SINGInG PILGRIMAGE
*** walk and sing with the sea ***
with martha tilston and andy raingold
A sacred journey to cornish cliffs, hidden beaches and ancient sites
sat 4th to wed 8th may 2024
“Positive, life-changing, supportive, beautiful and wonderfully curated. A must do... One of the best weeks of my life!”
The best journeys answer the questions that in the beginning you didn't even think to ask
This is an invitation to step out of the busyness of modern life and create the space for deep and quiet reflection through singing and walking with the sea. It is a modern-day pilgrimage. Not only will we journey to spectacular Cornish cliffs, hidden beaches and ancient sites but we will seek to illuminate the journey of life within us.
The Cornwall Coastal Path is a walker’s paradise - steeped with magic and history. Expect clear blue waters, big skies, smuggler coves, mermaid legends, standing stones and (we hope) seals and selkies! It will be a journey of song - connecting to traditional folk songs and the songs of the land.
The pilgrimage takes place around May Day and the Celtic festival of Beltain - a time when all of life is bursting with fertility and the power of its potential. It is the peak of the Spring and the beginning of the Summer, when the earth is cloaked in green and the energy of nature is at its most active. Spending time alone in nature, sharing together and gathering around the fire at night, we will seek to find clarity about the direction we would each like to take next on the journey of life and make intentions going forward.
Please note that a support vehicle will take your tent and belongings - so you only need to carry a day bag with minimum weight for walking
“A salty sea sprayed adventure full of seals, sparkles and song. We visited the caves of our heart and came out the other side a little bit lighter and renewed.”
“Life-changing… A rare opportunity to learn so much about ourselves in a landscape that has lots to teach us.”
WHAT DOES THE RETREAT HOLD IN STORE?
Meet on Saturday afternoon near a sandy cove on one of the wildest stretches of the Cornish coast
Gentle walking each day (maximum 10 miles a day) - mostly in reflection and silence - allowing space for deeper awareness of the ancient landscape, our fellow travelers and our own thoughts and feelings
Singing together - both traditional folk songs and songs from the land
Foraging, wild swimming and mindfulness
Practices to reawaken the senses and deepen connection with ourselves, each other and the natural world
Visit ancient Celtic sites and connect to the ancestors of the land through ceremony and story
A special May Day and Beltain celebration
Camp on the land and spend our evenings singing and telling stories around the fire
A support vehicle to take your tent and belongings - so you only need to carry a day bag. A support team will go ahead each day and cook dinner.
An abundance of wild nature
“An expansive, immersive connection with voice, nature and others with open hearts. Playful and serious, light and layered… All beautifully held.”
“A shared journey guided wisely with fun, spirit and voice... All with the amazing backdrop of the mystical landscapes of spell binding Cornwall.”
facilitators
Martha Tilstson: Musician, writer, director and actress
Martha Tilston has developed a successful musical and film making career with a large and loyal following worldwide. She has played her music on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and festivals and released several critically acclaimed albums. In the world of film making, Martha has gained nominations for best arts film for The Clifftop Sessions and recently released her feature film The Tape which she writes, directs and performs in. Martha also studied theatre and lectures in song writing, performance and the telling of story through song. Her passion is unlocking the creativity and story in all of us.
Andy Raingold: Change maker, speaker and nature facilitator
As Co-Founder and Director of Change in Nature, Andy supports people and organisations to make meaningful action in this pivotal time. He is a facilitator, coach, speaker, environmental campaigner and social entrepreneur with a wealth of experience leading people through transformation. At Change in Nature, he facilitates deeper connection through creativity, imagination, myth and embodied practices to radicaly shift perspectives. He has written for the Guardian and been interviewed on BBC Newsnight, The Sunday Times, BBC Radio 4, The Independent and Guardian Environment Podcast.
“A beautifully facilitated pilgrimage of silence, song and deep connection to self, other and earth. Singing together seemed to open hearts so that we could all experiences the realness of fully human connection.”
BOOK YOUR PLACE:
THIS RETREAT WAS FULLY BOOKED LAST YEAR SO EARLY BOOKING RECOMMENDED TO SECUrE YOUR PLACE
BOOKING
There are only a limited number of places so that we create an intimate experience, so book early to guarantee your place. Low income places can be booked if you feel this applies to you (we leave this totally up to your discretion). We also offer a number of early bird rates.
We don't want price to exclude anyone. If the course fee is unaffordable for you, please do get in touch. We’d really like to hear what would be possible for you and may very well be able to reduce the fee if you’d otherwise not be able to attend. Please click here to enquire about one of these places.
The course fee includes all teaching, as well as dinners and breakfasts (you bring your own packed lunches).
Please note that the coastal path has a few ups and downs - so although we dont walk more than 10 miles in any one day, the pilgrimage is appropriate for a reasonable walking / physical / fitness ability. If you have any questions about this, please get in touch.
We meet on Saturday 4th May at around 2.30pm near Pendeen (10 mins drive from Penzance Train Station). There will be shared taxis (around £5-10 per person) from the station and we recommend arriving at Penzance Train Station for around 2pm (around a 5 hour train from London). We will finish at Penzance Train Station around 1pm on Wednesday 8th May. Also note that Monday 6th May is a bank holiday.
“Follow the pilgrims of Change in Nature, you will be carried on the wings of singing angels.”
WILD SONGS
You may also be interested in our Wild Songs retreat which runs in June 2024 at Dartmoor National Park. If you would like to book onto both the Singing Pilgrimage and Wild Songs, we can offer a £100 discount (£50 for low income places)
