Rediscovering a sense of possibility ~ creative retreat in Orkney

This week-long all inclusive retreat provides you with the space and a quiet place to delve into your passions and find your creative path through immersion in nature and the arts. We – Margaret Soraya from Quiet Landscapes and Wild at Art Director Ute Amann-Seidel – have teamed up to lead this women-only winter retreat for you in the breathtaking and ancient landscapes of the Orkney Islands.

Aimed at those looking to remind themselves through creativity. Many of us arrive at a time or place in our lives only to discover we have lost ourselves. We, your hosts, have been there ourselves and our desire is to help others to also find their new possibilities. Creativity and quiet places are an ideal combination to provide a space for you to delve into your passions and spend time experimenting with your creative side through immersion in the landscape and the arts for a week.

We’ll have lots of creative things on offer for you to try and experiment with – everything’s optional of course. We will be there as facilitators rather than tutors. Slow down and find what calls to you creatively. Try:

Journaling & creative writing

Sketching outdoors

Cyanotype printing

Using your phone for mindful photography within the landscapes

Using Snapseed and other apps to create blended images with an artistic edge, then print your favourite images onto polaroid-style mini prints.

Photography: intimate landscapes – teaching based around either small details within nature or icm, multiple exposure and other artistic style landscape photography methods

Create with objects found in nature

Mixed media intuitive painting

Collage

Think spending a week with like-minded women to feel that special creative flow and take in the wonders of Orkney’s stunning nature.

Orkney in November? Seriously? – The answer is a big yes!

The breathtaking, natural beauty of the wild and rugged Orkney Isles stays with you for ever. Exposed to the full force of the Atlantic weather the inspiring landscapes are marked by towering cliffs, deep caves and giant sandstone sea stacks.

The unpredictable, wild weather is invigorating and the big open skies, rounded hills and incredibly beautiful beaches offer the ideal sanctuary for inspiration and reflection.

Orkney is also notoriously rich in archaeological remains. You get a feeling of continuity, the sense that for thousands of years people have worked the land and left their mark.

Our base for the retreat is Stromness which retains its original maritime charm with narrow winding streets, terraces of houses and steep passageways all leading to the iconic waterfront and harbour cottages where we will be staying.

We aim for a good balance between exploring the islands and time to get creative. And, of course, time to do nothing, just be and relax. Weather permitting, we’re likely to visit:

The tidal island of the Brough of Birsay

Marwick Head RSPB reserve with breathtaking views along the coastline

The Standing Stones of Stenness near neolithic monuments

The Old Man of Hoy, a 449 sea stack (weather permitting). One of tallest stacks in Britain.

The Italian Chapel and the Scapa Flow wrecks

The sea stacks, cliffs, and wild seas of Yesnaby

We’ve secured a series of 4-star cottages along Stromness harbour, all with access to a pier with beautiful sea views. Every guest will have their own room and there is no single supplement. All except two rooms have their own bathrooms – en-suite bedrooms will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Set in Stromness, the cottages will be our base, “play area” as well as accommodation. In addition, we will hire a space at the nearby Pier Arts Centre for some of the time. The cottages are within minutes walk from all local amenities, including the Pier Arts Centre, the Stromness Museum, cafes, deli, bakery, shops and chemist. It’s the perfect base to explore and photograph the wild and historic landscape of the Orkney Isles.

The retreat includes:

– 7 nights accommodation in one of the 4-star seafront cottages (single occupancy/ most rooms are en-suite)

– Daily programme of walks, talks and creative things

– Welcome drinks and nibbles on arrival

– 7 breakfasts

– 6 lunches

– 7 evening meals with wine

– Minibus transport when travelling as a group while on the islands

– All creative materials incl. sketchbook journal

– Studio hire fees

– Wild at Art canvas bag

– Detailed pre-travel information by email

Flights and travel to/from Orkney are not included. Personal travel insurance is required.

We will collect you from Kirkwall airport. Flights depart from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness and connections can be made from Manchester and London.

Alternatively, we will collect you from Northlink Stromness ferry terminal sailing from Scrabster to Stromness. It is possible to leave your car at the ferry terminal in Scrabster if you wish.