Voice, Willow & the Living World
A weekend retreat weaving song, basketry and stillness into two full days you won't easily forget.
24–26 September 2026
Places limited to 15 — book early
There is something deeply satisfying about making things with your hands and singing while you do it. Both are ancient. Both require you to slow down, pay attention, and trust a process you cannot entirely control. This retreat brings them together — alongside good food, a comfortable bed and a morning yoga practice to ease you into each day.
Whether you've never held a willow rod or haven't sung in company since school, you are welcome here. Our days are unhurried. The work is guided but not rushed. By the time you leave on Sunday afternoon, you'll have made something tangible from the earth, opened your voice in ways that may surprise you, and found — in the company of others doing the same — a particular kind of ease that's difficult to name but easy to recognise.
The shape of the weekend
Friday 24 September — evening
We ask each participant to bring something to share for the opening meal — a dish, a loaf, something from your kitchen or your garden. It's a good way to arrive. A gentle opening circle follows to meet the group and get a feel for the place, then songs and stories around the fire to close the evening.
Saturday 25 September
Yoga before breakfast to ease you into the day. Willow weaving through the morning, a shared lunch, then more weaving through the afternoon with singing woven through — at the bench, around the table, wherever it arises naturally. Evening meal together, then back to the fire for songs and stories as the night settles in.
Sunday 26 September
Yoga to start the day, then weaving through the morning. A shared lunch together, then back to the bench for the afternoon — time to finish your piece, find the details, take your time. When the work is done, goodbyes are said over tea before you head for home, something handmade under your arm and, most likely, a song still in your head.
What's included
Willow weaving
Two full days of hands-on basketry with willow grown and harvested from Irish wetlands. All materials provided.
Singing & voice
Guided group singing through the days and around the fire in the evenings — traditional songs, rounds, harmonies and stories. No experience required.
Morning yoga
A gentle grounding practice each morning before the weaving begins. All levels welcome.
Accommodation
A variety of sleeping options in a peaceful rural setting, Friday and Saturday nights. Get in touch to discuss what's available and what suits you best.
Meals
Breakfasts, lunches and Saturday evening meal provided. Friday evening is a bring-a-dish supper — we'll let you know what's needed. Dietary requirements catered for.
You arrive with your hands empty. You leave carrying something you made yourself — and something harder to put down.
Who is this for
Anyone who wants to slow down, make something, and sing. Artists, craftspeople, complete beginners. People who work with their hands and people who rarely do. Those who love traditional music and those who've never thought about it. If you're drawn to the idea, that's reason enough to come.
Places are limited to fifteen participants — and they do go. If you're thinking about it, it's worth getting in touch sooner rather than later.