Autumnal Forest Retreat
You’re warmly invited to an immersive autumn afternoon in the beautiful private woodland at Birtley House in the Surrey Hills.
Together, we’ll move through a gently unfolding journey of ritual-grade cacao, guided forest bathing and an immersive sound journey creating space to slow down, awaken the senses and reconnect with ourselves, one another and the natural world.
Arrive: Cacao Ritual
We’ll begin by gathering in circle to share a warm cup of ritual-grade cacao, guided by Ruth from ReNurture.
Cacao has a long history of being shared in community and ritual. Through mindful drinking, gentle reflection and moments of stillness, we’ll take time to arrive grounding into our bodies, connecting with the group and becoming present to the land around us.
There’s nothing you need to achieve or arrive knowing. This is simply an invitation to pause, notice what is present and begin our afternoon together with warmth and intention.
Connect: Forest Bathing
From the circle, Francesca will guide us slowly into the woodland for a sensory forest bathing experience.
Autumn is a particularly beautiful time to explore the forest in this way: leaves changing from green to gold and red, the softness of the woodland floor, fungi emerging and the subtle shifts of the season all offering invitations to pay attention.
Through gentle invitations, mindful breathing and nature-based meditation, Francesca will encourage us to engage our senses and experience the woodland at a slower pace noticing what we can see, hear, feel and perhaps smell around us.
Rather than walking through the forest to reach somewhere, we’ll be taking time simply to be with it.
Receive: Sound Journey
After forest bathing, we’ll return to rest amongst the trees for an immersive sound journey with Ruth.
Using gongs, singing bowls, chimes, drum, voice and other instruments, Ruth will create a changing landscape of sound and vibration. You’ll be invited to lie down, get comfortable and listen with nothing to work out and nowhere else to be.
After beginning with cacao and spending time immersed in the woodland, the sound journey offers a gentle way to bring our experience towards its close, allowing time for stillness, integration and rest.
Sound and mindful listening can offer an opportunity to step away from some of the stimulation of everyday life and turn our attention towards our inner experience. Everyone responds to sound differently, so there is no particular state you are expected to reach. Curiosity, choice and listening to your own body are always encouraged.
Our woodland home
Our retreat takes place in the private woodland at Birtley House in Bramley, Surrey Hills, a beautiful setting of trees, water, wildlife and changing autumn colour.
Across our three and a half hours together, we hope to offer not only an opportunity to experience these practices in community, but simple ways of connecting with presence and nature that you can carry into everyday life.
Saturday 10 October 2026
1:30–5:00pm
Birtley Woodland, GU5 0LB
£55 per person + booking fee
Early Bird: The first five bookings receive £5 off using code AUTUMNBIRD.
No previous experience of cacao, forest bathing, meditation or sound is needed.
About Francesca
Francesca is one of the co-founders of Roots for the Future. She is a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher and forest bathing guide, having trained with The Forest Bathing Institute. She is fully insured, DBS checked and a Mental Health First Aider.
Her work is rooted in helping people connect with their local green spaces, nurturing a deeper relationship with the natural world and inspiring people to care for and restore it.
About Ruth
Ruth Hoey is the founder of ReNurture and a sound practitioner, cacao guide, mindfulness guide and women’s circle facilitator.
Her work centres around creating spaces for people to slow down, reconnect and experience deeper relationship with themselves, one another and the natural world.
Through sound, cacao, mindfulness, breath, ritual and community, Ruth creates experiences rooted in presence, nourishment and connection. She facilitates intimate gatherings and private sessions alongside experiences for organisations, festivals and larger communities across London and beyond.