This course is not just about improving writing skills. It is also about discovering why travel writing matters. We draw inspiration partly from 19th century English art critic John Ruskin, for whom beauty was key. Ruskin taught drawing to working men and he wanted to go beyond technique. His fundamental aim, he said, was to develop in his students a deeper appreciation of beauty. Writing works in much the same way.

To describe a place well, a writer must observe more carefully than the casual traveller, noticing details and nuances that might otherwise go unseen. Travel writing fosters this kind of attention, encouraging a more engaged relationship with the world.

Some writers set out with a clear theme ahead of their travels, as Edmund de Waal does in The White Road, which traces the history of porcelain, or as Colin Thubron does in The Amur River, a journey along the border between Russia and China. Others allow themes to emerge naturally, as in Vasily Grossman‘s An Armenian Sketchbook or Beryl Markham‘s West with the Night, her memoir of an extraordinary childhood in Kenya and pioneering feats of aviation.

These books illustrate the variety and richness of travel writing and participants are encouraged to read them before attending the course. Whether writing for publication, for family or for personal enjoyment, this course will provide the inspiration, structure and support to help bring your stories alive.


Photos: Johanna Bradley