“What if we stop treating rest as a reward to earn and begin seeing rest as a gift to receive? ”
Friday 19th to Sunday 21st June 2026
Langcliffe Hall
Settle
North Yorkshire
Hosted by Dr Alison Smith of Earth & Bloom
and Charlotte Bell of NourishHQ
“Afterwards I felt lighter, something happened during that day and some of the heaviness I had been carrying lifted. It was a true reminder of the power of nature; time; space; breathing and of human connection. Huge thanks to Alison for creating such a positive and life affirming day”
THE IMPORTANCE OF REST IN MEDICINE
Just like earth and flowers, humans need seasons, too. Seasons to rest and be, seasons to bloom, seasons to thrive and seasons to slow down and let go.
Unlike earth or nature, medicine can be relentless and exacting. It carries profound responsibility, complexity and sustained pressure. It asks for continued presence, clinical judgement and emotional steadiness, often without protected time for rest or reflection. What should be recognised as essential to professional longevity has, for many doctors, come to feel like an indulgence, a luxury.
Offering both rest and luxury, Rest in Medicine is a new kind of retreat, designed by doctors for doctors as a way for you to step out of the clinical environment and explore the challenges and importance of embracing rest in our lives. Taking place at the height of summer, at that natural pause where the days linger and the world softens, this is an intentional space for you to put down the weight of daily responsibility and life as a doctor and instead, to turn that gaze inwards to see what you might need to help sustain you and your life and work in medicine.
WHY REST IN MEDICINE?
An alternative to many of the mainstream wellbeing initiatives that often struggle to meet the reality and complexity of medical work. Rest in Medicine has been thoughtfully designed as an invitation to explore the many dimensions of rest and our relationship with it. It recognises that rest is not a single act but a layered experience, and that for doctors in particular it can be complex, unfamiliar, or even challenging to access.
The retreat offers a structured yet spacious environment in which different forms of rest can be experienced and understood physical, mental, emotional and creative, alongside thoughtful consideration of the professional and cultural barriers that often make rest difficult within medicine.
Through guided practice and reflection, writing, conversation, gentle movement and time outdoors in a beautiful nature setting, you’ll be invited to open up a deeper conversation with rest, work and what it all means to you. Or you may choose to arrive and simply be, enjoy the garden, explore the extensive grounds and stunning local landscape, to sleep in your own beautiful bedroom or in the many outdoor spaces and reading nooks.
Knowing that you will be held with care and professionalism, free to engage fully or to step back as needed. There is no expectation to perform or participate. The structure is there to support you, not to demand from you.
Held over the summer solstice weekend in a carefully-chosen setting in North Yorkshire by Dr. Alison Smith, an experienced doctor, coach and facilitator with more than twenty years of experience in clinical practice, Rest in Medicine is a small-group, slow-paced experience with room for quiet thinking, shared dialogue and deep experience, grounded in professionalism, discretion and care.
Places are intentionally limited.
If this feels like what you need right now, you are welcome to reserve your place and step into the weekend with us.
THE INVITATION TO REST IN MEDICINE
Located in a historic house surrounded by walled gardens, wildflowers and woodlands in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, Rest in Medicine is an invitation to step away from your clinical practice and daily life to find ways to slow down and explore what you need to help sustain yourself and your work.
Facilitated and held by Dr. Alison Smith and Charlotte Bell from NourishHQ, an experienced yoga and prānāyāma practitioner, āyurvedic healer and herbalist, the gently structured weekend balances space and time to breathe and be with an array of optional activities, allowing you to choose the depth of engagement that feels right for you.
Designed to sit alongside nature, the seasons and the Yorkshire weather, which can be unpredictable, even in the height of summer, the retreat includes yoga nidra and breathwork sessions, nourishing meals made with home-grown organic produce, a herbal tea bar, waterfall walks and swims, and plenty of time for long soaks in deep bathtubs, befriending the local animals, gathering and arranging flowers, reading and exploring the beautiful walled gardens.
Offering space for a gentle exploration of the deeper meaning of rest, Rest in Medicine includes daily opening and closing circles and reflective solstice journaling prompts as a way to connect, share, and to bring clarity and nuance to the idea of rest, particularly within the culture and demands of medicine.
Facilitated by Alison, these spaces are grounded in lived practice, conscious dialogue and coaching principles that respect and honour your autonomy and professional identity. Rest in Medicine has been shaped with a clear understanding of the pressures and responsibilities that accompany a medical career.
It has been designed as the retreat Alison longed for during her own years in practice: a space that is professionally held, psychologically aware, and genuinely restorative. Every element reflects both her experience as a doctor and her commitment to creating something that feels credible, spacious and deeply supportive for those working in the profession.
“So often, the approach to wellbeing for doctors is impersonal, clinical and resilience-focused. Alison’s is refreshingly personal, holistic and built on empathy and empowerment. She listens deeply and has an almost alchemical way of helping you work through complex feelings to develop a far greater understanding of yourself. She is endlessly supportive and encouraging as you identify and work through specific issues and develop new strategies to deal with them. She always makes a point of acknowledging the progress you are making and the courage it takes to do that. Her kindness, humanity and emotional intelligence are evident in everything she does.”
- NM Resident Doctor
WHO IS REST IN MEDICINE FOR?
Rest in Medicine is open to medical doctors from all specialities and career stages.
