The Gathering

Details of the Global Wilderness Guides Council Gathering 2025
Embercombe, Devon, UK
12^th – 17^th April 2025

Tickets

Tickets for the gathering are offered on a Sliding Scale of £480 – £800 (including a £100 non-refundable deposit).

We have worked to keep this not-for-profit gathering as accessible as possible. We recognise the diverse financial inequity of these times resulting from an imbalance of power on individual, national and racial levels over generations. We have set up a sliding scale for tickets allowing those with greater financial means to support those in need, in order to make some redress to this situation. We are also fundraising to support a number of bursaries for those from the global South, as well as part bursaries for those in need of assistance. Please let us know via the registration form if this is the case for you.

Sliding scale: We ask that you pay what is appropriate for your circumstances and access to financial resources. You can see recommendations on using the sliding scale here. If the low end of the sliding scale is still too much, we have a limited number of bursary places available, which we will allocate based on need and benefit.

Deposits: All participants will be asked to pay a non-refundable £100 deposit. As this is a not-for-profit event, these deposits will be essential to making the event happen.

Camping: There is room for camping and small camper vans on site for those who wish to bring their accommodation with them, however this does not reduce the venue hire cost and these are at the same price as accommodation in the Yurts.

Gathering Costs

The gathering is running on an entirely not for profit basis by a team of volunteers, and with slim margins. Transparency about the cost of running the gathering feels especially important in the current climate of rising costs, high rates of inflation and economic uncertainty, and the budget is available on request, please just email us.

The sliding scale for tickets will help us to:

• Build up a better contingency in case things go wrong
• Support those who would not otherwise be able to attend with fees and travel
• Provide a small pot to seed future gatherings

Travel 

Travelling to Embercombe

Embercombe is situated west of Exeter just 3 miles from the A38. Embercombe have detailed instructions on finding the venue on their website: https://embercombe.org/contact-directions/  

Google Maps: Postcode EX6 7QQ

By car

If you are driving, we strongly recommend that you print or download the directions provided, as you will lose signal once you are in the hills and valleys. 

When you arrive and see the breath-taking view please don’t forget to close the gate. 

The car park is down the driveway and is the first turning on the right. Please keep your speed to 5 mph as there may be children and animals crossing.

By train

Exeter St David’s is the closest station to us which serves most of the UK. It’s approximately 7 miles from Embercombe. There is a taxi rank outside or you can walk to Exeter Central Bus Station which is approximately a 1.5 mile walk into town.

A taxi from Exeter to Embercombe is about £25 each way. Contact Apple Taxis on 01392 666666.

By bus

There is a 360 Dartline bus service from the Central Bus Station in Exeter which stops 1.3 miles from Embercombe. Look for route name Exeter-Dunchideock-Bridford and get off the bus at the Belevedere Castle stop.

On leaving the bus, continue along the top road. After 400 yards you’ll reach the Belvedere Castle entrance on your left. Opposite, there is a little road going down to the right, signposted Trusham and Ashton. Follow this road for approximately 20 minutes until you reach Embercombe’s main gate on the right.

Arriving

Please arrive at Embercombe from 3.30pm on April 12^th so that you have time to orientate and set up. If you are held up and going to be late please do call us.  

After parking in the car park, the first building you will reach is the Dining Yurt where a member of our team will welcome you. 

Departure

We will finish the programme 2pm on April 17^th. You will be invited to a group lunch before heading home. Taxis to Exeter St. David’s station can take up to 45 minutes. Please allow plenty of time to get to the station before your train.

Lift Shares

If you would like to offer or request a lift share in Europe or the UK, you can post a message on the Google Group. 

The Venue

Embercombe is a magical 50 acre valley on the edge of Dartmoor, home to a beautiful and ecological conference and events venue.

Over the past 25 years Embercombe has been managed regeneratively and extensively rewilded, creating a perfect place to find a deep connection with wild nature around us and wild nature within us. It is a place to breathe, to reconsider, to regenerate and to relearn who we are. The site is a mixture of ancient woodlands, meadows, a lake for wild swimming, food forests and established orchards to explore and unwind in the magical Devonshire Teign valley.

There is plenty of outdoor space in the rewilding valley including beautiful meadows, orchards, a natural build roundhouse, a ceremonial stone circle and various fire pits, perfect for ceremonies, sharing and music circles, and for connecting around the fire, in nature and under the stars. The ancient woodland contains an outdoor kitchen with basic facilities to host your outdoor sessions under the canopy of the surrounding trees. We also have a lake for wild swimming, food forests, established orchards and rewilded meadows to explore and unwind in. Indoors, Centre Fire is the main meeting and workshop space and can accommodate up to 200 people. 

Accessibility

Embercombe is a rural venue. While the Embercombe team take great care in ensuring the site is as safe as possible for everyone who visits us, however due to the nature of the surroundings, navigating the site can at times carry risks. The ground can be muddy, slippery and uneven; also in some areas we have ditches to allow drainage. 

Please be aware of your footing at all times, especially in the dark, and consider bringing a torch (or head torch) to help navigate your way from the main venue to the accommodation yurts.

If you have any specific requests relating to a health condition or accessibility need, please get in touch and a member of the team will response to see how we can support your full participation in the gathering.

If you have any questions please read the FAQ section on Embercombe’s website. 

