Revive your soul and rediscover the joy of making with a creative retreat in the UK
We all need a relaxing break every now and then, but have you ever considered booking yourself on a creative retreat?
There's a wide range of fabulous places to stay in the UK that also offer engaging craft courses, allowing you to relax in beautiful surroundings as well as discovering a new creative hobby.
So to help you treat yourself in 2025, we've rounded up five fabulous creative retreats to help you enjoy the mindful process of making.
Mindful journaling, Scotland
Gartmore House in Scotland’s Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park is a jaw-dropping backdrop for a craft getaway.
Join award-winning writer and poet Laura Fyfe for her Creative Writing Sanctuary class. Perfect for aspiring writers, as well as those with more experience who’d like to enrich existing projects with greater depth, insight and perspective, this creative retreat is suitable for those who enjoy writing poetry, novels, stories and/or non-fiction (including memoir).
Enjoy five nights’ accommodation with four days tuition full-board from £879.
Find out more and book your trip at gartmorehouse.com
Art courses, West Sussex
Have you ever wanted to try your hand at art but didn’t know where to start? The celebrated West Dean College’s Chichester campus has loads of creative courses, from watercolour painting to printmaking to paper sculpture.
You can turn it into a creative retreat by booking accommodation for the weekend at West Dean for an additional fee, choosing to stay in a traditional or modern room in the beautiful period property on the West Dean campus, set in acres of parkland.
Take a look at what's available and find a course that inspires you at www.westdean.ac.uk
Bookbinding, Colchester
Join expert Mark Cockram for five days at beautiful Flatford Mill to learn all about bookbinding. Whether you want to learn how to restore an existing book or create something new, Mark will walk you through traditional skills and techniques for a deeper insight into this rewarding craft.
“Of all man’s enduring artefacts, the bound book is surely one of the most enlightening, useful and pleasing,” says Mark. “Its present accepted form and structure results from 2,000 years of evolution, which has imposed craft disciplines unknown to the reader but a source of fascination to the enquiring booklover.”
From £485 (non-resident rates available). Book your place at www.field-studies-council.org
Hawkwood, Cotswolds
The Hawkwood centre is an arts and educational charity that has a range of creative courses available, varying from one day courses to longer residential stays.
You'll find courses on classic crafts like sketching, paintings, leatherwork and willow-weaving, mindful options such as forest bathing, yoga or sound wisdom, or even specific skills such as Japanese woodblock printing or growing mushrooms.
The courses (and residential options) take place at the Grade-II listed Hawkwood country house with it's 42 acres of sustainably managed woodland, farmland, and gardens.
Residential options are fully inclusive with all meals provided. Check out all of the courses available at hawkwoodcollege.co.uk
Wild pottery, East Sussex
Artist/maker Ruby Taylor’s Native Hands retreats are designed to get you out in nature making something.
This two half-day workshop in the open air woodland of Dernwood Farm near Heathfield is for the whole family, where you’ll learn how to dig and shape clay before firing your makes in an open campfire.
It’s fun and immersive, messy and muddy – a rich learning activity where you’ll be taking the initial, raw, foraged material to create a finished piece.
If you're wanting to turn it into a creative retreat that really get's back to nature, camping and glamping accommodation is also available on the farm at an additional cost.
Discover all of the fantastic courses at nativehands.co.uk
Give the gift of creativity
Creative retreats are not only great for giving yourself some dedicated time to enjoy making, but they can also be a fantastic activity to do with a friend or family member. What could be more fun that combining relaxation and a bit of creativity with your bestie?
Fancy going further afield?
If you're looking for a really special creative break that you'll remember for a lifetime, take a look at these expert-led crafting holidays with Stitchtopia.
