CLOCKHOUSE RETREATS

• Six-day retreats at The Clockhouse are Tuesday (arrive from 1.30pm) to Monday (depart by 10am).*
• Four-day retreats at The Clockhouse are Thursday (arrive from 1.30pm) to Monday (depart by 10am)*
• The retreat fee includes full board accommodation (not including alcohol).
• To secure your place, you will need to pay a deposit of £200 at the time of booking.
• You are welcome to pay in instalments via our online booking system.
• The full balance of your retreat fee is payable no later than six weeks before the retreat starts.
• Please note that pets are not permitted.
• We do not currently offer grants for Writers Retreats.
• No guests or visitors are permitted within The Clockhouse during your stay.
• Parking is available at The Hurst. For travel details to The Hurst see here.
• The building is wheelchair-accessible throughout, with level access to all floors and a lift. There is also one apartment with a height-adjustable desk and fully accessible wet-room.

By train / taxi

There are rail connections to London, Wales, the North and South-West England from Craven Arms station, eight miles away.

The nearest station is Craven Arms, eight miles from The Hurst. It is a fairly well-serviced station on the main line between Manchester and Cardiff, with rail connections to London, the North and South-West England.

You will need to book a cab to collect you. Below are the numbers of local companies we recommend. The journey takes around 20 minutes so please bear this in mind when you are planning your trip.

Rez’s Cab – 07487 899102

Wolfcar – 01584 856690

Ron – 07890 904732

By car:

Details on how to travel to The Hurst by car can be found here. We have plenty of free car parking available at The Hurst.

You should plan to arrive between 1.30 and 3.30pm. An Arvon staff member will give a short talk about the centre at 4pm. Please note that we are not able to receive you here at the Clockhouse before 1.30pm. Similarly, we ask you to vacate the accommodation no later than 10am on your day of departure.

All your food will be provided during your stay at The Clockhouse. Breakfast and lunch will be a “help yourself” arrangement. You will find a good range of food in the kitchen, just help yourself. For your evening meals there will be a choice of locally produced frozen meals which can just be heated up, and also a wide selection of food items should you wish to cook from scratch. With advance notice we can cater for all dietary requirements.

We encourage you to dine with your fellow writers at 7pm each evening if you would like to. If you wish to drink alcohol please bring your own supplies. There is a general store in Clun, the nearest village, with a good range of wines and beers.

If you would like to do some foraging of your own you will find a small general store and butchers in Clun, 1 mile away, a supermarket, butchers and other shops in Bishop’s Castle, just under 7 miles away, also in Craven Arms, 7 miles away, and a wide variety of food shops, including delis, butchers and bakers in Ludlow, a 30 minute drive away.

There is a reasonable mobile signal for EE and Vodafone at The Clockhouse but on other networks, the coverage varies. There is Wi-Fi available throughout the building. There are also two printers located in communal areas.

Towels will be provided and there is a washing machine and tumble drier in The Clockhouse. The Clockhouse will be cleaned weekly, after writers have departed, and not during the period of your stay. You will have access to the 26 acres of Hurst grounds and gardens so do bring some suitable footwear.

The Hurst sits within The Shropshire Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are some wonderful walks, in every direction. We will provide local maps and recommended walks.

The building is wheelchair-accessible throughout, with level access to all floors and a lift. There is also one apartment with a desk that can be adapted to accommodate a wheelchair, and fully accessible wet-room. Please let us know your accessibility needs on booking, and we will do our utmost to accommodate your requirements.

As The Clockhouse is a retreat space we ask that you do not invite any guests into The Clockhouse during your stay there.

We are sorry but pets are not allowed at The Clockhouse.

If you have any additional questions please feel free to be in touch either by phone or e-mail –

thehurst@arvon.org / 01588 640 658