2025 will be the second year we will be teaching this residential based course in the most beautiful spots. Wild Medicine Residential will be a magical journey that you can share and enjoy with us. For this new course we have focused mainly on residential weekends as it is more immersive, creates opportunities for deeper learning and allows us to spend more time relaxing together as a group. The first weekend is non-residential so we can get to know eachother first. No prior knowledge or experience is needed.
We will mark the four seasons by gathering over four weekends starting in early spring and running until the late autumn. Over the year we will visit several different ecosystems including meadows, ancient woodland, moorland, salt marshes and the rocky coast.
This course will enhance your identifying skills and ability to harvest native herbs in their natural habitats. As well as numerous herbs, we will also cover other wild medicines such as trees, seaweeds, mushrooms, and lichens depending on the season.
Three of the weekends will be residential, starting on Friday evening and ending on Sunday. Accommodation will be included in the cost for three of the weekends, and is not optional, as we will all be using communal spaces to eat together and make medicines etc. The first weekend will be based around Bristol and the surrounding areas, for which you will need to find your own overnight accommodation.
The course will focus on the concept of resilience. Each weekend will focus on supporting particular body systems and organs with seasonal herbs to strengthen us and our communities. We will also explore how emotional self regulation can be supported with plants, nature and other approaches.
The course will be a mix of factual and hands-on learning. To deepen your experience you will also spend meditative time with the plants and ecosystems. This will involve a range of different meditations, involving walking and sitting. We will be outside for much of the time, experiencing the wild terrain of mountains, coasts and moorland.
Making herbal medicines will also be an integral part of each weekend. We will ensure that your medicine making skills develop by making herbal glycerites, tinctures, vinegars, aromatic waters, medicinal stews and poultices. By the end of the course, you will have built up a handbook of medicine making instructions and recipes.
We look forward to welcoming you to this unique wild medicine experience.
We will mark the four seasons by gathering over four weekends starting in early spring and running until the late autumn. Over the year we will visit several different ecosystems including meadows, ancient woodland, moorland, salt marshes and the rocky coast.
This course will enhance your identifying skills and ability to harvest native herbs in their natural habitats. As well as numerous herbs, we will also cover other wild medicines such as trees, seaweeds, mushrooms, and lichens depending on the season.
Three of the weekends will be residential, starting on Friday evening and ending on Sunday. Accommodation will be included in the cost for three of the weekends, and is not optional, as we will all be using communal spaces to eat together and make medicines etc. The first weekend will be based around Bristol and the surrounding areas, for which you will need to find your own overnight accommodation.
The course will focus on the concept of resilience. Each weekend will focus on supporting particular body systems and organs with seasonal herbs to strengthen us and our communities. We will also explore how emotional self regulation can be supported with plants, nature and other approaches.
The course will be a mix of factual and hands-on learning. To deepen your experience you will also spend meditative time with the plants and ecosystems. This will involve a range of different meditations, involving walking and sitting. We will be outside for much of the time, experiencing the wild terrain of mountains, coasts and moorland.
Making herbal medicines will also be an integral part of each weekend. We will ensure that your medicine making skills develop by making herbal glycerites, tinctures, vinegars, aromatic waters, medicinal stews and poultices. By the end of the course, you will have built up a handbook of medicine making instructions and recipes.
We look forward to welcoming you to this unique wild medicine experience.
First weekend
Lungs, the immune system & the microbiome.
29th to 30th March
Bristol based and local surrounding areas. Not residential.
As the herbs are starting to reimerge our bodys are in need of revitilising after the winter. Breath, the lymphatic system and the microbiome play an important part in this which is what we will focus on this weekend. Our lungs are part of regulating our nervous system as well as the immune system. We will teach about the immune system with a focus on the microbiome and its part in supporting our resilience. We will harvest medicinal bark, roots and fresh plants for medicine, make a decocted tincture, juice the plants and make a variety of fermented foods.
Lungs, the immune system & the microbiome.
29th to 30th March
Bristol based and local surrounding areas. Not residential.
As the herbs are starting to reimerge our bodys are in need of revitilising after the winter. Breath, the lymphatic system and the microbiome play an important part in this which is what we will focus on this weekend. Our lungs are part of regulating our nervous system as well as the immune system. We will teach about the immune system with a focus on the microbiome and its part in supporting our resilience. We will harvest medicinal bark, roots and fresh plants for medicine, make a decocted tincture, juice the plants and make a variety of fermented foods.
