2-Day Nature Writing Masterclass with Mark Cocker

Nature Writing Masterclass with Mark Cocker

Mark Cocker is an award-winning author and hugely experienced writing tutor as well as an acclaimed naturalist. Hepple in midspring is the perfect place to explore the deep links between words and wildlife, between exploring our connections to the living world and writing our thoughts or feelings.

This course involves two full-day workshops devoted to this dual subject, running approximately from 9.00 am until 5.30pm each day and including all food and drink for the day. It involves two interlocking sessions with in-the-field practice.

We will consider in detail how to structure writing to achieve the greatest impacts. Above all, we explore the essential role of close observation not only in writing about Nature, but as a part of all good prose.

A secondary if important aim is to develop your understanding of Nature and how it operates as a collaborative process.

Prior to this course (2nd July 2026) we are hosting Mark for a Transformative Day of Nature Encounter. The two events pair beautifully and you can find more information on that event by clicking here.

At a glance

• Two-day course over 3rd and 4th July 2026
• Course includes writing workshops, writing inspirations and guided estate tours with Mark
• Lunches included as well as dinner on the 3rd
  
• Accommodation not included, local recommendations available 

Emperor moths

Daily outline

There may be some reorganising of the two days to maximise both the weather and wildlife opportunities

Friday July 3rd

09:30am - Arrival, welcome presentation and briefings, with tea and coffee

10:30am - Short walk on site and introduction to the course's focus points with some writing exercises

11:00am to 12:30pm - Workshop on first key theme. This explores the first of our areas: how close observation and research serve as the central sources of detail for all good writing. We are often told “write about what you know best”. This has several key meanings and these are the issues we will explore completely on our first day.

12:30pm - Lunch at our bothy 

1:15pm to 5:00pm - Afternoon workshops which will entail careful recap of the morning session, further exploration of the Hepple area, 90 minutes of writing: two hours of workshop time to reflect on our individual work

7:00pm to 9:00pm - Evening meal in our bothy with Hepple G&Ts and a reading

Saturday July 4th

9:00am - Moth trap inspection at the bothy with teas & coffees and muffins

10:00am - Morning workshop focused on how to write so that at all times the reader can follow and engage with the unfolding story. Good writing is assumed to be a precise expression of the author’s own feeling and thought. This class turns those priorities on their head to some extent and focuses on reader as a crucial factor of all good writing.

12:30pm - Lunch at our bothy

1:15pm  - Afternoon workshops which will entail a careful recap of the morning session, further exploration of the Hepple area, 60 minutes of writing: two hours of workshop time to reflect on our individual work

4:45pm - Wrap-up, goodbyes and departure 

Redstart

The Course

This course is open to anyone over the age of sixteen. Please note that the day includes some walking on rough ground and a proportion of the session will be held outside, sometimes staying still, so you will need to bring appropriate warm clothing and footwear for the weather. Refreshments and lunch will be provided, so please let us know of any special dietary requirements in advance. Bring binoculars, hand lenses if you have them as well as notebook and pen. A (phone) camera is useful.

The course is largely aimed at those with an interest in prose but participants are free to write prose and poetry. The two parts of the class cover important aspects of almost all writing and are designed for all levels. People with wide experience of publishing have found the masterclass adds crucial elements to their existing practice. At the same time, those with no previous writing experience are given a strong steer on how to develop their passion for words. What is essential for the day is a deep sense of wonder and a wish to express your encounters with the living world in words.

To get the most out of the day it will be important for participants to feel supported and to share their thoughts and ideas in a spirit of collaboration. It is intended as a day of experimentation. The workshops are designed for all of us to give each other feedback that guide each of us and points to possible improvements, while supporting and encouraging our efforts.

Prior to this course (2nd July 2026) we are hosting Mark for a Transformative Day of Nature Encounter. The two events pair beautifully and you can find more information on that event by clicking here.

What’s Included?

Our base for the masterclass will be at our bothy, where you will enjoy presentations, workshops, refreshments and meals. Toilet facilities are located here too and available throughout the two days. As you walk straight out into the splendour of the surrounding Hepple Estate, your leader Mark, and Hepple's ecologist Richard, will help you discover and interpret a wealth of fascinating nature.

The small group size of eight max will ensure you receive all the support and insight you need as we learn and discuss about the art of nature writing. Whether you are new to nature writing, or looking for some new ideas, Mark will help guide you through new methods and techniques. As well as developing your writing skills, you will hopefully be able to complete a short piece of work during the course.

Lunches for both days will be provided and there will be a group dinner provided on Thursday evening. 

On one of the mornings there will be full session looking at our moth traps, set the night before, along with coffee and muffins.

Accommodation is not provided in the course fee however local options will be recommended on booking.

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact Richard at richard@hepplewilds.com

Bog myrtle at sunset

Who?

The course will be led by professional author and naturalist Mark Cocker. 