It’s designed for those who want protected time to reflect, reconnect with themselves, the natural world and their work on a deeper level, gain greater insights into the value and importance of rest and explore how to sustain themselves and those they lead.
It’s particularly suited to clinicians seeking deep rest, questioning why they may struggle to rest and switch off, feeling the weight of responsibility at all times and unable to find a balance between rest and needing to be hyper-alert and aware, especially when in work or on call.
Over the course of the weekend, you’ll have the chance to learn tried-and-tested tools and techniques for regulating stress, maintaining emotional balance, restoring self-trust and negating overwhelm, along with insights into how nature and creativity can help support sustainable practice.
THE REST IN MEDICINE SEASONAL SANCTUARY
Surrounded by dramatic hills, ancient forests and medicinal gardens, our chosen venue, Langcliffe Hall, is an integral and unique part of the rest and the medicine of this midsummer escape.
The epitome of lived-in-luxury, Langcliffe Hall has been in Charlotte’s family for more than 400 years. Nestled in the Yorkshire Dales, this cosy, character-filled manor is filled with oak-panelled drawing rooms, wood-burning stoves, and luxurious bedrooms full of history and old-world charm, with deep, claw-footed bath tubs, four-poster beds, and tucked-away reading nooks that look out over the walled gardens, wildflower meadows, and woodlands.
Throughout our stay, you’ll also be free to wander the grounds, where you’ll find meandering pathways frequented by donkeys, horses, and geese, gardens filled with trailing roses, seasonal flowers, organic vegetables, and herbal medicines, and a spring-fed tank, where you can take a cooling dip. There will also be the option for a walk to a nearby waterfall and the chance to go wild swimming.
PUTTING REST IN MEDICINE INTO PRACTICE
Circle Gathering
A gentle, welcoming space for connection, quiet reflection and grounding at the beginning and end of each day.
Meditation, Breathwork, Yoga Nidra & Somatic Movement
Slow, intentional practices designed to help soothe your nervous system, reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm.
Reflective Questions, Journalling & Poetry
Thoughtful seasonal prompts, passages and gentle invitations to encourage insight and self-discovery.
Nourishing Meals & Snacks
Enjoy nutritious, delicious meals, snacks, and botanical refreshments, including Charlotte’s special herbal tea and tincture bar.
Walks & Wild Swimming
Take a refreshing dip or a cold plunge in the spring-fed sunken tank, or join us on a guided walk to the local waterfall, where you’ll have the option to go wild swimming.
Space and Time to Just Be
THE DETAILS OF REST IN MEDICINE
Rest in Medicine is a relaxing rest-focussed retreat designed specifically for doctors. Taking place over the summer solstice weekend at Langcliffe Hall in North Yorkshire, your two-night stay includes accommodation, activities, and all meals on-site.
Meals are made on-site using locally sourced organic produce, including from Langcliffe Hall’s vegetable gardens. Dietary requirements can be catered to with plenty of advance notice; however, very specific dietary issues may incur an extra fee.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS AT LANGCLIFFE HALL
There are eight rooms available at Langcliffe Hall, including two with en-suite bathrooms available for double/twin share, and six available on a single occupancy basis with shared bathrooms (either between two or three rooms).
Rooms are first-come, first-served and require a £200 non-refundable deposit to secure. Please let us know your preference when making your booking.
Please note: there are no showers in the house, but each bathroom has a large bathtub, and there will be plenty of time for relaxing baths throughout the weekend.
MASTER SUITE
Emperor-sized four-poster bed with a dressing room and private bathroom.
£595 single occupancy OR £465 pp shared
FLOWER ROOM
King-sized double room. Shares a large bathroom with the Oak Room.
Single occupancy £495
TOILE ROOM
King-sized double room. Shares a large bathroom with the Library Room.
Single occupancy £495
LIBRARY ROOM
Super king-sized double bed. Shares a large bathroom with the Toile Room.
Single occupancy £495
OAK ROOM
Small double four-poster bed. Shares a large bathroom with the Flower Room.
Single occupancy £495
BLUE ROOM
Smaller double bedroom. Large shared bathroom with the Princess Room and one other.
Single occupancy £455
PRINCESS ROOM
Single four-poster bed. Large shared bathroom with Blue Room and one other.
Single occupancy £465
CARA'S ROOM
Large twin bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.
£595 Single occupancy or £465 pp shared
ABOUT DR ALISON SMITH
Dr Alison Smith runs Earth & Bloom, a retreat and coaching practice focused on supporting doctors sustain wellbeing, compassion and creativity within the realities of modern medicine.
With over twenty years’ experience in clinical practice, Alison now works exclusively as a coach and facilitator for doctors. Her work is grounded in the belief that sustainable medicine begins with doctors who feel resourced, valued and whole.
Alison holds an ILM Level 5 qualification in Coaching and Mentoring and is a certified Time to Think coach and experienced facilitator - with an approach centred on psychological safety, quality of attention and reflective depth.
Since 2018, she has contributed to several national and regional coaching programmes across England and Wales, including NHS England’s Coaching Scheme, LMC Wellbeing Schemes, and the Trailblazer GP Initiative.
Through Earth & Bloom, Alison creates reflective spaces that blend professional integrity with nature connection and creative exploration. She works with doctors as peers, with equality, respect and understanding, supporting them to think clearly, reconnect with purpose, and rediscover how to flourish in their work and lives.
