About Us

Who are We

Five Peaks is a new yoga retreat venue set in the beautiful surroundings of the Cotswold Hills. 

Set in an elevated position with stunning panoramic views and walks to

hills & countryside on the doorstep.


Our mission is to provide a truly memorable weekend, taking yoga, meditation & wellbeing practices back into everyday life, to help sleep and digestion. 


Joanne Garrard

After many years interested in Yoga and it's many benefits, I found myself drawn to my first class while seeking solace during a period of grieving the loss of a loved one. This led me to packing everything up for a year to travel, which not only gave me the time to process and reflect, but also think about a new direction on my return. 


This was when I took the decision to start afresh, back in the countryside, to where I not only grew up, but where I naturally retreated to.


My vision was to build a space for others to come and retreat to, enjoy the benefits of Yoga and open countryside, which I now appreciated so much more.


Five Peaks opened as a retreat in September 2021, following renovations to add a Yoga studio and additional accommodation in order to provide guests the comfort of feeling at home, while away from home.


Five of the Cotswold Peaks can be admired from the studio, with the addition of extensive views across the Severn Valley.


Yoga is a spiritual, mental and physical practice that has many health benefits for body and mind.  I look forward to welcoming others to come and retreat and take time out to enjoy these benefits.

 


Neil Bloodworth

Following a 25 year corporate career, I wanted a more fulfilling aspect to my work and to help people and bring tangible benefits to those who needed support. Adventures and comprehensive training in India, Bali, and Thailand resulted in an enjoyable and rewarding 7 years of guiding students through Yoga and wellbeing practices.


During my pre-training time on the mat, I was practicing with little awareness. I continually pushed myself physically, quite often beyond my range of motion.  This finally resulted in a severe lower back injury, which happened to coincide with my time in India.


From that moment, I pursued a softer more therapeutic aspect to teaching and was lucky enough to meet Tal Swissa of Luna Alignment Yoga, who provided detailed training to help students avoid injury, by practicing with safety and stability in mind.


My teaching style has continued to evolve, combining functional movement with continual references to postural alignment and how this awareness can benefit students in everyday life.

 
Now a fully certified
Yoga Therapist, I studied for 4 years at https://theyogatherapyinstitute.org, gaining my diploma.  This means I'm able to assist those with common health conditions via close 1-2-1 support, incorporating gentle movement, tailored breathing practices, and deep relaxation techniques.

Where Are We

Easily accessible by road and rail


Cam & Dursley train station less than 3 miles away 


M5 Motorway junctions less than 8 miles away


Set within the beautiful historic market town of Dursley


Contact us


We would love to hear from you.

 

Send us a message using the form below and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

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