Creative Writing - Solo Creative Retreat - 22-25 August 2025
Draw inspiration from the real-life places found in Dartmoor’s rich tradition of folklore and tales. Bring your boots, we’ll provide the map. Complete your stay by letterpress printing a short passage you’ve written.
Our workshop is a short walk from Sherlock Holmes's Grimpen Mire. Or, if you prefer pixies, we can provide you with several locations, rich in mischief and wonderful views.
Take time away in England’s last wilderness: Dartmoor National Park. Connect deeply with place, explore the remarkable flora and fauna. Elevate your own creative practice with expert-led time in our heritage letterpress studio.
On Retreat
Our solo creative retreats offer what you’ve been longing: uninterrupted time to connect deeply with nature in Dartmoor’s ancient landscape. This isn’t merely a creative break, but the reset that will help you continue to capture precious moments long after you return home.
Designed to support and nurture your creativity, our retreats will add knowledge, motivation, and momentum to your creative journey.
During your stay, you will have the opportunity to enjoy independent and guided walks, record and document the unique heritage and natural landscape of Dartmoor, and print your own words in our heritage letterpress workshop.
Dates: 22-25 August 2025
You will receive four Dartmoor experience envelopes, each with a suggested activity and duration. Before arriving, you will fill out a short get-to-know-you survey. We'll use the information from this survey to create the perfect itinerary. From our favourite watering holes to locations where you might meet buzzards and ravens, our local knowledge will be ready for you on arrival.
-
22 August: Introduction to Dartmoor
A short welcome introducing you to the retreat experience, Princetown and Dartmoor. Duration to suit your arrival time. If you arrive early enough, this could also be a guided, or independent walk. -
23 August: Engage in your creative practice
Enjoy a day of submersing yourself in the expanse of high moors of Dartmoor and engaging in your creative practice. We will suggest four different activities, but the day is yours! -
24 August: Creative practice and intro to letterpress
You will spend half the day in our heritage craft letterpress workshop getting an introduction to printing with metal and wood type, and help to start your printing project. Your workshop time is split into two half days. This gives you a chance to familiarise yourself with the process, and perhaps adjust expectations. -
25 August: Finish your letterpress printing & departure.
Starting from 9am, you will have full access to our letterpress workshop to complete your printing. We will be on hand to support. You are welcome to stay for as long as it takes.
You will return home with a lasting memory of time spent on your creative practice, wonderful letterpress printed items completed by you, and a renewed energy for documenting the world around you.
Four-day retreat: £595.
Additionally, we are happy to coordinate accommodation and meals during your stay. Please let us know if you would like help with this, and we will price separately.
We are happy to work with you to create a bespoke experience.
What's included:
- One-to-one support to design and print an opening paragraph or memorable extract from your writing
- One full day in our heritage craft letterpress workshop, split across two half days
- Four independent activities designed specifically for you and your creative practice.
- Coffee/tea/cakes will be provided on workshop days
What you will take home
- A short edition of your writing, letterpress printed by hand onto British recycled paper
- Nature documentation kit. Includes our favourite every-day-carry notebook, British-made wood pencils, and the world's best pencil sharpener (we've tested lots!)
- Gift box of ephemera from our workshop
Prior experience required: absolutely none! Even if you think you have zero artistic talent, and you're just creative writing-curious, this creative retreat is perfect for you.
Independent activities: We will work with you to understand what might make the perfect creative retreat for you. Using guidance you provide from our workshop pre-survey, we will create four activities of varying length. These will be presented on arrival as print-outs in sealed envelopes. You may wish to open them immediately on arrival, or keep them as a surprise.
The workshop is open to everyone, however, there is not an accessible toilet on-site. The presses are designed to be used while standing, and there is limited seating. Please get in touch if you like to talk through any accommodations that might improve your experience in the studio, or if you have any other questions or concerns about the workshop or facilities.
Full day: 10AM - 4PM
Half day: 10AM - 1PM
All workshops are held at our studio:
1, Tor Royal Workshops
Princetown
Devon
PL20 6SL
Full day: 10AM - 4PM
Half day: 10AM - 1PM
All workshops are held at our studio:
1, Tor Royal Workshops
Princetown
Devon
PL20 6SL
Draw inspiration from the real-life places found in Dartmoor’s rich tradition of folklore and tales. Bring your boots, we’ll provide the map. Complete your stay by letterpress printing a short passage you’ve written.
Our workshop is a short walk from Sherlock Holmes's Grimpen Mire. Or, if you prefer pixies, we can provide you with several locations, rich in mischief and wonderful views.
Take time away in England’s last wilderness: Dartmoor National Park. Connect deeply with place, explore the remarkable flora and fauna. Elevate your own creative practice with expert-led time in our heritage letterpress studio.
On Retreat
Our solo creative retreats offer what you’ve been longing: uninterrupted time to connect deeply with nature in Dartmoor’s ancient landscape. This isn’t merely a creative break, but the reset that will help you continue to capture precious moments long after you return home.
Designed to support and nurture your creativity, our retreats will add knowledge, motivation, and momentum to your creative journey.
During your stay, you will have the opportunity to enjoy independent and guided walks, record and document the unique heritage and natural landscape of Dartmoor, and print your own words in our heritage letterpress workshop.
Dates: 22-25 August 2025
You will receive four Dartmoor experience envelopes, each with a suggested activity and duration. Before arriving, you will fill out a short get-to-know-you survey. We'll use the information from this survey to create the perfect itinerary. From our favourite watering holes to locations where you might meet buzzards and ravens, our local knowledge will be ready for you on arrival.
