NATIONAL

Hiking and yoga retreat, Peak District

If you’re hankering for big views, under big skies, this energising hiking and yoga retreat is going to be right up your street. Your base for three nights is a stylish converted cowshed (picture window views aplenty) in the Hope Valley – one of Peak District’s most picturesque spots. Days kick off with a dynamic yoga class, followed by a guided hike from the house. You’ll come home to a restorative evening yoga class and end your day seeing stars with a hot chocolate around the firepit. The Easter one (11-14 Apr) sounds lovely and costs from £645, Adventure Yogi.

Outdoorsy fitness retreat, Peak District

A wild weekend, but not as you know it. This three-day reset from Peaks Retreats combines Peak District hikes with outdoor fitness classes, wild swimming and yoga. Led by experienced performance coaches, the emphasis is on having a laugh and learning healthy habits you can take home with you. You’ll stay in pretty, rural cottages in Snelston, near Ashbourne and eat locally-sourced, wholesome food. The next retreat runs is from 21-23 Apr. Check website for pricing.

The Mind Body Restorer, Kettering, Northants

Step off the hamster wheel of life and nook yourself in for a five-night reset (Sun-Fri). The Mind Body Restorer package at Homefield Grange is geared towards resetting your sense of balance to help you to avoid the physical, mental and emotional problems that can result from feeling stressed. You’ll get plenty of support and pampering at this luxurious retreat with a variety of therapies including reflexology, massage, yoga, meditation, nordic walking, use of the wellness spa and nutritious food. Fully inclusive from £2,074.

Re:Treat, East Ilsley, Berkshire

Press pause at the brand new re:treat in Berkshire. Run by a team of wellness pros, the aim is to hit the reset button, recharge and reconnect. Through a mix of fitness, wellness and adventure with a pinch of self-discovery, the aim is to leave feeling energised. re:treat offers three-night adults only re:charge breaks and re:connect for a parents and their kids (aged 10-16). Expect endorphin boosting exercise classes, forest bathing, yoga and nutrition for grown ups. For the kids, there’s massage, mini manis, mindful art and cookery. You’ll stay in a stunning barn conversion and all the food is veggie. Adult only retreats are on 23-26 Jun and 8-11 Sep, £800pp. Bring your kids on 14-17 Apr and 20-23 Oct (adults £800, child £650)

The Falcon, Castle Ashby, Northants

The Falcon is a thoughtfully designed, luxurious (and Muddy Award-winning) boutique hotel, geared towards celebrating wellbeing and connecting with nature. The decor is a sea of natural materials and texture, the food adopts a field to fork ethos and plenty of wellness fun. Take a swim in the lake, downward dog at a yoga class, enjoy a workshop or nature tour, them indulge your frazzled bod to a massage. Staying at The Falcon isn’t about structured retreats, but about finding a path to wellness that suits your pace. Midweek stays from £145 per person per night.

Nuwild Wellbeing Retreat, Canterbury, Kent

A three-day/two-night rural retreat, packed full of practical tips and techniques to use mindfulness and positive psychology to boost wellbeing and happiness. Situated an area of outstanding natural beauty at Bilting Grange Farm, renown for its wonderful cider and quirky accommodation. Sleep under the stars in a luxurious bell tent, eat delicious food by the campfire, enjoy meditation, and numerous workshops on how to enhance your happiness and receive an individualised wellbeing plan – all with renowned mindfulness practitioner Jamie Emberson. From Fri 2 – Sun 4 June – Early Bird Booking Offer for a limited time only.

The Dorset Fitness Retreat, Lyme Regis, Dorset

Former military mental health nurse Lucy heads a team of boxing instructors, personal trainer/swimming coach, yoga teacher and chefs cooking up veggie and vegan meals, at the luxury Dorset Fitness Retreat, just 5 mins from the beach in Lyme Regis on the Jurassic Coast. The four-day retreats – a mix of activities, relaxation and motivational sessions – include HIT and boxing, bootcamp, sauna, sound baths, wild swimming, hiking and a meal at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage. From 10-13 Jul and 18-21 Sep 2023. £1,095.00 – £1,642.50. Day retreat 3 Apr 2023, £85.

42 Acres, Witham Friary, Somerset

With 170 acres of ancient woodlands, lake for wild swimming and boating, regenerative gardens, a woodland sauna (nice) and eco-powered – gorgeous – rooms, 42 Acres is the perfect place to reconnect with nature, yourself and others. Coming up: The Happy Pear – Revitalising Plant-powered Retreat with cooking classes and walks, foraging and wildlife walks, yoga and forest dining. 19 – 21 June 2023. £420 – £840.

