No, this is not a blog about spacetime, or about anything to do with astronomy, science or even science fiction. It’s about time and space to write. In beautiful surroundings. With all meals provided. And a bunch of other writers to be sociable with at mealtimes and after dinner. Or not. Your choice.
Yes I’m talking about the Milford Writers’ Retreat held annually in May each year. There are currently two places available on our 2023 retreat, from 13th – 20th May. (Maximum attendees, 12.)
Unlike our Milford Writers’ Conference, there’s no minimum qualification. You don’t have to have had anything published, you just need to be serious about your writing.
The venue is Trigonos in the little Welsh village of Nantlle, within sight of Mount Snowdon, and with its own lake frontage. It’s a centre for conferences and courses, where participants have a comfortable ensuite room, equipped with a table and chair in addition to the usual bedroomy things. All rooms have tea and coffee-making facilities, and most have a view over the garden or down to the lake.
Trigonos is a very special place for groups such as ours. The staff members are not intrusive and we’re largely left to our own devices between meals. We can write in our rooms, find a quiet space on the main house, or take a laptop outside and park our backside on a seat overlooking the water or on the edge of the woodland.
If you need a break, you can take yourself off for a walk, a drive, a visit to Caernarfon (9 miles) with its impressive castle and boat-rides into the Menai Straits, or any one of a number of tourist hot-spots. If you’re a fan of The Prisoner, Portmeirion. is only a short drive away.
As for meals… did I say the week was fully catered.? You’ll never go hungry at Trigonos. Breakfast is from 8.00 – 9.00 a.m., elevenses at eleven (no surprise there). Lunch is at 1.00 p.m. It’s cake o’clock at 4.00 p.m. and dinner at 7.00 p.m. They have a vegetarian ethos, but they will cook meat for us if we want it. They’ll also cater for allergies and intolerances. We’re all at a single long table in the dining room which makes for some interesting conversations.
So if you might fancy a week of time and space to write your magnum opus about spacetime, the Milford retreat is for you. A couple of years ago, Catie Murphy wrote 33,000 words in a week. We thought that was pretty good going and from that point on we decided to count words in murphys. Then last year, Mike Lewis managed to write 57,000 words – almost a double-murphy. Most of us would have been very happy with a half-murphy.
Go on. You know you want to.
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