This retreat is meant to be a fun time away to recharge, eat great food, do lots of yoga, and relax. There will be lots of unstructured time. In terms of yoga retreats this may be considered 'light' rather than 'serious'. If you are unsure whether this retreat if for you or not please contact Melissa directly.

The Location

Stowel Lake Farm is a wellness centre, working farm, and community on 118 acres on Salt Spring Island. It's a five minute drive from the Fulford Ferry terminal (ferry to Victoria) and a thirty minute drive from the Long Harbour Terminal (ferry to Vancouver) and a 20 minute drive to Ganges (main hub of Salt Spring).

The Yoga

The focus of this retreat is to relax and restore and the yoga will follow that theme. There will be six mixed levels yoga classes over the weekend. It's ok if you are new to yoga or haven't practised with Melissa before, she will take care of you and find the options you need!

Our practice space is and gorgeous and filled with natural light. It's large windows allow panoramic views of the trees. The building is so beautiful - it's warm and bright and was hand crafted by local woodworkers. Not to mention it's stocked with bolsters so we can really sink into our restorative poses!

The Food

The caterers at the farm are famous for their fresh and healthy vegetarian food! Look forward to six lovingly prepared meals starting with dinner on Friday and finishing with lunch on Sunday. Save room for dessert after the dinners, this reTREAT will be delicious!

The Accommodations

There are several options available for students who want shared rooms (with one to three roommates) but only a few private rooms. The rooms range from conventional rooms to heated yurts and are scattered around the property. All bathrooms are shared. Please let Melissa know if you want to room with anyone in particular or are coming with your partner so she can get you in the best room for you!

About Melissa

Melissa has been teaching yoga full time for 11 years and is so excited to host her second weekend retreat at Stowel Lake Farm! Melissa firmly believes in the importance of self care, which is taking time out for yourself to rest, restore and relax. 

If you aren't familiar with Melissa click here to get to her bio and click here to see a few of her videos to get a feel for her teaching style and personality.

Getting There & Away

Please take a close look at the BC Ferries schedule to plan your trip to to Salt Spring. 

To make it for the beginning of the retreat at 4:15 on Friday you will have to catch the 3:00 ferry from Victoria (Swartz Bay) at the very latest or take an earlier ferry. The ferry from Victoria to Salt Spring (Fulford Harbour) takes 35 minutes. There are also ferries to from Vancouver to Salt Spring (Long Harbour) but they take three hours and are far less frequent. If you are travelling from Vancouver you will need to catch a morning ferry to get to the retreat on time.

On Sunday when we finish lunch you should be able to catch the 1:50 ferry back to Victoria but if you miss it you can catch the 3:50. 

Other options for getting to and from Vancouver to Salt Spring include the float plane! Check Salt Spring Air for the flight information.

Refund Policy

An advance $250 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. The balance is due no later than March 31. For cancellations before April 7, a refund is issued minus the $250 deposit. After April 7, no refunds will be issued.