30th July - 3rd August

Strawbale Building Course – BULGARIA – £295/£320
Hotnitsa, a small village near Veliko Tarnovo (VT) 

This summer Barbara Jones of Amazonails is leading a week-long strawbale building programme in rural Bulgaria.  Barbara is one of the world’s leading strawbale builders and this is a wonderful opportunity to learn strawbale building techniques and skills. 

We will be building a small house and eco-centre, which will act as a home and focal point for eco-building in the region.  In subsequent years, we hope to build more strawbale homes on this site, so this is your chance to be in at the start of this exciting development.

The build will take place in Hotnitsa, a small village near Veliko Tarnovo (VT), and there will be time for participants to explore this unique area.  VT was the capital of Bulgaria at one time and is built on the steep slopes of the River Yantra.  It’s a lively student town with lots of museums, galleries and restaurants.  The area is rich in history and wildlife, with plenty of quiet trails for walking and cycling. 

You can come to Hotnitsa using a variety of transport.  Cheap flights to Sofia are available online via EasyJet, WizzAir and Bulgaria Air.  There are regular buses from Sofia to VT, which take approximately 3 hours.  We will meet you in VT, after which it’s a 15 minute journey to Hotnitsa.  If you prefer to use trains then the nearest mainline station is Gorna Orhiavitsa and we will collect you from there. Two years ago, we cycled here from the UK so can recommend that as an alternative but do allow a couple of months!

There are two price bands: one for camping on site (bring your own tent) and the other for hostel style accommodation on site or in VT.  The price for camping is £295 for the full course, five nights accommodation including three meals per day.  For hostel style accommodation the price is £320.  The cost of flights, buses etc will be in addition to this and should be arranged by participants themselves although we’re happy to advise.  Anyone wanting to stay longer can do so at an additional cost of £14 per night (camping) or £19 (hostel).

To book a place with £50 deposit, ring: 00359 6128240 or email: contact@hotnitsa.com

For more information about our place in Hotnitsa, see www.hotnitsa.com