A Rough Guide to Being in Buckfastleigh

All workshops at the Moor Imagination Center are not residential.

This means that if you are coming in from afar, you will need to make arrangements to stay nearby. If you need help with finding accommodation, here are some options.

To book a place please email Dan at info@brionygreenhill.com

Note all workshops held at Bala Brook Retreat Centre are residential.

Where to Stay

We book a nearby BnB. These rooms go on a first come first served basis - if you’d like to reserve a spot email Dan at info@brionygreenhill.com. The rooms are as follows:

• Single room (1) - £45 per night

• Twin rooms (2) - £37.50 per person per night (2 sharing, same gender)

• Double (1) - £70 per night

• Double en suite (1) - £85 per night, can be shared by two people who are happy to share a double bed.

It’s a ten minute drive away. We encourage car sharing and trust that it will all work out with the back and forth.

If by the time you book all these spots are filled, we have some other local spots we can arrange for you which are about the same price, comfortable and convenient.

Either way, email Dan at info@brionygreenhill.com if you need a place to stay for your course. The sooner you email the more likely you are to get a good spot.

How to get here

The nearest train stations are Totnes and Newton Abbot. From either place, you can get a bus to Buckfastleigh; check bus details on google maps, and you can get train tickets from thetrainline.com or Trainpal. The 38 and 88 busses come to Buckfastleigh. (If you have a gap between the train time and the bus time, Totnes is a more fun place to have spare time.)

If driving, please be aware that parking is tricky in Buckfastleigh. The nearest car park to MIC is Mardle Way. Victoria car park is also about a 4 min walk away. MIC doesn’t currently have parking (but they’re working on it.)

Where to eat

MIC has an on-site plant-based, mostly organic cafe which is great. It has very particular opening hours. When we have a full group we can ask the cafe to cater for us. For the creativity path courses we arrange catering and food is included in the price.

In addition, MIC is a short walking distance from:

The Seed Organic Grocery Store

Co-op

Kebab Shop

The Doe bar and restaurant

and a few other cafes on Fore St.

Where to swim

There is some great wild swimming nearby.

Hembury woods https://maps.app.goo.gl/xX8CVnJvWiwTcfzr5

Newbridge https://maps.app.goo.gl/CF31daaoypNzwBmq8 and https://maps.app.goo.gl/rgY72UYpPCwuzK9k9

There are also several swim spots on the Dart in Totnes and Dartington.

Why MIC and Buckfastleigh

Life washed Briony up on a South Devon shore in 2021. After she dried off a bit, she realised it was pretty great, and stayed. Soon after she met Ollie, who agreed it was great and moved down from Bristol. In 2023 their son Robin was born at home at the bottom of Fore St, Buckfastleigh.

Buckfastleigh is a small village of many different communities, nestled between hills and equidistant from Totnes and Dartmoor. Dartmoor has many lovely hikes, and Totnes has lots going on. Also home to Schumacher College, Riverford Organic (try a set menu at the Field Kitchen! book in advance…) and previously Dartington College of the Arts, this is as you probably know a progressive, creative part of the country, close to beautiful countryside and the wonderful River Dart. We’re about 30-40 mins from lovely beaches. Also nice and nearby is Ashburton, including the Ashburton Arts Center. There’s even a steam train between Buckfastleigh and Totnes - (for £22 return…..).

While Robin was growing from lime size to about 2 feet tall, the wonderful team at MIC formed a Community Interest Company, raised funding, bought a local church and turned it into a centre for community, creativity, wellbeing and resilience. And thus the Moor Imagination Centre was created a 5 min walk from Briony & Ollie’s house, so having taught internationally for years, Briony now walks about 5 minutes to teach. Which is great because then Ollie can use their one family car to take Robin out while mum is teaching. And so it is.

Thank you for coming all the way here. Welcome to Devon!