The Place
Where the light is luminous and the nights are still
ChirpNEST is set on 47 hectares of mountain desert within the nature reserve of the Sierra de Almenara, southern Spain – 600 metres above sea level, just 25 minutes from the Mediterranean coast.
Two houses share the land. At ours, a rooftop shala for yoga and morning practice, a massage space and a meditation platform. Three minutes' walk away, the neighbouring guest house where you stay, with its own pool and sauna. Rolling hills and olive groves. Terraces with sail shades. Mountain desert landscape on the doorstep.
We welcome small groups of three to six friends at a time.
The Holidays
A holiday with friends, rather than a retreat with strangers.
From 2027 we will welcome small groups of friends to ChirpNEST for yoga holidays shaped around you. Come as a group of three to six – old friends, family, a book club, colleagues who need a rest – and we'll plan the days together.
A typical day might begin with yoga in the rooftop shala as the light comes over the hills, followed by a long breakfast on the terrace. Afternoons are yours: the pool, a walk into the hills, a trip to the coast, or simply a book in the shade. Later there may be a restorative session or Yoga Nidra, and the day ends with a shared meal as the valley goes quiet.
You choose how much is planned. Some groups want a light touch: brunch and a morning class each day, with the rest of the time their own. Others prefer a fuller retreat, with two sessions a day, shared meals and just one day off to explore. There are excursions too, from a ceramics village to a whitewashed mountain village with views across Andalusia. Paul's Thai Yoga Massage can be added to any stay, and on some evenings he shares stories from yoga's philosophy and history.
It is simple, warm and unhurried. We'll share dates, options and prices in the new year.
“I built the escape I always wished existed. Perhaps others need it too.”
Travel
The journey slows before you do.
By air:
Alicante (ALC) · Almería (LEI) · Murcia International (RMU)
Once your group's dates are confirmed, we can help coordinate airport transfers.
By train:
From Madrid: direct AVE high-speed train to Murcia, then Cercanías C-2 regional train to Lorca.
From Barcelona or further afield: AVE via Madrid or Alicante, then onward to Murcia and Lorca.
Recommended booking: renfe.com We can pick you up from Lorca station.
By car:
We are between Lorca and Águilas,
approximately 25–30 minutes by car from Lorca station.
Travel is not included in the holiday price.
Your Hosts
Susanne and Paul
We are Susanne and Paul. We trained as yoga teachers together in Bali in 2011, founded ChirpYOGA in 2012, and have taught classes, workshops and retreats in Yorkshire and Portugal ever since. In 2020 we moved to Spain, and after rebuilding the house here, ChirpNEST is now our home.
Susanne brings more than 30 years of teaching movement and bodywork, from contemporary dance and choreography to Vinyasa, Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra. Paul is a massage therapist and yoga teacher with an MA in the Traditions of Yoga and Meditation from SOAS, University of London, and his Thai Yoga Massage has long been a favourite with our guests.
We'd love to share this place with you and your friends.