This was my view a week ago. It couldn’t have got more gorgeous if it had tried, though the starry night which preceded it tried very hard, and this photo definitely doesn’t do it justice. I was here, at Moniack Mhor a week ago, learning how to make coherent essays out of the least random of my blogposts, and let me tell you, it was wonderful. I met a wide range of interesting people, and had a lot of encouragement from two excellent tutors. Oddly and most unexpectedly, the consensus seems to be that when it comes to essay writing, I should be more poet. I love this, and have in fact printed this slogan out and put it over my desk.

This is the herb garden, obviously my first port of call. Moniack Mhor has a vegetable garden and fruit trees as well, and they are saving up for a polytunnel, to improve their sustainability. It was a place in which I felt thoroughly at home, among lovely scenery, a place full of generous and thoughtful ethos, warm and kindly hospitality, and unlimited creativity. I have come home bursting with inspiration, and determination to realise the promises I made to myself.

But first, I have an appeal to make. Last spring there was a flood, and 80% of the books in the poetry library were destroyed. They have started building up a replacement collection, but their finances are very stretched. Poets, publishers, poetry readers – if you could donate copies to this wonderful resource for writers, please do! It would be very gratefully appreciated!

Please contact info@moniackmhor.org.uk for more information, or send to:

Moniack Mhor
Teavarran, Kiltarlity
by Beauly, Inverness-shire,
Scotland, IV4 7HT