RESTORE
A Belle Autumn Retreat · Sunday 8 November · The Long Barn, Humble by Nature
A chance to step away from everything for a few hours before the madness of December begins. Movement and strength, mobility, recovery, good food and some proper time to slow down, with one idea running through the whole day: recovery is a skill, and you can get better at it.
Not another thing to achieve.
Not a day of pushing yourself.
Just some time to move, reset and look after yourself.
12 places · £129, everything included · 10am to 3.30pm
The day at a glance
- When
- Sunday 8 November 2026
- Time
- 10am to 3.30pm
- Where
- The Long Barn, Humble by Nature, Monmouth
- Places
- Just 12 women
- Investment
- £129, lunch and everything else included
Why recovery?
Midlife women are told to do more. Most of us need to recover better.
You know what November does - the diary fills up, the light goes and by the second week of December you're running on toast and adrenaline. The usual advice is to push through and fix it all in January.
RESTORE takes a different view. Rest isn't what happens when you stop training, it's the part of training that makes you stronger, and like anything else it can be learned. So we'll spend a Sunday learning it.
- How your stress response actually works
- What it's doing to your sleep, your energy and your strength
- The handful of practical tools that help turn it down
Then you'll eat properly, walk in the fresh air and practise until it feels natural.
You'll measure how you arrive and how you leave. In April, the thing women talked about most was feeling the difference in their own bodies by the end of the day, so we've built that in again.
How the day unfolds
There's a rhythm to it, but nothing to keep up with.
Every part of the day is optional and none of it is a test.
Arrive and settle
Tea, a warm room and a few minutes to land. We'll open with a short circle, then take one simple measure of how your body has arrived - your resting heart rate and a wall stand. It takes 30 seconds, there's no judgement and we'll take it again before we finish.
Strength: train well, recover well
One coached, unhurried session built around squat, hinge, pull and carry, but with a twist 😉 You'll learn to breathe under load, work at the right tempo and feel the difference between effort that builds you and effort that just drains you. Every exercise is adaptable and if you've never lifted, you'll be absolutely fine.
The science: recovery as a skill
A short, plain-English talk on what stress does to your body, why cortisol and sleep get so tangled up in midlife and why the answer is rarely "do more". There'll be time on your feet trying the tools as we go, coached by someone who spent 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry and now teaches women to lift.
A long, slow lunch, and what's on your plate
Seasonal food cooked by Orchard Kitchen, eaten without rushing. Lunch was the most talked-about part of April, so we've given it more time, plus 10 minutes on why the plate looks the way it does - protein, muscle, energy and eating to be strong rather than small. The recipes all go home with you 🙌
Autumn walk
Out into the Monmouthshire countryside for a gentle walk to let lunch settle. Waterproofs and wellies welcome, and unless it's torrential rain, we go 😂
Restore
The part the day is named for. Blankets out, lights down, extended-exhale breathing, legs up the wall, restorative movement and a guided body scan - the tools you'll reach for in December when everything gets loud.
Measure, close and home
Heart rate and wall stand again, so you can see what 5 hours has done. A short closing circle, your printed RESTORE booklet to take home and a first look at our January retreat. We finish by 3.30pm, so you're home before the evening starts.
Everything included in £129
You just turn up. We'll take care of the rest.
- Coached strength session - small group, every exercise adapted to you
- The recovery talk - stress, sleep and cortisol, plainly explained with practice built in
- Lunch from Orchard Kitchen - seasonal and generous, plus tea, coffee and refreshments all day
- The restore session - breathwork and restorative movement, blankets provided
- Your RESTORE booklet - printed to keep, with the winter Daily 10 move by move, your restore breathing routine and the lunch recipes. You asked for this after April, so here it is
- Your before and after - two simple measures, morning and afternoon, so you leave with proof rather than just a feeling
What happened in April
"I've been to many retreats, both day and weekend, and have never been treated to such a wonderful feast."April retreat guest
"Before the retreat I felt a bit overwhelmed and disconnected from myself. Now I feel grounded, supported and so much more in tune with my body. It's been a real reset."April retreat guest
"Suzanne's passion is infectious and her knowledge shines through. The venue could not have been any more perfect."April retreat guest
"That it is never too late for your body to adapt and improve."April retreat guest
This one's for you if...
- You're already feeling the run-up to December and want to get ahead of it
- You're tired but wired - busy all day, awake at 3am
- You spend most of your day sitting, driving or holding everything together
- You want to move without being pushed, measured or told to shrink
- You'd like a few hours where nobody needs anything from you
- You've never done a retreat before and want one that isn't intimidating
Came in April? This is a different day. April was about learning how your body moves, RESTORE is about learning how it recovers - a beautiful new setting at The Long Barn, the same good food from Orchard Kitchen and the same women you'll want to sit next to. We'll even re-check your wall stand to see how the Daily 10 has treated you since April.
If you haven't been before, you don't need any experience or a particular level of fitness. Every exercise is adaptable and you'll be coached the whole way.
Book your place
A Sunday for you, before December takes over.
12 places. We keep it small on purpose, so everyone gets coached properly and lunch feels like lunch with friends.
£129everything included
Sunday 8 November 2026 · 10am to 3.30pm · The Long Barn
- Strength session, recovery talk and restore session
- Lunch from Orchard Kitchen and refreshments all day
- Printed RESTORE booklet to take home
- Your before and after measures
Coming with a friend? Book two places and let us know who's joining you - lunch is better in company. You'll be taken to our secure checkout, where there's a box for dietary requirements and anything else we should know.
Your host
Hi, I'm Suzanne.
I spent 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry, coaching women in my garage alongside it for 5 years, before opening Belle Vitale Wellness in Llanover. I'm a PhD, a coach, a mum and a step-mum, and I run these retreats because I know what it's like to reach November with nothing left in the tank. RESTORE is the day I'd want someone to run for me.
Good to know
Do I need to be fit or have done a Belle class before?
No. Every exercise is adaptable and coached, and the day is designed for real women with real bodies - sore backs, tight hips and 20 years at a desk are all welcome.
What should I wear and bring?
Comfortable clothes you can move in, trainers, a warm layer and wellies or walking shoes for the walk. We provide mats, blankets and everything else.
What if it rains?
We walk unless it's torrential. If it is, the time goes into a longer restore session by the fire instead.
I have dietary requirements. Is that OK?
Yes. Orchard Kitchen cooks around dietary needs, and there's a box for it when you book.
Is it women only?
Yes, as with everything at Belle Vitale Wellness.
What if I can't make it after I've booked?
Life happens, so here's how it works. Cancel up to 14 days before (by Sunday 25 October) and you'll get a full refund. After that we can't offer refunds, because lunch, the venue and your booklet are already ordered for you, but you can pass your place to a friend at any time - just let me know her name - or move your place to our January retreat on Sunday 24 January. If Belle Vitale Wellness ever has to cancel, you'll get a full refund straight away.
Where exactly is The Long Barn?
The Long Barn, Humble by Nature, Upper Meend Farm, Monmouth NP25 4RP. Full directions and parking details come with your booking confirmation.