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Castle Ashby Estate

The Power of Purpose: A Women’s Retreat for a Meaningful Life

Sunday 6 – Friday 11 September 2026

From £3150 / $4347

15% Early Bird Discount when you reserve by 30th April 2026.

Up to five spaces available at these lower rates, so book now!
Total group size limited to 16 women. 

Join Caroline Welch and Tracy Northampton for a five-night transformational women’s retreat exploring purpose, presence and renewal in nature.

Held in an intimate group of up to 16 women, this self-discovery journey offers a calm, restorative space to reconnect with what matters most and cultivate greater clarity, resilience and wellbeing.

Enjoy the beautifully restored coaching inn, The Falcon, located on the sacred grounds of Castle Ashby Estate which dates to the 16th century. There will be plenty of time to indulge in the natural beauty, including trails, woodland, a lake and labyrinth. You will experience the timeless healing wisdom of living in alignment with nature.

Purpose is a proven driver of wellbeing and long-term health. It gives direction to our lives and steadiness to how we meet both challenge and change. Purpose is not a luxury, nor does it require passion. It is a necessity for sustainable happiness and gives a sense of enduring freshness in how we live and work.

Features of this Retreat:

  • Reveal your purpose through guided mindfulness, reflective practices and immersive workshops
  • Restore inner balance with morning yoga, forest bathing, and deeply restorative sound healing designed to relax, renew and realign
  • Soak in natural beauty as you explore the tranquil grounds at the historic Castle Ashby Estate — a setting alive with serenity and inspiration
  • Connect and grow within an intimate circle of women, sharing personal insights and meaningful dialogue that awaken clarity, confidence and calm
  • Savour extraordinary moments with a once-in-a-lifetime private visit to Compton Wynyates, one of Britain’s most famous Tudor houses which has been closed to the public since 1979 and the family home of Spenny and Tracy Northampton in Warwickshire
  • Enjoy nutritious and nourishing food in a stunning countryside setting, creating the ideal space to rest, reset and reconnect with yourself
  • Select from optional extras to deepen your stay: open water swim in the Castle Ashby lake, plus treatments and body work (book in advance, additional charges apply)

You will return home with:

  • A clearer sense of your purpose which aligns with your values
  • Practical tools for integrating purpose and presence into everyday life
  • A renewed sense of clarity, motivation and ease in how you move through your work and home life
  • Historical knowledge that very few people have ever had the chance to hear first-hand

Please expect some uneven ground, natural woodland paths and staircases, especially during the Compton Wynyates visit. During the retreat, participants are encouraged to wear comfortable footwear and to move at their own pace. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us.

Our retreats are rooted in care—for yourself and for the group. We ask that you self-monitor your health in the days leading up to the retreat and attend only if you are feeling well.

Workshop Schedule

Sunday 6 – Friday 11 September 2026

Sunday 6 September

  • 15:00 – Arrival and welcome tea, coffee, snack
  • 16:30-17:30 – Opening ceremony and orientation
  • 17:30-18:30 – Free time
  • 18:30-20:30 – Dinner

Monday 7 September

  • 07:00 – Optional swim (book in advance, additional charge)
  • 07:30-8:30 – Yoga
  • 08:30-9:30 – Breakfast
  • 09:45-11:45 – Heritage Walk with Lord and Lady Northampton
  • 12:00-13:30 – Lunch
  • 13:30-15:30 – Session with Caroline
  • 16:00-17:00 – Auricular Acupuncture (optional)
  • 17:00-18:30 – Free time or treatments (book in advance, additional charge)
  • 18:30-20:00 – Dinner
  • 20:00-21:00 – Fireside chat with Caroline, Lord and Lady Northampton

Tuesday 8 September

  • 07:00 – Optional swim (book in advance, additional charge)
  • 07:30-8:30 – Yoga
  • 08:30-9:30 – Breakfast
  • 09:45-11:45 – Forest Therapy with Lady Northampton
  • 12:00-13:30 – Lunch
  • 13:30-15:30 – Session with Caroline
  • 16:00-17:00 – Auricular Acupuncture (optional)
  • 17:00-18:30 – Free time or treatments (book in advance, additional charge)
  • 18:30-20:00 – Dinner
  • 20:00-21:30 – Gong Bath with Kanti

Wednesday 9 September
Day Trip to Compton Wynyates – the family home of Lord and Lady Northampton

  • 07:00 – Optional swim (book in advance, additional charge)
  • 08:00-9:00 – Breakfast
  • 09:00-10:30 – Travel to Compton Wynyates
  • 10:30-11:30 – Refreshments, meet and greet
  • 11:30-12:30 – Tour of Compton Wynyates
  • 12:30-14:00 – Lunch
  • 14:00-16:00 – Walk in gardens and windmill area
  • 16:00-18:00 – Depart for The Falcon
  • 18:30-20:00 – Dinner

