Our new retreat centre is going to be open in May 2008.

We have been looking for a property in Scotland for around 5 years now and were initially looking for an old stone house with character in the country, we have since discovered that the vast majority of them are very cold, run down and not at all practical for having guests to stay with enough space and hot water to keep everyone happy.

Now we have found what we hope will be the ideal place. The house is in the small village of Twynholm only 3 miles from the Artists town of Kirkcudbright on the Solway Coast where there are some very nice arts & crafts galleries offering a range of exhibitions throughout the year. Galloway offers some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland and has some very nice coastal villages which benefit from the warmer weather influenced by the Gulf Stream running along the coast. There are many golf courses, cycle trails and walks, with sailing and fishing opportunities throughout the area. This means that whilst you are taking part in the textile workshops your partner can indulge other interests. There is also the Coulthard museum in the village motor racing enthusiasts.

The property is T shaped with beautiful large airy rooms, two double and one twin guest bedrooms with 2 bathrooms, one en-suite at the moment and a good sized garden so that the Alachigh can be erected for most of the summer. If you have always had a desire to sleep in a nomadic tent there will be the opportunity to do this too.

There is a lovely wood burning stove in the main sitting room which will double as our workshop space, Upstairs will house a good library and overhead projector facilities, there is also a huge “wet space” for feltmaking. (some would call it a garage)

We will be running regular residential workshops throughout the year with emphasis on the winter months when the wood burner will make this a cosy refuge from the winter cold. We will be offering a range of residential packages from simple B&B to 2 and 4 day workshops, one to one lessons by the hour, day, weekend etc. We think it is the perfect place for a group of friends to enjoy a break away learning something new in a peaceful environment. Our aim is to make your stay with us memorable for its fun and homely atmosphere. We do not expect you to leave the property like most B&B's do, you are welcome to stay in all day if you wish and just chill out or take part in whatever workshop is running that day.

We will be offering good quality evening meals with an emphasis on home cooked nutritious food using as much organic produce as we can source and of course Simon will be baking all of our own bread. His Sundried tomato and peppadew Focaccia is wonderful with home-made Minestrone soup! All workshops will include a light lunch so even if you are not staying with us as residents you don't have to worry about finding food.

All in all we are very excited to be able to offer this facility and hope you will give us a try. There will be a range of courses on offer and we will be inviting some top experts to come and deliver workshops in a range of textile related subjects. Indeed if you are a tutor and would like to use our facilities yourself then please give us a call to arrange to view.

Since qualifying as an Advanced Flyfishing Instructor Sue will also be offering guided days trout and salmon fishing, please click here for details www.damselflyfishing.co.uk

Spinning workshops,Sue Macniven,Felt,B &B Scotland,Scotland,Galloway,Organic,Eco friendly,woolspinning,textiles,handspinning workshops,textile tuition,wool,Angora,silk,knitting,retreat,Julia Roberts, Madonna, Iman, Hilary Swank, Cameron Diaz, Daryl Hannah, Goldie Hawn, Eartha Kitt, Winona Ryder, Julianne Moore, Rose McGowan, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Kate Moss, Madeline Albright, Vanna White, Megan Mullaly, Sarah Jessica Parker, Joanne Woodward, Bob Mackie, Stu Bloomberg, Rosie Grier.