In the main squares of the beautiful city of Lucca, one of the destinations on our Wednesday excursions during our creative course weeks, no lonely cab horse steams and stamps, but occasionally you will see an open horse-drawn carriage clip-clopping through the historic streets.
We never knew where they came from until last Wednesday when two enterprising guests on a Watermill painting course took the excursion to Lucca and organised a horse and carriage ride around the historic walled city. Ann and Heather Kidman were determined to see the sights, but did not want to walk too much. So, when they arrived by train on Wednesday morning, they went straight to the nearest Information Office and enquired about carriage rides.
Yes, that can be arranged, they were told, but the owners of the horses did not like them standing waiting in the sun, so they are kept in a cool shed nearby. You telephone to have them brought to the square. After ringing Marika, one of the owners, they waited in the Piazza Napoleone and in a few minutes, she appeared, leading Mario a splendid seven-year-old stallion, who pulled their open carriage behind him.
Ann and Heather enjoyed a 40-minute carriage ride, with Marika pointing out the principal sites, including the cathedral, ancient towers, the piazza echoing the shape of the Roman amphitheatre and the wedding cake façade of the church of San Michele. It cost just €60 for the two of them. Great value for money, I reckon.
Thanks to the enterprise of Ann and Heather, we can now add the possibility of a carriage ride to our guests who choose the Lucca excursion option on one of our creative weeks. (The other excursion is to the Cinque Terre.) Come and meet Mario, or one of his equine friends, as well as enjoying inspiring tuition, warm hospitality, delicious food and wine, stunning locations and the convivial company of like-minded people. And you heard that from the horse’ s mouth!
This year is pretty full up but we are now taking bookings for NEXT year, 2024. There is a Preview section on the Watermill website, which you can see by clicking here. Because our international tutors have many of their own dedicated fans and followers, we already have 80 or so bookings for 2024.
So, don’t miss out! Although 2024 may still be a long way off, to be really sure of your space, it might be sensible to book now. And just think how much warm anticipation you can enjoy, looking forward to the convivial symbiosis between fellow students, inspiring tutors and the Watermill caring team.
Many of the 21 international tutors next year are old friends, who love returning to the Watermil, plus a handful of exciting new tutors, whose courses, we are sure, will be a great success. We’ll be telling you all about them individually in blogs starting soon.
There are details of all the 2024 courses below … and there is a bonus: if you book one of next year’s courses NOW, you will be able to enjoy it at 2023 prices. This offer will end in September.
Carl March
20 – 27 April 2024
Drawing and watercolours en plein air
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Susan Crawford
27 April – 4 May 2024
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page
Norah Gaughan
4 – 11 May 2024
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more , please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Louisa Harding
11– 18 May 2024
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Debbie Abrahams
18– 25 May 2024
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
+
Maggie Renner Hellman
25 May – 1 June 2024
‘Colourful & expressive oil & watercolour’ (also Travel sketching, acrylics, and pastel)
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Sylvia Watts-Cherry
1 – 8 June 2024
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Randy Hale
8 – 15 June 2024
Watercolours
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Keiko Tanabe
15 – 22 June 2024
Watercolours
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Michael Solovyev
22 – 29 June 2024
‘Atmospheric Landscape in Watercolour: Studio/Plein Air’
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Paul Talbot-Greaves
29 June – 6 July 2024
Watercolours
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Yong Chen
6 – 13 July 2024
Watercolours
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Sue Ford
13 – 20 July 2024
Watercolours, pastels, collage and mixed media plus acrylic
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page.
Andrew Hucklesby
17 – 24 August 2024
Capturing the moment in watercolour
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page
Pamme Turner
24 – 31 August 2024
Capturing the moment in watercolours and gouache
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page
Mike Willdridge
7 – 14 September 2024
Watercolour and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page
Rebecca de Mendonça
14 – 21 September 2024
Pastels
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page
Jo Parfitt
21 – 28 September 2024
Writing your Life Stories
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review pageò
Tim Wilmot
28 September – 5 Octobr 2024
Watercolours
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page
Grahame Booth
5 – 12 October 2024
Watercolours
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page
Giulia Balestri
12 – 19 October 2024
A unique way of learning Italian
To learn more, please visit our 2024 Courses review page