Wild Songs

Practical Info

Welcome to Wild Songs…. We can’t wait to share this experience with you!

Wild Songs is an immersion in nature, creativity and song. Over five days, we offer you a full immersion into song and beautiful nature where you can fully connect with your own rhythm and find your authetic voice.

Dates

Wed 10th June (noon) to Sun 14th June (1pm) 2025

Arrivals and Departures

Arrivals: Please aim to arrive on site from noon to 1pm on Wednesday. This will give you time to set up your tent and familiarise yourself with the site. We will formally gather at 1.30pm for cup of tea for a 1.45pm start.
Departures: We will finish by 1pm on Sunday (but please also allow time afterwards to take down your tent).

Travel

By car – The location on google maps is here. There is a sign on the gate that says “Moor Barton Woods” (it needs to say “woods” - there are other signs for Moor Barton elsewhere!). When you arrive through the gate, drive down the road (it’s a bit bumpy!) – the camping field will be on your right (where you can drop off any gear) and places for vans and parking cars the left.
By public transport – The site is a 30 minute drive from both Exeter and Newton Abbot train stations. It is probably easiest (and cheaper!) to get a taxi from Newton Abbot train station. If you are interested in sharing a taxi with others (for 12.30pm at Newton Abbot), there will be a WhatsApp group. On departure day, it would be possible to get the train from Newton Abbot from 1345 onwards.
If you are running late on the day or need to contact us, please text or call our camp phone - 07754 204074.

Accomodation and Facilities

This camp is taking place on a beautiful wild piece of land, which generally feels really comfortable but has no infrastructure connections (i.e. no electricity or running water). Our light will come from the fire and a smattering of solar lights, and our water for washing will be fetched from the stream (drinking water will come from a water bowser). There are two roundhouses on the land - providing plenty of group shelter from the elements… As well as four compost toilets.
Some people choose to wash in the stream, while others may want to bring along a camp solar bag shower. Please ensure all soaps etc are natural eco-products and will not put nasty things into the water.
We appreciate that not everyone is accustomed to spending time off-grid, so we will make every effort to ensure that you are comfortable and can enjoy this time going "back to basics".
There is ample space for camping and camper vans are welcome too!

Kit List

Comfortable & casual outdoor clothes including waterproofs (both jacket & trousers)
Warm layers for the evening (fleeces etc.)
Outdoor shoes (if you have space, would be also great to bring wellies to explore the more boggy parts of the site)
Hats (sun hat / woolly hat – depending on the weather)
Wrist watch (preferred) or other simple time keeping device that is not your phone. Please borrow one from friends or family if you don’t have your own.
Sun cream, environmentally friendly toiletries, anti-viral hand sanitiser
Earplugs & eyemask (if you're a light sleeper)
Water bottle
Torch / headtorch with working batteries
Notebook & pen / pencil
Something special, colourful and celebratory to wear for our last night
Lots of instruments (if you have any!)
All your camping stuff: tent, sleeping bag, pillow, ground matt, etc.
Hot water bottle
Blanket and (optional) cushion to sit on that you don’t mind being outside
Bivy Bag. Depending on the weather, there may be an invitation to sleep out on the land one evening (but you are also more than welcome to continue to sleep in your tent or van if you prefer!). If you think you might like to try sleeping in a bivy bag in a supported environment (whether on your own or in connection with others) we suggest investing in one. We recommend getting a Gortex second hand bivvy bag (such as here). Don’t worry if you can’t get one for whatever reason, as we have spares.

Food and Drink

We will be cooking up delicious, hearty and healthy breakfasts & dinners – concocted with fresh (mostly organic) vegetarian ingredients.
Please note that lunches are not provided on this course. Make sure to bring your own lunch for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (there are no catering options on these days and nowhere close to the site to buy food). Please pack everything you need to prepare and eat your lunch (inc. chopping knives) if this is possible for you (but dont worry if you are taking the train and have limited room!) and note that there are no refrigeration facilities. We will be providing lunch on Saturday.
You might want to supplement meals with snacks you bring yourself.
There will be a bottomless supply of tea available to keep you energised throughout! Please note this is an alcohol free event.

Digital Detox

One of the things that people find most beneficial about our retreats is the opportunity to enjoy a multi-day digital detox. We encourage you to get any last minute correspondence done before you arrive on site, as we will invite you to lock your phone in a box when we first gather on Wednesday. We also recognise that this is not possible for everyone (particularly those with care responsibilities) and can explore what feels possible and good for you.
If you’d like to be contactable during our week together (e.g. in case of an emergency), please do share our camp phone number with friends or family – 07754 204074. It is best to send a text (rather than a voice message).

We cant wait to gather and create songs together!

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch

What to expect

This is a space to bring your voice, presence and curiosity. Everything in this experience is offered as an invitation. You are encouraged to follow your own flow, join in where it feels right and rest when you need to. Our aim is to support each person’s unique way of engaging with sound, nature and community.

You don’t need any musical experience to take part and this space is open to people of all levels and abilities. There are no expectations around “performing” or “getting it right”, rather this is about playful exploration, connection and listening both inwardly and to the world around you. Whether or not you play a musical instrument, you’ll find many possibilities for collaborative expression.

Above all, Wild Songs is rooted in care: for yourself, for others and for the beautiful, living environment that holds us. As a community, we aim to hold together whatever needs you might have with openness and flexibility, supporting each person wherever they are in the moment. Come as you are and let the experience unfold in its own way.

Our daily rhythm

We work in an emergent way, responding to what arises in the group and in the natural environment - and for this reason we don’t share a detailed agenda in advance. However, to give you some orientation to our time together, this is the general daily rhythm: