Taking place in a beautifully renovated church in the gentle coastal town of Tywyn, in the shadow of southern Snowdonia, Sunset Bay Retreats offer nourishing yoga getaways multiple times a year. Experiences are sculpted around the season – choose from the likes of Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Veganuary – and take place over long weekends as well as during the week.
While some yoga retreats can seem stuffy or pretentious, these are far from it. Your hosts, Maggie and Graham (as well as their friendly pooch, Smudge), welcome you into the chapel with a family-like warmth and instantly put you at ease. You’re able to adapt the activities of the stay to your own pace and, importantly, you won’t be frowned upon if you use your phones or have a glass of wine.
I visited in mid September, arriving with my joints stiff with stress from the work week. But after the long weekend, I left with clarity of mind and feeling the most relaxed I had in months.
The yoga studio – a vast hall-like space in the centre of the chapel – was the stage for twice-daily yoga practice. (If you’re lucky, you’ll get to do some yoga sessions by the epic sunset on the beach – hence the name – and while the weather didn’t quite allow it this time, it’s a great excuse to come back.) This was by no means a ‘hardcore’ yoga retreat: the sessions were on the slower side with a focus on deepening stretches and holding poses, meaning they were extremely relaxing and easily adapted to different skill levels. And while incorproating more scents and sounds into the practice would have taken the sessions to the next level, it’s hard to complain considering this was some of the most tranquil yoga I’d ever practiced. The energy levels were unmatched.
It’s not all green juices and breathing exercises, it’s embracing the local landscape and switching your mind to the present
The guest bedrooms were simple, clean and comfortable, and the chef – who treated us to hearty breakfasts like mushrooms on toast and served up freshly squeezed juices and homemade cakes on return from walks – went out of her way to accompany dietary recquirements. She even whipped up a gorgeous plant-based birthday cake on the last night for one of the guests.
One of the main themes of this retreat is reminding yourself of the potential of your environments to heal. The salty sea air, only minutes away from my bedroom, steadily blew away my city stresses, while the daily planned activities made good use of the dramatic neighbouring hills for leisurely hikes and sight-seeing. Across the weekend, we paddleboarded on the estuary with proper instruction, explored the candy-coloured town of Aberdovey, hiked up the menacing-looking Bird Rock and soothed our muscles in the back garden hot tub.
Local expert therapists were on hand for us to book treatments during the stay – choose from the likes of reiki, life coaching and massage – in addition to our complimentary treatement on arrival (the deep tissue massage was a life-saver after a long journey). Highlights of the weekend had to be the sound bath – which sent shivers through my whole body – and the final night storytelling session from a local musician.
Entertainment like this might sound unusual for a wellness retreat, but that’s what sums up Sunset Bay, really – it’s not all green juices and breathing exercises (although it is a bit of that). This experience is about embracing the local landscape and switching your mind to be in the present, acknowledging your presence on the earth and enjoying life. If that’s not blissful, I don’t know what is.
