Humankind Songwriting Retreat
Katie Spencer & Iona Lane
1st - 6th May 2027
Join individually celebrated songwriters and established international touring musicians, Iona Lane and Katie Spencer, for a holistic and inspired songwriting retreat in the breathtaking landscape of Ardnamurchan in the Scottish Highlands. Spend five nights in the stunning Victorian mansion of Kinlochmoidart House, developing and exploring your songwriting and musicality. Aligned by a shared approach to songwriting that nurtures and celebrates individual connections to the people and the landscapes of Northern England and Scotland, two of the leading lights of the UK folk scene come together for their third songwriting retreat.
During the course of your stay, Iona and Katie will guide you through a variety of workshops and creative sessions to hone your writing skills and enable you to achieve your goals. There will also be walks through the surrounding natural beauty of Ardnamurchan with plenty of opportunities for exploring and making new connections with your fellow songwriters. Katie and Iona are looking forward to bringing together a group of like-minded people who are seeking to be immersed in nature, amongst new friends, with wonderful home cooked food.
Iona and Katie are welcoming songwriters and musicians of all levels, whether you’re writing your first song or you’re a seasoned professional, everyone will be welcomed.
Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands on the fringes of Hull, Katie Spencer’s landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers. Her songwriting, and most notably her guitar playing stems from a time when the steel-stringed instrument was truly finding its voice.
Born in the north of England and now residing in Knoydart in the Scottish Highlands, Iona Lane’s music is driven by awe and wonder of the natural world - delivering poetic songs, with subtle musical touches and contemplative melodies that link untold stories with the world we find ourselves in today.
“A blessing and an inspiration.” - 2026 attendee
“Iona and Katie are fabulous teachers and hosts. Kinlochmoidart is a stunning place to grow into a better songwriter with like-minded and enthusiastic people of all ages and experience. I came away with some big precious memories.” - 2024 attendee
“Everyone created a magical ambience. Human-nature brought us all together but of course the strongest force was Iona and Katie. The environment was beautiful and first-class service was provided on every level. The outdoor elements to the retreat were special; glorious sunshine helped heighten our group singing and witnessing the awe of delight from our thankful audience was a gift. We also really enjoyed the performances from Iona and Katie in such a relaxed informal manner.” - 2024 attendee
“An extremely enjoyable, educational and therapeutic experience that got me going with my songwriting again after a long hiatus. Katie and Iona were wonderful teachers and hosts, the location was absolutely stunning and the catering and accommodation were excellent.” - 2026 attendee
“Katie and Iona smashed it: perfect venue, perfect itinerary, very very well organised and planned.” - 2024 attendee
ACCOMMODATION
Built in 1884 and nestled between loch and hill, Kinlochmoidart House is a Scots Baronial Mansion and one of the few remaining original works of the renowned architect, William Lieper. Four generations later, the Stewart family have converted the house whilst taking great care to restore the original Victorian interiors to their former splendour.
Kinlochmoidart House sits at the head of Loch Moidart and is surrounded by spectacular views of sea, hill and coastal oak woodlands (also know as Scotland’s Atlantic rainforest).
Each room in the house is full of warmth, character and homely touches that we hope you enjoy just as much as we do. The main living room, which is used as the main workshop space, has views over the mountains and out to the sea. It features an open fire place and cosy seating which is the perfect place to gather on an evening and share songs.
A variety of rooms are available including a shared twin, private single, private double or your own private apartment.
Please note the shared twins, private singles and private doubles all have shared bathrooms. The private apartments consist of a double room, living space, bathroom and kitchen.
CATERING
Curated by local cook and culinary whizz Marie Lewis, the menus at Humankind Songwriting Retreat offer healthy, delicious and flavourful fuel for creativity. Striking a balance between hearty traditions and innovative recipes, Marie uses fresh ingredients to provide nourishing vegan and vegetarian food. We are big foodies, meal times are a precious part of the retreat and everyone always looks forward to tasting what Marie conjures up next! We are looking forward to sharing stories over some tasty food! Meals are prepared from scratch from good quality, and, where possible, local ingredients.
“The catering - vegetarian and often vegan - is world class.” - 2026 attendee
One evening we will be dining at Glenuig Community Inn, giving you the opportunity to see more of the local area - a beautiful sandy beach is only a couple of minutes walk from the pub! A main course and a drink will be covered in the cost of the retreat.
