Whether it’s to whip your body into a frenzy, or create calm in your mind, a retreat can often be the ideal chance to carve out some dedicated me-time.
Designed to help you mentally and physically recharge, they offer everything from fitness classes, nutritional advice, wellbeing activities and experts sharing worldly wisdom to help you create change.
Here’s our pick of the best…
Llanberis Summer Yoga Retreat
Opened last autumn, the Llanberis Summer Yoga Retreat has just eight spaces and is for those who want a more nurturing environment.
Each day you’ll head to a purpose-built yoga venue, nestled among the mountains and lakes of Snowdonia, to enjoy a therapeutic programme designed to recharge and restore you physically and mentally.
With both dynamic and gentle yoga the retreat is designed to improve overall strength, balance and mobility. There’s also breathing practices to help cultivate greater clarity and sensory meditation to energise and ground.
Alongside the yoga you’ll get a chance to hike the paths leading to the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and participate in some wild swimming in Llyn Padarn and generally spend some quality time in nature.
There’s also time for journalling, reflection and meditation to aid focus and calm. This retreat is for everyone, regardless of level or experience.
When: July 15-17
Accommodation: Not included, but there are plenty of options in Llanberis and surrounding areas to meet a range of budgets
Price: Two-day option, £195; Three days, £275
The Big Retreat
The Big Retreat is part festival, part wellbeing retreat, part bootcamp.
On the festival side, indie rock/pop bands Reef and Toploader are set to headline and there’s seven sites to explore. Wellbeing offerings include inspirational speakers like Welsh broadcaster Matt Johnson, activist and entrepreneur Meg Matthews and energy healer and teacher Sushma Sagar.
There are also activities such as holistic therapies, gong baths, wild swimming, wood-fired hot tubs, ayurvedic yoga and hypnotherapy.
On the fitness side, take part in the likes of fire walking and well-known workouts including circuit training, Pilates, assault courses and dance classes – watch out for fitness legend Mr Motivator!
You can also learn skills and knowledge from swimmers, runners, rowers, climbers and mountain bikers and adventurers such as Guinness World Record holder and British endurance athlete Jordan Wylie. There’s even cookery demos and a gin workshop if you’re feeling naughty.
When: June 3-6
Accommodation: Camping in one of three areas at Lawrenny Castle Estate in Pembrokeshire
Price: Day ticket, £66; Weekend (no camping), £185.90; Weekend (incl. camping), £202.40
No1 Bootcamp
If you’re looking for something results-driven, then No1 Bootcamp is one of the original fitness and weight-loss retreats.
It’s been running for 13 years and in that time, has hosted everyone from Robert Rinder (aka Judge Rinder) to Gemma Collins from Towie.
Their UK property is open 365 days a year so there really are no excuses for not getting in shape.
The retreats are renowned for their full body transformations and on arrival you’ll get a 1:1 consultation with details like visceral fat levels and weight in kg recorded on an InBody Composition machine.
The retreats are suitable for all fitness levels and during your time you can expect up to seven hours of group training per day with things like boxing, cardio, weight training, body pump, aerobics, spinning and nature hikes.
When: Weekly (Saturday to Saturday)
Accommodation: You’ll stay in a 21-bedroom country estate in Norfolk, near Heacham Beach
Price: From £1,350 per week (includes three meals and two snacks a day)
Zest For Life Wild Swimming Retreat
The Zest For Life Wild Swimming Retreat will allow you to explore exciting new locations and to switch off and recharge.
This retreat is suitable for all abilities and across the five days you’ll enjoy three full days of wild swimming ranging from from a coastal swim, to a lake under the mountains and a waterfall, leaving you feeling invigorated and empowered. Swims are always guided and wet suits provided.
You’ll also partake in two hours of yoga and meditation a day in an oak-framed building (and possibly the beach, weather permitting), plus restorative coastal walks along the Welsh coastline.
At night, candles, incense, and log fires create the perfect atmosphere for complete relaxation and you can opt for a body treatment with one of the in-house therapists if desired (£60 for 45mins).
