Nine UK holidays that will make you a better person
If you’re feeling under par, in a rut, or permanently tired and anxious, perhaps it’s time to step out of your normal routine for a few days. There are now some excellent boltholes across Britain, offering restorative and creative treatments combined with stylish accommodation, good healthy food and time out to press pause. Here are nine triedand-tested favourites. The mindfulness retreat Sharpham House, Devon Learning to be more “mindful” and live in the moment can give you renewed energy and clarity, and the secular mindfulness retreats at this Grade 1 listed Georgian mansion area great place to start. Meals are nourishing and tasty vegetarian, and you’ll have the run of a glorious 550-acre estate — the views across the River Dart valley are worth the visit alone.
Talented Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teachers run regular three-night breaks here for up to 15 people; choose a break for beginners or one that mixes mindfulness with yoga, walking, singing or creative writing. Come alone, and ask for The Ruth Ash ensuite bedroom, which has a gilded ceiling, artworks and breathtaking river views. Or try the new Nature Connection retreats, where you stay in comfy, furnished bell-tents in the woodland. The healing retreat The Arrigo Programme, Somerset Clever psychotherapist and biodynamic psychologist Fiona Arrigo has created a real haven in her home county — the chance to hole up in your own holiday cottage, with healthy meals delivered throughout the day, and regular treatments to deal with any issues. You emerge from your bedroom each morning to find tea lights burning and breakfast laid out — and during the course of each day appropriate therapies( carefully selected after a thorough initial consultation) are delivered in the privacy of your own accommodation. The fitness retreat Yeotown, Devon A potential life changer, this rusticluxury haven offers a four-night, fiveday Yeotox health and fitness programme from Wednesday to Sunday each week that gets results but also makes the process pleasurable. There are long hikes along the North Devon coastline and over the Exmoor hills, forest cycle rides, yoga, tough core work and nutritional advice sessions — but there’s also a hot tub in the grounds, a decent sauna, extremely good massages (a different kind each night) and some of the best vegan cuisine you’ll ever try. The Ayurveda retreat The Clover Mill, Worcestershire The 5,000 year old Ayurvedic system of health has found a contemporary home at this cleverly renovated 17th century water mill in the Malvern Hills, surrounded by prettily rustic grounds and run with great professionalism by former scientist turned Ayurvedic chef Julie Dent. Come for two nights or more for daily yoga in a light-flooded studio and Ayurvedic treatments in earth-toned rooms.
You sleep in your own private contemporary eco-lodge and eat healing, tasty food such as pumpkin seed and cumin mini muffins, asparagus soufflés and lemon verbena lentils. Come alone to rejuvenate or make a life decision, or come to bond with a friend or family member. This year there are three new ‘Living Ayurveda’ weekends for those who want to understand Ayurveda better and bring it into their daily life. The holistic retreat Skyros on The Isle of Wight Jimmy Carr was inspired to give up his job with Shell and become a comedian after a holiday with Skyros, and the company’s weekend break sat their British HQ on the Isle of Wight are likely to inspire others too. Held at The Grange, a Georgian b&b with lovely sea views and a large garden, the year-round choice of two-night writing courses, yoga, photography, dance and wellbeing escapes are great for solo travellers or friends looking for a weekend break with a difference.
New courses this year include Love What You Do with Justin Hill and Confidence & Charisma with Alison Goldie. The house has high ceilings, wooden-floors, plenty of books, squishy sofas and an honesty bar, and the atmosphere is sociable and relaxed. Go for bedrooms 13 and 14 on the top floor for space and views. The life coaching retreat Raw Horizons, Yorkshire Ideal for stressed out women looking for respite away from work or family, these two- to five-night wellbeing retreats at a comfortable converted house in the Yorkshire countryside are run by raw food chef and life coach Dr Claire Maguire. They combine life coaching, yoga and gourmet raw food to help you relax, reshape your body, work through a life issue or adopt a more positive attitude.
There’s a hot tub, sauna and just six ensuite bedrooms, all with ayurvedic toiletries and country views (the most impressive is the Yellow Room for its large bay window, fireplace and bath with a view). New for this year are one-night Detox Spa Breaks on which you can cleanse with raw food or juices and have private coaching. The writing retreat The Hurst, Shropshire The Hurst is playwright John Osborne’s former home, a 200 year old converted Georgian manor house where the charity The Arvon Foundation now runs superb fivenight writing breaks aimed at everyone who wants to tap into their creativity, regardless of writing experience. A stellar line-up of published writers lead courses on everything from writing fiction, short stories and poetry to biography, life writing and screenwriting, combining morning workshops and afternoon one-to-one tutorials with camaraderie and good food and drink. The spa retreat Grayshott, Surrey This is still the most cosseting and civilised of the UK’s destination health spas, a lovely place to hole up for a relaxing spa stay or a more intense health programme. A manor house with a modern extension set in 47 acres, it abuts 700 acres of National Trust land and its facilities include an indoor and outdoor pool, rather unassuming male and female spas with a steam room, sauna and plunge pool, and a huge treatment list. The DIY retreat Daylesford Organic Farm, Gloucestershire For a relaxing time away with friends or family, stay for three nights or more at one of Daylesford’s five country-chic farmhouse cottages near Kingham and pre-book daily treatments in the serene surroundings of Bamford Haybarn spa. There’s an appealing range of facials and massages on offer, as well as drop-in yoga, Pilates and meditation classes and a relaxation ‘Lavender Room’.
For those in need of real TLC, the Bamford De-Stress Massage (55 mins, £80) combines shiatsu, meridian and Swedish massage, reflexology and leg massage. The cottages have stone floors, open fires and Agas — Honeysuckle Cottage offers the most privacy. There’s a cookery school, restaurant and gorgeous organic farm shop here too.