An Autumn Experiment in Outdoor Creative Writing
Words in the Wood: An Autumn Experiment in Outdoor Creative Writing
“Words in the Wood” began as something of an experiment, both for myself and for Hazel Hill Wood. Would it work to offer creative writing outdoors in November? Would people come? Would they engage? Or would the cold and potential discomfort be too much of a barrier?
As a counsellor and therapeutic writing practitioner, I loved the idea and wanted to try it. I imagined a crisp autumn day, the warmth of the fire, the sound of lively conversation. But I also wondered whether reality might bring numb fingers, a fire that refused to light, or a group too cold and shivery to enjoy the experience.
In the end, eight brave souls attended, all willing to write, reflect and share together, largely outdoors on a brisk November day.
Around the Heartwood fire at Hazel Hill Wood
Beginning with mindfulness: a slow walk into presence
We began with Ruth’s mindfulness walk (find Ruth here), a very slow, sensuous and grounding experience. We focused on breath and movement, taking time to notice our surroundings through all our senses.
We observed the rich autumnal shades, the song of a mistle thrush, wind rustling through leaves, distant sounds of the modern world, and the soft mulching of our own footsteps. We smiled when we were gently invited to focus on our sense of smell just as we passed the composting toilet.
Gathering in the Oakhouse
Why try writing outdoors in November?
As we slowed down and paid attention to these natural details, our language began to shift too. When we wrote around the Heartwood fire shortly afterwards, our words became more languorous and more sensory. Details were carefully observed and more precisely captured. Our thinking slowed as well. Hurry receded, and appreciation took its place.
One participant wrote:
“I noticed just how many leaves are on the ground. It’s autumn and a mattress is now all around. In my garden this is bothersome and needs attention. Here it is a blanket, preparing for winter by covering the ground, warming and feeding the earth.”
How nature transforms the writing process
The environment itself was deeply inspiring. There was rich stimulus everywhere, whether walking through the woodland or sitting around an open fire in the crisp winter light.
Writing in nature often gave rise to unexpected themes. The presence of trees seemed to offer its own quiet wisdom, helping people to explore grief, loss, and shifting perceptions of self. One participant was astonished to say, “the tree gave me a poem”. It felt, at times, as though the words had come from somewhere beyond the writer themselves.
Leaves warming and feeding the earth
Writing prompts, creativity, and unexpected breakthroughs
The writing prompts were well received, offering gentle direction and focus, although nothing was ever compulsory or pressured. It was remarkable what could emerge in less than ten minutes.
At times the writing was reflective and thoughtful, at others playful and childlike. It often seemed to take us exactly where we most needed to go.
Taking inspiration from the wood
Community, connection, and shared creativity outdoors
There was a strong sense of connection that comes from sharing an experience outside the usual routine. Scribbling rhymes astride a damp log, dashing for shelter as the rain came down, sharing not-quite-fairy stories under makeshift cover around a blazing fire.
We surprised ourselves with our creativity and enjoyed the words and humour of others. One participant said, “I just got all my anger out through an overflowing porridge pot!”
Storytelling around the Roundhouse fire
Weather, wildness, and the magic of the woods
So yes, it worked! There were cold feet and a group reading made slightly challenging by rain-smudged paper, but it didn’t matter. The stimulation and inspiration of the natural world far outweighed any inconvenience.
As a facilitator, a day of changing weather adds an extra layer of attention, but the group entered into the spirit. Antonia moved between spaces, keeping fires going in all the right places and helping the group respond to shifting conditions. There was a fair amount of relocating and adjusting plans, but this sense of movement became part of the experience rather than a disruption. The drama of the weather seemed to feed the writing itself.
Writing and sharing our words
A day captured in haiku
Come to Hazel Hill
The magic is infectious
No matter the weatherWhen sun emerges
On an autumn afternoon
My heart warms fastest
Closing reflections: rediscovering creativity in nature
By the end of the day, many of the worries from the morning had fallen away. The wood had done what it always does. Most concerns feel smaller in such a rich and living environment.
In our final round, there was warmth, relief, new connections, and a sense of rediscovering or perhaps simply remembering our creative selves.
One participant reflected:
“I feel calm. Like I’ve opened a new chapter and given myself time to be me, which is exactly what I came for.”
More events will be coming soon. Please check here for future retreat dates.
