The Reading Party

Getting away from it all and curling up with a good book

Apparently reading retreats are a thing. I say this not to be facetious but when I launched mine last year I wasn’t trying to tap into a trend. The Reading Party was born out of personal experience.

We all face demands on out time whether that’s work, family or other commitments. Add to that the distractions of modern living - social media, I’m looking at you - and that means, no matter how much we want to, we can’t always find time to sit down and read.

I am a reader but I also happen to run my own business. Living on an old farm in west Cornwall where my husband and I run three holiday cottages means there’s always something that needs to be done. I start Monday morning with a to-do list but by the end of the week it’s often longer than it was at the beginning. Even if there is time to curl up with a book I often feel guilty about doing it. Shouldn’t I be updating the website? How about that leaky shower that needs to be looked at? Oh, and we’re running low on jam; I really should make a new batch. You get the picture.

That’s where The Reading Party comes in. It was one of those lightbulb moments; I was trying to drum up interest in a fitness retreat I was planning when it occurred to me that if I was going to have a weekend away I would much rather be reading a book than jumping up and down in the gym. Imagine it, a few days away from the pressures of everyday life where all you have to do is relax and read. An idea began to take shape.

Thirty years ago, when I was at university, it was a tradition for the history students at my college to attend a reading party in the Easter vacation before their final exams. We stayed in a beautiful old house in north Cornwall, attended seminars in the morning and evening and spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding area. It’s lodged in my memory, partly because it was my first proper introduction to Cornwall but also because it was such terrific fun.

Inspired by the idea, I began to explore how things could work here at Middle Colenso. Accommodation isn’t a problem; we have three cottages here and can accommodate up to six people in their own room. I have my own little library in what once a derelict barn and it’s a perfect space for gathering and reading. Obviously I wanted my retreats to far more relaxed than my student reading party so I was determined from that start that there would be no pressure to mix or take part in activities. For those who want to, however, The Reading Party is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow booklovers.

Guests receive a Cornish-themed reading list before they arrive and I send out a book with a Cornwall connection so we have something to chat about on the first evening but nothing’s compulsory and I must confess that even I didn't get around to finishing the book before last retreat started. The Reading Party is simply a way for people to carve out a bit of time for reading in their busy lives.

Some choose to spend more time in their room while others like to read in company in the barn. There are opportunities to explore the area including a very popular tour of Penzance’s wonderful Morrab Library, one of just a handful of subscription libraries remaining in the UK. You can join one of my Pilates classes, use the sauna on site or head off on your own. West Cornwall’s beaches, historic sites, gardens and art galleries are all within easy reach.

You don’t even have to think about cooking. I’m extremely fortunate to have a friend who’s an inspired cook which means that all meals are provided, along with snacks and copious quantities of tea and coffee to fuel your reading.

I tend to think of reading as a solitary pursuit but The Reading Party has shown me that it can be a powerful way to make connections. I’ve welcomed guests from all over the UK as well as Norway, The Netherlands and America. It’s been mainly women but a couple of husbands have tagged along and held their own surprisingly well. Most of us are of, let’s say a certain age, but there have been younger guests too. One of the biggest thrills of the last retreat was seeing two thirty year olds from Chicago reading Rebecca for the first time. I’m delighted to report that they loved it.

Because everyone who comes on the retreat is a reader, we all have something in common from the outset. We tend to be curious about books and the world in general which means there have been some fantastic discussions and exchanges of ideas and what about all those recommendations? I have to provide everyone with a notebook because there are usually so many we simply can’t remember them all.

The feedback about The Reading Party has been brilliant and I think that’s because everyone can take away exactly what they need from the weekend. I’m often running around making sure everything goes smoothly but even I manage to find some time to read and I think it’s because I’ve actually given myself permission to do so. Reading shouldn’t be a luxury and we mustn’t forget just how important that is.

You can find out more about The Reading Party on my website.