Walks & Workshops

“I just wanted to write and say thank you for hosting such wonderfully informative, relaxing and rejuvenating day for us all. Everyone felt so inspired by your way of life and your calm and beautiful approach to life. Each time I speak to one of the others we end up speaking about our herbal day with you. A walk in the countryside will never be the same again!! Once again, thank you very much.”

Forthcoming Walks, Workshops And Talks

Jo currently does not have any workshops planned for this year, while she is working on other projects such as an online course for “How to support your recovery from Chronic Fatigue” and “An apothecary in my kitchen”. In the meantime, you might be interested to view some little videos on various herbal topics.

Previous Walks & Workshops

Beltane Retreat at Beaverbrook:

Join us as we hail in the summer with the celebration of Beltane at The Coach House Spa, Beaverbrook Hotel. We mark the beginning of summer with this ancient festival, that has long been celebrated by Celtic communities as a day to honour the beginning of summer, and the blessed fertility of the land.
On our slightly more contemporary retreat, we focus on our blessings as an act of universal love, and we envelop ourselves with the power of giving and receiving blessings in our life, through Druid rituals, introspection, sacred chanting and indigenous dance to explore and show gratitude for the blessings in our lives.
Beaverbrook Hotel (near Leatherhead) is set in magnificent grounds and surrounded by beautiful gardens. Our retreat will move around the gardens, making the setting for this retreat absolutely exquisite. Lunch will be provided by the talented chefs of Beaverbrook Hotel in the Wild Kitchen. You will be free to use the spa facilities before and after the retreat.

Winter Spice Cupboard Remedies at Beaverbrook:

Jo returns to the beautiful Beaverbrook Hotel and Spa in the autumn to run a workshop on Winter Spice Cupboard Remedies.
Slightly separate from the opulence of the hotel, we are seated in The Wild Kitchen, surrounded by trees and around live fiery cookers, we are ensconced in nature, but cosy with our blankets to snuggle into as you learn how to make, and taste, delicious anti-viral tonics made from the berries of the hedgerows; as well as common kitchen herbs and spices into comforting winter remedies such as anti-inflammatory turmeric butter and fortifying Mustard Bath.

Wild Weed Medicine Heroes at Beaverbrook:

I have had the privilege of running many retreats at the stunningly beautiful Beaverbrook Hotel and spa in the Surrey countryside, not far from Leatherhead, and I can assure you that time spent there is an absolute treat. We are looked after with the utmost care and kindness.
On this workshop, I shall talk about plants which we all know so well, and yet never pay any attention to, apart from pulling them out of our flower beds. Yet they are so beneficial to our health that they form nearly a quarter of my herbal dispensary.
I want to tell you about the amazing healing benefits of garden thugs such as Mares tail, Ground elder and Nettles, as well as the wilder herbage of the hedges such as Jack-by-the-hedge, Elder flowers, Ribwort – all which you would have walked over a thousand times and may never have noticed. My goal is that by the end of the day, you are wildly in love – with weeds!

Beltane, and Wild Weed Medicine Heroes:

By this time of the year, the herbage is looking its most wonderful best, and with luck, the weather will be also, at its most wonderful best. I live in a most beautiful area, and we thought to slightly change the structure of our workshop to make it a more relaxed affaire. We will start the day with our usual druid opening ritual, and then we thought that we could go for a stroll down the lane and over the hills, on the way, discussing various herbs and their qualities. These are herbs which most “normal” people either ignore, or consider weeds – but we know better! And so we shall discuss their healing qualities and how you can use them to make home made medicines.
Along the way, we shall stop at some Hawthorns and Adrian will talk about the traditions associated with Hawthorn and also the famous Druid celebrations of Beltane.
After lunch, we will come back to my apothecary and we will make some remedies for you to try or take home.