Driftwood bindingSarah Mason
Other crafty retreats in the UK
West Dean College of Arts & Conservation, West Sussex
Staying in a Grade II-listed, flint-faced manor house surrounded by woodland is pleasing enough, but at weekends this college becomes extra gratifying, with courses on everything from pottery and bookbinding to stained-glass manufacture. The South Downs make a scenic backdrop for oil-on-canvas painters, while blacksmithing enthusiasts can learn how to forge Viking-style pieces.
Bed and breakfast from £95 per night, weekend courses from around £270; westdean.org.uk
Celtic Woodturning, County Armagh
Nature and art combine at this retreat, where guests learn traditional methods to handcraft a bowl from wood. Host Pádraig Carragher leads the sessions while imparting some of the culture and folklore that’s woven into this pretty landscape of heaths, forest and farmland known as the Ring of Gullion. There’s a choice between private rooms in a cottage or glamping pods with fire pits, set within a circular stone wall.
Four-day retreats from £238 per person; notintheguidebooks.com
Arvon Foundation, Devon, Shropshire, West Yorkshire
In the 55 years since its inception, the Arvon Foundation has attracted an illustrious list of teachers to its three creative-writing centres, including Salman Rushdie and Hilary Mantel. Shropshire attendees stay in rooms at The Clockhouse, which over- looks the verdant Clune Valley, where plot inspiration comes in the form of the wild orchids, redwoods and spring-fed lakes of the Shropshire Hills.
Four- to six-day retreats from £615; arvon.org
Gartmore House, The Trossachs
Margaret Morrison-Macleod, owner of aromatherapy company The Divine Hag, has elevated candle-making to a fine art. Now, the award-winning artisan shares the secrets of her craft at Gartmore House, an 18th-century mansion set within 100 acres near Loch Lomond. Over four days, students learn how to cut wicks, mould wax and select scent combinations while being treated to three home-cooked meals a day.
Courses from £979; gartmorehouse.com
Welsh Academy of Art, Powys
This institution near the town of Crickhowell in Wales teaches students the traditional methods of the Old Masters as well as contemporary approaches to portraiture, still life and landscapes. Guests can join structured courses or work alone in the studio, retiring at day’s end to a modern stone cottage with a cosy fireplace just 15 minutes away.
Two-day courses from £275; welshacademyofart.com
The Craftsman’s Cottage, Wiltshire
Amanda Bannister is on a mission to spread her passion for craftsmanship, which is why she invites guests to the rolling hills of the Wiltshire-Dorset border for classes including woodworking, pottery, bookbinding and the ancient art of English bulrush weaving. Even the interiors of Bannister’s early 19th-century cottage in the village of Semley are a salute to homegrown crafts, from the GP & J Baker wallpaper in the master bedroom to the Pinch-designed furniture and Made in Britain ceramics. Noo Saro-Wiwa
From £375 per night; thecraftsmanscottage.com
