Ian Johnson & Rosalyn Spencer
We are delighted to welcome fellow writers into our home to share a nurturing, creative environment in beautiful and peaceful surroundings.
We met in 2001 and were married in Windermere in 2011. We lived in Lincolnshire for many years before one of our regular trips to the Lake District in 2021 led to an impromptu decision to sell up and move to Cumbria. Since buying our 300-year-old farmhouse near Wigton (just outside the Lake District National Park), we’ve spent a great deal of our time lovingly renovating the property and redesigning the garden, making it a great place for fellow writers to enjoy — somewhere they can find inspiration and be creative.
Rosalyn
I have been writing for many years as well as holding down full-time positions in teaching and the Youth Offending Service. After working part-time for eight years as an Elective Home Education Advisor for a local authority, I decided to leave that role to spend more time on my own writing and to run a Writers’ Retreat from our home.
My writing is mainly narrative non-fiction promoting a more human-scale approach to education. I have also written about parenting, the environment, and a few other issues. I’ve had over twenty feature articles published in national magazines including Nursery World, The Green Parent, Natural Parent, Practical Caravan, and The New Writer. I was also commissioned by a national charity to write a 49-page report entitled ‘15 Small Schools’ based on research I completed for my Master’s Degree. My first book, ‘Why I Started a Small School’, was published in 2014. I am currently working on a series of three books — and hoping the first of these will be published very soon.
More information about my writing is available on my author website.
Ian
Ian used to be the IT Manager of a graphic design company but retired early due to ill health. He is an active member of the Scalefour Model Railway Society — regularly attending meetings, and working on his own model railway layout. Even though Ian says he is no writer, he has written several excellent blogs connected to his hobbies and has had articles published in Model Railway magazines.
Ian has a passion for cooking and trying out new recipes. Our home frequently has an aroma of freshly made bread or some other delicious offering. We grow our own fruit and veg, which we use when we can. The cooking for the retreat will be plant-based. Earlier guests have said they had no idea vegan food could be so varied and so delicious as they’ve sampled his home-made meals, biscuits and cakes.
Both Ian and myself have Level 2 Awards for Food Safety for Catering. We had our Food Safety Inspection on 16th June, 2025, and achieved a level 5 (Very Good) Food Hygiene Rating.
Milly
The final member of our immediate family is our adopted cockerpoo. She’s been with us for just over a year after her original owners had both sadly died. Milly is extremely friendly and very lovable. She loves meeting new house guests — especially if they tickle her tummy!