✨Your Memorable Experiences

Just a 21‑minute drive from Benchwood House, The Wonki Pot offers a wonderfully relaxed, and creative pottery experience, in The Pottery Barn at Crafted at Powdermills, an award‑winning country hotel in Battle. 

The studio sits in a beautifully converted woodshed nestled among the trees, and overlooking a quiet lake - a calm, nature‑rich setting that settles the mind and invites creativity.

Workshops are led by Holly - Founder, Studio Manager & Teacher - a highly skilled potter with a Master’s in Craft from the University of Brighton, whose warm, encouraging teaching style makes the experience enjoyable for complete beginners and returning makers alike.

✨ PRIVATE POTTERY WORKSHOPS 

You can choose between wheel throwing, hand-building, or a combination of both, depending on your group size and the style of experience you would prefer.

Each private session includes:

A 2‑hour workshop tailored to your group

All clay, tools, and materials

Expert guidance from Holly throughout

Firing of finished pieces (ready for collection a few weeks later, or postage available).

Workshops can be playful, skill‑building, or simply a mindful creative escape because Holly adapts each session to suit her guests.

🌲  A STUDIO IMMERSED IN NATURE 

The woodland setting is part of The Wonki Pot’s magic. 

Surrounded by trees and overlooking a peaceful lake, the studio offers a grounding, restorative atmosphere that makes the experience feel special from the moment you arrive. 

It is a chance to unwind, reconnect with nature, and enjoy the simple pleasure of making something with your hands.

💛 WHY WE LOVE THIS EXPERIENCE

This is creativity at its most calming. 

The combination of clay, woodland stillness, and Holly’s expert yet gentle guidance creates a truly soothing escape, the kind of experience you will remember long after your stay. 

Whether you are trying pottery for the first time or simply looking for a peaceful moment in nature, The Wonki Pot offers something quietly magical.

📅  BOOKING & AVAILABILITY 

Holly’s schedule is flexible, but private workshops do book up and especially during busy periods. 

She recommends 2–3 week's notice to secure a preferred date, though last‑minute bookings may be possible if she has space.

👉  EMAIL TO BOOK 

To find out more, and to arrange your private pottery session, please visit her website and email Holly directly at info@thewonkipot.com. 

Julie Gurr is a highly respected willow artist and basket maker with more than two decades of experience working with this ancient craft. 

Based in Iden, north of Rye, just a 19‑minute drive away, she has created everything from traditional baskets to large‑scale sculptural commissions for public spaces, heritage sites, and private clients. 

Her work is rooted in traditional English basketry techniques, yet she brings a fresh, contemporary sensitivity to every piece she makes.

Julie grows all her own willow without the use of chemicals, ensuring every creation begins with natural, sustainably grown materials. 

She trained extensively in the craft, developing a deep understanding of willow as a living, responsive material. 

Over the years, she has become known not only for her beautifully made baskets but also for her thoughtful, patient teaching style, guiding learners with clarity, warmth, and a genuine passion for the craft.

✨ PRIVATE WILLOW WEAVING WORKSHOPS

Julie offers one‑to‑one or small‑group private tuition from her peaceful workshop, where guests can enjoy a hands‑on introduction to willow weaving. 

Sessions are tailored to each person’s ability and interests, making them suitable for complete beginners as well as those with some creative experience.

Depending on the length of the session, guests may learn to:

Create a simple basket or decorative piece

Explore traditional weaving techniques

Work with different types of willow

Understand the rhythm, structure, and flow of the craft.

The atmosphere is calm, absorbing, and quietly meditative — a chance to slow down, focus your hands, and enjoy the satisfaction of making something beautiful from natural materials.

💛  WHY WE LOVE THIS EXPERIENCE 

Willow weaving with Julie feels like stepping into a slower, more grounded way of being. 

Her deep knowledge, gentle teaching style, and the tactile pleasure of working with natural willow make this a truly memorable creative escape. 

We especially respect that Julie grows all her own willow without the use of chemicals — a thoughtful, sustainable approach that adds even more meaning to the pieces you create together. 

It’s an experience that stays with you — not just for the piece you take home, but for the sense of calm and connection you feel while making it.

📅  BOOKING & AVAILABILITY 

As the willow must be soaked for up to two weeks to make it pliable for weaving, advance notice is essential. 

Generally, at least four week’s notice is needed to plan and prepare materials, and the more notice given, the better, as Julie balances her weaving with other commitments.

Private tuition is arranged directly with Julie and is available on selected days throughout the year.

👉  EMAIL TO BOOK  

Please email Julie directly from her website to arrange a private willow weaving. 

Go foraging in the ancient beauty of Brede High Woods, a 14 minute drive away, with Flavour Fred, also known as George Fredenham, a professional London‑based forager, chef, and distiller celebrated for his deep knowledge of wild ingredients, fermentation, and sustainable cooking. 

With years of experience working in high‑end kitchens and botanical distilleries, Fred brings a rare blend of culinary skill, scientific curiosity, and playful creativity to every walk.

His foraging experiences are immersive, hands‑on, and wonderfully engaging. 

