Longthwaite Writers' Retreat

After renovating our 300-year-old Cumbrian Farmhouse - situated just outside the Lake District National Park in Northern England (not far from the Scottish Border). We offer residential stays for individual writers, as well as some two or three-day weekend retreats for up to six writers. Please scroll down for photographs (click on individual pics for descriptions) and guest reviews.

 

​2026 Weekend Group Retreats (for up to 6 writers)

* Writing workshops facilitated by Author Rosalyn Spencer

* Time and space for individual writing

* Homemade meals and cakes (all plant based)

27th - 29th March - Maintaining Motivation for Writing (3 days) - £195*

Guest speaker Jude Davison -composer, recording artist and author

27th - 28th June - Writing for Children (2 days) - £120*

With Mia Sneyd – Children's Literature and Literacies. 

10th - 12th July - Good Writing Practice (3 days) - £195*

Guest - Susan Cartwright-Smith - Writer in Residence at Gosling Sike  Nature Reserve 

15th - 16th August - Writing from Life (2 days) - £120*

Guest speaker - award winning poet Helen Farish reading from her book The Penny Dropping 

26th - 27th September - Self-Publishing Weekend (2 days) - £120*

With Paul Underwood - Author of A Storm Incoming and Ninety Tiny Windows.

Guest - Debra Murphy - Author of 9 books,  now supporting other authors through the process

27th - 29th November - Making Time to Write (3 days) - £195*

Guest - Hazel Stewart - Poet, reading from her own and Crysse Morrison’s collection of poems

Please note: 

3 day retreats are Fri & Sat 9:30 - 20:30, and Sun 9:30 -16:30  

2 day retreats are (Sat 9:30 - 20:30, and Sun 9:30 -16:30)

* Prices include all meals & refreshments but exclude accommodation costs. 

Limited accommodation is available from £40/£50 per night

* Please contact Rosalyn Spencer for more information about group retreats ​

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Residential Retreats for Individual Writers 

For those wishing to spend a few days (or longer) here working on a writing project. You will be well looked after with healthy plant-based meals and home-made cakes (and no household chores to do). 

You can book a stay of two nights or longer for just £100 per day/night (inclusive of meals).

 

You will have a comfortable bedroom with a king-size bed; pine furniture with ample storage space; a writing bureau next to the window with views of fields & fells; sole use of bathroom with bath and separate shower cubicle. You can choose to write indoors in your own room; the snug (which has book lined walls including many books on writing), living room; or the kitchen table. If you like writing outdoors you can choose from one of our open-air seating areas; our comfy 'outdoor snug'; or sitting in or outside the summerhouse by the pond and stream. You can enjoy country walks from the door, or a short drive or bus ride to the lakes.

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Always happy to offer help with transport (collecting guests from Wigton Train Station, driving into town etc).

 

​If two writers would like to attend the retreat together we have a second double bedroom, with a desk in front of the window (overlooking the garden pond). When two writers come together they will need to share the bathroom. For two writers the total cost will be £185 in total per day/night which could be split accordingly (perhaps with the writer using the fell view room paying slightly more).  Suggested rates might be £95 per day/night fell view room and £90 for the pond-view room (or however the two writers would like to divide it). 

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Please contact me if you're interested in coming on your own or splitting the cost with another writer so that we can agree  dates to suit.

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