About

Slow down, take a breath and welcome the changing season with a relaxing Slow Sunday at Cliffe Castle.

As the clocks change, join us for a day dedicated to taking things at a gentler pace. Enjoy chilled-out tunes, slow art activities, Tai Chi in the galleries, crafting, wellbeing walks and a seasonal tea ceremony, with plenty of opportunities to pause, notice and reconnect.

Whether you fancy getting creative, spending some mindful time in nature or simply enjoying the museum at a slower pace, come along and ease into the season with us.

Some activities are drop-in, with the following sessions available to book:

Seasonal Tea Ceremony at Cliffe Castle

11.30 and 13.30 | £5 per person | 15 places per session

Slow down and explore the season through your senses in this special tea ceremony led by horticulturalist, folk herbalist and artist Matilya Njau.

The session will take you on a sensory exploration of a mystery seasonal herb, inviting you to pause, listen to your senses and consider your relationship with the natural world.

You’ll taste a herbal infusion before spending time on mindful drawing, exploring how your experience of the plant can be expressed visually.

Matilya Njau is a professional horticulturalist, folk herbalist and artist based in Leeds. Her practice centres on shared moments of gathering and the relationships that can form through the careful study of plants, whether through drinking herbal tea, smelling a flower or tending to the soil.

Through workshops and collaborative projects, Matilya explores the conversations, memories and care that grow from these encounters. Rooted in care and shared knowledge, her work reimagines green spaces as places of connection and ritual.

Book Seasonal Tea Ceremony at Cliffe Castle 

Slow Down & See: A Phone Photography Walk

13:00 to 14:30 | £2 per person

Join Yorkshire Phone Photography for a relaxed wander through the beautiful grounds of Cliffe Castle.

Take your time, notice the changing season and discover some of the little details we so often walk straight past. Along the way, you’ll get help setting up your phone camera and pick up simple, creative tips to help you take better photographs and see your surroundings a little differently.

No photography experience is needed. Just bring your phone, wrap up for the weather and enjoy some time slowing down, looking closer and getting creative.

Book Slow Down & See: A Phone Photography Walk