The Retreat
Tucked away in the small community of Durham within the municipality of West Grey, Still Life Retreat sits on 93 acres of private land — sprawling woodlands with walkable trails, spacious meadows, manicured gardens, and an aquifer-fed lake with a newly designed beach for swimming on warm days.
For over thirty years, this property served as a place of rest and restoration, welcoming guests seeking quiet reflection and renewal. That spirit endures. The land is home to abundant wildlife, spectacular stargazing free from light pollution, and the kind of silence that makes you forget that city life exists.
Today, Still Life Retreat operates as a wellness, retreat, event, and nature-based eco-tourism destination — an older farmhouse-style property with private rooms, ensuite bathrooms, and shared common areas. The interiors are rustic and unpretentious. The grounds are the main event.
Woodlands, meadows, gardens, and private trails to wander at your own pace.
A newly designed beach and clean water for swimming on hot summer days.
Zero light pollution. The Milky Way is visible on clear nights.
Gather around the fire. Cook under the open sky. Stay as long as you like.
The Grounds
Private walking trails wind through dense forest across the property. The canopy filters light into cathedral patterns. Deer, wild turkey, and songbirds are regular companions.
Open meadows bordered by manicured gardens create natural gathering spaces. In summer, wildflowers carpet the fields. In autumn, the colours are extraordinary.
A spring-fed lake anchors the property — clean enough for swimming, quiet enough for reflection. The newly designed beach is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing.
With no light pollution for miles, the night sky here is something else entirely. The fire pit crackles. The stars appear. Time slows down to the pace it was always meant to move.
The Stay
The farmhouse is older and unpretentious — no boutique hotel polish here, and that's the point. Private rooms each have their own ensuite bathroom. Common areas are shared. Everything is immaculately clean.
You come here for the land, the sky, and the quiet. The house is where you sleep. The 93 acres outside the door are where you live.
Upcoming Event
On August 15th, 2026, the grounds transform into a 1920s speakeasy under the open sky — live music from Tell It To Sweeney and The Honeyrunners, light hors d'oeuvres, Roaring Twenties costumes required, and dancing until the stars tell you to stop.
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · Limited Capacity · Costume Required
Find Us
394591 Concession 2, Durham, West Grey, ON · N0G 1R0