TTW Retreat: North Yorkshire

The TTW Retreat is back and this time we’re coming to Yorkshire!

Fancy spending a few days in Harrogate with a bunch of like-minded aspiring or early-career travel writers, with two professionals to guide you on your next career move? The TTW Retreat is back and this time we’re coming to Yorkshire!

After hugely successful retreats in the Cotswolds, we’re taking our three-day travel writing course on the road to North Yorkshire and setting up shop in the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate. We’ll spend three days exploring the town and its stories in between seminars on how to make travel writing part of your career journey. Here are the essential details:

• Date: 21-23 October 2025; attendees need to arrive for a 2pm start on the 21st and depart from 1pm on the 23rd

• Place: Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate

• Cost: £450 (£150 deposit required now; full balance to be paid by 1 Sept)

• Inclusions: two nights’ accommodation on a full board basis; press trip-style activities; seminars by professional travel writers Lottie & Steph; a year’s free subscription to this newsletter.

What is the TTW Retreat?

This retreat is designed for new, aspiring or early-career travel writers who want to better understand how this industry works, how to make a reasonable living in it, and how to pitch and write great stories. The retreat will cover everything from the PR-journalist relationship and how that works, to writing pitches that get commissioned, finding editor contacts, networking and matching your ideas to the right publications.

There will also be press trip-style activities so you can put into practice what you’ve learned, plus a Pitching Clinic where we’ll give you personalised feedback on how to strengthen your story angles.

The retreat will also be a great opportunity to meet other travel writers at a similar stage in their careers in person; establishing networks within the industry is a huge part of making this job a success.

The ultimate goal of the retreat is to come away with solid pitches ready to be sent out to editors and a clear idea of how you can land commissions within the travel media.

What have past retreat attendees said?

Our past attendees have had bylines published in The Telegraph, The Independent, BBC Travel, Wanderlust, i paper and many more. But don’t let us be the messengers — here’s what they had to say about 2024’s retreat:

Steph and Lottie have designed a fun-filled weekend retreat packed with comprehensive information about how to pitch a story, as well as insider tips on the industry and practical advice on how to make it all work for you. They are a wealth of information and the resources they provide are like gold to any writer trying to break into this field. I can't suggest the TTW retreat highly enough!

Going on the TTW retreat was one of the best investments I've made in myself and my career for a long time. It not only honed my skills and gave me direction but also provided invaluable industry insight and networking that you just wouldn't get elsewhere or online. Beforehand, I was worried that I'd be the oldest one there or wouldn't have anything to contribute but it wasn't like that at all. It was a diverse and exciting group and I hope I've made some friends for life. Bring on the reunion!

I am not exaggerating when I say that this weekend changed my life - you both gave me such a renewed sense of confidence and belief in myself, and created the most wonderful energy on the retreat. Your openness to share your knowledge and practical tips was incredible – this alongside your warmth and generosity of spirit. The detail in the workshops was next level, and I didn't want the weekend to end. Thank you so much, I am so excited for the future!

This retreat truly exceeded my expectations. Lottie and Steph are such a wealth of information. They are very generous and open with their answers to any questions you have. It was worth coming a long way from the US for this. They demystify the industry for a beginner like me.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend TTW Travel Writing Retreat. Such a lot of information for budding and early-career travel writers. Lottie and Steph have such a wealth of knowledge and are incredibly supportive. Thank you!

Got questions?

Drop us an email at hello@travelwriting.xyz for more information.