Yoga Retreat, Pengelly Retreats, Hayle, Cornwall

You’ll find Pengelly in a tranquil and unspoilt rural location between the north and south coasts of Cornwall. Hidden away in five acres of rolling meadows, you’ll find two exclusive lakeside properties ‘The Boat House’ and ‘The Sail House’. From 15-18 June join a women’s only, fully catered three-night yoga retreat in an idyllic setting with private swimming lake and secret garden. Nourish, connect, empower, restore through yoga, healing circles, wild swimming, and sound baths. Can’t make that date? Create your own. Guests at the lakeside accommodation can book a private yoga session on the deck – cool off afterwards with a dip in the water. 

Swim Break, Watergate Bay Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall

If you’ve always dreamt of becoming a stronger, faster and more confident swimmer, Watergate Bay’s two-day swim active break is you one-way ticket to nailing that goal. Designed to cover all aspects of swimming the activities on hand include stroke work in the pool, theory sessions, swim yoga, a coastal walk and talk session. Expect an introduction to sea swimming, guidance on how to build swimming into your life and developing your own ongoing practical swim program to meet personal objectives. Led by expert swim coach Salim, you’ll leave feeling like you could swim an Olympic distance (or at least have mastered the stroke!).

Golf Break, Polzeath, Cornwall

Swing into action. Set on the dramatic north coast at Polzeath, the golf course at The Point is a challenging 6,300 yards, and is also just round the corner from the world renowned St Enodoc Golf Club with the championship Church Course. The self-catering holiday homes managed by The Point range from 2-bed to 6-bed – all within a short walk or drive. Ideal for couples, groups and dog-friendly 

Wim Hof Method Fundamentals Weekend – with Ravi Modha, Wickhambreaux, Kent

This stunning country estate is less than 2 hours drive from London, nestled in the village of Wickhambreaux, Kent. There are 19 acres of open space, secret gardens, yoga studio, tennis court, wild swimming lake, a hot tub and superb on-site accommodation. The venue runs a series of signature retreats including this three-day programme, an empowering and educational introduction in an intimate setting to the transformational power of the Wim Hof Method. Whether you are looking to improve mental or physical performance, relieve symptoms related to an illness, or are just curious to find out what the Wim Hof Method is all about – this WHM Fundamentals Weekend offers something for everyone. 24-26 Mar 2023.

Yoga & Meditation Retreat, Forest Mere, Hampshire

Not quite ready to commit a week out of your manic schedule? Champneys’ luxe yoga retreat in the leafy South Downs of Hampshire needs just one night to get you feeling fresh again. The day is set on rebalancing and reconnecting through cleansing breath work, a healing sound bath, and ancient yoga techniques – there’s also an opportunity to get your boogie on in the KundaDance class (who knew dancing could do the trick?) 18 Mar from £159.

Wellness experiences, Rose & Glow, Chichester, West Sussex and Cornwall

Stressed out? Join the club. These one and three-day retreats have been designed to restore and revive women with gentle exercise for all abilities. Best of all, you get to do it all while surrounded by the West Sussex countryside and Cornish retreats are coming soon. Their motto is ‘move, nourish, breathe’ and that’s exactly what you’ll do when taking part in one of the experiences run by experienced movement instructors, Helen Macdonald-Prideaux and Lucy-Ann Prideaux. You’ll metaphorically and literally inhale and exhale and as you take on pilates and yoga sessions, explore on coastal hikes and reward your body with nutrient-rich meals. You’ll have the time and space to find yourself again and meet like-minded women – which ticks all the boxes for us! 

Ocean Set swim and surf, Hove, East Sussex and North Devon

If you want to make a splash with your surfing or sea swimming then look no further than the water-based fitness experts at Ocean Set, Hove. Whether you’re dipping your toes into open water swimming, or want to improve your boarding skills, they specialise in helping you feel safer and stronger in the water. Choose between group sea swimming courses in Hove, or at a state-of-the-art 25m indoor pool hidden in a private estate near Brighton. From expert video critique to starting on the beach with the bare basics – they offer it all. New for this year, is their long weekend surf coaching in North Devon taking place on 12-15 May and if you’re brrrrrave enough, 1-4 Dec! Not only will you meet fellow surf fans but you’ll get advice to improving alignment and posture, as well as your paddle strength, surf mobility and ocean awareness.

