MARL began with a holiday our founder couldn't find.
As a doctor, Dr Kate Ruttley wanted a proper break, the kind where someone else has already thought of everything and the only thing asked of you is to turn up. Lining up time off with friends who also worked in medicine was almost impossible, though, and the knitting holidays she came across never quite felt like her.
At the knitting events she was already running, she kept hearing a version of the same thing from other women: none of their friends knit, and they'd never really found a group of their own. So she set about making the trip she'd been looking for, and MARL is the result.
What matters to us
We'd rather do fewer things well, which is why the houses are chosen carefully, the food is cooked properly and the details are thought through long before anyone arrives.
We want you to feel looked after from the moment you book, without having to plan, chase or decide anything.
And we leave room in the days on purpose, because the best conversations, and the most relaxed knitting, tend to happen when nothing else is scheduled.
Our Values
Every element is chosen with discernment, from the places MARL stays to the food, materials and smallest details surrounding the experience. Quality is never about excess, but about creating fewer, better and more memorable things.
QUALITY
MARL creates the feeling of being genuinely looked after. Thoughtful organisation removes the mental load so guests can arrive, settle in and enjoy themselves, knowing everything has already been considered.
CARE
INTENTIONALITY
Space is designed into the experience rather than filled for the sake of it. MARL believes there is value in slowness, quiet and leaving room for spontaneous conversation, creativity, rest and connection.
The name
Marl is a yarn made by twisting together strands of different colours, so that each keeps its own character while becoming something new alongside the others. It felt like the right name for a few days around a table making new connections.
Want to check in?
Feel free to ask questions, gather info and prepare for a wonderful time!