Pyrenean Creative Writing Retreat
Spectacular views, country walks, Basque food & wine and professional writing instruction
The Retreat
What to expect on your Creative Writing Retreat
All rooms are ensuite with wifi available throughout the farmhouse.
Accommodation
The Farmhouse has en-suite rooms with inspiring mountain views from every window. An open house and full use of living rooms, dining rooms, kitchen, log fires and flowery terraces with all sorts of creative nooks and crannies.
Walks
There are over 10 amazing circular walks from the farmhouse door many leading to small Basque villages. Detailed maps and notes are available and we are happy to show our guests some of the paths personally and tell them the stories of the area.
Daily Programme
Each day we gather after breakfast to discuss various aspects of creative writing as well as participate in writing exercises designed to stimulate our imagination. The rest of the day is free for guests to work on their writing before we come together again at dinner time to discuss our day´s work and writing experiences. Evenings are then enjoyed listening to readings (for those who wish to share their work) and exchanging ideas and individual perspectives.
Food & Wine
The kitchen is stocked with all sorts of food, coffee, teas, wine etc. for help-yourself breakfasts and light lunches. In the evening we enjoy a delicious, communal 3-course evening meal together around the kitchen table.
Transport
There are easy connections to the house from Bilbao airport and San Sebastian. We operate a pick up from the San Sebastian bus to our local village (Santesteban / Doneztebe) on the first and final day of our retreat. (Please consult us about times.
The Price
1400 euros includes en-suite room, daily morning workshops, all food and wine, full use of the house & bus pick-up. This week there are NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS.
All Writers Welcome at our Creative Writing Retreat in the Pyrenees
Which one are you?
Are you in search of an inspirational setting? Of a place where you can shut out the hullabaloo of daily life and focus uniquely on your own creative writing and thinking?
Are you looking to grow your writing skills, focus on finding your voice, shape your writing, sculpt your story arcs and give depth and gravitas to your characters and themes?
Are you finishing a novel, or perhaps pondering its inception, and searching for a place to curl up with your thoughts in a private space with a cup of tea - or a glass of wine?
Do you need professional guidance on how to harness the creativity within you and channel it into your writing?
Do you crave a place of peace and solitude, while also seeking warm-hearted exchanges with fellow travellers and like-minded writers?
Join us
The Pyrenean Creative writing retreat is where you can hunker down and shake away the cobwebs, relax to the sound of the sheep bells across the valley or simply soak up the sublime views that greet you from every window in the house.
At seven each evening we come together for an informal dinner and to share the creative processes we have explored during the day. We also share our daily writing experiences, which may include anything from roadblocks and doubts to triumphs and breakthroughs.
Experience A Pyrenean Creative Writing Retreat
Spectacular views, country walks, Basque food & wine and professional writing instruction
2023 DATES: July 24-31
& Aug 4-11
About Diana Friedman
Creative Writing Instructor
Diana has taught creative writing for over a decade and loves working with writers of all levels. As a ‘midwife’ for emerging artists, she especially enjoys helping those new to the artistic process find their voice. Over the years, she has taught professional writing at the University of Maryland and facilitated numerous workshops for writers at all levels. She is delighted to join forces with the dynamic Georgina Howard to bring a new crop of writers and writing workshops to the inspirational setting of Iaulin Borda.
Diana’s fiction, articles and essays have appeared in numerous publications including New Letters, Huffington Post, Newsweek and the Baltimore Sun. She is the recipient of the Alexander Patterson Cappon Fiction Prize and a Pushcart Prize nomination. Her work has been selected as a finalist and short-listed at multiple presses.
Amenities
An inspiring home from home – with a human touch!
Creative Writing Retreats
Professionally facilitated writing retreats in a friendly atmosphere, run by an award-winning author, teacher and editor
The Farmhouse
Inspiring mountain views from every window, cosy writing nooks, comfy sofas, landscaped gardens and south-facing terraces.
Bucolic Country Walks
Mountain and forest walks along traditional Basque shepherding paths right from the farmhouse door
Great Basque Food & Wine
Relaxed communal dinners around the farmhouse table with local produce and wines
Warm & Friendly Atmosphere
Small, relaxed and supportive atmosphere with opportunities to exchange ideas with like-minded writers
Gallery
Peek Into Paradise
Where are we?
Located just one hour from San Sebastian and Pamplona. There are flights to Bilbao and Biarritz airports. Bilbao airport is the largest in the area and has an easy hourly shuttle to San Sebastian. From San Sebastian and Pamplona there is a local bus service.
Further Questions?
For more information and frequently asked questions, click here!
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