Summer Song Centre
WHERE IS IT?
On the edge of the small village of Poolewe, in the north west Highlands of Scotland. You can see a map of the area here.
The centre is directly opposite the Poolewe Hotel. There is a car park in front of the building, which is accessed through the gate and down the stairs into the courtyard.
WHAT IS THE CENTRE LIKE?
The song centre is in a small, colourful building on the edge of Loch Ewe, with direct access to the beach from the garden. It belongs to singer, performance artist and storyteller Joanie Bones.
The centre has a workshop room, small kitchen, the 'blue room' (chill out space), bathroom, office and storage room.
The workshop room can hold about 15 people.
It is a joyful, simple place full of life and love, in the heart of an astonishing wild, magic landscape.
WHERE DO I STAY?
There is room for approximately 10 **small** tents in the garden.
There are lots of other accomodation options in the village:
The Poolewe Hotel is directly opposite the centre
There is a campsite 5 minutes walk away with toilets, showers etc (facilities at the centre are limited so if you want better facilities you may be happier at the campsite)
A BnB 5 minutes walk away
And lots more options on Air BnB
HOW DO I GET THERE?
All the retreats are timed to coincide with the arrival of the bus from Inverness, which is the nearest city and is approximately 1 hour and 40 mins drive away (or approx 2.5 hours on the bus).
The retreats end mid afternoon. The bus to Inverness leaves in the morning. Anyone needing to take the bus is welcome to camp the extra evening.
The nearest station is Achnasheen, which is approximately 40 minutes drive away. There is no local public transport from Achnasheen to Poolewe.
You can see the bus timetable here
The nearest airport is Inverness. International flights are more likely to go to Glasgow or Edinburgh, from where you can get a train or bus to Inverness (approximately 3 hours), and then the bus to Poolewe.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Highland summers can be glorious. They can also be windy, wet and cold!
Please bring the following:
Clothes for all weathers, including waterproofs
Slippers or warm socks
Long socks to guard against ticks
Swimming stuff if you might like to take a dip
Anti-midge wear and products
WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?
All food at the centre is vegetarian. Please let us know of any dietary requirments in advance and we will do our best to accomdate you.
WHAT IS THERE LOCALLY?
There is a small shop in the village, a community centre, a garage, the world famous Inverewe Gardens, historic house and cafe Pool House, once HQ for the Russian Arctic Convoy and where Winston Churchill stayed, a small swimming pool and a cafe.
10 minutes drive away is the small town of Gairloch which has more shops, a library, cafes, etc.
Ullapool, with lots of amenities and a ferry link to the Isle of Lewis, is approximately an hour drive away.
The area is known for stunning beaches, lochs, and walks in the hills.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?
The centre is in an area which has both ticks and midges - two kinds of insects that can cause problems for humans.
There are ticks in our garden - something to be particularly aware of if you are thinking of camping.
You can read more about ticks and how to protect against them here
Midges aren't known to carry any infectious diseases but, nonetheless, are very annoying! The only really effective prevention for when you are outside when they are active is to wear a midge net over your head. Some people also choose to wear a midge-protecting upper garment.
Also please note there is no WiFi in the centre. Mobile phone and internet data reception is generally OK but cannot be relied upon
Information about the retreats can be found here
On the edge of the small village of Poolewe, in the north west Highlands of Scotland. You can see a map of the area here.
The centre is directly opposite the Poolewe Hotel. There is a car park in front of the building, which is accessed through the gate and down the stairs into the courtyard.
WHAT IS THE CENTRE LIKE?
The song centre is in a small, colourful building on the edge of Loch Ewe, with direct access to the beach from the garden. It belongs to singer, performance artist and storyteller Joanie Bones.
The centre has a workshop room, small kitchen, the 'blue room' (chill out space), bathroom, office and storage room.
The workshop room can hold about 15 people.
It is a joyful, simple place full of life and love, in the heart of an astonishing wild, magic landscape.
WHERE DO I STAY?
There is room for approximately 10 **small** tents in the garden.
There are lots of other accomodation options in the village:
The Poolewe Hotel is directly opposite the centre
There is a campsite 5 minutes walk away with toilets, showers etc (facilities at the centre are limited so if you want better facilities you may be happier at the campsite)
A BnB 5 minutes walk away
And lots more options on Air BnB
HOW DO I GET THERE?
All the retreats are timed to coincide with the arrival of the bus from Inverness, which is the nearest city and is approximately 1 hour and 40 mins drive away (or approx 2.5 hours on the bus).
The retreats end mid afternoon. The bus to Inverness leaves in the morning. Anyone needing to take the bus is welcome to camp the extra evening.
The nearest station is Achnasheen, which is approximately 40 minutes drive away. There is no local public transport from Achnasheen to Poolewe.
You can see the bus timetable here
The nearest airport is Inverness. International flights are more likely to go to Glasgow or Edinburgh, from where you can get a train or bus to Inverness (approximately 3 hours), and then the bus to Poolewe.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Highland summers can be glorious. They can also be windy, wet and cold!
Please bring the following:
Clothes for all weathers, including waterproofs
Slippers or warm socks
Long socks to guard against ticks
Swimming stuff if you might like to take a dip
Anti-midge wear and products
WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?
All food at the centre is vegetarian. Please let us know of any dietary requirments in advance and we will do our best to accomdate you.
WHAT IS THERE LOCALLY?
There is a small shop in the village, a community centre, a garage, the world famous Inverewe Gardens, historic house and cafe Pool House, once HQ for the Russian Arctic Convoy and where Winston Churchill stayed, a small swimming pool and a cafe.
10 minutes drive away is the small town of Gairloch which has more shops, a library, cafes, etc.
Ullapool, with lots of amenities and a ferry link to the Isle of Lewis, is approximately an hour drive away.
The area is known for stunning beaches, lochs, and walks in the hills.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?
The centre is in an area which has both ticks and midges - two kinds of insects that can cause problems for humans.
There are ticks in our garden - something to be particularly aware of if you are thinking of camping.
You can read more about ticks and how to protect against them here
Midges aren't known to carry any infectious diseases but, nonetheless, are very annoying! The only really effective prevention for when you are outside when they are active is to wear a midge net over your head. Some people also choose to wear a midge-protecting upper garment.
Also please note there is no WiFi in the centre. Mobile phone and internet data reception is generally OK but cannot be relied upon
Information about the retreats can be found here
