Join us for one or more of these life-giving weeks at Camas
Camas is a place of great beauty, ‘off-grid’ and powered by renewable energy, where you can live simply, enjoying the natural rhythms of day and night, the nearness of nature and the warmth of community. An organic garden supplies lots of salads, fruits and vegetables. Seashore, rocks, woodland, and amazing wildlife make Camas a great place to relax and have fun.
Open weeks are a unique opportunity for individuals to come and experience the joy of Camas. We attract a wide range of folk, of all ages and all backgrounds. As a previous Camas Resident is recorded as saying, “I think everyone should have a week at Camas”.
Our Spring and Autumn work weeks are full of fun and laughter as well as hard work, but are always rewarding, in what we get done and in the relationships that develop. Our programmed weeks inspire deep thought and deep connection as well as creating space to just be and explore. Accommodation is basic and shared, but the warm welcome from the Camas community and the cosy common room more than make up for it.
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Work Week
20th to 25th March 2023
Led by Camas Staff
Join us for the first week of the 2023 Camas season. Enjoy Community living with plenty of good food, good company and lots of satisfying work in the outdoors and around our buildings and huts. The week will be spent getting the Centre ready for the season and warming up the buildings. Tasks will include chopping firewood, painting and fixing things, collecting seaweed for the garden and anything else that might need doing.
Nurture the Land
27th March to 1st April
Led by Camas Staff
Join us at Camas for a week of nurturing our land whilst nurturing yourself with a week of simple community living and sharing common tasks together in our abundant organic garden and woodland. All while enjoying the garden’s over-wintered produce, lovingly prepared, for our shared meals. No previous gardening experience necessary but a willingness to get your hands dirty and an appreciation of warm evenings by the fire will be beneficial.
HerWildness
5th to 10th June
Led by Valerie Allen, member of the Iona Community
“Some days I am more wolf than woman and I am still learning how to stop apologising for my wild.” Nakita Gill
This retreat is for ALL women who want to let their spirit dance wild! For five days we’ll be leaving behind our gentle dove and flying free with the wild goose, the Celtic symbol for the Holy Spirit.
Using embodiment and creative arts we’ll explore different aspects of a wild spirituality, one that invites us to embrace the fullness of who we are as women. Wild swimming, wild painting, wild walking, wild dancing, and wild stories!
The hope is we’ll leave Camas feeling nurtured and ready to step back into our personal lives and the places we engage society and our world with renewed confidence and energy. Valerie is a spiritual companion, retreat leader, and member of the Bield Retreat Centre Pastoral Team who has a special interest in women’s spirituality and gender justice. She is a member of the Iona Community.
Community and Local Kids Week
7th to 12th August
Led by Camas Staff
A week of communal living and activities for young people either associated with members of the Iona Community or who live in Mull or Iona. Please get in touch if you’re interested in this week, camasprogramme@iona.org.uk.
Thrift with Kathy Galloway and Christian MacLean
28th August to 2nd September
Led by Kathy Galloway and Christian MacLean
The world is in ecological breakdown and environmental crisis, we need to radically change the way we use the world’s resources if we are to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Join us for a week living communally at low carbon Camas, exploring how we can be more like the resilient thrift , growing on the edges of places and clinging on and thriving in less than ideal circumstances.
We will be guided by Kathy Galloway and Christian MacLean, former leaders of the Iona Community and both seasoned activists. We will look at the choices, the changes and the campaigns we need to make and sharing the communal and personal joys that inspire us on the way to sustainable societies.
We’ll also enjoy Camas community living between the seashore and the woodland, powered by renewables, eating from the organic garden, with time for walking, kayaking, abseiling and wild swimming.
Creative Week
25th to 30th September
Led by Camas Staff
Bring your creative project or your creative side down the track. We will spend time connecting with the incredible natural world around us as inspiration for our chosen creative interest. This week will include nature walks, wild swimming, kayaking, gardening, woodland exploration, solo creative time and time to show and tell. You are welcome whatever your creative interest, be it painting, poetry, music, story-telling or something else entirely. We look forward to sharing a week of simple community living, creative space, outdoor activities, good food, good company and the great outdoors.
Nurture the Land
2nd to 7th October
Led by Camas Staff
Join us for a week of simple community living focussed on putting our wonderful organic garden to bed for the winter. We will ensure she is well fertilised and tucked in for a good rest over winter so she’s ready for spring planting. All while enjoying the garden’s autumn produce lovingly prepared for our shared meals. No previous gardening experience necessary but a willingness to get your hands dirty and an appreciation of warm evenings by the fire will be beneficial.
Work Week
9th to 14th October
Led by Camas Staff
Join us for the last week of the 2023 Camas season. Enjoy Community living with plenty of good food, good company and lots of satisfying work in the outdoors and around our buildings and huts. The week will be spent closing down the Centre for the winter – chopping firewood, painting and fixing things, collecting seaweed for the garden and anything else that might need doing as the nights draw in.
Book your place here.
Things previous Open Week guests have said on why they chose to come to Camas:
“to spend time away from everyday life in a beautiful natural place.” – Family Week guest 2022
“positive vibes, fresh air, nature, reflection, communal living, meeting new people, gardening tips, exchanging life experience.” – Garden Week guest 2022
And what they thought was so great about Camas:
“nourishing conversations…people sharing their passions, ballet, leather, seaweed – so beautiful. Big sleeps, no stress, breath, perspective, hope.” – Creative Week guest 2022.
