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26th-30th August 2026
The Asha Centre, Forest Of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK
The premier residential acoustic guitar camp on the planet, now in the UK! Just as the legendary Austria venue is very Austrian, the UK one is very English, with an idyllic retreat set in the gorgeous background of The Forest Of Dean, for 4½ days of total guitar submergence.
For the 2026 edition, Jon will be joined by bootcamp expert Thomas Leeb again, and guest teachers will include Italian Fingerstyle Wizard Pino Forastiere and renowned Guitar Explorer Chris Woods. It’s a stunning and varied line up of modern acoustic masters, and we might have a surprise guest or 2 thrown into the mix.
There are on-site shared cottages, and budget-friendly on-site camping! There’s also lots of off-site accommodation options nearby. The bootcamp is fully catered, with produce from the centre’s organic gardens.
Everything you could possibly want to know is in the FAQ below.
I’m keeping the numbers at the camp small, so it’s expected to sell out early again. Please book soon if you wanna come.
Bootcamp 2026 is now fully booked. To be added to for the waitlilst for 2027, or to ask a question, please email Natasha using this form:
The workshop fee of £550 (GBP) includes tuition and all materials and is payable by bank transfer. A (generally non-refundable) 50% deposit reserves your place.
Room/Board fees for duration of the camp are:
The Room/Board fee is payable to the venue directly. Don’t worry, it’s very easy and we’ll walk you through everything.
More info about the accommodation, food and everything else is in the FAQ below.
“Our heads are filled with guitar-based goodness, and our hearts with the wonderful new friends we have met. Memories that will never leave us!” – Nick & Fia
The Acoustic Guitar Bootcamp runs from August 26th to 30th 2026 at The Asha Centre, an idyllic mansion-house retreat set in the beautiful Forest Of Dean, in Gloucestershire in the southwest of England. It's the perfect setting to learn and relax, with a library, dining hall, a perfect glass-walled teaching and performance space overlooking the gardens, the wood-built Eco Lodge perfect for jamming or recording, a stream leading to the firepit and then to the little hobbit hut beyond, and the orchards teaming with apples, pears, figs, walnuts and more.
For 2026 we'll have on-site shared cottages and rooms in the mansion house, and budget-friendly on-site camping! You can also choose to stay off-site. The bootcamp is fully catered, with produce from the centre's organic gardens.
Payments for room/board should be made directly to The Asha Centre. Instructions for this will follow your initial booking.
Asha is run by vegetarians so the menus are largely plant-based (although there is milk/eggs/cheese etc), but the food is absolutely delicious, hugely varied, and freshly prepared using organic produce from the Asha gardens. It's mostly very healthy too (although the cakes are mind blowing!) But this year we will be having a BBQ on the last night, to satisfy the folks missing their meat.
There's breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Plus snacks and teas/coffee/water all day. Additionally, there will be a selection of soft drinks and beers available to buy at reasonable prices.
We will ask anyway, but please do let us know any dietary requirements, especially allergies.
There will be workshops with expert teachers, and small classes with hands-on guitar instruction. There will be some one-off special classes and guitar experiences for you too - last year we had a clinic from Blackstar Amps, a surprise performance from Grammy-winning guitarist Amrit Sond, and a session from a yoga teacher to help guitarists keep our hands (and neck, back etc) healthy!
You'll get a printed handbook with tab, lessons and useful info, and there will be a secret online folder with all that and more stuff for you to work through at your own pace.
As for evenings, there will be a teacher concert from Jon and others, and also several student open mic nights you can play at, or just enjoy socially. Weather permitting we'll have a fireside sing-along / play-along one night.
On your downtime, you can explore the beautiful grounds, find quiet spots to practice alone, or jam with others in the drawing room, or out in the Eco Lodge. Get feedback on your new song from Jon or another teacher or camper, or maybe do some recording in the living room, or grab a coffee or one of the selection of teas and chill.
The camp will be run by Jon, his manager Natasha and some helpers, but crucially, the Jon Gomm Acoustic Bootcamp is the UK sister-camp of Thomas Leeb's legendary Acoustic Bootcamp in the Austrian Alps, which has been running since 2005. So we have 20 years' experience to draw upon.
Yes! We encourage a non-competitive, friendly atmosphere. Guitar shredding snobbery is strongly discouraged! On one end of the spectrum you’ll have someone who’s never played in an open tuning and can barely pick, while on the other end you’ll find a semi-professional on a very high level.
Everyone is made to feel welcome, and there will be a messaging group for those who want to use it, to keep in touch before, during and after bootcamp.
Due to limited spaces, on-site accommodation for non-participants will only be made available for booking once we have reached our capacity for participants. Please let us know that you'd like to bring a non-participant, and we will let you know if it's possible. We will do our best to accommodate everyone, but we want to prioritize bootcampers. If you're staying off-site then of course you can drag your other-half bring your loved one to enjoy Asha, and our music and vibe.