Guests learn how to identify seasonal plants, herbs, mushrooms, and edible flowers, while also discovering how these ingredients can be transformed into vibrant dishes, preserves, ferments, and even wild cocktails. 

Fred’s teaching style is warm, enthusiastic, and full of stories, making the experience as entertaining as it is educational.

✨  FRIENDS & FAMILY FORAGING 

Flavour Fred offers private friends‑and‑family bookings, perfect for:

Couples seeking a unique outdoor adventure

Families wanting a fun, educational day in nature

Groups of friends celebrating a birthday or special occasion

Anyone curious about wild food, sustainability, or woodland cooking.

These private sessions allow you to explore at your own pace, ask questions freely, and enjoy a more personalised experience. 

Children are welcome, and Fred has a natural ability to keep all ages engaged, from curious little explorers to adults who love food, nature, or both.

Depending on the season, your group may forage for:

Wild herbs and edible leaves

Seasonal berries and flowers

Roots, shoots, and woodland aromatics.

Many sessions end with a woodland tasting, where Fred prepares small bites, infusions, or wild cocktails using the ingredients you’ve gathered — a magical way to experience the flavours of the forest.

💛 WHY WE LOVE THIS EXPERIENCE

Foraging with Flavour Fred is more than a walk — it is a joyful, sensory journey into the hidden world of wild food. 

His passion is infectious, his knowledge is extraordinary, and the woodland setting is peaceful, grounding, and full of wonder.

It is an experience that brings people together, sparks curiosity, and leaves guests seeing the landscape with new eyes.

📅  BOOKING & AVAILABILITY 

Private friends‑and‑family sessions can be arranged directly with Flavour Fred. 

Availability varies by season, so advance booking is recommended.

👉  EMAIL TO BOOK 

Please visit his website here to arrange a private foraging experience.  

Experience beach yoga just a 19 minute drive away, in Camber Sands, one of the most peaceful and uplifting coastal settings in East Sussex.

Led by India, resident yoga teacher at the award‑winning boutique hotel, The Gallivant, these sessions take place just steps from the golden dunes of Camber Sands, a location that feels both wild and deeply calming.

Practising yoga here is unlike anywhere else. The soft hush of the waves, the salty sea air, and the wide, open sky create a sense of space that helps the mind settle and the body unwind. 

It is a private, serene environment where guests can move, breathe, and reconnect with nature in a way that feels grounding and restorative.

✨ WHAT THE EXPERIENCE OFFERS

When the weather allows, classes are held directly on the beach, tucked behind the dunes for shelter and privacy.

The sand becomes your mat, the sea your soundtrack, and the horizon your focal point, a truly immersive wellbeing experience.

If the weather turns, sessions move into The Open Space, The Gallivant’s tranquil studio. 

Light, calm, and beautifully designed, it offers the same sense of peace and comfort, ensuring your practice is uninterrupted whatever the forecast.

India teaches a range of styles, from gentle Slow Flow to energising Dynamic Flow, and her warm, encouraging approach makes every class feel welcoming, whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned yogi.

💛 WHY WE LOVE THIS EXPERIENCE

Beach yoga at The Gallivant feels like a breath of fresh air - literally. It is the combination of:

the golden dunes

the quiet, private setting

the restorative coastal atmosphere

and India’s calm, intuitive teaching.

that makes this experience so special. It is a moment of stillness and clarity that stays with you long after the session ends.

📅 BOOKING & AVAILABILITY

Classes run daily and must be booked in advance. 

India can also advise on the weekly schedule and class styles.

👉 EMAIL TO BOOK

You can reserve your yoga session here, or you can email India directly for support with bookings at india@thegallivant.co.uk

Just around the corner, a three minute drive away, Off grid Sauna offers a deeply  restorative, nature‑immersed sauna experience set within a peaceful wilderness space in Guestling. 

Entirely spring‑fed, wood‑fired and solar‑powered, this off‑grid retreat invites guests to slow down, reconnect with the outdoors, and enjoy the grounding simplicity of heat, water, and fresh air. 

The sauna itself is a beautifully crafted, log‑fired structure designed to feel both traditional and elemental. 

After warming in the gentle, aromatic heat, guests can cool off under a spring‑fed shower or take an invigorating cold plunge, creating a natural hot‑cold rhythm that leaves the body tingling and the mind clear. 

✨ WHAT MAKES THIS EXPERIENCE SPECIAL

Off Grid Sauna is built around the belief that sauna should be accessible, communal, and rooted in nature. 

Sessions are relaxed and welcoming, attracting people who want to unwind, reset, or simply enjoy the wellbeing benefits of contrast therapy. 

The atmosphere is friendly and unpretentious, a place where you can come alone, with a partner, or with friends and feel instantly at ease. 

💛 WHY WE LOVE THIS EXPERIENCE

This is sauna at its purest with wood, fire, water, and wilderness. 

It is calming, invigorating, and quietly transformative. Guests leave feeling lighter, clearer, and deeply restored.

📅 BOOKING & AVAILABILITY

Sessions can be booked directly through Off grid Sauna’s website. 

They also offer one of the most affordable sauna memberships in the region, encouraging regular wellbeing practice. 

👉 EMAIL TO BOOK

Please contact Off grid Sauna here to reserve your session.