Women’s Singing weekend on Loch Long
Singing on the shores of Loch Long with song leaders Ali & Kate - 16th to 18th October 2026
This is the second women’s harmony singing weekend of the year organised by Ali and this time it is on the beautiful shores of Loch Long and led by Kate Howard & Ali Mills. The venue has a lovely room to sing in with windows all along the shore side, looking out onto the loch and mountains beyond.
The weekend will run from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. There will be singing throughout the days and evenings interspersed with opportunities for walks, swims in the loch and time to chat and rest. There is space for 30 people to sing, with plenty of bedrooms to stay in at the venue. There are also day places and the opportunity to stay in camper vans beside the house.
Ali Mills
Kate Howard
The weekend is fully catered with delicious vegetarian breakfasts, lunches and dinners and day participants are invited to join us for lunch.
Ardmay House is less than one hour’s drive from Glasgow, and only 45 minutes from Glasgow Airport, with excellent public transport links.
Song leading
Kate and Ali will be leading songs, each in their individual way, allowing for a variety of different songs and teaching styles.
Kate Howard
Kate began her musical career at an early age by studying classical singing but she swiftly moved into community music where she set up some of the UK’s first community choirs.
Kate was a long-time performer with Vermont based touring choir ‘Northern Harmony’ and led their teenage programme Village Harmony for many years, This, enabled her to work with many stunning world music teachers.
She also brings an incredible depth of knowledge of body-work based voice work which she implements through all her work.
Kate now lives in South West Scotland where she runs several large community choirs that collaborate with professional musicians and ensembles. She has a big heart, powerful voice and a joyous approach to singing where she works with a group to create an authentic sound.
Ali Mills
Ali has been song leading her Soulwind groups for over 15 years, combining them for a while with her main career as a Television Set Designer and latterly making it her priority.
Ali believes that it’s our birthright to sing, her passion being to enable singers to enjoy the experience of singing in the moment rather than working towards a performance. In Soulwind we sing in a circle, women’s voices blending and tuning together, with laughter, time for contemplation and a focus on deep listening and becoming one through the song.
Ali loves to take her groups outside, singing to the land and sea. She works with the cycles of the seasons, singing around a fire on the beach for the equinox or on a hilltop for the solstice, celebrating the turnings of the year.
Currently Ali runs regular groups in Glasgow, Helensburgh and Kilcreggan, whilst creating one off singing events in interesting and extraordinary places.
Singing at the loch
During the weekend, Kate will lead a wide range of songs from South African freedom songs, to songs from the Balkan’s and Georgia and traditional folk songs from the British Isles. At the start of each day we will begin with some of Kate’s wonderful body and voice warm-ups and spend some time looking at vocal styles and colours.
Ali will lead songs of peace, light, hope and the land all taught by ear in three part harmony. Her passion for creating beautiful spaces to sing in will lead us to a candlelit evening sing and another around a firepit under a starry sky if the weather allows.
Arrival, departure and meals
The weekend is fully catered with delicious vegetarian breakfasts, lunches and dinners and day participants are invited to join us for lunch.
Arrival Ardmay House from - 4pm Friday 16th October
Departure Ardmay House - 3pm Sunday 18th October
Dinner will be served at 6.30pm on the first evening. First singing session is on Friday evening from 7.30pm to 9pm.
Ardmay House
Our venue is just over a mile from the village of Arrochar, tucked beneath the majestic slopes of The Cobbler. All the accommodation and the hall for singing is in the house and spots for camper vans are just beside it.
Ardmay House was built in 1854 as a Victorian fishing lodge and has water frontage all the way along its garden. The house has a private beach with a seating area that looks out onto the stunning scenery of Loch Long and the surrounding mountains of the Arrochar Alps. The house is spacious, warm and comfortable making it an ideal venue for our singing event.
Ardmay House is less than one hour’s drive from Glasgow, and only 45 minutes from Glasgow Airport, with excellent public transport links.
Booking & pricing
Places are limited to 30 people, so early booking is advised.
Earlybird before 1st May!
As this is the first Soulwind weekend that Kate & Ali are leading together we are doing a special Earlybird rate if you book before 1st May 2026. After 1st May all the above prices will go up by £50.
The price includes all the singing sessions, breakfasts, lunches and dinners and for non-residential places it includes lunch and snacks on both days.
Residential bedrooms with all meals provided:
1 - Dorm room - 4 people sharing - £295 each person
4 - Rooms with two single beds -2 people sharing - £365 each person
1 - Room with a double bed -2 people sharing - £345 each person
4 - Rooms with a single bed - for one person - £415 - SOLD OUT
3 - Rooms with a double bed - for one person - £445 - SOLD OUT
2 of the single rooms with single beds are wheelchair accessible and near to accessible bathrooms. Please email Ali if you would like one of them reserved for you.
Sites for camper vans with all meals provided:
2 - Camper vans - £285 per person
Day participants lunches and snacks provided:
7 people - £195 per person including Friday evening, Saturday & Sunday - lunches & snacks
Young person helper
2 - people - £200 - sleeping in the Dorm room
We are offering two young person helper places at £200 each, for young people on low income. These places are for two women to help us a little with the general running of the weekend and to also sing in the sessions in the studio, please email Ali if you would like to book one of these.
Cancellation policy
If you need to cancel your booking you will receive a refund of 75% of the booking up until August 15th 2026. After this, we will try and fill your place, and if we can will give you a refund of 75% of your booking. If we can’t fill your place there will be no refund.
If you have any questions email:
Ali - soulwindharmony@icloud.com
Kate - katehowardmusic@gmail.com
We are very much looking forward to seeing and singing with you all on Loch Long!