main image description: a colour photograph depicting two rooks expertly perched in the top branches of a tree coming into bud. Dramatic grey skies behind contrast the vibrant green of the young leaves.

We can’t believe it was way back in 2021 that we were last in the Teifi Valley in Pembrokeshire. This 3.5 day residential workshop will take place in and around the small village of Abercych, home to Maynard the brilliant community arts organisation run by Rhowan Alleyne, Stirling Steward, Siriol Joyner and Simon Whitehead.

The Teifi Valley is the meeting place of the three counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire in South-West Wales and one of the few remaining refuges to Atlantic temperate rainforests (yes, we have rainforests in the UK!). The Cych River passes next to the village of Abercych where we will have our home base. We will be working in the river valley down as far as some of the local coastline.

image description: a collection of colour photos laid out in a mosaic format, depicting various scenes from past Abercych workshops

Accommodation will be local and self-catering in a small and characterful cottage in the village (see below for room options and prices). We usually work out a rota of 2 people cooking and another 2 people on clear-up per evening. Breakfasts are self-organised and lunches are a group effort. We will shop in advance for the workshop. We will share domestic tasks.

This is a 3.5 day workshop running from Thursday afternoon (arrival day) to Sunday (departure at 3pm).

Please have a look at the What To Expect page for more information on the general format of a residential Kinship Workshop.

ACCESS: Each day will usually begin on foot in Abercych from where we’ll head out to various rural landscapes using roads, lanes, gravel and earth tracks as well as going off path completely. We will usually hike between sites, walking from about 30-60 minutes at a time. On one of the days we also hike for much of the day (weather permitting). The terrain is changeable with steep hills and deep valleys.

SCHEDULE: Arrival Thursday afternoon, 10am-5pm Friday & Saturday and 9am-3pm Sunday.

MAXIMUM 10 PLACES AVAILABLE
Please note, the minimum sign up for this workshop to run is 6 people.

WORKSHOP FEE: This is a 3.5-day workshop with a tiered fee based on annual income. Please use the appropriate Price Category code from the table below when booking. Please carefully consider which Category applies to you – and also consider, if you share resources in your household, whether the Category you choose reflects the average income of the income-earning members of your household.

To get a 5% discount when booking this workshop (or any/ all 2025 workshops), SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter for free before 23 February. If you have already subscribed, visit the discount codes page HERE.

If you need to pay for the workshop in instalments, please CONTACT us, letting us know the workshop fee that applies to you. We will then agree a deposit and instalment amounts that you can pay via bank transfer.

Any accommodation or food costs are in addition to the workshop fee.

All participants will be asked to fill out an access form & responsibility agreement before attending the workshop.

A percentage from these workshop fees will be donated to one of our Causes.

ACCOMMODATION (an accommodation booking and dietary restrictions form will be sent after booking):

• 5/6 places in a beautifully renovated small cottage in the village: 2 bedrooms each with 2 single beds/ futons in each room (£60-67.50 per person) 1 double room for 2 people (£60 per person) or 1 person (£90). Payable on arrival by cash/ bank transfer. PLEASE NOTE: this accommodation must be filled before alternative accommodation is sought.
• If the cottage is full, we have a local accommodation list we can send you for local rooms and campsites. You may need your own transport if you are staying away from Abercych.
• self-organised through https://www.airbnb.co.uk or https://www.booking.com. You may need your own transport if you are staying away from Abercych.

FOOD CONTRIBUTION: £45 communally organised self-catering (£15 per person per day) payable on arrival by bank transfer
(an accommodation booking and dietary restrictions form will be sent after booking)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ARRIVAL:

The accommodation at the cottage will be available from 3.30pm on Thursday 16th October:  2 Penhriw, Abercych, Pembrokeshire, SA37 0HB.

Once participants have arrived and found their accommodation, we will have a welcome meeting and some food together. Depending on arrivals, there may be time for a walk around the local area too.

Please let us know your travel details in advance and stay in touch if you have problems en route.

NB Mobile signal is usually not very good in Abercych village so, closer the time, I will send a landline number for you to call in case of travel problems.

TRAVEL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT (FROM LONDON):

Train or National Express Coach to Carmarthen where there is a local bus service towards Cardigan Bay…

BY TRAIN: From London Paddington, cheaper trains run to Carmarthen after 10am.

BY COACH: From London Victoria Coach Station, you must take the 12noon bus at the latest to Carmarthen in order to make the connecting local bus service.

TRANSFER TO LOCAL BUS: Bus 460 runs from Carmarthen train station and bus station.

Ask the bus driver to stop at the New Bridge/ Nant y Bwla, between Cenarth and Llechryd, which is right outside a sawmill/ wood yard. One of us will come to meet you there and then we’ll walk the final stretch over the bridge to Abercych village.

If you take the train and local bus, you could arrive as early as 4pm in which case there will be time to have a walk in the area to show you around. If you are coming by coach and local bus, you should arrive around 7.30pm.

Early travel booking is recommended.

TRAVEL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT FROM OTHER CENTRES:

Please check online for tickets and details. Helpful websites: www.thetrainline.com, www.nationalexpress.com and www.bustimes.org

TRAVEL BY CAR:  if you are driving to the workshop and are also willing to help with giving someone a lift from/ to Carmarthen, or car-share from London/ Bristol etc. please let us know. Please arrive at the cottage after 15:30 and before 19:30. The address for sat nav is: 2 Penhriw, Abercych, Pembrokeshire, SA37 0HB.

DEPARTURE: the workshop will end at 3pm Sunday 19th October to give time for people to get to Carmarthen to take train/ bus services. There are no local buses to Carmarthen on Sundays, so transport from Abercych to Carmarthen will be self-organised. We can put participants in touch with each other to make plans.