Here are some important bits of information about staying at the Nether Springs!
A Typical Day's Programme following the pattern of a basic monastic day rhythm.
Before
9.00 am Self-service breakfast and clear up
9.00am Morning Office
10.00am Retreat, instruction, study, work
12 noon Midday Office followed by Sacred reading, prayer and reflection
1.00pm Lunch
2.15pm Work, pottering, creativity
5.30pm Evening Office followed by quiet reading
6.15pm Evening meal
7.30pm Rest, recreation, reading and reflection
9.30pm Compline
10.00pm House in Quiet
Programme Times and Format
Weekend programmes normally begin at 5.30pm on the Friday with evening prayer and end on Sunday at 2.00pm. For all retreats, it would be helpful if guests aim to arrive between 3.00pm and 5.00pm (or between 3.30 pm and 5.00 pm at Berwick-upon-Tweed if coming by train) and leave after 2.00pm on the day of departure, as this fits with the rhythm of the day. Day guests are welcome to join us from 9.00 am onwards. Advance notification is needed if evening meal is required.
Retreats
Come away with me —an individually guided reteat
An opportunity to take time out to seek the Lord, focusing on our relationship with Him, with ourselves and with others, with individual accompaniment each day.
Community Weekends
An introductory weekend outlining the history, vocation and novitiate process of the Community; an essential weekend for all who are wanting to explore their relationship with the Community.
He Restores My Soul
An opportunity to take time out with God for quiet reflection, spiritual reading and prayer in a relaxed atmosphere. An introductory talk and guided reading is given but there is no individual direction.
A Still point in a Turning World
An opportunity to seek God through quiet personal reflection around the rhythm of the day, giving time and space for self and God.
Being who you are
An opportunity for a spiritual check-up including some individual guidance in the context of each person’s unique story
House in Quiet (Closed)
As part of our commitment to monastic vocation we close the House one weekend per month not only to give those living at the Mother House breathing space but also as a way of affirming the importance of the ebb and flow of life. For this period ‘the tide is in’.
Beyond the stated programme!
It is often possible to accommodate individuals and groups in addition to or instead of, the stated programme. Block bookings are welcome provided they work with our established daily rhythm. People come to the Nether Springs for many different reasons, including making a retreat, giving themselves time to rest and reflect, to seek guidance, or just out of plain curiosity. You are very welcome to spend time here without taking part in the programme although we do encourage all guests to follow the rhythm of the day. It is also possible to stay from Monday to Sunday, but we do not have guests staying on Sunday nights.
Contact Us:
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Tel: 01289 388235
(Office Hours are normally 10:00am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday; if you get our answerign machine, please leave us a message and we'll call you back.)
Costs
For your guidance, and if you are able, the suggested donation to cover full board is £40 per guest per day. Full board = bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner, together with all tea and coffee. Packed lunches are available on request at no extra charge. We do not make any formal charges, but work on a donation basis so that guests are not excluded on the grounds of cost. However, we do ask that you make as generous a donation towards your costs as is possible without risking hardship. As the weekly and monthly costs of running the Nether Springs as the Mother House and administrative centre of the Community are substantial, we would greatly value your integrity and generosity in this regard. The change in suggested donation does not apply to retreats already booked before 7 December 2009.
As it is a round trip of 64 miles to collect and return people to Berwick Railway Station, we would ask that you please add a suggested donation of £5 per person if using this facility.
Children
Children aged under 14 are half the suggested donation, under 8 free.
Although children are very welcome where appropriate, parents must at all times take full responsibility for them, especially during times of quiet and retreat.
Pets
We regret that pets belonging to guests are not allowed inside the house, except for guide dogs. Information about kennels near to the Nether Springs is available from the Community Office.
Catering
We regret that we are unable to cater for special diets (eg dairy free, wheat free ……) but we do offer a vegetarian alternative. If you have a severe food intolerance, please contact us before arrival.
Lost Property
We are happy to send on any property you may leave behind (for P+P).
Unclaimed property will be kept for one month.
Booking Information
If you are coming by train, it is helpful if you can arrive in Berwick-upon- Tweed around 3.30 pm on the day of arrival. Transport to the station for the return journey will leave around 2.00 pm, so you will need to book a time from 2.30 pm onwards. If you can only get a train at a different time, please check before booking tickets so that we can plan the station trips, especially if it is after 7.00 pm.
Things you may find helpful to bring with you are:
• Towel
• Comfortable walking shoes/boots (especially for pilgrimage)
• Notebook/pen
• Wet weather gear
• Warm clothes
What's On at Nether Springs
Seeing a stranger approach,
The Nether Springs is the 'Mother House' of the Northumbria Community, situated in a beautiful quiet and remote part of rural north Northumberland. It's a large house, with space for about 16 people to stay comfortably in single or family rooms.
