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| Zelah Studio, looking out over St Ives Bay (photo courtesy of Lynda Davies) |
I discovered Cornwall when I was a child on summer holidays. Learning to body surf on Fistral beach, eating gritty cheese sandwiches, drinking soup which was either scalding hot or barely tepid from a wide-necked Thermos: these are some of my earliest memories.
As an adult, I returned to the county – and
specifically St Ives – thanks to my closest friend, who so generously shared
her lovely house with me and other worn-out London refugees. Zelah Studio,
standing above Porthgwidden beach, will be our venue for Fictionfire by the Sea, thanks again to Lynda’s vision of her house as a place of creativity.
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| The Merry Maidens |
The layers of Cornwall’s history fascinate me:
almost hidden from modern view stand mysterious worked pieces of monumental
stone – remnants of its origins as an ancient and sacred place, separate from
the rest of the country. Its magical quality hooked me early on. It was very
easy to imagine piskies and other spirit creatures darting in and out of the
great stones of Men an Tol or dancing among the Merry Maidens. It’s still easy
for me to narrow my eyes and see mermaids swimming round St Piran’s rock,
luring unwary fishermen into their underwater secrets.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
Cornwall’s copper and tin mining industries overlaid the landscape. Now the
ruins of mine chimneys, engine houses and lichen-coloured iron workings are visible
on the skyline.
And today the far west has another life: as a
sought-after destination for artists, writers and holidaymakers who come to
enjoy the wonderful light, clean sweeps of pale sand and a turquoise sea that
looks as though it belongs in the Caribbean.
In January 2014 we found ourselves able to invest in
a small stone-built cottage just outside St Ives. At first sight, things
weren’t too good. The house hadn’t been touched for about thirty years, and it
definitely needed some TLC. But we knew it could be so different.
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| An Dyji |
After just two months, An Dyji was reborn as a cosy
two-bedroom cottage, ready for visitors. The name means ‘the small house’ in
Cornish, which was its nickname throughout the works. We love being there: it’s
tucked away in a hundred acres of woodland, but is only six minutes from the
sea.
It’s the perfect place if you want to relax, recharge and rediscover your creativity.
There’s something about being away from home that helps you to leave stuff
behind and free your mind. Sighing: this is what happens to us the day after
arriving. The combined effects of clean air, sparkling light and an
ever-changing seascape cause muscles to unclench and jaws to unlock. The place
gets in your bones and before long, you’re thinking about a new project or
looking at your existing work with fresh eyes.
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| An Dyji |
So, why not join us for a weekend exploring spirit
of place, the spirit that the far west of Cornwall gives us? The programme is a
unique blend of inspirational taught workshops and quiet writing time. We’ll be
working with a group of like-minded people, and I’m looking forward to meeting
Ann Kelley, an award-winning author who’s based locally. It’s going to be a
fruitful two days, but for me the most important aspect is precious space and
time.
Who knows what might happen?
You can find out more about An Dyji and book accommodation there, whether you're attending Fictionfire by the Sea or not, at www.stivesretreat.co.uk
Fictionfire by the Sea Writers' Workshop and Retreat, 17-19 October 2014 in St Ives - details here. Bookings close on 15 October.
If you can't make it to Cornwall, Fictionfire Focus Workshops in Oxford, Oct - Dec 2014 are here.
Guest-speaker at Fictionfire by the Sea is Ann Kelley - see my post here.
(All photographs, except where noted, copyright Lorna Fergusson)
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