WRITE ON THE ISLAND - Piel Island, Furness Peninsula SW Cumbria

SATURDAY MAY 23RD: This month's Write on the Farm workshop will be held on Piel Island  a small island at the far end of the Furness Peninsula in south west Cumbria. With a ruined Castle, King of Piel, pub and seals, it's an ideal 'away from it all' writing retreat.

The workshop starts at 10.30am, when we catch the ferry to the island, and finishes around 4pm, when we return by ferry to Roa Island. A road connects Roa Island with Rampside.

Please bring with you lunch and refreshments. You can also buy these in the pub on the island if you wish.

Please come prepared for the weather and wear suitable footwear and clothing. Bring with you notebook and pens/pencils.

Cost:
£35 for the workshop
£5 return on the ferry from Roa Island Jetty to Piel Island (and back). It's a short trip, but very enjoyable.

10am - Meet in free car park, Roa Island at 10am.

We'll return from the island to the mainland around 4pm (depending on ferry times)

Places limited to 10 people - please book early!

Writing exercises will include: a 'point to point' around the island writing a plein air at a series of selected stopping points; exploring the idea of the eerie, referring to Rob MacFarlane's recent article in the Guardian and writing the landscape, as well as warm-up writing exercises designed to get your creative juices flowing! The island is rich in history from the Monks of Furness Abbey to smuggling to witnessing the launch of modern submarines, as well as wildlife, including Common and Grey Seals.

photos by Geraldine Green

How to get there: A590 to Booths roundabout, Ulverston - carry on across roundabout a short distance to a set of traffic lights. Turn left at these lights, following the signs for the A5087 "Coast Road, Bardsea" - continue along the Coast Road (which connects Ulverston and Barrow) Continue on the A5087 for about 15 minutes until you come to a roundabout. Turn left at the roundabout, for 'Rampside'. A causeway-road connects Rampside to Roa Island. Once on Roa Island, the free car park is on your right.

Please note: should the weather be bad, then Plan B is to hold the workshop in Conishead Priory, where we can wander through the woods to the beach, look across to Chapel Island, and have refreshments in the gardens, or in the cafe.

Interested? Please contact me for more details: geraldinegreen[dot]poetry[1][at]gmail[dot]