Writing for Social Change Retreat – September 2026
I met Andy Pring at the Benalmadena Diversity, Inclusion and Equality conference in November 2025. We got on instantly, and I had the opportunity and pleasure to introduce his conference session.
Little did I know that Andy was planning a retreat in Marrakech for September 2026, to be attended by an international group of writers and change-makers. The first time I saw the advert in February 2026, I was compelled to sign up. There was a full range of writing sessions, social opportunities, and tagine dinners, but the activity that clinched it for me was the thought of hiking the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Mount Toubkal, at around 14,700 feet. Who doesn’t like the prospect of an exhilarating experience? The ascent/descent would be completed in two days, culminating in reaching the peak at sunrise before returning to base camp.
My wife and I had been regular trekkers, but we felt a little rusty. Andy distributed a list of trip essentials, and within a month, we had bought all the required apparatus. In early spring, we started our project, logging hundreds of thousands of steps over the months. We tried out all the equipment and watched every YouTube video about the climb. More on this later.
Writing for social change - the lively group came from Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Germany and England. We worked our way through several progressive exercises, based at Riad Les Yeux Bleus in Marrakech. A beautiful venue with opportunities for indoor/outdoor meetings and dining, depending on the weather. I think the quality of the food and service had a huge impact on the starving writers. The meals were sumptuous, and a glass of wine helped fuel the rigorous discussions and focused writing.
On Day 2, there was an optional excursion to Jardin Majorelle, a remarkable botanical garden founded by Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s. We have visited all the major National Trust gardens in England, but I was knocked out by the live exhibitions of cacti, bamboo, and palms, the water features, and the Art Deco Moorish architecture. Some of those items are unimaginably tall, rotund, and beautifully displayed against a backdrop of cobalt-blue buildings.
On Day 3, we headed to Imlil, where we would be staying at the Kasbah, a remarkable structure on a promontory overlooking the Atlas Mountains. The size of this mountain chain was hard to comprehend, all the more so against the backdrop of the Kasbah’s striking infinity pool. I was itching to get on the mountain, but in the meantime, Andy kept us busy with his writing prompts.
On Day 4, time to attack the mountain. Aided and assisted by our lead guide named, Mohammad, and his team of cooks and porters, we set off. The weather was kind. Warmer than we imagined, and we made good progress up and over miles of unrelenting scree. Nothing in the UK prepares you for this hostile environment. We had prepared for bad weather with layers and waterproofs, but the weather was mild, sunny and inviting. It took little time before we got a sweat on. My backpack was soon raining down through my shirt and onto my body below. It was a relief to reach base camp and remove various soggy layers before a refreshing shower and before our delicious meal of chicken tagine.
Day 5 – rise at 02.30, breakfast and ready for the nocturnal march at 3.30. The crew did a great job of preparing a hot breakfast with food, water and calor gas stoves carried by mules. A significant hitch blighted the project. My left big toenail was digging into my boot on every step. Every step was increasingly painful, and I adjusted my walking pattern to avoid my right toe, which was also digging into that boot. After an hour of excruciatingly painful walking, I took my left boot off to see a badly damaged left toe. I wanted to continue, as we were only 2,000 feet from the summit but still a two-hour walk away. Mohammad was very clear that we should end the walk here. He said there was no point in endangering myself, my wife or the rest of the group. After a two-minute recalibration of the situation, we turned back down the mountain. A huge disappointment, but looking back, a sensible decision.
We arrived back at the Kasbah four hours ahead of schedule, had a cold dip in the infinity pool, a hot shower and a revised spicy version of lamb tagine for dinner. All in all, a memorable experience, 60,000 steps in two days and a huge amount for the creative writers to discuss and reflect upon in our last extended session.
Congratulations to the whole support team for their hard work, grit and determination. To Mohammad for keeping us safe on the mountain, and especially for catching me numerous times as my limbs became weary on the journey home. Many thanks also to Andy Pring for his vision in creating this retreat, which stretched us in all directions.
