11/09/2026
I’m not sure my words will do this justice. I’ll do my best.
The Mind Body Row Experience started because I wanted to share a little piece of Portuguese magic with people - Herdade da Cortesia Hotel is a place that I love. It is a home for me.
Then I wanted to share rowing with people in a way that is not daunting. It is the opposite. It’s accepting, of experience, skill level, age and approach. There’s not right or wrong way to see rowing, you can come, try it, improve and leave again. It’s not about performance, it’s about experiencing it. There is space for this in our rowing world.
Yoga is something I wasn’t particularly familiar with when I started this, but I knew it was right to do. Yoga compliments what we do on the water and the mental approach we take to rowing very well. We combine the two and it works.
Adults don’t often get good surprises. We save those for children, we don’t think we need them, but I’ve always wanted to create surprises for people. Little unexpected joys around the corner and moments that connect us. We’ve been able to do that here - it’s an experience after all.
People have been coming from all over the world and returning time and time again. This latest edition was no exception. In itself this is extraordinary, but everything we put into place doesn’t work without the presence of each and every guest. It’s people that bring the pieces together and activate the magic. I’ll be forever grateful to our wonderful guests that embrace every idea, soak up every surprise and commit heart, head and soul to everything that we suggest.
Team is the only way it can work.
Thinking it all up is the easy thing, the people who do the hard work for me are the ones I need to thank…
Emily, Mind Body Row Co-Founder, organises most of it behind the scenes, before, during and after. My goodness it all runs better with her!
Luis, owner of Herdade da Cortesia Hotel who says yes to my mad ideas at his stunning hotel. I’ve known Luis now for nearly 20 years and I continue to be guided and inspired by what he does and how he does it.
The many hotel staff Herdade da Cortesia Hotel who, in the heat, with a smile on their faces, always go above and beyond.
Yoga for Rowers who teaches yoga as well as rowing and this year brought her 3 month baby.
who believes no task is too big, no hurdle can’t be overcome. His calm presence brings perspective to every moment.
Ali Gregory my brother who’s coaching skills have been brought to the fore and who won’t stop working until everyone has retired for the night.
Brito who will drive any of us anywhere we need at a moment’s notice. We run these in remote Alentejo, it’s not the easiest place to get to, but with Brito it is.
Mouchão is truly unique and somewhere I love to visit. Do you know, the production of wine, done the traditional way, by hand and foot, as it has been done for hundreds of years, is more like rowing and more like our Mind Body Row philosophy than anyone would ever realise!
Thank you Mouchão for welcoming us and sharing your quite beautiful produce, approach and history with us.
Who and what have I forgotten? Well I said right at the start that I couldn’t do the Mind Body Row experience justice through words, and I was right - I can’t. But I hope this goes a little way at least to thank some of the pieces of this jigsaw that comes together to create this amazing few days in Avis, Portugal.
Who’s coming in 2027!?!
