The Merkabah Retreat

Merkabah is made up of two substantial country properties sitting side by side on five private acres in rural Dorset — bookable together as one exclusive-use venue.

Downview Farm is the farmhouse at the heart of the estate. Six bedrooms, five bathrooms, sleeping up to 15. Every room has its own character — from the Indian Garden Room on the ground floor, with twin beds beneath sari silk canopies and its own en-suite, to the Chocolate Room with its triple-to-superking conversion, the Bird Room, the Blue Room, and the Golden Twin. There's a stone grotto hot tub, a fire pit in the garden, a games room, and reception spaces that open naturally into the outdoor grounds.

Houghton Lodge sits ten yards away — a farm lodge property with five bedrooms and four bathrooms sleeping up to 11. Home to The Shala yoga studio with its infrared quartz floor, and to Claire's beloved resident goats, Wendy, Kevin and Tracey.

Together: 11 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, sleeping up to 26. One venue, complete privacy, no shared facilities with other guests.

The Shala is Merkabah's dedicated yoga and movement studio, housed within Houghton Lodge. Built with intention, it features an infrared quartz floor — warming from beneath to support deeper practice and ease into the body — and is fully equipped for yoga, breathwork, somatic movement, and meditation.

It's a proper studio, not a cleared living room. Floor-to-ceiling space, natural light, the quiet of the countryside just outside. Whether you're running a morning Vinyasa flow for 26 or a small evening Yin session for a handful of guests, the Shala holds the container.

Beyond the studios, Merkabah offers a range of shared wellness facilities available to all guests during your retreat:

• Stone grotto hot tub — set within the Downview Farm grounds
• Sauna (wood-fired or infrared — confirm with Claire on current setup)
• Ice baths — for contrast therapy and cold water immersion practices
• Private swimming pool (seasonal — confirm availability with Claire)
• Fire pit and outdoor gathering area
• Meditation tent within the grounds
• Five acres of private land for walking, outdoor practice, and nature connection

The facilities are yours exclusively for the duration of your booking. No timetables, no other guests.

The land surrounding both properties includes open meadow, mature trees, kitchen garden, and quiet corners suited to outdoor practice, reflection, or simply being still. The fire pit at Downview Farm becomes a natural gathering point — for evening circles, cacao ceremonies, storytelling, or sitting in silence under the stars.

Merkabah sits at the end of a quiet country lane, far enough from the road that you won't hear traffic. What you will hear: birdsong, the goats, the occasional tractor on the hill, and your own retreat unfolding exactly as you planned it.

Claire can arrange home-cooked catering for your retreat through her trusted network of local cooks — nourishing, seasonal, Dorset-sourced where possible.

Menus are tailored to your group's needs: plant-based, gluten-free, allergen-aware, or simply wholesome and abundant. Retreat catering is discussed and agreed in advance so that the food becomes part of the experience rather than a logistical afterthought.

If you prefer to bring your own caterer or self-cater, both properties have well-equipped kitchens able to handle cooking for full groups.

Claire Donovan spent years working in fast-moving corporate environments before life redirected her — as it sometimes does — toward something she hadn't planned on building.

She created Merkabah from the ground up: converting the farmhouse, designing the wellness spaces, finding the right land, and slowly shaping a place that could hold people the way she had needed to be held. The name Merkabah — the ancient Hebrew concept of the chariot, the vehicle for transformation — was chosen deliberately. This is a place designed to carry people from one state of being to another.

Claire's background spans trauma-informed coaching, ceremonial facilitation, and a long personal practice in yoga and somatic work. She doesn't just host retreats. She understands what makes them work, what makes them safe, and what makes people leave different from how they arrived.

Merkabah Retreat is set across two farmhouse properties on a working rural estate. We want to be transparent about the environment so retreat leaders can make the right decision for their groups.

Ground floor access
Both properties have ground floor bedrooms with en-suite facilities, suitable for guests with limited mobility. The Indian Garden Room (Downview Farm) is a ground floor en-suite twin room.

The grounds
The five-acre site includes gravel paths and natural farm terrain between the two properties. The short walk between Downview Farm and Houghton Lodge (approximately 10 yards) is on level ground but is not fully paved.

Parking
Private off-road parking is available directly at both properties, with no steps between car parking and the main entrances.

Pool and wellness complex
The heated indoor pool and wellness facilities — please contact us directly to discuss specific access requirements before booking.

We are happy to discuss individual access needs and do our best to accommodate all guests. Please get in touch before booking if you have any questions.

Merkabah is rooted in a deep respect for the land it sits on. The retreat was built with the belief that how we care for our environment reflects how we care for ourselves.

• Home-cooked meals prepared using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients where possible
• Working farm on site — goats, sheep and chickens are kept as part of the natural ecosystem of the property
• Set within five acres of private grounds, managed to encourage wildlife and natural habitats
• Guests are encouraged to enjoy the natural landscape — walking trails, woodland and open farmland — as part of their retreat experience
• We ask all groups to respect the rural environment, minimise waste, and leave the land as they found it

We are on a continuous journey toward more sustainable practices and welcome conversations with retreat leaders who share these values.

Merkabah Retreat is available for sole-use hire throughout the year, including weekends, mid-week breaks and full week retreats.

Arrival: From 3:00 PM on your first day
Departure: By 11:00 AM on your last day

Early arrival or late departure may be possible depending on bookings — please enquire at the time of booking.

For bespoke retreat packages, multi-week bookings or seasonal availability, contact Claire directly via the enquiry form.

By Car

Merkabah Retreat is located at Downview Farm, Waters Lane, Winterborne Houghton, DT11 0PE. From the A354 Blandford–Dorchester road, follow signs for Winterborne Houghton. The farm entrance is on Waters Lane — parking is available on site.

From London: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes via the M3 and A303, or M3/A31 through Dorchester.
From Bristol: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes via the A350.
From Southampton: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes via the A31.

By Train

The nearest station is Gillingham (Dorset), served by South Western Railway from London Waterloo (approximately 2 hours). A taxi from Gillingham to the retreat takes around 20 minutes. We recommend booking a local taxi in advance — ask us for recommended local numbers when you confirm your booking.

Please note: Merkabah is set down a rural lane. Sat nav will get you close — if in doubt, call us and we'll talk you in.