Arrival
It is best to arrive at The Courtyard between 16:00 and 17:00 so that you can settle into your room and relax and have tea and a snack before your yoga class. Once you have settled int your room you can come over to The Dairymaids for tea. Please note the yoga class starts at 18:00.
Parking
Please park your car at the front of the property as neatly as possible so that all the cars can fit and so that other cars can still pass through. We keep the courtyard car free for your own pleasure. If you are coming with a friend or a couple it would be best to arrange to come in one car rather than two cars, that would be helpful.
What to bring
Yoga clothing should be formfitting, made from a lightweight material with lots of stretch, generally it is better to wear clothing that is both comfortable and made from breathable fabric (like cotton, bamboo or jersey). Your top clothing is as important as your bottom half as yoga requires a lot of arm movement as well as leg movement. If you don’t have any of the above most sport shops usually stock this type of clothing. TK Maxx can be useful and is priced reasonably. Tracksuit bottoms are not recommended, they can be restrictive and you also need to be able to see the outline of your legs to check that you are achieving the correct position/pose. A sleeveless lightweight formfitting top and another lightweight formfitting long sleeve top would be recommended so that you can wear this to the class and take it off if you get warm. Please leave your shoes outside the yoga room.
Yoga clothing or similar
Walking boots and extra runners
Warm clothing (remember it though it is Spring it can still be cold! bring warm clothing)
Rain jacket and hat
Water bottles. You should bring water to your classes to keep hydrated. You can use the water from the kitchen taps to fill your bottles. It is pure private well water.
Excellent quality yoga mats are provided, you do not need to bring your own
Towels and bed linen are all provided.
Mealtime & Team spirit
Mealtime is a fun part of our retreats and we like guests to really relax and enjoy the good food and to make the most of being in good company of likeminded people. Guests work as a team to clear the table and pack the dishwasher and reset the table after each meal. When the group work together the clear up and resetting of tables is done within minutes! It’s also a great way to mingle and is an important aspect of team spirit and mindfulness.
Accommodation
There are 4 courtyard houses, The Grooms, The Saddler’s Loft, The Dairymaid’s and Tindal’s cottage. Some of the bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and some have shared en-suite bathrooms where 2 bedrooms have access to the same en-suite. This system works well however you just have to remember to lock both doors. Each house has well equipped kitchens, not that you will be cooking! The water in the kitchen taps is well water from our private well and is as pure as you can get. You can fill your water bottles from your kitchens to bring with you to the yoga classes.
Saturday afternoon activities
Trek
You have the option to come on a guided walk. It is great to get out and see some of the local area and also to get some fresh Wicklow air. There are different routes and depending on the weather, size of group and other factors we will chose the route most suitable. We recommend the walk.
The Farmshop
The lovely farm shop in Tinahely is about 12 minutes by car. The owners of the Farm shop are relatives of the Allen’s at Ballymaloe and they have adopted a similar style throughout the café, with pretty table clothes and interesting memorabilia. The farm shop sells handmade crafts and artisan produce. The café has lovely soups, quiches, salads and delicious homemade cakes. You will have eaten with us at midday so you wont need lunch but I can recommend the farm shop for afternoon tea and a little treat and a browse around the farm shop. It is a lovely environment with very friendly staff.
Golf
The magnificent Coolattin Golf Course is the neighbouring property. If any of you are golfers you may wish to go for a round. Advance booking necessary.
Relax
You can chose to simply relax at the Courtyard in one of the 4 sitting room areas or outside on the lawn if the weather is nice.
Your Hosts
Olivia
Olivia runs the Courtyard Retreat and will be on hand throughout the weekend for any questions, help or support that you may need.
Noel & Dee
Noel and Dee, Olivia’s parents, are the proud owners of this special venue, which they have painstakingly restored from a state of disrepair when they purchased the property 12 years ago. When Noel retired as a veterinary surgeon he bravely took on this project. The project has been a great success and has kept him out of mischief for many years. It is thanks to Noel and Dee that we have this very special yoga retreat venue today. Dee is still working as a teacher and she will retire this summer. Noel and Dee are great hosts and love to welcome our guests. Noel will be on hand when you arrive and will help you settle into your house and ensure that you are comfortable. Dee will accompany you on your Saturday afternoon trek.
Frances & Tina
Frances, Tina and Olivia all work together to nourish you with great vegetarian food throughout the weekend.
Billy & Jess
We have two dogs that will be very happy to see you! However we generally keep them inside when guests are arriving or if there are activities taking place in the Courtyard. Jess is the larger of the two, a Labrador cross who has an insatiable appetite for love & affection! Billy is the poodle/terrier, a bit wiser in his old age and a little more independent, this little guy was imported from France by Olivia who took him on as a stray when she was living there. They are the life and soul of the house, when we don’t have guests staying.
If you haven’t already liked us on Facebook, then please do! It would be great if you could also ‘check in’ to The Courtyard Yoga Retreats on Facebook during your weekend! We would also appreciate if you can post any positive feedback on our Facebook page after the retreat! You can also give positive reviews/ratings on the Facebook page. Here is the link to our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/thecourtyardyogaretreats
There are also visitor books in each house where you can leave comments.
Wifi
Coolattin_wifi
Password: guestaccess
Directions to The Courtyard Yoga Retreats
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 52.753489 | Longitude: -6.5142
From M11/N11 Dublin
N11 – From Dublin
Coming from Dublin turn off N11 at Rathnew village, head in the direction of Glenealy and Rathdrum. Pass by Rathdrum to Ballinaclash and Aughrim. Cross the bridge in Aughrim and turn right for Tinahely and Carnew. Continue for 12 minutes (do not take the turn to Tinahely continue until the turn right for Coolboy, enter Coolboy and turn right at the pub, cross the little bridge and turn left towards Coolattin and Shillelagh continue past Coolattin Golf Club entrance on right. About half a mile after the golf club you will come to white railings on the right which is the back gate to golf club. The Courtyard and Coolattin Lodge is opposite the white railings on the left.
From M50 – M9
Come off the M9 at Castledermot, kildare head in the direction of Tullow, as you enter Tullow take a left, pass through the town and take a right to Shillelagh at the top of the town. Pass through Shillelagh and keep going straight you will come to a bend to the right, do not follow to the right but carry on up this road, Coolattin Golf Course will be sign posted at this junction, continue up this road towards Coolattin Golf club about 1 km up this road you will come to a forestry gate with white railings on the left, Coolattin Lodge/The Couryard is on the right. You will see granite pillars with lights. Coolattin Lodge is written on the pillars.
From Shillelagh to The Courtyard
If you find yourself in Shillelagh village head east towards Coolattin or Coolattin Golf Club. The Courtyard is 1 km on the right opposite the white railings.
This link will bring you to the map on our website
http://www.thecourtyardyogaretreats.ie/contact-2/
If anyone is concerned about getting here please call us in advance and we will talk you through the directions. Please do take the time to check out the route in advance rather than leaving it to last minute, as we would love you all to arrive on time and in a relaxed state of mind. If you do happen to get lost, don’t stress! Call Noel and he will direct you. Noel 0878264311
We are very much looking forward to welcoming each and every one of you at The Courtyard. Please get in touch with me if you have any other questions that are not covered.
See you soon!
Olivia