Second weekend
Spring herbs in the Black Mountains
16th to 18th May
Friday evening 6 pm to Sunday evening
Wern Watkins, Crickhowell, near Abergavenny
Spring is in full flow and we will explore the National Park for the late spring herbs on the slopes of the mountains. The theme for the weekend is the heart. The concept of interoception is to use the senses to perceive the internal state of the body. Often described as our sixth sense, interoception is connected to mental and physical wellbeing. Using herbs and other approaches to become more aware of our heart rate and rhythms we can tune in to our bodies as a whole.
Spring herbs in the Black Mountains
16th to 18th May
Friday evening 6 pm to Sunday evening
Wern Watkins, Crickhowell, near Abergavenny
Spring is in full flow and we will explore the National Park for the late spring herbs on the slopes of the mountains. The theme for the weekend is the heart. The concept of interoception is to use the senses to perceive the internal state of the body. Often described as our sixth sense, interoception is connected to mental and physical wellbeing. Using herbs and other approaches to become more aware of our heart rate and rhythms we can tune in to our bodies as a whole.
Third Weekend
Summer herbs, coastal plants and seaweeds.
11th June to 13th July
Friday evening 6 pm to Sunday evening
The Gower
In this Welsh coastal weekend we will study a variety of coastal habitats from rocky shores to sand dunes and marshland. Our theme is to learn about herbs connected to the nervous system, self-regulation, and look at new tools to interact with this vital system. We will spend some time harvesting seaweeds and coastal plants.
Summer herbs, coastal plants and seaweeds.
11th June to 13th July
Friday evening 6 pm to Sunday evening
The Gower
In this Welsh coastal weekend we will study a variety of coastal habitats from rocky shores to sand dunes and marshland. Our theme is to learn about herbs connected to the nervous system, self-regulation, and look at new tools to interact with this vital system. We will spend some time harvesting seaweeds and coastal plants.
Fourth weekend
Exploring the circadian rhythm and our relationship to light and dark.
3rd to 5th October
Somerset
After the autumn equinox, we are preparing for the approach of winter. This is a time to slow down and hibernate, which most of us find difficult. We will look at ways to embrace this season using herbs that help regulate our body clocks and support deep nourishing rest and sleep. We will also look at herbs that shine light on the darkness and are an important part of winter emotional and physical health.
Exploring the circadian rhythm and our relationship to light and dark.
3rd to 5th October
Somerset
After the autumn equinox, we are preparing for the approach of winter. This is a time to slow down and hibernate, which most of us find difficult. We will look at ways to embrace this season using herbs that help regulate our body clocks and support deep nourishing rest and sleep. We will also look at herbs that shine light on the darkness and are an important part of winter emotional and physical health.
Food: On the residential weekends, we will have a ‘bring a dish’ ‘potluck meal together on Friday night. Saturday evening will be a meal provided by us. We will provide breakfast ingredients on both Saturday and Sunday. You will need to bring your own packed lunches for each day.
The cost of the course includes the price for the three residential weekends. Even if you choose to sleep elsewhere, that will not in any way affect the cost per person, as we have to book places that can accommodate everyone for communal eating, medicine making and indoor teaching in the evenings. By accommodation, we mean all the teaching room and eating spaces required for the weekend, not simply beds.
All the residential places are based on sharing rooms, usually in twos or threes. We have chosen places in beautiful places, with as many rooms as possible to give plenty of sleeping options. Cost is obviously an important component to this and for 6 nights we have kept it to around £60 per person per night.
We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s needs with the resources we have.
Cost
This is the cost of teaching, accommodation and food.
There are three tiers to our sliding scale and guidelines to what that means.
These are very rough guidelines so please pay the tier that you feel comfortable with. No judgement, just get in touch if you have queries. We are striving to keep things affordable whilst making our living.
Top tier £1690
So this is the tier that is appropriate if any of these apply to you: You have a full time reasonably paid job, home/land owner, you are able to afford holidays and other luxuries.
Middle tier £1490
So this is the tier that is appropriate if any of these apply to you: low waged or part-time waged or struggling to afford holidays/luxuries.
Low tier £1290
This is the tier for those who are unwaged or struggling financially.
*a deposit of £400 will be needed to secure your place. Payments after that can be paid in two instalments
Application form: https://forms.gle/uYJnWaEEaKeAmvYv6
