This tutored retreat is designed for writers to work intensively with a focus on individual sessions to help them develop their work. This will involve looking in detail at work in progress, as well as building on strengths and considering future directions.
There will be a 60 minute introductory workshop on Monday, after tea. There will be a 90 minute daily workshop, offering writing exercises and prompts to stimulate new ideas. Each writer will have a daily (Tuesday – Friday) individual 30 minute tutorial to offer tailored individual support.
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Tutor: Steve Ely – Poet Steve Ely has published eleven books or pamphlets of poetry, including Englaland, Lectio Violant, The European Eel and Lives of British Shrews. His symphonic, book-length poem, Eely, will be published by Longbarrow Press in November, 2023. His apocalyptic landscape poem, Orasaigh, (with photographs by Mike Faint), will be published by Broken Sleep books in August, 2024. His books have won or been shortlisted for a number of literary awards, including the Forward, Ted Hughes, Northern Writers, Laurel & Michael Marks prizes. He teaches creative writing at the University of Huddersfield, where he is Director of the Ted Hughes Network, and is an experienced teacher of creative writing in community, residential and online settings, including the Arvon Foundation, The Garsdale Retreat and The Poetry School. |
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Guest, Wednesday evening: Jane Kite – poet Jane Kite lives in Otley, a poetry-rich market town in West Yorkshire, where she runs two of the (at least) five poetry groups. She has performed her work at the Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe and the main Festival as well as on Chapel FM radio. Her publications include Distaff, (Half Moon Books, 2017) of which Ian Harker said: ‘this collection is ambitious and achieves ambitious things’, Phobia and the Girl (Half Moon Book 2019) that Kate Fox said is ‘one of the the most extraordinary, powerful poetry sequences I’ve ever read’ and The Blanket, (Maytree Press 2022) a love story and recollection written during lockdown to celebrate her daughter Briony’s 50th birthday. She is looking for a publisher for Leon is 50, fifty poems written in response to 50 questions from her son. |
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| PRICES |
Fee includes all day and evening tutored workshop sessions, individual tutorials, tutor and guest readings, accommodation, inc. sheets and towels and all meals (not including alcohol). Single – En-suite room £1,115 |
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| TO BOOK |
£200 deposit payable on booking by bank transfer, PayPal or cheque, to secure place. Balance due six weeks before the start of the course. Please see Terms and Conditions. |
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| STRUCTURE OF THE WEEK | See Structure of the Week (tab above) | |||||
| WHAT TO BRING |
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| START TIME |
Please arrive between 3:00pm and 4:30pm on Monday 15th September 2025 Tea, cake and housekeeping information 4.30pm Introductory Workshop 5.30 – 6.30pm Dinner 7.00pm |
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| END TIME |
After breakfast, 10:00am on Saturday 20th September 2025 |
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| LOCATION | The Garsdale Retreat, Clough View, Garsdale Head, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5PW Nearest railway station: Garsdale, on the Leeds – Carlisle line. For directions, see Find Us section on the Contact page. |
All Tutored Retreats start on Monday afternoon.
3.00 – 4.30pm Arrival time
4.30pm: Housekeeping/Tutored Retreat information with tea and cake
5.30 – 6.30pm: Introductory workshop
7.00pm: Dinner
All tutored retreats end after breakfast on Saturday (10.00am).
Tutored Retreat Structure Tuesday – Friday
8.00 – 9.00am: Breakfast
9.30 – 11.00am: Group workshop – Participants explore particular aspects of poetry writing and take part in writing exercises to further their understanding and expertise. All participants have opportunities to share their work with the tutor and fellow writers in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment in which individual work is respected and confidence developed.
11.00 – 11.30am: Coffee break
11.30am – 1.00pm: 30 minute individual tutorials.
1.00pm Lunch
2.00 – 4.30pm: 30 minute individual tutorials.
4.30pm: Tea and cake
5.00 – 6.30pm: 30 minute individual tutorials.
7.00pm: Dinner
All participants on a tutored retreat have a 30 minute individual tutorial each day, Tuesday – Friday. A timetable will be prepared in conjunction with the tutor. Individual times will vary each day.
Each evening, at 8.30pm, there is an after-dinner event:
Tuesday – the tutor will read from their work.
Wednesday – reading from a guest writer.
Thursday – poetry/music performance from Hamish and Rebecca.
Friday – a shared reading of the ‘work-in-progress’ anthology produced during the week.
