Monday 11th – Saturday 16th September 2023
Ecovillage Experience Week: 11 September 2023
Experience firsthand a pioneering ecovillage during a five-day immersive onsite programme with other like-minded individuals.
Go Deeper with Nature
The Park at the Findhorn Ecovillage is an experiment and demonstration centre for how we might redesign our human presence on the planet – personally, socially, economically and ecologically. It is a constantly evolving model used as a learning environment by a number of university and school groups as well as by professional organisations and municipalities worldwide.
Experience and learn about this unique pioneering community through an immersive programme with other like-minded individuals.
Designed for any individual interested in transitioning to a more sustainable lifestyle or curious about the inner workings of a whole system eco-community, this 5-day programme is designed to examine the core factors that underpin sustainability and explore the interrelated web between social, economic, cultural and ecological.
Join us onsite
This programme is for innovators and change agents, artists and scientists, visionaries and healers or anyone with an interest in ecological or sustainable practices.
You will have the opportunity to join the rhythms and adventures of our community including share circles, outings in nature, singing, dancing, and more. Plus space and time for solo contemplation and exploration.
What you will learn
Gain insight into the history and story of Findhorn, including our founders and core practices as you experience an in-depth tour of The Park Ecovillage with a particular focus on the sustainable technologies exhibited on-site including ecohouse, organic gardens, biological wastewater treatment, windmills and social enterprise.
You’ll experience firsthand examples of low-impact living towards self-sufficiency, an introduction to permaculture, The Ecovillage’s research, goals to reach Carbon Neutrality by 2030 and an introduction to social design/community decision-making/governance.
Return home with
An understanding of ecovillage design through the four dimensions of sustainability – social, cultural, ecological and economic.
This will include:
- Renewable energy systems and energy efficiency models.
- Earth restoration projects and biological wastewater treatments.
- The unfolding values, spiritual practices and culture of the Findhorn Foundation and community.
- Social tools for personal and group transformation, authentic communication, empowerment and community building.
- Contemplation and reflection on life and purpose.
- Ecological building and community design.
- Cooperative social economies and complementary currencies.
- Energy consumption, establishing decentralised energy systems and restoring biodiversity
- Landscape-based architecture and how to construct low-carbon buildings
- Advocating for localising economies through human-scale business and initiatives, local jobs and prosperity
Your Experience
- A five-night peaceful stay at Cluny Hill, situated in the Historical town of Forres in north-east Scotland and perfectly placed for visiting the Moray Coast
- Three nutritious, balanced meals per day
- Group-led activities by experienced practitioners
- Access to Cluny Hill’s beautiful gardens and local walking trails
- Free bus rides between Cluny and the Findhorn Ecovillage
- Free wifi and library access
- Unlimited coffee, tea, and refreshments
Choose between standard and boutique rooms. All rooms have access to free WiFi. Learn more about Cluny Hill, its location, and directions.
The prices stated below are for the full week.
Standard Single Room @ Cluny Hill: £899
Standard Shared Room @ Cluny Hill: £809 / person
Boutique Single Room @ Cluny Hill: £1,295
Boutique Shared Room @ Cluny Hill: £1,170 / person
Sample daily schedule
6:30 or 8:30 – Optional Meditation
7:30am – 9:00 – Breakfast
9:00am – 12:30 – Programme session
12:30 – 13:30 – Lunch
14:00 – 18:00 – Programme session
18:30 – 19:30 – Dinner
19:45 – 21:00 – Personal time or optional session
Please note actual times and schedules may vary; please see the Guest Boards or the schedule provided upon check-in for details and room locations.
We provide you with the essentials, so you won’t really need very much once at Cluny Hill, but we do recommend bringing:
- Toiletries / Electrical appliances (Hairdryer, etc.)
- Loose / comfortable clothing
- Warm clothes (during the winter months)
- Slippers or socks as some of the programme rooms do not allow shoes
- Shoes for walking in the garden or the beautiful local walks
Experience Week takes place at our Cluny Hill site in Forres, with registration between 11:00AM-12:15PM on Monday 11th September.
For early arrivals and late departures please contact Bookings – tel: +44 (0)1309 691 653 email: [email protected]
Check out is 9:30AM on Saturday 16th September.
Cluny Hill is located on the hill above Forres in the county of Moray in north-east Scotland.
Our closest town is Forres (0.7 miles miles/1.1km), which has good bus and rail links. The nearest airports are Inverness (24 miles/38km) and Aberdeen (71 miles/114km).
We recommend taking a taxi (about a 5-minute drive from Forres train station), as there’s no direct bus route.
Alternatively it is 1.4 miles/2.2 km (about 30 minutes on foot) from the station. Head for the High Street, then up St Leonard’s Road (B9010), and then left up Edgehill Road.
If you use a wheelchair or have any other mobility difficulties please let us know when you book. Cluny Hill is a multi-storey building with access to the upper levels via a staircase only.
If you have specific requirements please contact Bookings before you book to ensure we can meet your needs. Please also include details with your booking form.
Extend your stay
Many participants feel profound changes during experience week, and you may want to stay on to relax, or deepen your experience.
Book a Cluny Retreat right after your Experience Week, or choose from many other dates.
Or book a Sacred Pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona, off Scotland’s rugged West Coast
Your Presenters
Tara Pinheiro Gibsone
Tara brings her lived experience of growing up in this dynamic community. With a background in Human Rights (MA) and Social Sciences (BA), Tara now works actively in the local arena on social inclusion and resiliency initiatives that create community solutions to the issues we are currently facing.
Laura Pasetti
Laura is a long-term member of the Findhorn Community. She has recently completed a Master’s Degree in Engaged Ecology at Schumacher College and a one-year training in nature-based practices in Catalonia. With a background in performing arts, she has been focused on eco-theatre in our community developing intergenerational programmes aiming to reconnect individuals with their true essence through nature and art.
The programme will draw contributions from the community with rich experience and specialised knowledge in different fields including:
May East
May East (PhD) is a leading sustainability and systems thinker whose contribution to world work has led her to be a musician, activist, educator, consultant, researcher and lecturer. As a founder of Gaia Education, she has played a key role in distilling and disseminating ecovillage based learning throughout 55 countries and 22,000 students.
Craig Gibsone
Craig Gibsone, has been living in the community since the early days and is now known as the ‘feral elder’ of the community. Having built his own house using a whiskey barrel and other recycled materials and living intertwined with his permaculture garden he demonstrates hands-on practical approaches to regenerative lifestyles. His grounded presence and wisdom has been an inspiration to countless individuals who have visited Findhorn throughout the past 50 years.