Past Retreats
We have been running Reading Retreats since 2017, here’s a little taster of some of our favourites.
Bungay, Suffolk
Our venue was a beautiful pink Suffolk house buried deep in the countryside, filled with character, creaky floors, latch doors and a roaring fire. We huddled down and revelled in the warmth, letting the rain beat against the windows. Our readers' many books included, How to Stop Time by Matt Haig; The Power by Naomi Alderman; Munich by Robert Harris and Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty. When the rain let off, there were walks to the local village and then to the nearby micro brewery.
Our chosen author this weekend was Guinevere Glasfurd, whose debut novel The Words In My Hand, was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award. Guin joined us for dinner on Saturday and shared with us the books and authors who have shaped and influenced her as a writer. Food and refreshments flowed and many, many pages turned. Here is what one of our readers had to say...
"I’ve been to lots of retreats over the last few years - generally for writing - but this was the most luxurious, indulgent, well-catered weekend I’ve ever spent. They really had thought of everything - goody bags full of wonderful gifts, spare essentials in case you forgot to pack anything, reading lights for borrowing, and an amazing range of food, to suit any dietary requirements. As someone with diabetes, I’m used to organisers just assuming I won’t have dessert, and that I’ll forego snacking, which is always rather depressing. Here, though, there were cheese plates to round off each delicious meal, low sugar muesli for breakfast, and both low sugar and savoury snacks, so I felt very well looked-after."
Annie
Thorpeness, SuffolK
This Retreat took place in Thorpeness on the Suffolk coast, in a comfortable and spacious beachfront cottage with a roomy reading room that had plenty of couches to relax on. The weather ranged from sunshine to hail, but we managed to stay dry while walking along the beach, and exploring Thorpeness.
Books read included The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, The Optician of Lampedusa by Emma Jane Kirby, Women and Power by Mary Beard and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.
On Saturday night, we were joined by Penny Hancock, author of the bestselling novel Tideline and two more books. She led a lively and thoughtful discussion about what books have helped us through key moments in our lives, and we enjoyed getting very nostalgic about childhood favourites.
We were very excited to have been visited by BBC journalist Emma Jane Kirby who grilled everyone on the reading retreat experience for a Radio Four feature which aired in April 2018.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you Sara & Cressi, for the most gorgeously indulgently luxurious weekend I’ve spent in a long time. It has met and far exceeded my expectations. You created five star relaxation with more thoughtful special touches than I could have imagined. The food was out of this world - my five portions of Bakewell tart are testament to that! And the house was so well chosen for its sofas, candles, wood burner and cosy feel. We were waited on hand and foot! Plus the whole thing has really reminded me of the value of setting aside precious reading time. I’ll be back! Thank you.”
Helen
Taunton, SOmerset
Our Somerset retreat was an Incredible riverside cottage near Taunton which spanned all of April’s weather (except snow!). Roaring fires and hot chocolate the first half of the week gave way to sunny lunches outside and ice-cream snacks.
Our walks included a round trip to the nearby Willow and Wetlands centre. I asked for directions for the way back and was told to ‘walk up the hill with the windmill on it.’ The woman then paused and said ‘although the windmill isn’t there any more.’ According to the plaque at the top of the hill, the windmill hadn’t been there for over a hundred years - but they have long memories in Somerset.
Our weekend author, Chris Ewan, shared some of the research he’d undertaken when writing his Good Thief series of books. We can’t disclose what he showed us, but let’s just say that our readers have gone home with new and exciting skills that might be useful if they’re ever locked out!.
Our weekday author, Alice Jolly, led a really thoughtful discussion about what we get out of reading, and what we really feel connected to in books. We also heard about her experiences with the crowdfunding website Unbound and her new novel, Mary Ann Sate, Imbecile, which will be coming out in June.
Books read included The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Charlotte’s Web, Middlesex, and The Last Tudor.
We loved the house which had plenty of good reading space, including outside on the riverbank when the weather allowed. We’ll definitely be coming back for another Retreat here next year.
" I have so enjoyed such a perfect few days - tranquil and stimulating at the same time. Sara's food is so delicious and decadent it compliments the whole experience. Cressi, you are a fount of knowledge and enthusiasm for books, I feel we could have a 'discussion retreat' and never get bored! I will certainly return."
Jude
Doddington, Lincolnshire
Near Lincoln, in a cottage in the grounds of Doddington Hall. The grounds are lovely and even include a small pyramid which we eventually tracked down after several wrong turns! The weather was good enough for reading outside in the sun, but the reading room was also in use. George Mann, our visiting author, enjoyed an hour in there making notes about his reading journey, which he talked about over dinner. We had a lively discussion about genres, being a bookseller and the range of his writing.
When coming to a Retreat, you can choose to arrive by train (and have additional reading time) or drive and load up the car with books. One of our readers brought four big bags, which was a new record! We do always provide a Retreat LIbrary just in case anyone does run out.
One of our guests showed us how he can solve a Rubix Cube in under 20 seconds. We were quite impressed, then he showed us the one-handed version. Then he took his socks off and did it with his feet!
Puddings were very popular, especially the baked cheesecake with mango puree. Books read included A Gentleman in Moscow, The Chrysalids, The Fifth Season and The Paula Principle.
" A truly amazing experience! Thanks Cressi & Sara for effortlessly attending to my every need and setting the perfect tone for such a restorative reading retreat. My reading prescription was spot on....I feel very assured that my reading journey this year will be particularly special. Stunning food, interesting chats - feeling nourished in the soul. Simply Bliss, I can't thank you enough - until the next time"
Elly
Leominster, Herefordshire
This winter Retreat had proper ‘reading weather’ with rain and cold wind and was perfect for curling up in front of the lovely log burner in the spacious reading room. The Readers had almost a sofa each so could spread out in comfort. The Marmite puzzle, which has been at a few retreats, appeared again but still didn’t get finished. It will reappear at the next Retreat for one last stab at it. We did get some beautiful origami foxes and a jumping frog but the focus was, of course, on books.
Deborah Moggach arrived for the Saturday night dinner and had us in stitches with the inside scoop on a book’s journey through the world of film! Bryony Doran was our weekday author and led a thoughtful and wide-reaching discussion about how we read, why we read and what we’re reading.
The pineapple, ginger and Thai basil sorbet was a huge hit, with Readers fighting over the last few portions! Celeriac soup topped with a few walnuts gently warmed in walnut oil was also very popular.
Books read included a beautifully bound edition of Walpole’s Herries Chronicle (bound by the reader!), Milkman by Anna Burns and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Thanks to Slightly Foxed (our new sponsor) we had copies of their quarterly magazine for browsing and taking home, which proved very popular.
"Endless gratitude to Cressida and Sara for creating this Retreat and serving us so lovingly. THEY are the Retreat, wherever they go....every reader should do this at least once. I am so looking forward to returning to a Reading Retreat wherever they may create it. Heavenly. "
Robina
