‘You-SKETCHING in Kent.
castles, gardens & English village life
2027
MONDAY JUly 12th to SUNday July 17th
You know how often you’ve looked at the many photos of others traveling in glorious places and sketching happily -
but didn’t think you would ever have the courage.
Well - guess what - I’m going to take you past that stumbling block. And believe me, everyone feels the same at first.
Until they join one of our sketch tours.
An old doorway. A crooked cottage. Flowers spilling over a garden wall. Reflections in a moat. A village church. A country pub.
A magnificent castle appearing through the trees.
Things you’d always thought were beyond you - not a bit of it.
Each day we’ll discover somewhere new, with plenty of time to stop, sketch, wander, have a leisurely lunch and simply enjoy being there.
You’ll wonder why you didn’t do this earlier. Enjoying yourself and sketching. Wow.
You don’t need to be an experienced artist. You don’t need to produce a perfect sketch. The more wobbly the better.
We do slow down and spend time looking and observing. There’s no hurry.
Just that real desire to learn something new and take time each day to look at the world differently while you create.
This trip is ideal for people who enjoy independent travel, want to learn to sketch and like to share experiences & conversations
with a small group of like-minded people over dinner in the evenings..
YOUR HOSTS AND ORGANISERS
International Sketch Tutor Erin Hill and Milton Hill European historian enthusiast, are your hosts and organisers for these small more personal tours - the loveliest way to sketch and travel in the gorgeous English countryside.
We can easily tailor our week to do the things you’d most like to achieve.
Monday July 13th to Friday July 17th
We’re going to step into the loveliness of romantic English country life, and do our best to get that feeling into our sketches.
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COSTS
7 Days £1995
5 Days £1375
Single Days £295
Deposit on 7 or 5 days - £295
Full payment on single days
(non refundable but can be transferred to another of my tours in future)
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EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT
-Valid until 1st January 2027.
Any bookings after midnight on 31 December 2026 will have a price increase of £120 per person on both 7 & 5 days.
Single days will have a price increase of £30 per day
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Mornings: 10.00am - 1.00pm
Sketch lunch: 1.00 -2.00pm
Afternoons: 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Erin Hill and Milton Hill are your organisers for these small personal Workshops and Tours.
It means we can more easily tailor our week to the things you’d most like to do.
•
IF YOU’D LIKE TO JOIN US, HERE ARE YOUR CHOICES
If you live within traveling distance, simply meet us each day at Chilston Park Hotel, Sandy near Lenham, Kent.
OR
If coming from elsewhere, book your accommodation with Chilston Park Hotel, where Milton and I will be staying
- or elsewhere if you find something you like -
We’ll start our sketching here each day.
WHATS INCLUDED:
Daily plein-air sketch tutoring and guidance for all levels with Erin - approx 4 hrs.
Meet after breakfast Chilston Park Hotel each morning.
Huge choice of daily sketch subjects, plus hints and tips.
Positive feedback and help with your sketching progress.
Organising and guidance each day.
We can share cars for transport each day to go to our locations.
History information and background with Milton.
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WHATS NOT INCLUDED:
Flights or transport to and from Chilston Park Hotel Kent
Accommodation
Meals drinks or snacks.
Sketch Kit.
Personal spending.
Check that you’re covered for injuries or losses that might happen to you accidentally - we hope never needed!
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WHO ARE MY SKETCHING TOURS FOR:
Anybody with an adventurous spirit.
Those who’d love to learn travel sketching, from real subjects you see around you, learning many of my fast and loose techniques.
Or maybe you’d like to simplify your sketching skills and become much more free.
My mission is to teach people who don’t believe they could possibly sketch or draw,
and that by following my step by step approach, you will soon be sketching, and in your own style.
No photos required!
No experience required, just a desire to sketch your journey.
*
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
*Sketch Kit - Available UK, USA and France. It’s the colours that are important.
* Bring a folding stool if you like, a hat, a raincoat, sunglasses, water to drink, money for incidentals, such as coffee, drinks, lunch, dinner. And all those gorgeous gifts you’ll find locally.
* Come with a big happy smile and willingness to learn.
Please read our Terms and Conditions and confirm on the Booking Form
Our possible Itinerary for the week.
Depending on the weather and if we’ll decide to change things around.
• Day 1 – Monday July 12th
Warm-up sketches
Morning: Starting at 10.00am
Welcome session: Introduction to our sketching week, materials overview, and warm-up exercises
Lunch - 12.30pm
Afternoon: 1.15 or thereabouts - till 3.00pm
Complete colour or sketches from the morning.
Dinner for those who’d like to join us.
• Day 2 – Tuesday July 13th
Leeds Castle
Morning: Starting at 9:00am
After breakfast, travel to Leeds Castle.
We’ll look for ways to sketch a castle, whether big views or just some smaller close-ups .
Lunch: 12.30pm
Afternoon: 1.15 or thereabouts - till 3.00pm
Carry on completing our sketches and adding colour
Return to Hotel at 3.00pm.
Dinner for those who’d like to join us.
• Day 3 – Wednesday July 14th
Ightham Mote
Morning: Starting at 9.00am
A medieval moated manor house, ancient buildings, water and woodland.
Lunch - 12.30pm
Afternoon: 1.15 or thereabouts - till 3.00pm
Time to continue sketching, adding colour or doing more.
Dinner for those who’d like to join us.
• Day 4 – Thursday July 15th
Sissinghurst Castle Gardens
Morning: Starting at 9.00am
Flowers, garden structures, pots & garden furniture, vistas, towers and garden sheds - and more.
Lunch - 12.30 pm
Afternoon: 1.15 or thereabouts - till 3.00pm
Adding colour, and our techniques for ‘popping’ your sketches
Dinner for those who’d like to join us.
• Day 5 – Friday July 16th
People sketching & Medieval villages
Morning: Starting at 10.00am
We will check out one of the villages and sketch some of the people we see.
Lunch - 12.30pm:
Afternoon: 1.15 or thereabouts - till 3.00pm
Complete your sketches, colour etc.
Dinner for those who’d like to join us.
• Day 6 – Saturday July 17th
Sketch walk around the Hotel Gardens and hidden corners
Morning: Starting at 10.00am
Today we’ll do some Vignette sketching, small sketches scattered over a double page spread
Lunch - 12.30pm:
Afternoon: 1.15 or thereabouts - till 3.00pm
Complete your sketches, colour etc.
• Day 7 – Sunday July 17th
Reviewing our sketches
Morning: Starting at 10.00am
Today we’ll talk over what we discovered over the week, what help we needed and the success we had.
Lunch - 12.30pm:
Afternoon: 1.15 or thereabouts - till 3.00pm
Complete your sketches, colour etc.
Farewell to everyone till next time we meet.
Click the little icons below to see loads of my sketches on Pinterest and Instagram