Electric car charging point 7kw Type 2 socket, approx cost 25c (22p) per kw. this will vary. The
NEW PRIVATE BARN
A beautiful 2 bedroom self contained barn located next to the Mill.
Designed for group leaders or anyone to have total privacy if wanted or needed. It has a sitting room, kitchen, shower room and 2 bedrooms.
Bedrooms 23 and 24 are in the private self-contained barn.
Barn Kitchen and sitting room
Heather George Yoga Retreat at the Mill Retreat Centre artilce written on the Om magazine click here for details
I never imagined that anywhere could possibly be as good as Duncton Mill. Its charm and Shangri-La quality beguiled all of us for five years. However the Mill Retreat Centre in France quickly made its mark, with a wilder and more natural beauty. For ten days we worked like troupers getting it ready for Mike’s first group. Curtains were dyed, pictures were hung and flower beds planted. Our things blended in beautifully with Kolinka’s (the owner) and by the time the first group arrived, it felt like a gorgeous home. Talk about ‘the Blessing of Insecurity’ – we were falling love, but didn’t know how our new ‘home’ would be received.
The Mill Retreat Centre is absolutely wonderful. It has surpassed all our expectations. Being there is a transformative experience, with the water, the spaciousness, the tranquil natural beauty of the house and the surroundings.
These are the aspects of the Mill Retreat Centre which make it different and better that what we had at Duncton Mill.
The Privacy – many local people do not know of the Mill’s existence. It is tucked away and there are no walkers or people driving through. When you come, the place will be your own and a haven, not the least, for this reason.
The Workshop Spaces – the attic workshop is nearly three times the size of the Apple Loft and it feels exceptionally good to teach in. Mike and the first group just loved it. Do look at the testimonials from them
The Large Ground Floor Meeting Room – is a very spacious and flexible room, with a tiled floor, and filled with light. It can be used for all sorts of activities, and for teachers who are sharing, this room can be used simultaneously. There is the extra bonus of a proper cinema facility available, with a full size, drop-down screen and great sound. Bring DVD’s and popcorn for the evenings!
The Accommodation - with 17 bedrooms, allows small groups to have their own room. Imagine, 30+ beds, all with Egyptian cotton sheets and superb, thick blankets in spacious bedrooms. There are plenty of excellent showers and some of them are state of the art, all of them, walk in/cabinet style.
The Centre Of The House - there is an enormous open fireplace in the wonderful entrance room which is the true heart of the building.
The Water - there is the extraordinary contrast of the swift river and canal, flowing through the garden, right in front of you. Then only a few feet away, the deep stillness of the lake. These waters are completely accessible; a major part of the transformative experience of being at the Mill. The canal runs under the house at the west end and joins the river again, forming the garden into a point, like the prow of a ship.
The Fire Circle
At the point where the two waters converge, the terrific fire pit and circle of seats for 30 people have just been made. (See the photo on the Facilities page of the website-http://www.stillnessretreats.com/retreat-facilities/ . We brought ashes from the last fire at Duncton with us. On the first course everyone took some from the bag for the first fire at the Mill. Together, we all threw our handful into the fire with great glee. Even Pawel and Otto joined in.
Pawel (pronounced Pavel) and Otta the gentle, black Lurcher look after the Mill Retreat centre, living in their own apartment. Pawel is a Polish engineer, and amongst all his other jobs, is in charge of renovating the Mill turbine and its workings. Otta oversees everything, with poise and elegance. Pawel made the fire circle in a few hours once we had drawn him a picture. He doesn’t speak much English but is a total star.
We are just coming into winter at the Mill, starting with Lisa’s Yoga and Wine Tasting on 26th-29th November. This is the time when the log fires come into their own, making staying at the Mill cosy and an inviting experience. The house is lovely and warm and unusually there is a log fire in the dining room.
We are truly blessed. We can’t wait to welcome you and show you
Article from the Indepenent Newspaper By Simon Calde
Photo Amiens Cathedral. a magnificent cathedral, the largest gothic building in France.
Good timing:, Amiens in just 181 minutes from London St Pancras (Amiens is just 25 miles from the Mill Retreat centre)
The high-speed link from London St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel has helped to transform travellers' chrono-geography. Locations that previously took many hours to reach by any means of transport are now accessible between breakfast and lunch. These are some of the finest French destinations within 240 minutes of central London. They are not "advertised" services on Eurostar (08705 186 186; eurostar.com), since some have short connecting times. Especially the first one...
Amiens
Around the World in 80 Days? If you are prepared to make do with 181 minutes, by noon you could be celebrating Jules Verne in this mesmerising Picardie city. "The House with the Tower" was the residence of the writer who inspired countless travellers, and it is now a shrine to his creativity and memory.
Amiens has much more besides. It is dominated by a magnificent cathedral, the largest gothic building in France. North of the river you find Saint-Leu, a quartier populated by primary-painted cottages. Amiens was an important Roman town (it is still possible to glimpse the foundations of Samarobriva, as it was known), and in the 21st century provides a fine introduction to a part of France that is often overlooked by visitors.
Perfect timing: depart St Pancras at 7.57am, arrive Lille Europe 10.24am; walk (briskly) to Lille Flandres station, depart 10.37am, arrive Amiens 11.58pm.
Total time: 181 minutes
