Walk the Walk - Christian Retreats in the Outdoors

13/09/2026

Don't be afraid to ask for help! Today I visited Dinas Brân near Llangollen, the site of a medieval castle that is ringed by mountains. Mountains that have withstood the test of time and that are in much better shape than the remains of the castle!

Psalm 121:1-2 says, 'I lift my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.'

When we read that as people who enjoy the mountains and hills it can be tempting to think that that is where our help comes from. We lift our eyes to the hills, looking for help. But actually it's the hills that tell us that our help comes from a source that is far bigger, and better, and stronger than the hills themselves. If the hills have lasted, if they are looking in good shape, if they offer us the idea of strength, then the God who made them and sustains them is in far better shape than they are and can offer us the help that were asking for! So, don't be afraid to ask for help 🙂

06/09/2026

I'm getting ready!! It's part 2 of a behind the scenes look at Walk the Walk and you join me on a recce near Lea Green in preparation for the Changing Seasons retreat that starts tomorrow...

All Walk the Walk walks, activities or crafts get a recce before I use them. I take time to seek God and listen for how the Holy Spirit might want to reveal him through the features of the experience.

So, on that note, I ought to get back to listening to him... Hope to see you soon!

30/08/2026

I can hear bird song! And cows lowing! I've just stepped outside for a five minute break from packing down the Mountain High, Valley Low adventure retreat to enjoy that moment after the rain.

The cows calling each other - just to check in with those around them - and the woodpigeons and jackdaws all announcing their positions to each other remind me a bit of why we go on retreat.

Isaiah 55.6 says 'Seek the Lord while he may be found, call on him while he is near.' It's not that God's going to stop being near, like a Swallow going on migration, but like the cow I'm hearing, we need to keep calling til we get an answer!

Sometimes the pace of life is just so fast we never get to stop long enough to actually hear our answer from God. Or we're too busy to seek him - we know he's around, but we're not settled in his presence.

So going on retreat is about taking time off to engage with God more fully. Whether you do that on one of my retreats or one of a host of other retreats that are out there, there are people offering guidance to help you seek and call, or simply space to see and call yourself.

But I'd definitely encourage you to seek the Lord and call on him while he may be found!

23/08/2026

That's it! I'm packed and ready to go... three weeks on the road to deliver three Walk the walk retreats. This is a behind the scenes look at what's coming with me. From fabrics and beans bags to create a homely vibe in prayer rooms, to boxes of oddments for the prayer stations themselves and a few crazy bits and pieces for the craft retreat at Shallowford on 2nd Sept. The, of course, are all the walking things I need - bag, poles, water bottles, gloves, hat... you name it, I've got spares. Talking of spares, there's still spare places on all three retreat days at Shallowford on 1st-3rd Sept - click the link in the bio, find the booking link and see you there!!

16/08/2026

Be still!! Have you ever been on the water or around the water when it's completely still? The reflections can look amazing!

I'm on the River Ure today where the reflections are just a little bit messed up by the water movement and the wind. But I'm reminded of a few times when the Bible says 'Be still!'

There's the time when Jesus tells the winds and the waves to 'Be still' so that his disciples can stop fearing for their lives in the middle of Lake Galilee. And his command over the elements demonstrates to them his sovereignty.

But there's also Psalm 46:10 which says, 'Be still and know that I am God.' In much the same way that movement on the water stops reflections being clear, if we don't stop moving then we won't get a clear idea of who God is. And again, there's a verse in one of Paul's letters that tells us that we are supposed to reflect God's glory. It is still waters that make for the best reflections.

So let's take time to learn how to calm ourselves down, and pratice stilling our minds, and stop long enough to actually get to know who God is, so that we can be better reflections of him to the world around us!

07/08/2026

We're still taking bookings for the Mountain High, Valley Low adventure retreat in the Lake at the end of August. Could Cat's story be your story?

04/08/2026

If you appreciate meeting God through His creation, then this course might be for you!

This short film from Dr. Richard Tiplady (recently featured on BBC Songs of Praise TV programme) offers a warm, reflective journey inspired by the spiritual insights of mountain and wilderness experiences.

02/08/2026

The Welsh do sheep folds properly!! In North Wales you get lots of little folds all attached to each other so each farmer can keep their sheep separately.

In John 10.7, Jesus says he's the gate for the sheep. What he means is that he blocks the entrance to the sheep fold. He keeps the danger out. He makes inside the sheep fold a safe place to be.

Do you need a safe place? Jesus offers you one - one that he leads you to, and one that he will protect you in. I need a safe place. I think it's time to be a sheep!!

31/07/2026

Apparently I get to join Laura Wright as the cover girl for BBC Songs of Praise this week - it features Walk the Walk!!