Accommodation

Yurt accommodation is shared between 2, 3 or 4 people. You will be assigned a bed on arrival. If you have any preferences as to who you wish to share accommodation with, please let us know in the registration form. We will try to accommodate this but cannot guarantee. 

Each yurt has a fire that you will need to collectively take care of to your own needs – you are responsible for lighting your yurt fire in the evenings as needed. Kindling and firewood are provided by the venue but will need to be collected and carried to the yurts. We may ask those who are younger and more able in the yurts to take on this responsibility for elder or less able people at the gathering. 

We are unable to offer extra nights stay at Embercombe before or after the residential, however here is a list of local amenities provided by the venue. 

For those wishing to camp in your own tent / vehicle, please make sure you let us know in advance as places are limited. On arrival please park in the car park and make your way to the dining yurt where a member of our team will assist you in finding space for you to pitch.

The yurt villages have compost toilets and running water. Full bathroom facilities with hot showers are available in the main building. Please bring a towel. 

What to bring

Please note some aspects of the gathering will take place outside on the land and in the woodland regardless of the weather. As it will be April the weather may still be wintery, and you should come prepared for rain and colder weather. While we know many of us are experienced in the outdoors, please make sure that you come with adequate clothing to stay warm and dry. Wet weather gear and waterproof shoes are important to bring. 

There is very limited space for drying clothes at Embercombe, so please ensure you bring adequate changes of clothes for working and participating in outdoor activities. (There will be time for changing in between sessions if needed.)

Embercombe supplies bedding but this may be insufficient for some. Please bring enough bedding and warmth to keep you cosy through a spring night in a yurt! If you are not used to sleeping in cold environments you might want to bring a hot water bottle or wear a woolly hat at night. 

Whilst there are some cushions available in the big meeting hall there are not enough for everyone and so it would be great if some of you could bring a comfy cushion to sit on for when we are in circle. 

As this is a gathering of people with skills and offerings – we welcome you to bring them with you. There may be spaces available in the day for such offerings as movement/song etc. We also welcome musical instruments if that feels good to you.

Additionally, we advise you to bring the following items to ensure your safety and comfort whilst visiting us: 

• Torch (head torches are particularly useful) for navigating the site at night
• Towel 
• Warm clothes
• Preferred clothes for ceremony and celebration
• Waterproofs (coat and trousers) 
• Strong and waterproof boots or wellies 
• Warm hat  
• Sit mat/camping chair 
• Ear plugs (in case your neighbour snores) 
• Swimming costume (if you fancy a dip in the lake)
• Hot water bottle (if you feel the cold)
• Eco friendly toiletries 
• Personal drinking bottle and/or reusable coffee cup
• Indoor shoes or slippers (unless you are happy in just socks)
• Any luxury foods or snacks you may want 

Meals

The venue will provide three meals a day, snacks twice a day, plus hot drinks will be available throughout the day. Meals are typically served at the following times:

• Breakfast (Self-Service): 8.00 am – 9.00 am
• Lunch: 1.00 pm
• Dinner: 6.30 pm

Embercombe promise that their food is always plentiful, tasty and filling, and do their best to cater for those who have special dietary needs, but they can only do this if you inform us of your dietary requirements in advance. If you haven’t already done so, please let us know as soon as possible using the registration form. 

Embercombe cannot cater for severe allergies due to cross contamination risk. Their kitchen is entirely plant-based, using locally sourced and mostly organic ingredients. If you have a very specific diet we will do our best to accommodate this but this may require a conversation with Embercombe’s kitchen team in advance. 

If there are specific foods and snacks that you know you will want during your stay you are welcome to bring them with you. Please do not keep food in the yurts.

Domestic Arrangements

We offer an invitation to make the most of this rare opportunity to spend time internet free and away from screens. If you want to use your phone as a clock/camera, we suggest you put it on flight mode. There is little to no phone reception in the Yurt Village.

Please Note:

• Please do not bring alcohol, illegal or recreational drugs on site.
• There are ticks at Embercombe. We suggest regularly checking for ticks while on site, and we can help advise how to remove one if you do find one. We also advise considering buying some natural insect repellent containing neem oil, which is safe to use and might help deter them. Please be aware that there are bee hives in an enclosure on site.
• Embercombe do not accept dogs except guide dogs.
• Be aware that there are vehicles on site.
• Please take extra care near the Lake, all children must be accompanied by an adult.
• The workshop and wood yard are out of bounds unless invited by an Embercombe staff member.
• Participants are asked not to go into the kitchen, except by arrangement with the cooks.
• Our beautiful site is a rural venue. We have taken great care in ensuring the site is as safe as possible for everyone who visits us, however due to the nature of our surroundings, navigating the site can at times carry risks. The ground can be muddy, slippery and uneven; also in some areas we have ditches to allow drainage.
• Please be aware of your footing at all times, especially in the dark.

Cancellations and Refunds 

In the event that you are not able to attend the gathering for any reason, we are not able to guarantee a refund. Because of the nature of the gathering as a not-for-profit event, we have very little contingency and cancellations may leave the event running at a loss. Please note that the event organisers are all unpaid volunteers. 

However, we do have a waiting list, and we will use our best efforts to fill any cancellations from the waiting list, which should enable us to make a refund. This will be done on a first come first served basis so the earlier you let us know if you can’t come, the more likely you are to get a refund.