‘Perpetual astonishment’ Spring Equinox Writing Retreat
‘Every Spring is the only Spring, a perpetual astonishment. It bursts upon a man every year … with delight in spite of all anxieties, as though it had never happened before...’ ― Ellis Peters
A three‑night, four‑day retreat for writers who want to work closely with landscape, folklore, and seasonal change. It takes place at The Hide, a stylish artist‑run space designed for focused creative work, with quiet writing space, beautiful communal areas, and direct access to woodland, commons and the surrounding Cotswold landscape. The Hide is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
This is a retreat for those longing to gift themselves time in very special surroundings and take a gentle pause from the rush of daily life. A chance to revel in the perpetual astonishment of spring and benefit from expert writing guidance. Timed to coincide with Imbolc or Spring Equinox, workshops will explore ideas of balance, emergence, and transition, drawing on folklore and contemporary folk‑art practices in different disciplines. The emphasis is on writing as a process of attention: noticing the land, listening to seasonal cues, and allowing these to shape creative decisions.
Participants will spend time both indoors and outdoors. Each day will include a guided morning writing workshop, time for self-directed reading, writing, rest and movement (walking, yoga, wild swimming etc.). One to one tutorials are offered for those who would like advice and guidance on their writing. Evenings will be unhurried, with optional readings or quiet writing time. Breakfast and lunch will be provided; we suggest participants seek out the wonderful local pubs for their evening meals (within walking distance).
By the end of the retreat, each participant will have:
· a small collection of new writing
· a notebook of fragments, observations, and ideas
· a set of techniques for writing with landscape and seasonal themes
· a clearer sense of their creative direction for the months ahead
The Hide provides a calm, thoughtfully designed environment that supports this kind of work: comfortable accommodation, dedicated creative spaces, and a landscape that encourages reflection and slow attention. The retreat is structured but spacious, allowing for both guided learning and independent exploration.
Suitable for anyone interested in writing.
Note that this is exclusive retreat is designed for a small group of four.
Practicalities
All dietary requirements can be catered for.
Participants arrive on Thursday afternoon (4pm) and will have a welcome and settling in session. Workshops take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. Departure will be Sunday afternoon – there is the option to stay on for an additional night at a cost of £200 (email us after booking).
Although the retreat can feel remote, The Hide is 90 minutes from London by train; 90 minutes by road from Oxford, Birmingham, Cardiff and less than an hour by road from Bristol. Transfers from Stroud train station can be organised at no extra cost.
Accommodation
Three stylish double bedrooms with cotton bed linen and shared en-suite bathrooms.
Shepherds Hut with double-bed, cotton bed linen, wood burner, electric lighting/heater, and high-speed broadband. There is a rustic outdoor style shower room and kitchen next to the hut.
Find out more about The Hide here.
Your tutor
JLM Morton is an award-winning writer, celebrant and editor based in Gloucestershire. Her poetry has featured on BBC6 Music and appeared in Poetry Review, Poetry London, Rialto, Magma, Mslexia, The London Magazine, Poetry Birmingham, The Sunday Telegraph and elsewhere. Her prose writing has won the Laurie Lee Prize, been longlisted for the Nan Shepherd prize and extracts from her nonfiction Tenderfoot have been published in Caught by the River, Oxford Review of Books and Elsewhere: A Journal of Place. Juliette is the winner of the Geoffrey Dearmer and Poetry Archive Worldview Prizes and she is twice a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her debut poetry collection Red Handed, was highly commended by the Forward Prizes and a Poetry Society Book of the Year (Broken Sleep Books, 2024). She teaches for Poetry School, Poetry Society, Women Poets Network and is the founding Director of Dialect Writers Collective. Her second poetry collection is forthcoming in 2026 and her debut nonfiction in 2027. Find her online: www.jlmmorton.com
Dates: Thursday 19th March 5pm - Sunday 22nd March 5pm
Fee : £900 (includes all breakfasts and lunches; free transfers from Stroud train station). Please note we have the option to ‘pay in three’ with Klarna on checkout if you would like to spread the cost.
Venue: The Hide, Pinfarthings, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 5JJ