A solo reading retreat at Starcroft Farm

All 3 eco-cabins at Starcroft Farm are named after prominent women connected to the surrounding land during the medieval and Victorian eras, as well as the 1920s. I was delighted to be able to take part in a Christmas reading retreat in the Lucy cabin, which is inspired by bohemian writers and artists from around the 1920s such as Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. As a certified Virginia Woolf fan, and a lover of 1920s style and decor (I even have a flapper girl tattoo), this was so exciting!

First Impressions

After entering the cabin and having a good look around and settling in, I had to get my journal out-this is the first thing I wrote: “Wow. This feels like, exactly how a retreat should feel like. Silence, except for the classical music playing on the vintage radio, solitude, except for the many spectacular authors around me whose books sit in every corner, and surrounded by a curation of beautiful items”.

When I arrived at Starcroft Farm, I was greeted by the wonderful Hannah, whom you can tell has such a deep love and excitement for this place. She had plenty of recommendations for things to do in the local area, and had set up the cabin so nicely for me. Stepping inside, opening up the sage green door with a magnificent Christmas wreath on it, it felt like I was stepping back in time, with the carefully selected books, pale pinks, golds and dark blues everywhere, vintage trinkets too. And I think this is exactly what you need from a retreat: to be transported somewhere new and magical.

The Christmas decorations also reminded me of the film Little Women- the gold tinsel and the paper chains- sitting there writing I felt like Jo in her little room writing her novel, and have left feeling so festive and rejuvenated!

You can use my discount code GIRLSOLO for £50 off any stay booked by 31st December 2025

I spent a lot of time reading and writing, as I found that space and silence was exactly what I needed to let inspiration strike, or to simply calm my mind for a moment. This was especially useful for me during the festive season, which can be very fast paced, but I think staying at Starcroft Farm at any time throughout the year would be a welcome rest for anyone. Until you get there, you don’t realise how much you needed just a little bit of quiet and separation from busy day-to-day life, some fully dedicated time to doing what you love. Here, it feels so possible to spend hours getting stuck into a new book, writing poems or that story you’ve always wanted to start, as well as exploring the local area, which I did plenty of too…

Things to do in Battle & beyond

On my first afternoon there, I took the 20 minute walk through powdermill woods to the local farm shop ‘Great Park Farm’, which was easy to navigate to and very useful to have within walking distance if you need any supplies. The next morning, after plenty of chilled reading time, I visited the Christmas market at Ashburnham place, where there were lots of lovely stalls selling everything from cakes to Christmas cards, to second hand clothes. Afterwards, I drove into the historic town of Battle, only a 5 minute drive from the cabins, or a 40 minute walk through the woods. You can of course see the Battle Abbey, as well as look round the cute high street shops. There seems to always be lots of events going on in and around Battle, so you will never be short of things to do. Also during my stay, I visited the Catsfield Christmas tree farm which had the most amazing decoration shop, but also, the smell of the Christmas trees alone was enough to make my day! The cabins are also only a 17 minute drive from Hastings if you wanted to go there for the day- they are ultimately the perfect location/ base for exploring the area.

Things I loved most about staying at Starcroft Farm

• The attention to detail- the little trinkets, the tarot card print in the bedroom, the stained glasswindow in the bathroom- stunning decoration that I have not seen anywhere else before. – The writing desk next to the big window looking out over the fields. I find when I am writing or reading, I often take 10 second breaks just to look up and around me, to rest my eyes and process what I am reading. To look up and see nature, wintering, during these mini breaks is magic indeed.
• The many books. All following the theme, and lots of new things for me to discover, as well as my own personalised recommendation. If you book onto a reading retreat, you fill out a short questionnaire about your book preferences, and the local bookseller Ian selects you a book which is waiting for you on arrival. My recommendation ‘Murder at Mistletoe Manor’ definitely ticked all the boxes, and I got through it in less than 2 days because I was so gripped!
• The encouragement and inspiration to take the time to rest. Everything is perfectly set up so you have all you need to spend a restful weekend, including special little gifts such as a ‘poetry prescription’ from The Poetry Pharmacy, hot chocolate and biscuits! I also loved the guestbook with poems and messages from previous guests, which really inspired me too.
• How solo-traveller friendly it was. A lot of the time as a solo adventurer, you can feel like you are the odd one out, or doing things the ‘wrong’ way, but Starcroft Farm felt so welcoming to me as a solo traveller- the focus was on the experience. (Also, reminder- there is no right or wrong way to do things, especially when it comes to travel- spending time with yourself is necessary and you are very cool if you do this).

I would recommend a stay at Starcroft for anyone who needs time to unwind, a little break from the noise, for book lovers, writers, or people who want to start reading more but can’t find the time. A stay here would be a lovely gift for the readers in your life, or for yourself! The cabins are available for Christmassy stays throughout December, and they hold writing and reading retreats throughout the year, including a Virginia Woolf reading retreat which I think sounds amazing!

Don’t forget, you can use my discount code GIRLSOLO for £50 off any stay booked by 31st December 2025 (stay does not have to be taken by that date).

Thanks for reading and make sure to follow me on instagram to keep up with my solo adventures @girlaboutsolo, and follow Starcroft @starcroftfarmcabins to hear about latest retreats and stays. 🙂