Our reading retreats weave long stretches of quiet reading with time outdoors - a rhythm of contemplation and connection, embracing solitude for diving deep and small gatherings for good food and good company.
Small in scale, creative in spirit, they're designed for those who want to read deeply, rest fully and reconnect with the natural world.
At a glance
upcoming retreats
Readers of the River Moon
Three spacious days for books, kinship, firelight, and unhurried reading in a place shaped by water, trees and stories.
The River Moon (aka Sturgeon Moon) is August’s full moon, named for the abundance of fish.
Fri 28 – Mon 31 August 2026 (late Summer Bank Holiday)
Oakhill Ponds & The Beeches, Somerset
Up to 16 guests · From £645 pp
(3 nights, all meals + shared sauna sessions included)
- Fri: Arrive and settle with a welcome supper, before enjoying an (optional) full moon swim and sauna with our local swim community.
- Sat: A gentle day of reading, relaxing and swimming, followed by a literary walk around the ponds weaving words with nature.
- Sun: More space for reading before a gathering in the yurt for browsing and shared stories, concluding with a celebratory supper.
There are plenty of comfortable outdoor and indoor reading spaces: shepherds huts, sheltered pavilions, hammocks, recliners, the Walled Garden yurt and the Horse Lorry Library — with an indoor library and fireside rooms at The Beeches for cooler hours.
Scroll down for photos ↓
who they're for
- people who take their reading life seriously but take themselves lightly
- readers who enjoy books that stretch their thinking or move their inner life
- those who appreciate quiet company, firesides and time in nature
- anyone craving a few days where the only decision is “what shall I read next?”
why reading here
Oakhill Ponds feels like its own small world. With 25 acres of woodland, marshland and ponds, holding the remnants of an Arcadian wilderness garden and 18th century grotto, it inhabits a weather and mood of its own. Tucked away on the edge of the village, with a country pub up the lane, it is connected to the wider community while offering tranquil retreat.
what's here
There are two large spring-fed ponds, an outdoor sauna/spa area, a horse-lorry library, hammocks and fires — with shepherd’s huts and Lotus Belle tents dotted lightly around the land; an atmospheric old grotto separates the ponds. There are three wood-fired hot tubs. The Beeches, a large, book-lined old house with sofas, hearths and shelves of books is also available.
A place to switch off, listen to birdsong and spend unhurried time with your books.
where you will stay
a mix of spaces: shepherd’s huts, Lotus Belle tents in an off-grid setting and the Walled Garden
The Beeches – a spacious, book-lined house with firesides, adjoining the Walled Garden
Upper Beeches - a 3 bedroom apartment that adjoins the land
all spaces are warm, comfortable and beautiful; retreats are intentionally small and light-touch