A Cornish Winter Gathering
19-22 November 2026
A long-weekend in the magic of West Penwith
Be the start of Cornish Buddhism
This November, for the first time, I'm hosting a gathering in the middle of West Penwith, the most magical area of Cornwall. Penwith is the very last tip of the county and has the highest density of stone circles and menhirs in the UK. And Rosemerryn is a beautiful old house in Penwith, a short walk from the Merry Maidens stone circle and the home of the Boleigh fougou (a Neolithic underground chamber unique to Cornwall). I've chosen this venue for its location but also because it offers a cosy and intimate space for a small group of practitioners to connect and practice together.
Since moving to Cornwall a year ago, I have been inspired to explore a "Cornish Buddhism" that sits in the deep power of the Cornish landscape, just as Tibetan Buddhism sat in the mountains of the Himalayas.
This retreat is a communal attempt to explore these connections and find Buddhist wisdom in the ancient patterns of the Cornish countryside.
What the retreat at Rosemerryn involves
This is a retreat for everyone.
You don't need any previous experience of meditation or Buddhism or Cornwall for that matter! Only an open and interested mind, willing to explore the miraculous qualities of being human in a world.
This retreat is designed to foster a sense of communal exploration. I won't be teaching any particular Buddhist text or any standardised meditation. Rather, we will be using the structure of a retreat to see what arises in this magical landscape.
We will be sitting together in Rosemerryn's meditation studio mornings and evenings.
There will be time for solo contemplation, reading and walking.
There will be options to visit the local stone circles and walk in the lanes around the venue and down to the sea at Lamorna.
We will eat together communally and use that time to share and be together.
About Rosemerryn
Rosemerryn is a former artist’s residence, built at the turn of the twentieth century.
The house is set in seven acres of magical woodland, which it shares with a two thousand year old man made cave or temple, the Boleigh Fogou, just one of numerous such Ancient Celtic Sites to be found in the far west of Cornwall. The fogou was once part of an iron-age settlement perched on a knoll above the Lamorna River.
Having once been cultivated, part of the wood is graced with beautiful camellias and azaleas, and huge rhododendrons, while the rest is more densely wooded with native trees, ferns and wildflowers. Natural pathways, bordered by daffodils, bluebells and irises follow the stream that tumbles down through the valley to reach the sea at Lamorna Cove.
Off the beaten track, and yet close to both Penzance and St Ives, as well as some of the most beautiful sandy beaches and coves, Rosemerryn offers the perfect retreat setting.
What to expect from a Mindsprings Retreat
Mindsprings retreats are famously friendly and relaxed. This is a chance to relax and regenerate, not an iron-fisted discipline marathon. We're especially keen that people connect with their bodies, each other and the natural world for a long weekend.
This November's retreat is lead by Alistair.
We will gather on Thursday 19th November and begin with an opening session in the evening after soup at 7.30 pm.That will give us plenty of time to arrive, settle into our rooms and get our bearings.
Friday and Saturday the rough schedule is as follows:
7.00 Gentle Yoga in the hall
7.30 Silent Meditation
8.00 Tai Chi in grounds
8.15 Breakfast
9.30 Meditation Practice
1.30 Lunch
2.30 Free practice outside / exploring Penwith
5.00 Meditation Practice
6.00 Soup
7.30 Meditation Practice
10.00 Lights Out
On Sunday, we will follow the morning schedule but finish with a closing circle and lunch. The retreat will finish after lunch, at 2.30.
But why not tack on some extra days at the beginning and end of your retreat to explore Penwith? You can find some excellent and good value accommodation in nearby Penzance, Mousehole, and St Ives. It's a beautiful area!
About the teacher
Alistair is a broadcaster, psychotherapist and meditation teacher.
He's worked for the BBC for more than 20 years and works as a UKCP-accredited therapist in East Sussex. Since 2004, he's run Mindsprings, his therapeutic meditation organisation which teaches body-based and Buddhist solutions to many of our everyday problems.
