Day two
8am: Swim in Ullswater with Joe and renowned cold water swimming expert, Colin Hill. This will be a chance for guests to take in their surroundings and consider what they might like to write about.
9.30am: Breakfast in Rampsbeck Restaurant
10.30am: Writing workshop starts in the library. We’ll spend an hour discussing how to turn the notes and ideas from the morning’s swim into a piece of writing. This will include looking at writing about swimming and nature by authors including Roger Deakin, Jessica J Lee and Nina Mingya Powles
Joe will supply copies of the material to guests before they arrive, but the library will have copies also. We’ll discuss how water and nature can spark memories and lead into explorations about experiences that are seemingly unrelated to swimming. There will be the opportunity to consider sentence structure and how to make work succinct and powerful, and how we can use the specifics of nature to delve into bigger themes.
11:30am: Take a break to explore the grounds and write about the morning’s swim and encounters with nature around the lake, using skills learned in the workshop
1pm: Lunch in The Living Space
From 2pm: Opportunities for individual tutorials. Writers can bring work they have already been working on or work they have produced during the day which Joe will be able to give guidance on.
5pm: Gather in the library to share what’s been written guests can choose whether they want to share but there is no obligation.
7pm: Dinner to be booked by guest
8pm: Option to join the night swim in Ullswater with Colin Hill. Depending on the date this could be a stargazing swim or full moon swim. To be booked by guest.
