside, eat delicious home grown/made food & be well cared for in Roz and Derry’s lovely home… just go, go, go! It’ll be a weekend you won’t forget and will stay with you for the rest of your life. Thank you!

Gayles is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have visited, and I would recommend a retreat at Gayles to anyone. Roz is the most wonderful, wise and supportive host who is able to hold such a healing space for all of her guests. I had an incredibly nourishing and rejuvenating weekend, spent walking, practicing yoga, meditating and swimming - and the combination of silence and nature was like medicine for the soul! The food (vegetarian, seasonal and organic) cooked by Roz's husband was absolutely delicious and wholesome and varied. I will definitely return to Gayles!

Gayles is a beautiful place I love returning to, last weekend was my third visit.This time I attended Roz’s silent retreat and loved it! The walking, meditation, yoga and eating in silence were all wonderful. Roz manages the group very thoughtfully and is clearly a very experienced , skilled and mature person who creates a safe environment for everyone.I was a bit unsure about the silence before I went but felt it enhanced and enriched the whole experience. It was a rare chance to be around others but be alone with your thoughts and think of what you needed for a while.Roz’s partner Derry makes the food which is delicious vegetarian fare, they can cater for other diets such as gluten free. There’s a beautiful allotment where lots of the vegetables come from.The accommodation is simple and comfortable, camping is another lovely option. The grounds and wider countryside are so beautiful and a joy to spend time in. The weekend is a great option if you need some time unplugged from life and want to rethink and reset how you do things.I’ll be back! Thank you Roz and Derry for a special weekend.

I organised a yoga retreat here at Gayles with my student society from London. Roz and Derry were helpful in working out how we could accomodate our weekend and the farm was in a beautiful setting. The facilities they have renovated to fantastic quality, especially the beautiful studio which was an incredible space for us. They also provided food which all of our members absolutely loved (many of the recipes they requested afterwards). Thank you Roz and Derry for helping us facilitate a fantastic retreat and working with our teacher Maggie and myself, especially when planning for a large group of students and adapting to a smaller number coming. The farm itself and beautiful countryside I cannot praise enough (the pictures don't do it justice) but I would also like to thank Roz and Derry for making the space available to organise retreats for independent teachers and groups like ours.