Join us for two weeks of natural building on the beautiful North Cornish coast, and learn how to create a low-impact, low-cost straw-bale roundhouse!
***Bursary places now available on this course - see below for details.***
Soulful Structures
Come and learn how to make a cute little roundhouse just like the one pictured above.
These structures are affordable, soul-nurturing, human-scale and earth-wise - perfect for aspiring earth-dwellers!
Or, if land-based revolution isn’t where you’re at right now, you can use what you learn on this course to build yourself a sweet circular garden room for use as a studio, office or any number of other wonderful things.
Or just come and enjoy the experience!
Natural building is fun and empowering, and someone has probably proven it to increase psychological wellbeing (in our unscientific experience, it really does!).
Practical Details
The Course
Together we’ll be creating an 18ft (internal diameter) roundhouse with strawbale wall and reciprocal frame roof, built on an insulated wooden platform. Just like the one pictured above.
We’ll be building the whole thing from the ground up, going carefully through each step to provide both understanding and hands-on experience of the entire process.
The Facilitator
James learned how to build roundhouses while living off-grid for around 5 years at a radical, elemental land-based community / retreat centre called Tir Ysbrydol, in Wales.
He has made/been part of making around a dozen of these little structures. This will be his third time leading a workshop of this kind.
Timetable
The 12-day course is designed to give us enough time to build an entire roundhouse, while also being relaxed enough to make it an enjoyable experience.
There will be 10 workshop days in total, during which we’ll be active from 9.30 – 4.30, taking an hour for lunch.
In the middle of the course we’ll take the weekend off to rest/go to the beach/explore the area.
Dates
Arrival: afternoon/evening of Sunday 28th April (light supper provided)
Mon 29th April – Fri 3rd May: workshop days
Sat 4th May – Sun 5th May: rest days
Mon 6th May – Fri 10th May: workshop days
Departure: morning of Saturday 11 May
Venue
The venue is a land-based wellness centre at the early stages of development. Set on 4 acres, the project currently comprises a spacious cottage, an existing strawbale roundhouse, and a large meadow which is under development with various low-impact structures and where edible gardens are being established.
The site is 30 mins walk from one of the most beautiful and secluded stretches of beach on the North Cornish coast.
Accommodation
There are two accommodation options:
Bring-your-own-tent camping / vanlife
Bed in the lovely cottage on site (view accommodation)
Food
Lunches and dinners (vegan or vegetarian) are provided for the full 12 days; breakfast is bring-your-own.
Facilities
The communal areas of the cottage on the site can be used by all course participants (view the house).
The roundhouse pictured on this page will be our dining room and chill-out space.
There’s a natural outdoor swimming pool on site.
30 mins walk to one of Cornwall’s best beaches.
Showers and toilets are available in the main house.
Compost loos are available outdoors.
Pricing
Thanks to a generous donation we can offer spaces at the following discounted prices:
Camping/vanlife: £200 (was £500)
Bed in Pennans Cottage: just £500 (was £1000)
Both include full tuition plus vegan/vegetarian lunch and dinner for the 12 days of the course:
Requirements
This is a hands-on course, and some aspects of it are a bit demanding, so a moderate level of fitness and physical ability is needed in all participants.
No previous natural building experience is necessary, although a familiarity with making things by hand is definitely an advantage.
Booking
To reserve a place, please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you asap to confirm.
Or if you’re not sure yet, you can schedule a quick chat to discuss the course and ask any questions here.
Payment
Full payment will be required to secure your place on this course.
After we receive your booking form and confirm that spaces are available, we will send you payment details. Only when we have received your payment will your booking be confirmed. Spaces will be confirmed on a first-come basis.
Cancellation
Please take a moment to review our cancellation policy:
• If you cancel at any time up to 8 weeks before the event start date, 90% of your full payment will be refunded.
• If you cancel within 8 weeks of the event start date, 70% of the full payment will be refunded.
• If you cancel within 4 weeks of the event start date, 50% of the full payment will be refunded.
• If you cancel within 2 weeks of the event start date, 30% of the full payment will be refunded.
• If you cancel within 1 week of the event start date, or if you withdraw from the event after the start of the first day, no part of the payment will be refunded.