No1 Bootcamp, Heacham in Norfolk, Ibiza, Portugal, France and Morocco

Blast those wobbly bits at this regimented bootcamp based at a 21-bed farmhouse in West Norfolk. Whether you’re there for a day camp or a week’s stay, it could be just the thing to kickstart your fitness goals or revitalise an existing regime. Don’t expect unrelenting hardcore military fitness (although many of the instructors are ex Royal Marines) – it’s much more bespoke than that. Trainers adapt exercises to suit your niggles and fitness levels. The camaraderie of likeminded fellow guests and plenty of motivational patter will see you through the seven hours of active time per day. We’re talking a mix of heart-pumping, metabolism-driving activities like boxing, aerobics and TRX, and well-earned recovery sessions such as leisurely walks on nearby Heacham beach. Oh, did we mention the onsite masseur? There’s one of those too. It’s all centred around a carefully constructed, individually tailored diet (beware portion size envy!). And, eek, there’s a weigh-in at the start and end of your visit. No1 Bootcamp also runs camps in Ibiza, Portugal, St Tropez and Marrakesh.

Women’s Eco Luxury Treehouse Retreat, West Lexham, Norfolk

Planning ahead? This blissful end of summer retreat could be just thing you need to recharge after a busy summer. Run for the trees for a weekend of yoga, sound bath, movement, delicious food, wild swims, sauna/ice baths, and fireside chats. Sleep amid swaying branches in one of six beautifully designed, eco treehouses – all gnarly wood and fairytale vibes – set within 21 acres of nature-rich wildlife. Led by Emilie of North Norfolk-based Wild Yoga, daily practice and workshops (including a disco yoga party!) are held in The Orangery overlooking the lake. There’s also time for resting, roaming the Japanese garden and paddle boarding. Leave a new woman – refocussed, reconnected and with renewed va-va-voom! 8-10 Sep.

Yahra Yoga Retreat, Cornwall

Getting fit and healthy never looked so tempting. This three night retreat (8-11 June) at fitness oasis Cabilla Cornwall features daily yoga practice, guided meditation, daily guided nature walks in the surrounding forest (and beaver enclosure!), wild swimming and star gazing. You’ll also be eating so much better with nourishing plant-based meals and drinks on tap and a fitness goodybag for keeps. Accommodation is in brand new, luxury cabins,’koyts’ inspired by ancient Cornish dolmens which were a type of portal chamber from the neolithic period (erm how cool!) with the softest egyptian bed linen for aching limbs. Shared rooms are £725 per person and a private pod is £845 per person.

The Yeotox by Yeotown, Devon and Madeira

Celebs’ favourite, Yeotown run wellness retreats in both Devon and Madeira, and while they’ve recently branched out into cold-water swimming, the North Devon-based Yeotox is what they’re know for. A five-day blend of healthy eating, downward dogs, cookery sessions, 2-3 hours of coastal hiking or cycling a day and a spot of deep tissue massage should have you fighting-fit and ready for anything 2023 plans to throw at us. Pros? It’s luxe (Mariella Frostrup is a fan). Cons? You’ll need to stump up the spondoolies: it starts at £1,995 for five-days.

Women’s Spring Wild Weekend, Dartmoor, Devon

The focus of this female-friendly weekend on Dartmoor is unplugging and immersing yourself in the wonders of nature, so good for the soul and the glutes. Friday night kicks off at your weekend base of a 14th century barn where you’ll meet your fellow wild women and fuel up ready for the off. After waking up with wild yoga, Saturday will see you exploring the lesser known parts of the moors, plus its mysterious granite tors and forests. Having topped up on home-cooked veggie food and probably slept like a log, on Sunday it’s on with the wetsuit – or a cozzie if you’re really going for it – and into a lake for a Wim Hof-style dip. In between is a chance for some journalling, mindful sessions and soul-soothing: the holistic way to get fit. £325pp.

IMMERSE Health & Wellness Retreat, near Littleport, Cambridgeshire

This huge wellness retreat is the brainchild of Sara Ford and Alice Loombe, founders of wellbeing hub FRESH in Ely, and will be taking place over the weekend of 9-11 June 2023 in the idyllic grounds Horsely Hale Farm. It’s a chance to leave your busy life behind for three days and focus on fitness, food and fresh air. Over 100 people are set to attend and enjoy a lively programme of yoga, meditation, breath work, Pilates, dance, barefoot walking, paddleboarding, wild swimming and erm that well known fitness activity alpaca feeding! Each day will be fuelled by chef-cooked vegan meals and, after a night round the fire pit, you’ll sleep like a baby in luxury safari lodges, giant bell tents and yurts with, praise be, hot showers.

