Cotswolds Details

Welcome to your Cotswolds Guide for your June 4-7,2026 Retreat! Listed below are all the details you need to plan for this amazing retreat. Please bookmark this page for future reference.

Itinerary

    • 3:00 PM-5:00 PM: Arrival

    • 5:30 PM: Welcome reception and Garden walk

    • 7:00 PM: Dinner in Collector’s dining room 

    • 8:30 PM: Evening Liturgy

    • 9:00 PM: Fireside chat

    • 7:00 AM: Silence, Psalm Reading, and Morning Restorative Yoga

    • 8:00-8:45 AM: Breakfast

    • 9:00 AM: Morning lectio

    • 9:30 AM: Arts + Crafts house tour with the Birchalls

    • 10:00 AM: Art Workshop: watercolor 1 and Nature Journaling (tea time during the session)

    • 12:30 PM: Lunch in the Garden or Picnic

    • 2:00 PM: Time in the garden with the Birchalls, planting or harvesting

    • 4:30 PM: Teatime followed by free time for rest and reflection or wandering the gardens

    • 7:00 PM Dinner in Collector’s dining room 

    • 8:30 PM Evening Lectio

    • 9:00 PM Star gazing

    • 7:00 AM: Silence, Psalm Reading, and Morning Restorative Yoga

    • 8:00-8:45 AM: Breakfast

    • 9:00 AM: Morning lectio

    • 9:30 AM: Morning Hike in the pastures and forests adjacent to the farm.

    • 11:00 AM: Short Tea break and free time or freshen up if needed.

    • 12:30 PM: Lunch in the Garden or Picnic

    • 2:00 PM: Afternoon art workshop: watercolor 2

    • 4:30 PM: Teatime followed by Freetime for resting, painting, or wandering the gardens (optional afternoon activity will be announced).

    • 7:00 PM: Dinner in Collector’s dining room 

    • 8:30 PM: After dinner, special musical performance in the library

    • 9:30 PM: Evening  Lectio

    • 8:00 AM: Light breakfast

    • 9:00 AM: Time for personal silence, journaling, and listening (morning awe walk)

    • 10 AM: Sunday Liturgy (location TBd)

    • 11 AM: Brunch

    • 12:30 PM: Pack and departure

Travel Details

  • Retreat Dates: June 4-7, 2026

    If flying, we suggest booking flights 3–6 months before the tour. Please wait to buy your ticket until ARTIST & NOMAD confirms that registration is closed and the guest minimum is met.

    Arrival: Thursday, June 4, between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm

    Departure: Sunday, June 7, at 1:00 pm

    If flying, please book to arrive on a morning flight and then you can catch a train from Paddington to the farm. Otherwise, we recommend arriving a day early to ensure you can arrive on time to the Cotswolds Farm.

    For Departure, be sure to book a late evening flight. You can go from the farm to Paddington to Heathrow Airport. Otherwise, take the train to Paddington and stay an extra night or two to enjoy London!

  • Flying to London: Fly into the LRH (London Heathrow) Airport.

    Train: The local station is Kemble. There are trains to/from London Paddington Station every hour and is a 1.5 hour train ride. You can take the fast train from Heathrow to Paddington and then catch the Kemble train from there.

    • From Kemble Station, it is a 20 minute drive to the farm. Artist&Nomad will help arrange a taxi to bring you to the farm if requested in advance.

    Driving: The Farm address is Cotswold Farm, Duntisbourne Abbots, GL77JS

  • Here are some tips to help combat jet lag if you are flying to London.

    • Eat healthy 24 hours before flying. 

    • Eat healthy during flights.

    • Bring compression socks to help with circulation and swelling.

    • Bring a reusable water bottle and stay hydrated before, during, and after flight.

    • Bring ear plugs and eye mask for the flight and sleeping.

    • Bring melatonin or other sleep aids.

  • Photographs:

    • We want you to unplug as much as possible during this retreat. The gardens are gorgeous, so feel free to take some photos, but try not to go online for other reasons during the retreat and post any photos after the retreat is over.

    • Interior home photos: We ask that you respect the privacy of the home and its family by not taking photos inside.

    Social Media: Share what inspires you on social media. We ask that you tag ARTIST & NOMAD and our partners as a way to honor them.

  • The overall philosophy is to not plug in unless you really need to. We want you to be fully present for your retreat

    Phone Plan: Check with your mobile phone plan to verify what you need for this trip. Please plan being able to receive messages via WhatsApp, as that is how we will communicate as a group throughout the retreat.

    The Farm does have wifi and that information will be available in your room.

Travel + Health Documents

  • If you are flying to London, please upload a copy of your flight itinerary in JPG or PDF form here.

  • We strongly encourage that your book travel insurance for your trip to protect yourself in case of any emergencies:

    • Select a plan level from a company of your choosing that brings you the most peace of mind. For the most complete protection—such as “Cancel For Any Reason” or coverage for pre-existing medical conditions—be sure to purchase within 21 days of your ARTIST & NOMAD deposit, if you want it to include your A&N tour fees.

    • Squaremouth(A&N has no affiliation) has a variety of travel insurance options to compare.

    • EU, EEA or Swiss citizen: Check here for border regulations.

    • US, CAN, or AU: check here for applying for a ETA visa.

      • You can download the UK ETA App on your phone or apply on the website.

      • Cost is £16

  • Health Policy: Please note that smoking and drug use are not permitted. We kindly ask you to enjoy alcohol mindfully and in moderation if offered during a dinner meal.

Packing Details

  • Luggage

    • Pack light.

    • If flying, have a carry one bag with at least 1 extra set of clothes, personal essentials and medications if you checked your main luggage.

