Rheenendal Writing Retreat

‘You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.’ C S Lewis

Join this facilitated writing retreat to give yourself time apart to start, pursue or finish a creative work. Dawn Garisch is a multiple award-winning South African author and poet (see her bio here) who facilitates the writing of memoir, fiction and poetry with the Life Righting Collective.

She will meet with retreatants in the morning to help you set the intention for the day and to discuss questions about the writing process. The group will meet again in the evening to read their work for feedback and support. Dawn will also be available during the day for one-on-one assistance. The retreat is mostly unstructured and you are encouraged to make up your day as you please.

The venue and your host

The School is on a large, beautiful piece of land near Knysna, with gardens and a vegetable garden to enjoy. The only sounds are of the birds, distant donkeys or baboons. On some days you can even hear the sea. There are few real world distractions and we encourage limited use of phones and other appliances, although there is good wi-fi if required.

Janet Meintjes is a great host, providing comfortable accommodation in beautiful surrounds and a delicious main evening meal daily. Each spacious room is carefully and imaginatively converted from the old school buildings – they are sanctuaries in and of themselves.

We recommend the experience should be one of deep, focused immersion in your creative work process. However, if you have transport, there are very many places to see and things to do in the surrounding area, so it does not have to be all work and no play!

What makes this retreat special

This retreat is for those who are already engaged in their writing project, be it a novel, a script, a memoir or an academic thesis. It offers a quiet, peaceful environment in which to work with our wonderful facilitator, Dawn Garisch, who has over a decade’s workshop and retreat-hosting experience.

When a break is required from your focused work, the area is bountiful. Rheenendal is situated on the Garden Route – close to the scenic Knysna lagoon and indigenous forest, as well as near beaches and rivers, with excellent hikes and swimming opportunities. Janet also has a fully equipped art studio, so you can paint, draw or do collage in conjunction with your writing process. Or maybe you might need a massage or another healing modality, many of which are offered within the area.

A healthy, vegetarian meal will be provided at the end of each day, time to relax and chat about your work process or any topics of interest. Janet is also a cake-maker of note!

The important details

Venue: The School, Rheenendal, near Knysna

Duration: 13 nights

Dates: Monday 9 June 2025 to Sunday 22 June 2025

Cost: R15 000

Bookings: janet@traffikstudio.co.za

Accommodation

Janet will arrange all accommodation either at The School itself or at suitable nearby venues.

Food

A healthy, seasonal vegetarian evening meal will be offered every evening.

Tea, coffee, water and fresh fruit will be available throughout the day.

Retreaters will need to prepare their own lunches and snacks for during the day. Janet will make a meal for you on request at an additional cost.

Any specific dietary preferences will be noted prior to the retreat and we will attempt to accommodate these where possible.

Local hikes and beaches

Some of the local trails require permits – generally @ R 45 per person. Janet is happy to book permits, guide walks or to drop off and collect those who want to go solo or with a friend.

Buffels Bay and Brenton-on-Sea offer stunning beach walks and swimming for the brave! Otherwise local river swimming is a delightful option.

What previous participants have said

The evening times of reading aloud were great: both as a source of inspiration in listening to others’ work, and also to get personal feedback. Dawn did an excellent job of facilitating and holding it all together.  J.G.

By creating the safe spaces, the magical and mystical fire of creativity can burn. Thank you for the opportunity to let me pile my little logs on, you gave them space to ignite and burn. C.S.