-
22 August: Introduction to Dartmoor
A short welcome introducing you to the retreat experience, Princetown and Dartmoor. Duration to suit your arrival time. If you arrive early enough, this could also be a guided, or independent walk. -
23 August: Engage in your creative practice
Enjoy a day of submersing yourself in the expanse of high moors of Dartmoor and engaging in your creative practice. We will suggest four different activities, but the day is yours! -
24 August: Creative practice and intro to letterpress
You will spend half the day in our heritage craft letterpress workshop getting an introduction to printing with metal and wood type, and help to start your printing project. Your workshop time is split into two half days. This gives you a chance to familiarise yourself with the process, and perhaps adjust expectations. -
25 August: Finish your letterpress printing & departure.
Starting from 9am, you will have full access to our letterpress workshop to complete your printing. We will be on hand to support. You are welcome to stay for as long as it takes.
You will return home with a lasting memory of time spent on your creative practice, wonderful letterpress printed items completed by you, and a renewed energy for documenting the world around you.
Four-day retreat: £595.
Additionally, we are happy to coordinate accommodation and meals during your stay. Please let us know if you would like help with this, and we will price separately.
We are happy to work with you to create a bespoke experience.
What's included:
- One-to-one support to design and print an opening paragraph or memorable extract from your writing
- One full day in our heritage craft letterpress workshop, split across two half days
- Four independent activities designed specifically for you and your creative practice.
- Coffee/tea/cakes will be provided on workshop days
What you will take home
- A short edition of your writing, letterpress printed by hand onto British recycled paper
- Nature documentation kit. Includes our favourite every-day-carry notebook, British-made wood pencils, and the world's best pencil sharpener (we've tested lots!)
- Gift box of ephemera from our workshop
Prior experience required: absolutely none! Even if you think you have zero artistic talent, and you're just creative writing-curious, this creative retreat is perfect for you.
Independent activities: We will work with you to understand what might make the perfect creative retreat for you. Using guidance you provide from our workshop pre-survey, we will create four activities of varying length. These will be presented on arrival as print-outs in sealed envelopes. You may wish to open them immediately on arrival, or keep them as a surprise.
The workshop is open to everyone, however, there is not an accessible toilet on-site. The presses are designed to be used while standing, and there is limited seating. Please get in touch if you like to talk through any accommodations that might improve your experience in the studio, or if you have any other questions or concerns about the workshop or facilities.
Full day: 10AM - 4PM
Half day: 10AM - 1PM
All workshops are held at our studio:
1, Tor Royal Workshops
Princetown
Devon
PL20 6SL
Full day: 10AM - 4PM
Half day: 10AM - 1PM
All workshops are held at our studio:
1, Tor Royal Workshops
Princetown
Devon
PL20 6SL
All of our workshops are now private. They are perfect for friends, couples, and a guardian + child.
The studio is tiny. At maximum, we can accommodate two adults, or one adult and one child. The workshop fee includes one or two people. You do not need to pay separately for the second person.
Yes, kids are welcome! Generally speaking, the older the kids, the more likely they'll have the attention span for a multi-hour workshop. You know your little ones best, though.
To book a private workshop: buy a workshop through the website (i.e., on this page). We'll be in touch to find a mutually suitable date. The lead time is generally 1-2 months. If we can't agree on a date, you will receive a full refund. Once the date is agreed in writing (email), the standard cancellation policy will apply.
If you're not sure, please reach out before you book a workshop.
All of our workshops are now private. They are perfect for friends, couples, and a guardian + child.
The studio is tiny. At maximum, we can accommodate two adults, or one adult and one child. The workshop fee includes one or two people. You do not need to pay separately for the second person.
Yes, kids are welcome! Generally speaking, the older the kids, the more likely they'll have the attention span for a multi-hour workshop. You know your little ones best, though.
To book a private workshop: buy a workshop through the website (i.e., on this page). We'll be in touch to find a mutually suitable date. The lead time is generally 1-2 months. If we can't agree on a date, you will receive a full refund. Once the date is agreed in writing (email), the standard cancellation policy will apply.
If you're not sure, please reach out before you book a workshop.
The workshop is held at Tor Royal Workshops, just outside Princetown. Some of the venue is wheelchair accessible, but the presses are designed to be used while standing and there is limited seating. Please get in touch if this will be challenging for you, and we can talk through what accommodations might improve your experience in the studio.
We will do everything we can to accommodate vulnerable workshop participants. This includes masking, keeping the window open, and having hand sanitiser available. You may be asked to wear a mask whilst in the workshop. We hope this is not an imposition, but if it is not possible for you to wear a mask, please let us know in advance.
The workshop is held at Tor Royal Workshops, just outside Princetown. Some of the venue is wheelchair accessible, but the presses are designed to be used while standing and there is limited seating. Please get in touch if this will be challenging for you, and we can talk through what accommodations might improve your experience in the studio.
We will do everything we can to accommodate vulnerable workshop participants. This includes masking, keeping the window open, and having hand sanitiser available. You may be asked to wear a mask whilst in the workshop. We hope this is not an imposition, but if it is not possible for you to wear a mask, please let us know in advance.
Princetown Press reserves the right to cancel a workshop.
We require at least 3 days notice of cancellation to receive a full refund. Any cancellation less than 3 days prior to the workshop, will receive a workshop credit good for 60 days for any available workshop of equal value.
If you are more than 45 minutes late, you will be considered a “no show” and it will be too late to receive a refund, workshop credit or begin typesetting & printing at this point.
Princetown Press reserves the right to cancel a workshop.
We require at least 3 days notice of cancellation to receive a full refund. Any cancellation less than 3 days prior to the workshop, will receive a workshop credit good for 60 days for any available workshop of equal value.
If you are more than 45 minutes late, you will be considered a “no show” and it will be too late to receive a refund, workshop credit or begin typesetting & printing at this point.