The Detox Barn, near Stowmarket, Suffolk

Head to the Suffolk countryside for your wellness fix at this beautiful barn venue run by sisters Lauretta (a vegan chef) and Sharon (a psychologist). The barn is all you could hope for in a rural retreat – open fires, original beams and a beautiful wo-acre garden. An overnight wellness retreat here involves daily yoga and meditation classes, guided countryside walks and detoxifying vegan drinks and food. You’ll find your mood gets a real boost as well as your health – Lauretta and Sharon a quick to say they’re not “hippy dippy tree huggers”, and in fact are an established comedy double act, so expect lots of laughs too.

Ballingdon Hall, Sudbury, Suffolk

Ballingdon Hall is a stunning country estate near Sudbury, owned by Harley Street skin clinic owners Dr Khan and his wife Lesley Reynolds. In 2021 the couple opened the doors of the magnificent house for wellness breaks for the mind and body. If it’s a fitness fix you’re after there are overnight Yoga, Fitness and Meditation Retreats led by a team of qualified fitness instructors and therapists. You’ll wake up in the beautiful stately house with a sunrise meditation, take things up a gear with a lunchtime cardio session and then unwind in the evening with a flow class. When you’re in downward dog take a sneaky sideways look at your fellow retreaters… the owners’ A-List clients love sneaking away to this quiet part of Suffolk for a wellness weekend (might be something to do with the onsite aesthetics clinic perhaps!).

Ragdale Hall Spa, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

Ragdale Hall’s fitness retreats are a great way to boost your health, fitness and wellbeing. Book the Refine and Reshape Retreat and you’ll get the chance to develop healthy habits during the three-night retreat at the award-winning spa/resort. Expect a carefully designed programme including workshops, and specialist activities including HITT and MISS. The harder you work out, the more you need to recover, so savour the back and head massage as well as the deeply relaxing Sea Magix Coconut Flotation treatments that are included. You’ll leave ready to take on whatever the world throws at you. From 6-9 May 2023. Price from £807.

Lifehouse Spa & Hotel, Frinton on Sea, Essex

Want to chill in an adult-only environment? Hello, Lifehouse Spa & Hotel! This contemporary and award-winning retreat is set in 12 acres; 80 mins from London by train and close to the coastal town of Frinton-on-Sea. Here you’ll find 89 stylish bedrooms to choose from; swimming pool and thermal spa; gym and fitness studio; and a restaurant serving local, seasonal fare (plus a pretty impressive afternoon tea). There’s treatments from Elemis, Clarins and other top brands, with the therapists also trained by the Made for Life Foundation to adapt any pampering for those recovering from cancer, stress, or bereavement. Click here for all of the spa breaks on offer.

Glasshouse, Bulphan, Essex

The UK’s first purpose-built detox and wellness retreat, Glasshouse has been designed with pretty much every health and fitness need in mind. Less than an hour from London, the emphasis here’s on reconnecting with yourself, whether you’re looking to get fit, improve your diet, or simply stop and recharge those drained batteries for a while. Whatever you choose, your stay can be as intense or relaxed as you like, with cutting edge fitness, detox, spa and weight loss technology. Nothing’s enforced – it’s most definitely not a bootcamp – with the retreat offering fitness classes of all levels, a choice of different juicing and plant-based raw food diets; personal training options and a mix of spa and wellness treatments. More on their spa breaks here.

Floatation and fitness, Nottinghamshire

Don’t have the headspace to mingle with strangers? Grab your besties (up to nine of you) and book an à la carte retreat on a picturesque private estate where you can design your ideal weekend. With flotation therapy (the ultimate anxiety-reliever), spa and beauty treatments and yoga or personal training, you can tailor-make your break at Tranquil Waters to look exactly how you’d like it. Don’t want to think about cooking? Op to the neighbouring fine dining bistro or add in a private chef to do it all for you. A weekend break for nine guests costs from £1,700.

Love & Light Late Spring Yoga Retreat, Hampshire

A totally holistic yoga experience complete with plant-based café and fine-dining restaurant, The Retreat New Forest is set in a gorgeous Georgian building in the heart of ancient woodland on the Hampshire-Dorset border. There’s always a full calendar of fitness and wellbeing classes, workshops, retreats and events here including this day-long, immersive Spring yoga retreat. Alongside the yoga, there’s lunch and an optional guided forest walk and meditation or self-relaxation.

