ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
creative breaks
Sometimes a short break needs to be something more than a few days away from home. Sometimes we need to try something totally different, absolutely new, to keep our brains active and our bodies fit and healthy. By combining a mini holiday with an activity such as cooking or painting, we can fall in love with a new hobby whilst recharging our batteries. Here are some creative breaks around the UK to help you relax your body and revive your mind.
The Shoemaking School // London Eckington Manor // Eckington, Worcestershire
If you really want to experience something you’ ve never tried before, why not have a go at making shoes? The tradition of making shoes by hand( cobbling) is an ancient one, but one that is becoming more and more rare – so not only are you experiencing something completely different at London’ s Shoemaking School, you are also ensuring that old ways are kept alive. Here you can join an intensive five-day course in London( or in Berkeley, California, if you want to travel further afield) for £ 992. The Shoemaking School also offers courses in tutu making and boned bodice creation. And since you’ re in London( or Berkeley) why not make the most of your time and explore the city too? www. theshoemakingschool. co. uk // 0207 923 9450
Set on the border of the Cotswolds, stunning Eckington Manor is luxurious and unique; it’ s the perfect place to stay and unwind for a while, surrounded by wooden beams and gorgeous scenery. But there is more to Eckington Manor than simply a lovely hotel with perfectly appointed rooms – there is a cookery school here too. And not just any old cookery school; this particular one offers the largest number of Agas in a UK cookery school, and there are even specialist Aga cookery courses to make the most of that fact. But if Agas aren’ t your thing there are plenty of other things to cook, and all of them are made from fully traceable, locally produced ingredients. Courses include knife skills, restaurant dishes at home, making the most of your Aga, easy entertainment, introduction to bread making and more. Courses from £ 40( accommodation must be booked separately). www. eckingtonmanor. co. uk // 01386 751600
West Dean College // Chichester, Sussex
The Creative Retreat // Banff, Aberdeenshire
The Creative Retreat offers creative art breaks for both beginners and experts alike. Try out a new medium, or hone your skills in something you’ ve tried before; the expert tutors will guide you through the course with practical tips and sound theory. The art holidays last for one week, and you will be able to stay in your own self-catered room( your evening welcome meal is included). Courses include lino printing, abstract art, drawing in the area, the essentials of painting, creative colour, and painting and drawing. Residential courses start at £ 465, although nonresidential options are available. www. creative-retreat. co. uk // 01261 812276
There are dozens of different courses to try at Chichester’ s beautiful West Dean College. From pottery to painting, from metalworking to music, from glass and mosaics to gardening – plus plenty more. Some of the courses last for a day, but others are two-, three-, or even four-day courses, giving you the full experience of whichever craft it is you are keen to have a go at. Accommodation is available in this stunning building for those who want to enjoy the longer courses and stay away from home to do so. West Dean College – former home of poet and surrealist painter Edward James – offers both traditional and more modern rooms, but both types are fully equipped with tea and coffee making facilities, an iron and ironing board, towels, toiletries, and many are en suite. Prices start at £ 175. www. westdean. org. uk // 01243 818300
Darren Harbar Photography
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