Travelling Yogini - Clare Island

Author and yogini Caroline Sylger-Jones is road-testing some of the UK's best yoga retreats for Yoga Abode. This time she pays a visit to Clare Island Retreat Centre in Ireland.

The Essence
Clare Island Retreat Centre is the family home of personable and relaxed American-Irish Ciara, her French partner Christophe and their two young children.

The couple are both yoga and meditation teachers, and organise a range of retreats throughout the year. They are committed to living a sustainable lifestyle and grow their own herbs, fruit and vegetables on their property.

The Setting

Reached by a 20-minute boat ride from the mainland, unspoilt Clare Island is just three miles long and two miles wide, and the retreat centre enjoys peaceful views over Clew Bay and out to the mountain Croagh Patrick.

The dining room and spacious, wooden-floored yoga room are based in Ciara and Christophe's home, which is surrounded by herb and vegetable gardens with a delightful wood, a short walk away.

Accommodation is in two cottages set above the house across a quiet road. These feature basic but homely bedrooms, communal sitting rooms, solar water heater, eco toilets and wood-burning stoves.

The Yoga
Ciara teaches Ashtanga-based vinyasa flow but softens it with pranayama, meditation, elements of Scaravelli and Yin yoga. She's down to earth and approachable, and I really enjoyed her teaching.

As well as running their own retreats each year, Ciara and Christophe invite top-notch yoga teachers from around the globe who they themselves want to study with to lead longer retreats.

These include Vankatesha, al respected hatha yoga teacher based in Mysore, India, Asia-based yogi Emile Wendel and Scaravelli teacher Rossella Baroncini.

The Surprise
Both Ciara and Christophe are great cooks and the food was exceptionally tasty, especially the beetroot and coconut soup and the hand made pizza fresh out of their outdoor oven.

Meals are strictly vegetarian and use mostly organic and totally GM free ingredients. Drinking water comes from a private spring.

Three or four times a year, Christophe leads a popular hands-on vegetarian cooking weekend for up to eight people, and a bread and jam making course with Kitty Scully, when fresh berries are collected from the land. During these retreats there is always morning yoga with Ciara.

The Atmosphere
Clare Island would suit independent-minded travellers who are serious about yoga and sustainability and happy to live communally. The atmosphere is relaxed - you'll often be sharing meals with the various volunteers who live and work here.

The Detail

Yoga retreats take up to 14 people, and a three-night yoga weekend costs 380 euros (£300). During retreats, rooms are usually shared. The first Autumn Retreat, A Yoga and Relaxation weekend, is from 10-12 October. For more information go to yogaretreats.ie.

Read Caroline's previous columns for us:

Travelling yogini: in:Spa, Yorkshire Dales

Travelling yogini: Yoga and Sound, Somerset

Caroline Sylger-Jones is the author of travel resource book Body & Soul escapes. Her second book, Body & Soul Escapes: Britain & Ireland, will be published in November 2008 (and can be pre-ordered here).