Reset, Retreat at Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, Dogmersfeld, Hampshire

Like a spot of pampering alongside your fitness? This new package at the Four Seasons Hampshire oughta do it. A two-day retreat at the luxe hotel’s countryside estate, it includes a deep tissue massage in the spa and a deep mind massage hypnotherapy experience (wowsers), along with daily yoga, personal training and a tennis lesson. Various dates available until Wed 31 May,

Move into Wellness

In need of an MOT? Move into Wellness in Potton runs PilatesWorks small group classes, workshops and studio sessions to target a range of issues from joint pain to pelvic floor. Founder Claire also offers specialist programmes for women, as a Holistic Core Restore®️ coach, to help improve core and pelvic fitness as well as targeting back pain. Check out the UK-based day retreats in Biggleswade – movement and wellness afternoon teas (sounds good!) As well as the much coveted Spanish Pilates retreats which include a six-day break with daily Pilates, wellness and pamper sessions, a tapas night and accommodation in a rural Spanish villa. These are now fully booked for 2023 unfortunately (told you they were coveted) however more information about 2024 dates is expected imminently so watch this space.

Mallory Court, Leamington Spa

Head to this top hotel for a luxe break while focusing on your fitness. There’s personal trainers to kickstart your fitness goals, with equal focus wellbeing, which we love. If you’d rather burn some calories outdoors there’s swathes of surrounding beautiful countryside to explore, or tennis courts to work on your game, set and match. Make sure you book in for R ‘n’ R at the Muddy Award-winning Elan Spa for a massage. As for the food, the Orchard House Café focuses on nutritional goodness with locally sourced ingredients, so go for those three courses.

Wootton Park Wellness, Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire

Need to recharge both mind and body? Then this is just the place. Book in for a day or weekend retreat and enjoy healthy food and smoothies, mindful walking, pilates and even laughter yoga (yes, that’s a thing). Here’s our review for some more details.

Yoga Retreat, Wales

Stroud’s Bobble Yoga is shipping its yoga mats out to the idyllic environs of Garth Barns in Llanidloes, a tiny market town in mid-Wales for a yoga retreat. All abilities are welcome, from complete beginners to seasoned yogis. You’ll be given an individual consultation before you arrive for four days of restorative stretching-it-out. Enjoy a daily 90-minute yoga asana practice – energetic flow in the morning, restorative in the evening, led by Adri, a Yoga Alliance certified teacher, followed by workshops on yoga asana. You’ll be snoozing (like a log we bet!) in a beautiful Welsh granite barn, and all plant-based and gluten-free meals are included, prepared by the on-site chef. Places from £595. Book early for a 15% discount with MAY15 (valid until 11 Feb).

ABROAD

In:spa, France

Escape to the rolling hills of Southern France with In:Spa – the health and fitness retreat takes place in the idyllic wedding venue Chateau de Puissentut offering a mix of activities including yoga, group fitness classes and guided hikes. No need to pack your own secret snacks- the chef’s gourmet detox meals are a mixture of fresh local ingredients and flavoursome recipes. 16-23 Aug, costs from £1,895.

Yoga, breathwork and meditation, Greece

In a magical villa setting on the coast of Lefkada, with panoramic views out across the Ionian Sea, Roam Retreat is off to a pretty good start before you even unpack your bags. Run by two Derbyshire-based yoga instructors (Hayley, who is also an Ayurvedic practitioner and Louise, a metaphysical counsellor) Roam is all about giving clients techniques and methods to build self-awareness. Morning yoga classes cover Vinyasa, Yin and Hatha alongside conscious breathing, mindfulness and meditation exercises. Afternoons are spent relaxing however you fancy – walks, settling down with a good book or a swim in the pool with ‘that’ view. Expect home-cooked, nourishing food for the soul. Bliss. Costs from £1,400, 22-27 June.

DJ Retreat, Villa Lomi, San Miguel, Ibiza,

If you set your intention this year to try something new then this is a corker. Boutique fitness and wellness studio SPN – best known for bringing big city style and fitness to the suburbs – has teamed up with World Class DJ School, London Sound Academy, for their first ever ‘Learn to DJ Wellbeing Retreat’. And where’s it being held? On the stunning island of Ibiza, of course! Start your day with morning yoga and mediation – or a trip to the estate spa – then learn how to mix any style of music you like with daily four-hour DJ sessions. And all this with the idyllic Villa Lomi – an original monastery, dating back hundreds of years, tucked into the hillside of San Miguel – as your backdrop. From Sun 7 -Thu 11 May.

38 degrees North Reset Retreat, Marbella

Welwyn Garden City dream team, Claire and James, offer a wholistic approach to helping (ahem) ‘midlifers’ bust the stress and live their best lives. Their programmes cover physical and mental health, from exercise and healthy eating plans to one-to-one coaching for busy people with demanding careers and families. They’ve been running their award-winning retreats for over a decade, which include everything from meditations and midlife nurtrition to workouts and workshops in sunny Marbella! They happen around three times per year but they get booked up fast so it’s worth joining the priority list to be the first to know when the next dates launch.