Wilderness Retreat

Join us for this unique silent backpacking and wild camping mountain journey. Three days walking and two nights self-sufficient camping in wild and remote areas in the Scottish Highlands. There’s a long tradition in Zen of spiritual practice in the mountains; Boddhidharma, the legendary founder of Zen spent nine years living in solitude in a remote mountain cave. This special retreat gives us the opportunity to share in the experiences of these mountain ancestors, following their footsteps in some of the remotest areas of the UK. Led by Daizan and guided by Mountain Leader and Junior Zen Teacher Penny Seizan Clay the retreat is totally self-supported, carrying all your own equipment for the whole journey. The retreat begins and ends in Aviemore and is open to anyone who has either completed a BZR (or similar) or a Mountain Retreat with us. This retreat is limited to 10 places.

Here’s what some of our previous participants said:

“What an adventure. And what a journey ❤️. I will remember it forever.”

“The walking green mountains are still with me. That seed has been sown and continues to grow!”

“Thank you, Penny, for taking us on this inspiring adventure in the wilderness… I’m already missing crossing roaring rivers and waterfalls, eating at candle light in the bothy, the sound of all our walking poles on the stones, the ever changing clouds, the vastness of the landscape, us walking all together in synchrony with you safely guiding us through and the delicious food we had on our way.”

“My head is still in the mountains. What an incredible experience that was. I am so grateful to have been able to share it all with you and I can’t put in to words what it means! There are none that can describe the gratitude I have and the knowing it has reawoken in me. Thank you so much to Penny, Daizan, everyone and the mountains.”

“It was a wonderful experience at so many levels. My feet are sore but my heart is glad”

Retreat Details

The retreat will start and end in Aviemore, Cairngorms National Park, and is open to anyone who has either completed a BZR (or similar) or previous Mountain Retreat with us. The walk is self-supported, carrying all your own equipment for the whole journey. Thus you’ll need to be able to walk 10-15 miles (15-25 km) per day carrying your rucksack for around 8 hours per day over rough trails and uneven ground. There will be some steep ascents and descents with rocky sections, potentially includuing walking on boggy or pathless ground. The exact route will depend on the weather conditions.

Physical Requirements

• A good level of fitness is required.
• You should be comfortable walking on rough, rocky ground.
• You should be able to walk uphill for 2-3 hours at a steady, relaxed pace.
• You should be able to carry a rucksack weighing approximately 10-12kg.
• You should be able to walk for around 8 hours each day carrying your equipment. Ascents may be up to 800m per day.
• If you are at all unsure about your fitness levels please contact Penny to have a chat.

Kit List

A detailed kit list is available and there will be a Zoom meeting around 4 weeks before the retreat to discuss preparation and packing. Camping equipment is available to hire. Sleeping bag, sleeping mat and tent cost £35.

Meals

All food is provided as part of the cost of the retreat. All food is vegetarian, DF and GF dietary requirements can be catered for on request. Most of our meals are provided for us by a lovely local business ‘Stronaba Produce’ and includes homemade granola for breakfast, wraps and rolls for lunch and sweet treats for snacks. Evening meals will be dehydrated chillies and pasta. Bring your own tea, coffee, milk etc.

Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a whileJohn Muir

On one year’s retreat we were pinned down by bad weather, our way barred by rivers in spate. We took refuge in a bothy, pitching our tents outside and sheltering in the basic hut for the worst of the weather before we could walk once again. On another year, the weather was so lovely and warm we were walking in shorts and t-shirts. What you can guarantee though, is that the views will be spectuacular!