Ravenwood

A Nature Retreat  Center for Groups
in the Highlands Nature Sanctuary

Immerse yourself in Nature’s beauty on the edge of Wilderness

    while supported by the warmth of human connections in a light-filled house.

Designed for Groups with educational or nature retreat objectives in an eco-responsible facility
 

Ravenwood lies on the western edge of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary  – that place of Contact where the vast and fertile glacial plains of the Midwest touch the ancient and rumpled hill-country of the Appalachian foothills. The Sanctuary is a 2000 acre nature preserve located less than a two hour drive from Columbus and Cincinnati. Ravenwood offers groups the opportunity to hold educational overnight gatherings, or a place for friends to gather for a retreat, to journal, read,  meditate or simply listen. Throughout the ages when times were hard, it was always the Spirit that shines through Nature that our ancestors turned to for clarity and support. In these modern times, let Ravenwood offer you  Sanctuary.

Ravenwood Listening Trail. The highlight of the Ravenwood facility is the Ravenwood Listening Trail, an artistic endeavor to bring back the practice of creating sacred landscapes. The trail, beginning right outside Ravenwood's back door, invites visitors to rediscover the art of simply BEING. It is a place of contact, contemplation and inner dialogue. Most importantly it is a place of inspired art. The trail descends into a deep valley cut by the Rocky Fork Creek, amidst a beautiful landscape of moss-covered boulders, rock walls, small grottos, and rushing water. Scattered along the trail are inviting meditation points, where hikers are encouraged to stop and listen to the sounds of nature, contemplate the subtle works of created natural art, and listen to the quiet voice within. The trail offers special nooks  to curl up and sit, inviting you to look at the world as you once did as a child – full of wonder, playfulness, and openness. Hikers can walk barefoot in the sand in a sacred circle of stones, curl up in a fern-shrouded grotto, or swing above the sparkling creek.  Everyone who has ever taken the time to be still and receptive, has always been rewarded with  magical moments. You might -- like others in the past -- catch a sight of a wood duck with its babies swimming downstream, a beaver swimming beneath the water's surface,  an ancient mollusk feeding in the water’s floor, or the swirling mandela of ripples created by a swarm of whirligigs.

For more information on the Listening Trail, click here.

Fourteen Miles of Hiking Trails. Ravenwood lies on the intersection of culture and nature, civilization and wilderness. To its front lies the developed rural countryside of southern Ohio; to its back, a few miles distant, lies the heart of the 2000-plus acre nature sanctuary where most of the Highland's hiking trails lie -- approximately a fifteen minute drive away. For more information on Hiking in the Highlands, click here.

Ravenwood is an ideal facility for groups pursuing curriculums of nature literacy, deep ecology, natural history, wellness, meditation, or body-connection.

The Facility.
We have a story to tell ...
In the days when mills lined the banks of the Rocky Fork Creek, an industrious family made their home on a  particularly scenic curve of the creek -- harnessing the flow of the river to make a modest living grinding grain into flour.  Although the mill is now gone, the Beaver Mill Manor House and mill falls remain, witnessing an continuing panorama of human dreams. 

The entire home of Ravenwood is filled with graceful antiques. The facility has a spacious dining room and living room that comfortably serves a group of ten. A fully-equipped kitchen is provided. Ravenwood offers three stories of living and sleeping accommodations. The first story has one bedroom with a double bed.  The second story has two bedrooms with two single beds each. The third story, a fully-refinished loft, provides a large sleeping space with four single beds.   Two full bathrooms are located on the first two floors. Central air-conditioning reaches most rooms in the summer.

Dishes are supplied to encourage the minimal use of throw-away plates and packaging. Separate bins for food scraps and recyclable refuse are provided, and all food remains are composted on the Sanctuary grounds. In keeping with the Sanctuary's philosophy, the grounds and interior of the house are free from artificial chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides.
 

Ravenwood's farmhouse exudes warmth, hospitality and informality. Graced with large windows and a pleasing architectural design, it is a house filled with light. Generations of the Beaver family -- the original founders of Beaver Mill -- lived continuously in the Manor House until the last descendent -- Barney Beaver -- sold her home to friends of the family in 1999. She was 95 years old when the transaction was made. The latest owners made extensive renovations to this elegant home, and passed it into the hands of Sanctuary early in 2003, complete with all of Barney's family antiques. Perhaps the most cherished piece in the entire house is Barney's baby grand piano. Built in 1898, it remains a focal point of the main gathering room, and is still played, though a bit out of tune!.

In the landscaped yard is an old barn with the remains of the original pioneer log barn inside. Also on the grounds is a large pole barn that has large doors that can open to the light, and a smooth clean concrete floor with expansive space for body movement, dancing, or yoga. A labyrinth expressing native American art will soon be in place for walking meditations.

The house is the hub of the Sanctuary's private group retreats. It is the major focal point for workshops, quiet retreats, wellness classes, spiritual group work.. In accordance with Ravenwood's mission as a wellness and learning center, all groups at Ravenwood must be either seeking a retreat in nature or have educational components associated with their event. Our on-site caretaker, Karen Godfrey, is sometimes available to offer optional massages at additional cost. Groups organized for the purpose of family and social retreats should seek the alternative of the Beechcliff in the heart of the Sanctuary.

In honor of the Eastern Forest's esteemed and varied wildlife, rooms at the Manor House are named after the little-known, but dazzling beautiful giant silk moths -- animals which are still native to Ohio's woodlands, but are diminishing in numbers and are in great need of habitat protection. Room names include the Cecropia, Royal Walnut, and Luna Rooms.

Providing educational, private, and special natural settings is our mission.

Group Fees for Entire Facility   

Ravenwood has a two-night minimum stay and a capacity limit of 12 guests. Pillows, blankets, and quilts are provided, as are all cooking kitchenware in a very complete and spacious kitchen. Guests need to bring their own food, soap and shampoo. To help our volunteer-assisted housekeeping, guests are respectfully requested to strip sheets and remake beds upon leaving, and leave shoes at the door. We greatly appreciate your help in maintaining this beautiful educational facility affordable for groups.

Ravenwood is reserved for adult retreats. It is ideal for small educational gatherings as well as spiritual retreats. Beechcliff has good accommodations for families with children, and is highly recommended for family nature retreats as well as educational nature gatherings.
 

Call for this facility's availability or check yourself by clicking here and reading or downloading our reservation file. It is an excel form and is updated immediately after each reservation made. Please remember to refer to the most updated file version before assuming a date is open. Scroll to the right to see all of the dates. If we are booked be sure to check nearby private facilities below:

Visitor's Guide to Private Lodging in the Area & other Attractions   Directions     Lodging Reservations Overview  

To make a reservation or for further inquiries, click here.