Camps & Retreats

Joiners Bunkhouse

We’ll be staying at The Joiners Bunkhouse in the quiet hamlet of Preston. This is very much a traditional, get away from it all, bunkhouse. It’s all thrills and no frills! It’s not shiny and modern but rustic, cosy and wholesome. The downstairs is an open plan kitchen and living area where we will be conducting our theory and video analysis sessions, as well as eating breakfast and evening meals and hanging out/warming up post surf. The bunkhouse sleeping area consists of bunk beds, there are 5 partitioned areas of bunks within one large room and these are shared sleeping areas (max 2 people per sleeping area). We will do any stretch/yoga/surf fitness sessions in the on site barn which has a super cool and rustic feel to it. Bedding will be provided, but please bring a towel. There is a small additional charge for the fuel used in the fire and the electricity is operated by a coin meter (budget between £2-£5pp for the weekend). For more info on the bunkhouse please visit www.bunkhousenorthumberland.co.uk. 

Our breakfast consists of overnight oats and yummy home made fruit compots. Our lunches and dinners are a combination of healthy, hearty home-cooked meals and a selection of meals from our favourite local food businesses.

Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements and we will cater to these.

Transport

Having a vehicle or sharing with another guest is necessary to drive to the chosen surf spot, depending on the surf and weather conditions. We do have availability to provide transport for some guests, but this must be arranged in advance as it is limited. Should you need a transfer from a nearby train station (Chathill, Berwick or Alnwick) please let us know before booking so we can confirm if this is possible.

Alcohol

There is a welcome drink included on the Friday night, otherwise alcohol is not included, but feel free to bring some if you would like!

Drinks and snacks

Drinks and snacks outside of the meals are not included, so please bring a refillable water bottle and snacks as required!

Flat conditions

As we are dealing with the weather we can never guarantee that there will be waves. However, we know the coastline like the back of our hand, so will find any surfable wave on offer. Even if the waves aren’t pumping, we find so much learning (and stoke) potential in whatever the North Sea gives us. We are lucky that our little corner of Northumberland is perfectly situated to pick up little northerly swells thanks to north facing Bamburgh, while also maximising south easterly wind swells that don’t hit further down on the North East coast, so it is rare for it to be completely flat for 3 days, particularly outside of the summer months, and we have never experienced that on a camp or retreat. We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring that our camps and retreats are enjoyable, informative and beneficial for all our guests, and rest assured in the unlikely event that it is flat we do the same. We have a number of fun and useful flat water sessions planned, as well as land based simulation training in the form of surf skates and balance boards. You will still enjoy awesome surf specific fitness, learn loads about surfing and get plenty of time in the sea!

What happens in the case of bad conditions

We know all the nooks and crannies of the coastline so can find protected spots in most conditions, but we may juggle the structure of the camp and focus more heavily on surfing one day and theory and other complimentary activities the other, if this works better with the conditions.

In the event of extreme weather (very high winds) we reserve the right to cancel or postpone the retreat. In the unlikely event that this happens we will provide alternative dates and a voucher for the full amount if the alternative date is not suitable.

The deposit is required upfront to secure your spot. The balance is due 6 weeks prior to the camp/retreat start date. 

The deposit is non-refundable.

The balance is refundable up to 6 weeks prior to the camp/retreat start date. Cancellations within 6 weeks of the start date will only receive a refund of the balance if we are able to fill the space. Please inform us of any cancellations as early as possible.