Practicalities
It is really helpful for us when running courses at our wild nature retreat if you book in advance.
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If something comes up last minute, your deposit can be carried over to another event.
Facilities
The site is entirely off grid, for simple but elegant living:
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There are natural waterfalls and fairytale bathing pools. There is a cosy wood fire sauna beside a small waterfall and rock pool. No hot showers; The water goddess flows freely, splashing into a thousand delightful rock pools. Bath there!
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Beautiful fresh drinking water from our own spring is available throughout the site.
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We have compost toilets that are private and secluded.
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We have solar panels rechargeable stations for phones and minor equipment, but no mains electricity.
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Phone network and signal is good in several locations in the camp.
Arrival and Getting on site
Please make sure to arrive on site at the right time for your event. There is a time window in which you must aim to arrive for.
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Go to the event page of the course you are coming to for the correct arrival times.
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You will be greeted in daylight hours at the start of all events by our team who will assist you in getting yourself, gear and tents effortlessly onto site. Getting into the village is an adventure in itself!
We will ferry your gear in our four wheel drive vehicles down to the village. You can then walk down into the valley via the spectacular mountain footpath or be driven down with the crew. It is steep, so if your knees are very old or giving you trouble by all means wait for a ride if you prefer
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However, this can't happen after dark and it is no longer possible to drive onto site, so please arrive during daylight hours at the right times.
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It only takes a few minutes to drive but you will have to load everything onto our vehicles with our help. Welcome to the Bhutan of Wales. You can have the full Himalayan adventure without ever leaving Britain.
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How to get here
By car:
Full directions and travel details of our mountain retreat will be sent upon booking, the nearest town is the pretty village of Llanidloes.
If you wish to bring a camper van, your welcome, but please note, you will be parked at our mountain top carpark, please see our note Arrival and getting on site.
Lift shares:
If you have a space in your car, or need a lift, please post a message on the Facebook page of the event you are attending.
Train:
Go to Caersws train station, pick up is usually around 6pm during the summer months. We will send a car to meet the train for agreed lifts for £20 per person. Please have this available in cash upon collection at the train station. otherwise please share a taxi. You must let us know if you would like a lift well in advance, and re-confirm on the day of arrival.
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Email : contactspirithorse@gmail.com for enquiries.
Accommodation
Accommodation for SOME of our workshops is in our Celtic roundhouses with open fires or solid timber yurts with wood stoves and polished wooden floors.
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Please check in advance if your workshop/event includes accommodation or if you need to bring your own tent/van.
We also have separate women's lodge and men's lodge.
Please bring all your necessary bedding for you to be warm and comfortable. It can get very cold here at night, even in the summer. Alternatively, we do now offer and optional extra when booking your ticket. For an additional £45, we will provide a duvet, sheets and pillows for your stay.
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For additional private space:
You are also welcome to pitch your own tent on our meadow or park your camper van on the mountain, please note it can get windy up there.
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Rent a Bell Tent
Rent a bell tent for £275 per event.
Sleeps two to three people with foams to sleep on, pitched with river view.
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Email : contactspirithorse@gmail.com for enquiries.
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NOTE: for Cauldron of Plenty, due to the amount of people on site, you need to bring your own tent or camper van.
FOOD
Our kitchen serves delicious and wholesome meals, 3 times a day, as part of the ticket price for all events.
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We provide and cook Vegetarian and Vegan food, with occasional meat options.
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If you have allergies, we will do our best to accommodate, make your way to the kitchen upon arrival and let the cooks know about your requirements.
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You are welcome to cook/eat your own food in your own tent/van or on an open campfire.
It's nice to bring a stash of your favourite snacks too.
Essentials to bring
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Your own bedding (sleeping bag, blankets and pillows). (It can get very cold at night)
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If your event includes accommodation in our communal lodges, there are comfortable foam mattresses.
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If the accommodation for the event you booked is only camping, bring your tent or camper van.
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Torches and batteries (it can get very dark at night!)
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Insect repellant
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Towels, bring a second one to sit in the sauna
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Warm clothing
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Wellies (Wellingtons are by far the most useful for crossing the valley’s many streams and for easy on and off, entering and leaving tents. Walking boots\sturdy shoes are more recommended for mountain walks).
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Rain proof clothing
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Additionally:
(Depending on which events you are attending you will receive a detailed list of items to bring)
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Meditation stool\cushion
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Musical instruments
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Note book
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Ceremonial artefacts
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Cloth and threads
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Offerings
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Stylish and beautiful clothes (a must for Sacred Man:Sacred Woman, and The Cauldron of Plenty!)
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Poems, stories and songs. Any other wild thing that your gut prompts you to bring; bring it!
For Cauldron of Plenty:
BRING YOUR OWN TENT or camper van
(Due to the amount of people on site, there isn't enough room for you to stay in our lodges).
Prepare Yourself
Relax and take time for yourself leading up to your visit.
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You are coming to a wild ancient place. Bring your wild soul, your blanket (sleeping bag), your pilgrims boots (Wellies) and your spiritual panache (OK, your can work that one out when you get here).
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You are welcome by our fire, it may have taken a journey of a thousand years to return to this ancient home; there is a place for you, claim it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move to Spirit Horse?
Sadly not, we are not a permanent living community, only a wild camp hosting summer retreats.
Can I just come visit whenever?
Please book an event or contact us first to arrange your visit.
We are not always able to welcome visitors, and some private event might be going on.
Why no hot showers?
We come here to reconnect with nature and our bodies, and the wild water really does something magical in that regard. Hot showers just make it too easy to miss out.
The sauna helps, although it is not always on.
We have a saying in the valley:
“You have not fully arrived until you have immersed yourself in the water from toe to crown chakra. Not that you have to, you are still welcome.
But until then, a part of your soul is still left behind”.
Nudity?
We are about going back to nature, so getting naked is totally fine, especially to enjoy the rivers, waterfalls and sauna, to sun bath or run through a field like a crazy person.
Please do not be offended by this.
Equally, please respect others, don't stare at anyone, come too close or make them feel uncomfortable.
And of course, nobody has to get naked if they don't want to.
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The Environment
Do you work with permaculture principles?
We think permaculture is awesome, but that is not what we offer.
We focus on letting the land go wild again, so we do not grow anything, apart from the odd herb garden patch.
What is your environmental impact?
Our impact is not huge, but we are not claiming to be perfect.
We still use a generator to power tools for building or if electricity is needed for a gig.
We use gas to cook.
We have to drive to go and get food supplies, and the food is not organic nor always local.
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We are off grid, so we do not use any public electricity or water.
We have a few solar panel charging stations for minor equipments like phones.
We don't cut trees, for firewood, we use fallen branches collected from the land.
We have compost toilets.
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Food
Is the food Vegan?
There is always a vegan option at every meal, but we also cook a lot of vegetarian food and the occasional meat option.
Do you grow your own food?
No, we focus on letting the land go wild again, so we do not farm it.
Is the food organic?
Sometimes, but mostly not, as we try to keep things affordable.
We get our food supplies from a variety of sources, including grocers markets, supermarkets and local farmers.
Do you cater for food Allergies?
If you go and find the cooks when you arrive, they will do their best to cater to your requirements.
Can I bring my own food?
You are welcome to bring and cook your own food in your tent, camper van or camp fire with your own equipment.
Please do not overtake our communal kitchen to cook your own meal, our cooks need the space to cater for all of us.
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Please do not leave personal food in our communal food storage: it will get eaten or go bad.