Mindsprings offers popular meditation-based courses on many subjects:
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helping people with anxiety, dissociation, stress.
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working with mental health in the LGBTQ community.
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exploring the growing field of embodiment and somatic practices.
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teaching Buddhist practices for mental health and well-being
Alistair teaches in England, Wales, Scotland, Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, Iceland and the Netherlands.
Food, Accommodation and Pricing
The cost of this 3-day retreat is £280. That includes delicious vegetarian food and all the teaching.
The accommodation costs depend on how much luxury you want!
Rosemerryn is an old house with lots of bedrooms, and we have configured them like this:
6 beds in twin rooms - these have shared bathrooms and showers (£200 pp for the 3-nights)
1 Double bedroom with a separate bathroom (£300 for the 3-nights)
2 Double en-suite bedrooms (£370 for the 3-nights)
and then 6 non-residential places.
If you're a local or finding your own accommodation nearby, I'd ask you to make sure you can be at the house from 7 am to 9 pm each full day. (see timetable above)
Don't let money stop you coming on retreat...
Mindsprings would like people to practice even if they are struggling financially, for whatever reason. We offer a limited number of partial bursaries for these retreats.
Getting to Rosemerryn
Rosemerryn Wood is set in the Lamorna Valley, near Penzance in far west Cornwall. The full address for correspondence and sat-nav is: Rosemerryn, Lamorna, Penzance, TR19 6BN.
By Air
The nearest airport is Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY), which has domestic connections from London (Gatwick, Stansted), Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, plus some European routes. From Newquay, take the train or bus to Par, then a connecting train to Penzance (total journey approximately 2–2.5 hours). Check cornwallairportnewquay.com for current routes — winter schedules are reduced compared to summer.
Most people travelling from further afield will find it easier to fly into London and continue by train.
By Train
Penzance is the terminus of the Great Western Railway main line. It is well-connected and the train is the most relaxed way to travel.
Daytime services run from London Paddington throughout the day, with the journey taking around 5–5.5 hours. Book at gwr.com or thetrainline.com — advance fares are significantly cheaper.
The Night Riviera Sleeper is worth considering if you're coming from London. It departs London Paddington at 11.45pm and arrives in Penzance at 7.50am, running six nights a week (not Saturdays). Book well in advance at gwr.com/night-riviera.
From other UK cities, change at Exeter or Plymouth for Penzance. Direct services also run from Bristol and the Midlands.
By Bus (Public Transport from Penzance)
Once in Penzance, the number 1 or 1a bus runs between Penzance Bus Station and Lamorna, passing through Sheffield village. It runs Monday to Friday only (not bank holidays). The journey takes around 30 minutes and drops you at Lamorna Turn from which Rosemerryn is a short walk up the lane.
Do check bus timetables as they don't run too frequently.
By Taxi from Penzance
For weekend arrivals, or if the bus times don't work for you, a taxi from Penzance to Rosemerryn takes around 15–20 minutes. Local firms include:
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Logan Rock Cars — 01736 871 786
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Stones Taxis — 01736 363 400
It's worth booking in advance, especially if several retreat participants are arriving at similar times — a shared taxi split four ways is very reasonable.
By Car
From Newlyn, follow the B3315 past Mousehole and through Sheffield towards Lamorna Cove. Drive past the left turning down to Lamorna Cove and continue up the hill towards Boleigh. Rosemerryn's entrance is on the right. Use postcode TR19 6BN for sat-nav, but be aware that sat-nav can struggle in this area — if in doubt, follow signs for Lamorna Cove and look for Rosemerryn after the turning.
Parking is available on site.
A few things to know
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There is no mobile signal inside the house, but it returns at the top of the drive
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The lanes around Lamorna are narrow — take them slowly, especially after dark in November
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If you're travelling without a car and unsure about connections, email us ahead and we'll help coordinate arrivals with other participants where possible