By Car: There is easy road access and free parking for cars at the Asha Centre.
By Train: The closest station is Gloucester (map), 13 miles from the Asha Centre - about £30 in an Uber taxi at time of checking.
By Plane: If flying into the UK, you can opt to rent a car and drive from the airport to the Bootcamp, or take a train to Gloucester Station, or it may be possible to arrange a ride with a fellow camper (there will be an online chat group available for registered Bootcampers). The Asha Centre is about 1.5 hours drive from Bristol Airport (BRS), 1.5 hours from Birmingham Airport (BHX), 2.5 hours from London Heathrow (LHR).
Lifts are often possible too: You'll be able to contact your fellow recruits before the camp to arrange it, or we can contact them for you.
That is exactly why people go to workshops. Everybody comes at their level and leaves with improvements. Anyway some people are more interested in composing, arranging or just being a part of the guitar madness!
“It was an incredible few days. A lot of it is only just starting to sink in. It was a privilege to meet and play with so many inspirational people” – Mike
“It was an incredible few days. A lot of it is only just starting to sink in. It was a privilege to meet and play with so many inspirational people” – Mike
Known worldwide for his extraordinary guitar playing, his emotive songwriting, and his personal openness, Jon has dreamed of hosting his own guitar camp for 25 years. He was named World’s Best Acoustic Guitarist in 2020 by Guitar World, and his song Passionflower was placed as the 6th greatest acoustic guitar song of all time by Total Guitar. He’s received high praise from guitar stars like Steve Lukather, Andy McKee, David Crosby and Joe Satriani.
Born in the mountains of Southern Italy, Pino graduated from Santa Cecilia Conservatory playing 10-string classical guitar. He later made the transition to six-string acoustic, and the music he makes on it has a classical, contemporary, and rock background that is hard to define.
He employs a dazzling blend of slapping, tapping, strumming, altered tunings, and harmonics, to create “something like a mix of Steve Reich’s interlocking rhythmic patterns meet Michael Hedges’ techniques, all while admiring Eddie van Halen” (John Schaefer, WNYC Radio)
Born in the mountains of Southern Italy, Pino graduated from Santa Cecilia Conservatory playing 10-string classical guitar. He later made the transition to six-string acoustic, and the music he makes on it has a classical, contemporary, and rock background that is hard to define.
He employs a dazzling blend of slapping, tapping, strumming, altered tunings, and harmonics, to create “something like a mix of Steve Reich’s interlocking rhythmic patterns meet Michael Hedges’ techniques, all while admiring Eddie van Halen” (John Schaefer, WNYC Radio)
A guitar explorer and innovative collaborator, Chris Woods uses every inch of the guitar to create an inspirational sound either in his solo work using percussive guitar playing as a creative storytelling tool, or in a diverse mix of lineups, from pop-up guitar orchestras to collaborations with Indian classical virtuosos.
‘To say Chris Woods feels this music is a wild understatement, and it’s a genuine privilege to witness him perform’ (Headliner Magazine)
A guitar explorer and innovative collaborator, Chris Woods uses every inch of the guitar to create an inspirational sound either in his solo work using percussive guitar playing as a creative storytelling tool, or in a diverse mix of lineups, from pop-up guitar orchestras to collaborations with Indian classical virtuosos.
‘To say Chris Woods feels this music is a wild understatement, and it’s a genuine privilege to witness him perform’ (Headliner Magazine)
Has played more than a thousand concerts since his first stage appearance at the age of fifteen, is a constant performer all over the world and is a faculty member at the CalArts school of music. Thomas’ album ‘Desert Pirate’ was voted one of the essential albums of the last 20 years by Acoustic Guitar Magazine and his playing has earned him accolades from all over the guitar scene but most notably from David Gilmour and Guthrie Govan.
Has played more than a thousand concerts since his first stage appearance at the age of fifteen, is a constant performer all over the world and is a faculty member at the CalArts school of music. Thomas’ album ‘Desert Pirate’ was voted one of the essential albums of the last 20 years by Acoustic Guitar Magazine and his playing has earned him accolades from all over the guitar scene but most notably from David Gilmour and Guthrie Govan.
“Best musical week I have ever had. A great experience. Thanks Jon, Thomas and all the trainers and facilitators” – Tony
“It’s been a week since the first Jon Gomm Acoustic Guitar Bootcamp has come to an end, and I’m still trying to find the words to describe this event. The atmosphere of kindness and support was surpassing.
I feel very privileged to be a part of this international fingerstyle guitar family. Thank you everyone involved for making this week so special!
Can’t wait for next year already.” – Prez
“It’s been a week since the first Jon Gomm Acoustic Guitar Bootcamp has come to an end, and I’m still trying to find the words to describe this event. The atmosphere of kindness and support was surpassing.
I feel very privileged to be a part of this international fingerstyle guitar family. Thank you everyone involved for making this week so special!
Can’t wait for next year already.” – Prez