  • Check the weather for the Cotswolds before you pack. It will likely be cool in the evenings and cool to warm and sunny in the days.. This is early summer, so we are hopeful the roses and peopnies will be in bloom as well as other beautiful flowers. We want to be outside, so bring layers and comfy clothes for farm walks. Shoes are removed when entering the main house. Bring a small umbrella or rain jacket so you can still walk the farm in a light rain. Dress casual, but wear a bit nicer clothes for the dinners, especially our final dinner.

  • Toiletries: Keep it simple and small. If flying, liquids must be under 3.4 oz and fit in a clear quart size zip bag if you have them in your carry one bag.  

    • Personal toiletries (keep it as simple as possible).

    • Pack bug spray and sunscreen just in case.

    • Whenever possible, try to choose eco-friendly products.

    • Towels and bedding is provided

    Hair Styling Tools:

    • There is no hair dryer and all plugs are UK plugs.

  • If flying, pack healthy snacks such as nuts, bars, dried fruit, etc, that won’t spoil or melt.

    We will have daily tea time with snacks both in the morning and afternoon.

  • Personal Medications: Please bring your regular medications + a few days extra and keep them in your carry on bag. We are in the country, so it would be a 20-30 minute drive to a pharmacy if needed.

    Sleep aids: Consider melatonin or other sleep aids if that may be helpful.

  • Electronics: Phone, charger, earphones, and a portable charger. An iPad/Tablet may be helpful for if you are taking a long flight.

    Plug Adapter(s): The UK uses Type G with three rectangular pins.

    UK’s power: 230V with 50Hz

  • Cash is not used in the UK. Bring a credit card for personal expenses. You can use a cc or apple pay for all public trains, buses, etc.

    • Sun hat, sunglasses

    • Book, journal, pen.

    • Sleeping aids:

      • Ear Plugs

      • Eye Mask

      • Consider Melatonin or other sleep aids.

Contacts + Google Meet Link

  • Use WhatsApp for communication:

    Kirsten Dickerson: +1 323 573 7628 / kirsten@artistandnomad.com

    Celia Birchall: Retreat co-host, +44 7940988573

  • John Birchall, +44 7845122165 (for emergency use only)

  • We will meet on via Google Meet prior to our retreat. This is a time to meet everyone and to answer any questions you have about the retreat.

    You will also receive an email and calendar invite for this online meeting in the new year.

  • Final Payment: $500 due April 1, 2026

    We will send you an invoice for payment in March.

    Payment Terms: Our retreats are intentionally small, and cancellations have a significant impact on our team and our partners. Please review the Terms.

Cotswolds Information

  • Cotswold Farm is a historic Arts & Crafts house in the heart of the Cotswolds, designed by Sidney Barnsley and Norman Jewson, home to the Birchall family for five generations.

    Cotswold Farm is currently a private family home, stewarded by the Birchall family for 5 generations. Formerly in full-time leadership in the Church of England, John and Sarah open their home to church leadership teams and ministry groups, alongside serving the local church. Their ministry and calling at Cotswold Farm is to provide groups with an opportunity to rest, pray, regroup, and be refreshed. As their guests at the farm, you are invited to make yourself at home, to explore the gardens and the surrounding area. We ask that you respect the privacy of the home by not taking photos inside. 

  • We will be eating healthy, delicious home cooked meals prepared by a chef friend of the family farm. Depending on the season, we will incorporate produce from the farm and local area. Breakfast is relaxed and dinners more formal. Meals are communal and time for conversation and connecting around a slow food lifestyle.

    If you not any dietary restrictions, we will do our best to honors those.

  • Located in southwest England, the Cotswolds is the country’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), covering 800 square miles of rolling hills and unspoilt countryside. Its honey-hued limestone defines villages, towns, and historic buildings. The region thrived in the Middle Ages through the wool trade, funding many large parish “wool churches.” Earlier history is marked by Neolithic barrows and Roman remains. Today, the Cotswolds is known for protected landscapes, traditional market towns, and walking trails.

    Arts and Crafts garden design emerged here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, part of the wider movement celebrating craftsmanship, local materials, and harmony between house and garden. Key features include Cotswold stone terraces, walls, and paths; gardens divided into outdoor “rooms”; and Gertrude Jekyll–inspired plantings blending strong structure with herbaceous borders. Formal layouts are softened with climbers, roses, and native species, while vistas and axial paths connect gardens to the surrounding countryside. Typically designed by architects and gardeners together, these gardens embody the movement’s integration of architecture, craftsmanship, and nature.

  • Tankard, J.B., A Perfect Paradise, Arts and Crafts Gardens in the Cotswolds, Hortus Issue 132 (Cotswold Farm features on pp.52-53.)

    On William Morris, key figure in the Arts and Crafts movement.

    Arts and Crafts Designers in the Cotswolds

  • We are very much looking forward to your stay here at Cotswold Farm and will be praying that it is a restful and relaxing time for you all, with plenty of opportunities to be encouraged for your walk with the Lord.

    One of the things that makes Cotswold Farm special is that it is a family home lived in by the Birchall family for nearly 100 years. This means it is not a ‘regulated building’ with the health and safety certificates and fire regulations that you would find in a conference centre or hotel.

    We do have the recommended heat and smoke detectors and fire extinguishers throughout the house which are serviced regularly, but we are keen to avoid fire doors and neon signs etc.

    Sincerely,

    John and Sarah Birchall

    ——

    NOTE from Kirsten: if you have any issues or concerns regarding this message about safety regulations and certificates, please contact me immediately to discuss. Thank you.

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