To visitors of this special place: the Writers’ Cabin near Machynlleth, Wales
by Kathryn Tann
It didn’t take long for me to understand how deeply settling this place would be for my creative self. It took about an hour, in fact; of sunlit rain on the roof of the veranda, my usual to-do list far away, left among the scrawl of half-finished jobs back home. About an hour spent with the soft, misty parting of this green valley: with the view from the Writers’ Cabin.
After a few precious mornings, afternoons and evenings more in the company of this view, I made a different kind of list. A set of guidelines for the writer in retreat. I share them here, with you, in the hope that when it’s your turn to stay in this special place, you find as much magic in it as I did.
1: Always have your notebook near.
2: If you have a thought, however fleeting, that feels part of something bigger, let it come – write it down.
3: Go outside. Leave the cabin. Take a walk. This is the opposite of wasted time.
4: Spend time on the veranda without anything with you: no phone, book or podcast. Blankets allowed. Cup of tea encouraged. Dawn and dusk are best – even better if it’s raining.
5: Be around to watch the sun set (or rise) each day. Notice how the light changes and the hills transform.
6: Don’t do too much cooking – that’s not what you came here for.
7: Nourish and treat yourself, nevertheless. Posh ready-meals and favourite snacks are recommended.
8: Don’t set a fixed word-count for your time here; reading and thinking are all part of the good effort.
9: Be open to other ideas: their seeds might never have been sown had you not come to this place. It’s good to arrive with a purpose, but even better to leave with something bonus and unexpected.
10: Stay away from socials whilst you’re here. Honestly, you don’t need them. Everything you need is in this cabin – or in the view from its window. (Take a few photos then put the phone away).
11: Shut the door before the sun begins to set – if you want to avoid things buzzing around at bedtime (you’re welcome).
12: Feel free to disregard any of the above. The rules are yours to make – as is this space – for as long as you are here.
Writers’ Cabin guest Kathryn Tann is the author of the essay collection Seaglass and Editorial Director at Folding Rock magazine.
Book your weekend away in the Writers’ Cabin just outside Machynlleth. Discover for yourself the deep peace and stunning natural surroundings within the Dyfi biosphere…