Mark Cocker is a multi-award-winning author and naturalist who writes and broadcasts on wildlife in a variety of national media. His latest book The Nature of Seeing (2026) is a celebration and exploration of the act of looking: how it shapes both the world and ourselves. His 13 other books include A Claxton Diary: Further Field Notes from a Small Planet (2019) which won the East Anglian Book of the Year Award and Crow Country which was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, and won the New Angle Prize. In 2025 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Mark Cocker, naturalist & author

Also assisting on the course will be Hepple's ecologist & guide, Richard Thompson. Richard is Hepple Wild’s professional naturalist; extremely passionate about all kinds of nature and wildlife. Richard has a number of qualifications in subjects such as wildlife tracking, professional botany, navigation and leading groups in upland environments. Richard has taken the lead on curating and organising our bespoke wildlife and nature experiences and is always thrilled to share the wild wonders of Hepple with new people. 

Richard Thompson, Hepple Guide

Where?

Hepple Wilds is a family-owned estate that is putting ecological renewal at the heart of our long-term plan.

Prior to the project starting, the 4,000 acre Hepple Estate was an open moorland and upland sheep farm but despite decades of gentle farming and classic conservation work, it was not easy to outgrow the national pattern of decline in biodiversity. In 2020 we started on a radical new direction with a plan we call ‘managed wilding’. This looks at building the base of the food-chain, from water, soil carbon and fungal mycorrhiza to diverse vegetation and the insect population.

Across the estate there is a multitude of exciting habitats with beautiful flora to focus on including stunning sphagnum mosses & sundews in our bogs and elegant orchids and wildflowers in our meadows. These areas are also home to some incredible invertebrates including various species of dragonflies, damselflies and demoiselle, as well as bees, hoverflies and butterflies such as the small pearl-bordered fritillary. At night moths flit through the trees and long grass.

The Darden burn at Hepple

As well as Hepple Wilds, the estate is home to Hepple Spirits, a premium but small-scale gin distillery that produces a high quality spirit with ingredients fresh from the estate. If there is interest, a distillery tour can be arranged during the course. 

Detailed instructions on how to get to Hepple will be provided prior to the event

Accommodation & Travel

This course does not include accommodation. There are a number of accommodation providers in the local area, including the town of Rothbury and the villages of Elsdon and Otterburn. For our partnered supplies, please see our website. We are also looking at discounts for local suppliers for a group booking and can be in touch about this. 

For reference, Rothbury & Elsdon are both 15 minutes from the estate while Otterburn is 20 minutes away. The larger towns of Alnwick & Morpeth are around 30-40 minutes away. The Bird in the Bush Inn in Elsdon is around 12 minutes away and there are some lovely shepherd's huts at Westfield Farm near Thropton, around 5 minutes away. There are then various inns and airbnb options within Rothbury, 15 minutes away. For all of these we'd be happy to do a shuttle service for the evening dinner.

Unfortunately Hepple is not well served by public transport. However, the nearest train station is Morpeth, around 35 to 40 minutes away, which is on the East Coast Mainline and has very regular connections to Edinburgh and London. For Alnwick there is also a station at Alnmouth. Please get in touch if you would like recommendations about taxi services from then on. Shuttles to local accommodations may be available from the estate following the Thursday meal.  

Regeneration across the estate

Suggested Equipment

• Binoculars and hand lenses would be handy 
• Warm and waterproof clothes 
• A sitting mat, though some can be provided 
• A notebook and pen

Clothing & Access 
Please come prepared for outdoor walking, including sturdy boots, comfortable walking clothes and any other equipment you may require (i.e. walking poles). Additionally, we cannot guarantee the weather and in the Upper Coquet valley it can be quite changeable so please come prepared for any and all weathers. Waterproof trousers and wellies are sensible for when kneeling or sitting in damp areas. 

Unfortunately this event is not currently accessible for wheelchair users or those with physical disabilities that may prevent them from  walking in the outdoors over rough terrain. As we progress with our nature engagement plans, we aim to be able to host more accessible experiences.

Booking Terms

The full course costs £325.00. On booking, you can choose to pay the full amount or pay a deposit of £200. If choosing to pay the deposit, the remaining balance will be due 10 weeks before the event (Friday 24th April 2026). We will be in touch to remind you of this. If you choose to cancel your booking before 10 weeks, we may not be able to refund your deposit, though this will depend on further bookings. If you choose to pay the full amount and then cancel before 10 weeks, we will refund the non-deposit amount. Any cancellations after the 10 week date may result in no refund of any amount however this may again depend on subsequent bookings. 

If the course has to be cancelled by The Hepple Estate, we will offer you a full refund of any monies paid, and/or an alternative booking date if the course is rearranged. 

The Hepple Estate recommends that customers consider travel insurance to cover cancellation costs however it accepts no liability if customers do not possess this. 

By booking this event you agree that you have a suitable physical fitness for the event. It is your responsibility to tell us of any medical conditions we need to be aware of, should these potentially limit your participation in the course.

Sparrowhawk