Please let us know of any dietary requirements upon booking. If you wish to consume alcohol during the retreat, please provide your own.
TRANSPORT
You will need to organise your transport to Kinlochmoidart House, Kinlochmoidart, Acharacle PH38 4ND. The nearest train station is Lochailort, if you would like to be collected from the station please let us know upon booking.
PRICING
Shared twin room - £1095 per person
Private single room - £1195 SOLD OUT
Private double room - £1295 for single occupancy (£1095 each for shared occupancy) SOLD OUT
Private apartment - £1695 for single occupancy (£1295 each for shared occupancy)
Local to Lochaber (suitable for someone who lives in commuting distance to Kinlochmoidart) - £895
BOOKING & ENQUIRIES
To book please email humankindsongwritingretreat@gmail.com with the subject ‘Humankind Songwriting Retreat’ with any questions or requests to book.
Upon booking we look for a deposit of £250 per person to secure your spot on the retreat. Your place will be confirmed once a deposit has been received. Full payment for the retreat will need to be paid by 1st March 2027. Finance options are available for those who wish to pay in instalments.
ACCESSIBILITY
Due to the nature of the property there is no step free access to Kinlochmoidart House. There are ground floor bedrooms (one single, one double, one twin) and a ground floor bathroom (which has a shower over a bath). Both private apartments are all on one level but do not have step free access. The main living space, where we will do most workshops, is on the first floor. We will provide an attendee questionnaire after booking to discuss any accessibility requirements you have and how we can help facilitate any requirements.
CANCELLATION POLICY
The £250 deposit received upon booking is non-refundable. If you cancel before twelve weeks of the retreat you will receive a full refund apart from the deposit. If you cancel within four weeks of the retreat fifty percent of the fee for your place will need to be paid. If you cancel within one week of the retreat you will need to pay the whole fee for your place.
REVIEWS FROM PREVIOUS ATTENDEES
“A blessing and an inspiration.” - 2026 attendee
“Iona and Katie are fabulous teachers and hosts. Kinlochmoidart is a stunning place to grow into a better songwriter with like-minded and enthusiastic people of all ages and experience. I came away with some big precious memories.” - 2024 attendee
“Everyone created a magical ambience. Human-nature brought us all together but of course the strongest force was Iona and Katie. The environment was beautiful and first-class service was provided on every level. The outdoor elements to the retreat were special; glorious sunshine helped heighten our group singing and witnessing the awe of delight from our thankful audience was a gift. We also really enjoyed the performances from Iona and Katie in such a relaxed informal manner.” - 2024 attendee
“Go there. Do it. You won't regret it. And yes, you are "good enough" to go on a songwriting retreat, you silly sausage.” - 2024 attendee
“An extremely enjoyable, educational and therapeutic experience that got me going with my songwriting again after a long hiatus. Katie and Iona were wonderful teachers and hosts, the location was absolutely stunning and the catering and accommodation were excellent.” - 2026 attendee
“Writing songs in the wilds of Scotland is inspiring. With two excellent tutors and a range of songwriting activities both solo and in collaboration, you should leave the week with songs you can perform and record.” - 2024 attendee
“Katie and Iona smashed it: perfect venue, perfect itinerary, very very well organised and planned. The retreat start and end time enabled us to arrive and depart without having to drive in the dark or at silly o'clock.” - 2024 attendee
“Having attended the Humankind Songwriting Retreat, I wouldn't hesitate to encourage others to book a place. I felt I left the retreat with a growth in confidence in my songwriting and felt motivated to try new approaches to my guitar playing and in my songwriting overall. Friendships were created and contacts were made. I'm looking forward to the next one.” - 2024 attendee
“This was such a beautiful experience, lovely, supportive hosts, great workshops and amazing location. I would absolutely return in the future.” - 2026 attendee
“I would highly recommend this retreat to any budding, aspiring or even established songwriters looking for motivation to help them in their songwriting journey. Everyone was so friendly, accepting and supportive. I would definitely do it again.” - 2026 attendee
“I particularly enjoyed the creative exercises and workshops, comparing notes and hanging out with my fellow students (a fascinatingly diverse and friendly bunch), and the rare opportunity to relax and think of nothing else besides playing, writing and singing. Fabulous.” - 2026 attendee
“This was a hugely enjoyable experience in a supportive environment during which I could feel my confidence in writing and performing developing.” - 2026 attendee