Thursday 10 September

  • 07:00 – Optional swim (book in advance, additional charge)
  • 07:30-8:30 – Yoga
  • 08:30-9:30 – Breakfast
  • 09:45-11:45 – Session with Caroline
  • 12:00-13:30 – Lunch
  • 13:30-15:30 – Integration Session with Caroline and Lady Northampton
  • 15:30-16:30 – Forest Therapy with Lady Northampton (optional) / free time or treatments
  • 17:00-18:15 – Sound Bath with Lisa Pauley
  • 18:30-20:00 – Dinner
  • 20:00-21:00 – ‘Move to the Music’ Dance Party

Friday 11 September

  • 07:00 – Optional swim (book in advance, additional charge)
  • 07:30-8:30 – Yoga
  • 08:30-10:00 – Breakfast and check out
  • 10:00-11:00 – Farewell ceremony with Caroline and Lady Northampton
Caroline Welch

Caroline Welch

Caroline Welch is an author, attorney, and the CEO and Co-founder of Mind Your Brain, based in Santa Monica, California. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School with a master’s from the University of Southern California, Caroline began her career as a corporate litigator before serving as in-house counsel at MGM Studios and Spelling Entertainment. She has also worked as a court-appointed mediator and co-founded an online platform connecting mental health professionals in over 50 countries.

Caroline began practicing mindfulness more than forty years ago while teaching English in Japan. Her lifelong mindfulness journey inspired her bestselling book, The Gift of Presence: A Mindfulness Guide for Women (Penguin Random House), which combines neuroscience, practical strategies, and stories from women around the world to help readers move from chaos to calm and find greater focus and purpose.

Her work has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, MindBodyGreen, and Maria Shriver’s The Sunday Paper, among others. Through her keynotes and workshops, Caroline shares practical tools for cultivating mindfulness, clarity, and resilience in daily life. She lives in Santa Monica with her husband, Dan, and their dog, Mendo, and they have two adult children.

Tracy Northhampton

Lady Tracy Northampton

Tracy is a UKCP/BACP Accredited Integrative Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor with an MSc and BA (Hons), bringing over 30 years of experience in mental health across settings such as British Airways, The Priory Hospital Roehampton, and The Recovery Centre London.

She has a well-established private practice in London and specialises in trauma, eating disorders, and relationships.

Her approach to healing is multifaceted, as she is both a registered RYA200 and Kundalini Level 1 Yoga Teacher, and has recently gained certification from the USA as a Forest Therapy Guide, allowing her to integrate evidence-based psychotherapy with the nature practices.

Tracy is also the Patron of The Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation and the co-founder of The Falcon in Castle Ashby, reflecting her ongoing commitment to innovative wellbeing initiatives.

Accommodation & Booking

The Falcon at Castle Ashby offers a thoughtfully curated selection of rooms and cottages, designed with wellness and relaxation in mind.

Stay in one of the cosy Double or Superior rooms within the charming Falcon Cottages—just a short stroll from the Falcon – or choose from the elegant rooms in Falcon House, ranging from Classic and Deluxe to the spacious Balcony Deluxe.

For a more private retreat, nearby cottages—Kestrel, Peregrine, and Home Farm House—provide a comfortable, home‑from‑home atmosphere. All offer ensuite or shared facilities to suit different preferences: Peregrine has 4 fully ensuite rooms, Home Farm House includes three ensuite bedrooms plus two sharing a bathroom, and Kestrel features three bedrooms sharing one bathroom.

Wherever you stay, each space is styled in calming, nature-inspired tones with soft linens, comfortable beds and thoughtfully designed bathrooms – perfect for unwinding between sessions.

Retreat packages include single‑occupancy rooms, giving each guest a peaceful sanctuary; however, twin or double options can be arranged for those who choose to share rooms.

Whether you prefer the intimacy of a cottage room or the openness of a deluxe, every stay at The Falcon is shaped by gentle luxury, quiet comfort, and a deep connection to the surrounding countryside.

Limited to 16 spaces, so book now!

We do hope you will join us!

The Falcon at Castle Ashby®

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Connect with us

The Falcon, Castle Ashby, Northampton, NN7 1LF
Tel: +44 (0) 1604 698005

General enquiries: 
reception@thefalcon-castleashby.com

Retreat enquiries: 
sales@thefalcon-castleashby.com

Open water swimming: 
openwaterswimming@thefalcon-castleashby.com

The Falcon, Castle Ashby, Northampton, NN7 1LF.
Call: +44(0)1604 698005.
VAT Number GB 265471979. Registered in England: No. 10537978
Registered Office: The Estate Office, Castle Ashby, Northampton, NN7 1LF, UK

© The Falcon at Castle Ashby® 2025. All Rights Reserved.

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