Courses/Retreats

Untutored November Retreat – ONE PLACE LEFT!

Treat yourself to the mists and mellow fruitfulness of Garsdale and give your writing a seasonal massage! Dedicate time and space to your writing, escape domestic chores and be nurtured by outstanding hospitality.
13th – 18th November 2023

Playwriting – ONLY ONE PLACE LEFT!

Whether you’re new to playwriting or already have scriptwriting experience, this week is a chance to develop your work with techniques that are widely used in playwriting. This retreat is ideal if you want to explore craft techniques in creative and practical ways and to develop your writing for performance within a supportive and stimulating environment.
Jules Horne – Tutor
27th November – 2nd December 2023
Untutored December Retreat - The Garsdale Retreat

Untutored December Retreat – ONE PLACE NOW AVAILABLE!

Now is the winter of your full content. Indulge yourself with log fires, outstanding food and the space to write.
11th – 16th December 2023

Untutored February Retreat – FULLY BOOKED email for waiting list

‘Late February days; and now at last, Might you have thought that Winter’s woe was past; So fair the sky was and so soft the air.’ William Morris. Lose that winter woe on an untutored retreat. Enjoy the space to write, free from domestic distractions and fuelled by outstanding food.
19th – 24th February 2024

Untutored March Retreat – FULLY BOOKED email for waiting list

It is said that March ‘comes in like a lion, out a lamb.’ Whether wintry or vernal, enjoy the space to write, free from domestic distractions and fuelled by outstanding food.
4th – 9th March 2024

Memoir: Write Your Own Story

Memoir writing is the art of writing your own story in your own voice. Everyone’s life experiences are unique and deserve to be told. Join us to write your own story. Suitable for writers of any level of experience, or none.
Catherine Simpson – Tutor
Adam Farrer – Guest Reader
18th – 23rd March 2024

Poetry: Surprising Ourselves in Poetry

Saying what you mean in writing feels good. Maybe even better is the way we can surprise ourselves in poetry. Whether you're new to writing poetry or in need of some refreshment, come and explore how we can surprise ourselves and spark each other's thinking in a small supportive group.
Philip Gross – Tutor
Katharine Towers – Guest Reader
15th – 20th April 2024

Fiction: Writing Fiction

This fiction writing course is suitable for writers at any stage of their creative journey, whether just starting out, working on a novel or short stories, or in the process of developing an idea.
Sally O’Reilly – Tutor
Sally Magnusson – Guest Reader
29th April – 4th May 2024

Untutored May Retreat – FULLY BOOKED – email for waiting list

Come to Garsdale in May, ‘Of spring and summer months the queen.’ (Clare) Leave off gathering nuts and enjoy the space to write, free from domestic distractions and fuelled by outstanding food.
13th – 18th May 2024

Tutored Poetry Retreat: Developing Your Poetry

This tutored retreat is designed for writers to work intensively with a focus on individual sessions to help them develop their work. This tutored retreat includes one 90 minute group workshop and one 30 minute individual tutorial each day.
Steve Ely – Tutor
Fleur Adcock – Guest Reader
3rd – 8th June 2024