Swindon, Wiltshire · Small group · 2 hours from London
Realign - A Restorative Retreat in rural Wiltshire countryside
Burnout is an increasingly common challenge for professionals. This two-night burnout retreat in rural Wiltshire offers space to step back, reset and regain clarity in a quiet, nature-led setting. Easily reached from London, Oxford, Bristol, the Cotswolds and Swindon, Realign is designed for those experiencing stress, exhaustion or decision overload — and who need more than a weekend away.
July 13th - 15th - Botswicky Copse, Bishopstone, Nr Swindon, Wiltshire
A space to pause and reset
Some of the most capable people are also the most stretched. If you’ve been running hard for a long time; carrying responsibility, navigating change, or simply feeling like something needs to change, this is for you.
Realign is a two-night restoration experience set within a quiet corner of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.
Not a wellness programme.
Not a corporate away-day.
Something quieter and more considered: time and space to let your mind settle, supported by the natural landscape of calming meadow and ancient woodland.
Why Realign?
“I spent 25 years in the technology industry and for most of that time I believed genuinely in what I was doing. During lockdown, I faced overlapping events - I lost my beloved Dad, I couldn’t be with him when he died. Weeks later, my young daughter was seriously injured and was critically ill in hospital and again, I faced this trauma largely alone.
I went back to work too soon. It caught up with me.
Last September I spent two days alone at Botswicky, chopping wood, building fires and doing simple physical tasks. It set me on a course I hadn’t expected. As my mind and body calmed down I could connect with my burnout. It had crept up on me slowly and the overlapping trauma I experienced completely overwhelmed me. My body was carrying the grief and the isolation of lockdown, the years of working hard because I loved what I did and because people depended on me. Over time, what had once felt purposeful began to feel like something I was simply going through the motions of. I had nothing left in the tank. Not because I was weak — but because I had been running on empty for far longer than I had admitted to myself. I needed to reset”
— Emma Velle, co-founder, Nordic Glamping at Botswicky Copse
Realign is built from that lived experience.
What happens during your stay
Arrive in the late afternoon of the first day - Settle in to your own handcrafted yurt, gather wood, light the fire together
A gentle opening conversation around the fire — an invitation to arrive and perhaps let something go
Quiet supper and an early night - an opportunity to let wired minds and bodies calm
A dawn walk through the meadow and woodland - a chance to reflect on the impact of seeing nature waking up
Morning group coaching session with Kay — to help you clear your head and consider what comes next
Practical work guided Vidar
Cook supper together in the evening
The last morning offers a slow, nature-inspired making session with Emma
A quiet closing circle and outcomes discussion — what are you taking home?
Unhurried departure whenever you're ready
Also available
Cold plunge pool
Sauna for group bookings
What you're likely to leave with
Most people arrive not quite knowing what they need, and that’s fine. What they tend to leave with is harder to put on a list — but it usually includes a clearer sense of what matters, a quieter mind and a steadier feeling about what comes next in life or work.
Is Realign right for you?
It might be, if any of this sounds familiar:
• You’re close to burnout, or heading that way
• You’re carrying responsibility that leaves little room to think clearly
• You’re at a crossroads and need space to work out what you actually want in work or life
• You simply know something needs to change and haven’t had the quiet space to figure out what
Realign works as a weekend retreat or a midweek escape — for those who find it easier to step away Monday to Wednesday than to give up a weekend.
Current Dates & pricing
13–15 July 2026 — Monday - Wednesday
£595 per person - all inclusive - solo travellers or small groups welcomed - only 3 places available
Price includes two nights in a your own handcrafted yurt, all meals from Friday evening supper through to Sunday lunch, the full Realign programme with Kay and Vidar, guided woodland walks and Emma’s nature-based making session.
Get in touch
If this feels like what you need, we’d love to hear from you - our offer can be shaped to your needs
Where possible we will cater to dietary requirements and all cooking and meals are centred around organic produce and free from UPFs.
Our calm space at Botswicky
Meet Your Hosts & Facilitators
Kay Henderson
Kay Henderson is a certified ICF and Co-Active coach with 30 years’ experience in leadership and organisational transformation.
After a high achieving corporate career, she discovered that success doesn’t always bring fulfilment - and that stepping back, reconnecting with yourself, and gaining perspective can be transformative.
Kay guides mid life and mid career professionals who feel stretched, restless, or at a crossroads, helping them pause, reflect, and create clarity.
Her retreats use nature as a co-facilitator - walking under ancient trees, pausing on ridges, and gathering around fires - to help participants reconnect with what matters, release what no longer serves them, and step forward with confidence and purpose
Vidar Velle
Vidar Velle is the founder of Nordic Glamping, where he has shaped a quiet, nature-led retreat at Botswicky Copse in the Wiltshire countryside.
His work reflects a distinctly Nordic approach—simple, natural and comfort-focused—drawing on the principle of friluftsliv, or open-air living. Through handcrafted yurts and low-impact design, he creates spaces that encourage a deeper connection to nature and a slower, more considered way of being.
During the retreat, Vidar brings a calm, attentive presence—listening carefully, holding space without intrusion, and supporting the experience through time outdoors, shared moments around the fire, and a steady connection to the landscape.
Emma Velle
Emma Velle brings a calm, thoughtful approach to the experience at Nordic Glamping, with a focus on how each stay feels from the moment guests arrive. She attends to the quieter details, creating spaces that feel welcoming, uncluttered and easy to settle into.
Before this, Emma spent over two decades working in the technology industry, advising public sector organisations and leading engagement in complex, high-pressure environments. That experience now shapes her ability to create space for clarity, reflection and a slower, more intentional pace.
Alongside this, Emma introduces a creative, hands-on element to the retreats—guiding nature-based crafting as a way to slow down, focus and reconnect through making.
What to bring
We keep things simple. Comfortable clothing for outdoors, warm layers for the evenings, sturdy footwear and anything personal you need for your stay. Everything else is taken care of.
Where to find us
Botswicky Copse is located near Bishopstone, on the boarder of Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
From Swindon by car (approx. 20 minutes)
Take the A420 towards Oxford
Turn off towards Bishopstone
Follow country lanes through the village
Detailed directions to the site will be shared after booking
From Oxford by car (approx. 45 minutes)
Take the A420 towards Swindon
Turn off towards Bishopstone
Continue through open countryside and into the village
Follow local directions provided prior to arrival
From London by car (approx. 1 hr 45 – 2 hrs)
Take the M4 westbound
Exit at Junction 15 (Swindon East)
Follow signs for the A420 towards Oxford
Turn off for Bishopstone
Continue via quiet country lanes to the site
Nearest train station: Swindon railway station
Direct trains run frequently from London and Oxford.
From Swindon station to Botswicky Copse (approx. 20 minutes)
Taxi is the simplest option
We can recommend local taxi services if needed
We can also arrange station pick ups with notice