When: June 13-17; July 11-15; September 5-9 and 12-16
Accommodation: Staying on the Plas Cadnant estate, a stylish, secluded country house on Anglesey in Wales
Price: From £858 (includes vegetarian breakfast, lunch and two-course evening meal)
The 100 Human Experience
The 100 Human Experience is a two-day immersive event run by ultra-endurance athlete and natural lifestyle coach Tony Riddle.
There’s a movement, mobility and play segment designed to undo sedentary posture, aid human connection and facilitate communal problem solving, plus breathwork.
Other highlights include ecstatic dance, ice baths, and fire and drumming ceremonies. There’s also live music and on-site food available for purchase (or you can bring your own cooking equipment).
When: June 25-26
Accommodation: There are camping or glamping options available for this one which is held in Bromley, Kent
Price: Day ticket, £200; Overnight camping, £290; Overnight Glamping, £350
Wellfest
Not everyone can get away for a period of time, so launching this summer WellFest is a weekend event featuring health and wellness experts encompassing everything from fitness and nutrition, to yoga and mental health.
The main stage will host some of the biggest fitness stars for live workouts, including The Body Coach Joe Wicks, personal trainer and author Alice Living, and fitness influencer Bradley Simmonds, plus yoga stars Cat Meffan and Chris Magee.
Then there’s a large selection of workshops and inspiring talks, which you can hand-pick to create your own day of wellbeing from people including UK Mental Health Ambassador and former Love Island contestant Dr Alex George, holistic sex educator and Tantra yoga expert, Jenny Keane, psychologist Kimberley Wilson, Pilates teacher Hollie Grant and women’s health expert Dr Megan Rossi.
The on-site marketplace has lots of wellness brands to sample and tickets grant access to everything – there’s no limit to the number of activities you can take part in.
When: July 2-3
Accommodation: This is a day event, held over two days at Old Deer Park in Richmond, and there are lots of overnight options in the local area
Price: Weekend tickets, £65; Day tickets, £48 (plus booking fees)
NewWave Retreat
Located in Brighton, West Sussex, the NewWave Retreat has managed to fuse together intense fitness training with transformative life coaching workshops.
Over the course of three days, you’ll participate in a range of workouts from strength training in adapted containers with neon lighting and graffiti to an erected strength rig at the top of Devil’s Dyke – a 100m deep valley on the South Downs.
There’s also sunrise meditation and reflexology, laughter yoga, kundalini eye contact, breathwork, cookery classes and beach volleyball.
The piste-de-resistance is the chance to experience a Wim Hof ice bath on Brighton beach – no matter what the weather!
There’s also options to have B12 vitamin shots and some fun in the evenings with a bowling night out.
When: Monthly
Accommodation: Staying at the Brighton Harbour Hotel and Spa, you are a stone’s throw from the beach
Price: From £495 each (includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks)
Wellbeing Retreat Champneys
Wellbeing retreat Champneys offers various Fitness Retreats to suits all abilities and time constraints.
The brand has three locations across the UK, offering two, four and six-night retreats where you can slim down, tone up and leave feeling fitter, energised and inspired.
Having welcomed pop stars, actresses, sports women, politicians and even royalty from the Middle East over the years, Champneys say that bootcamps aren’t just about military-style classes, so it offers four to six hours of fitness a day with endurance, cardio and strength classes, alongside nutrition and education talks.
It’s a holistic approach that helps you build healthy relationships with food and exercise, which allow you to make positive changes in your own life post-camp.
There’s also a hydrotherapy pool session, an infra-red therapy session, unlimited use of the spa facilities and a 25min massage thrown in for good measure.
When: There’s lots of dates available at each of the locations so see website for more details
Accommodation: Choose from Tring in Hertfordshire, Forest Mere in Hampshire and Springs in Leicestershire. All are manor houses except for Springs, which is a modern countryside spa
Price: Two nights, from £549pp (includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and smoothies)
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