summerislessenseofplace

        Summer Isles: A Sense of Place                  

                              A residential poetry writing course

                            suitable for beginners and more experienced writers.

Dates:                17th-23rd May, 2010 (Mon eve to Sat morn, 4 days/5 nights)

Where:                Tanera Mhor, one of the Summer Isles,

                             off  the North West coast of Scotland.

Cost:                   £450, includes bed and all food and Achiltibuie ferry on

                             arrival and  departure.  Travel extra.

                             Shared rooms are £10 per head, per night cheaper.

Tutors:                Stephanie Green and Mandy Haggith

Accomodation:  cottages on the island. See website in sidebar.

Wokshops:       in the former Schoolhouse, (a converted cottage) or in the                                   studio/cafe.

Meals:                 Breakfast in your cottage; lunch and dinner in studio/cafe.

Terrain:    we regret that due to a steep hill between the cottages and the necessity to be able to walk with ease, that this course is not suitable for those with lack of mobility or needing wheelchairs.

Luggage can be transported from the harbour to the cottages in a trailer drawn by a quad bike and people can hitch a lift in the back of the trailer between cottages and workshops/meals, if required.

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Tanera Mhor is the only inhabited island in the Summer Isles, off Achiltibuie, Wester Ross, on the North West coast of Scotland.  This is an idyllic isle, especially in May when the wildflowers are out.  If you want a truely remote spot, fifty years behind the times, this is the place for you.    It takes some effort to get here.  You have to really want to come:  there's no street  life (no streets) and the bright lights are the stars. No TV. No shops.  Entertainment will be sea-birds, seals, porpoises and mid-week an optional boat trip round the other Summer Isles.

In the evenings, any entertainment is provided by ourselves: poetry readings,  and a last night ceildhe (non-dancing but poetry and song. Bring a portable musical instrument if you play. )

Oh, and time to write, in group workshops, with free afternoons to write, walk, paint, take photos or snooze.  Check out the web-site in the sidebar to see photos of the stunning views and get a further idea of the place.

IN MORE DETAIL 

TUTORS:    Mandy Haggith and Stephanie Green are both poets  and experienced tutors.  Mandy is currently tutoring in Assynt and Stephanie has tutored for many years for the W.E.A and most recently at the OLL, Edinburgh University. They both perform together frequently as part of the group Loose Tongues.   By following this link, you will also find samples of their poems.

THE COURSE:    There will be a mixture of indoor workshops and writing outside at beauty spots, to inspire your writing.  Afternoons are free for your own writing and one to ones with the tutors.  We hope to include a boat trip round the isles.  We will explore ways of writing about the place we are in, both the interior and exterior landscape

TRAVEL

By car            via Ullapool to Achiltibuie. Passenger ferry from Badentarbet                              Pier to Tanera Mhor.

 By train         to Inverness.  Then bus to Ullapool.  Meet at the Ceildhe Place,                           Ullapool for cars to take you on to Badentarbet Pier,                                               Achiltibuie  for a  passenger ferry to Tanera Mhor.

Airport:           Inverness, Edinburgh or Glasgow, then  as  above.

DIRECTIONS FROM ACHILTIBUIE

Proceed to Badentarbet Pier where we cross to Tanera on MV Patricia where we land on the North End of the island. From there it is a 10 min walk to the cottages.  Luggage will be taken up by quad bike and trailer.

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Allow all day to get there (not including air travel).  Some might find it less tiring to break the journey by travelling up a day early and staying overnight at Inverness or Ullapool.  See Visit Scotland tourist site for accomodation.

BOOKING:  Please email steph.green1@googlemail.com

to book your place and find out address to send cheque to of  half fee of £225 deposit, rest payable by 15th March, 2010. Cheques to be made out to Stephanie Green.

CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY:

In the event of cancellation by the tutors, you will be refunded all monies.

In the event of cancellation by the student, the deposit is non-refundable, unless we can fill your place.  After end March, no monies will be refundable,  

TERMS AND CONDITIONS SUMMER ISLES SENSE OF PLACE