When life gets too much, it's time to book a break.
Swap fast pace and high pressure for inner peace and supple muscles at one of the best yoga retreats in the UK. Luxury locations, expert instructors and nourishing whole foods will leave you feeling blissed out. Culture Whisper's resident wellness guru rounds up her favourite Yoga retreats near London and around the UK - plus the loveliest far flung retreat if you're feeling extravagant.
Nestled in the heart of the rolling Gloucestershire countryside lies Daylesford Organic Farm and Restaurant, located alongside Bamford Haybarn Spa (both are owned by Lady Bamford). Together they provide a haven of peace and tranquillity. Daylesford offers the best in world renowned organic food and beautiful self-catering accommodation, whilst the elegant Haybarn Spa offers the last word in holistic treatments and exercise classes.
Occupying a vast and serene space on the top floor of the Haybarn Spa, the magnificent studio, with its wood sprung floor, is a supremely inviting setting to practise Yoga, Meditation and Pilates. Vettri, known by insiders as ‘The King of the Haybarn’ is a yoga guru (pictured above), who makes even the most experienced yogis push their limits; you could choose one of his traditional yoga classes and end up using ropes attached to the wall for a variety ofsupported truly innovative poses, (we ended up hanging upside down in a headstand position!).
A range of one day health and wellness workshops are offered by Bamford Haybarn Spa; yoga, sound healing, meditation and crystal workshops are just a few that feature.If you would like an overnight or longer stay, book one of Daylesford’s six onsite cottages and they will help you to design a memorable retreat, curating a mixture of yoga and holistic treatments to suit your individual needs. The attractively furnished cottages vary in size and accommodate from two to eight people. A bouquet of home-grown flowers and a Daylesford organic hamper await you on arrival – a true testament to the level of luxury detail the retreat provides.
Vibe: sophisticated chic.
Accommodation: beautifully converted self-catering cottages
Travel: 90 minutes from London to Kingham by train.
Price: £££
Set in a breathtaking cliff top position, the Scarlet Hotel is a ‘grown-ups’ only eco hotel that accommodates each guest’s individual requirements. The beautifully appointed bedrooms and suites, cliff top hot tubs, reed-based swimming pool and an Ayurvedic-inspired spa, make this hotel the pinnacle of indulgent luxury. The restorative and calm atmosphere is designed to ensure guests feel instantly at home. Food is Modern European in style and is sourced from local organic and sustainable growers, fishermen and farmers.
A team of experienced yoga instructors will tailor a yoga programme specifically for you.Three-night retreats are offered all year round and include private and group classes, unlimited access to the spa, and guided meditation.This haven of calm and tranquillity perched on the North Cornish coast is well worth the travel.
Vibe: epitome of distinction
Accommodation: sea facing hotel rooms and suites
Travel: by rail to Bodmin Parkway or by air to Newquay
Price: £££
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For a taste of the wild and windswept rugged Welsh countryside mixed with winter warming home comforts look no further than The Zest Life Yoga Retreat.This secluded country manor set in a 21 acre estate lies in the foothills of majestic Snowdonia.
The ethos here is to rebalance, revitalise and tune in to the rhythms of nature and its changing seasons. Bracing coastal walks, paddle boarding, wild swimming (in summer), candlelit meditation and restorative yoga, followed by log fires and delicious home-made vegetarian food are the name of the game. There is an intimate, cosy and informal feel to this retreat, where nothing seems too much for the friendly, helpful staff.Kickback, pack a few fleeces and leave your glad rags in London.
Vibe: outdoors meets cosy indoors
Accommodation: 9 bedrooms in a large house set in 21 acres
Travel: 3 hours by train from London Euston to Bangor. Retreat located 5 minutes from Bangor train station.
Price: ££
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Triyoga is the essential destination for yoga, meditation, personal development, Pilates and complementary therapies in the capital. It is a veritable hotbed of yogic excellence and spirituality, and is teeming with expert instructors to cater for all ages and levels of ability. Triyoga is located in five different venues across London, each with modern, spacious, bright and welcoming studios. It prides itself on its inclusive nature, its diversity, and its ‘accessability’ to all. We love its ethos, ‘Everyone Triyoga’.
In keeping with its breadth and scope of practise, Triyoga offers scores of classes, workshops and London based retreats. It really is the one stop shop for yoga and related practises, especially for those on a very tight schedule or struggling to find the time to venture far and wide. We really like the look of Danny Paradise’s workshop, ‘reconnect to the journey of the soul: shamanism, evolution freedom and yoga’. Alternatively you may fancy trying Carolyn Cowan’s excellent workshop, ‘managing anxiety and the vagus nerve’. This explains how yoga poses can help to curb anxiety levels.
Vibe: slick, lively, energetic
Price: £££
This quirky yoga retreat is designed exclusively for women and children and allows mothers, grandmothers and women without children to recharge and reconnect with their inner selves. It offers a perfect opt-out for women wanting a break from the daily juggle of family, work and social commitments. Pachamama has two different retreat locations, both based deep in the splendiferous heart of the Peak District. Owner, Sarah Lowick de Paz, describes the company mission as an ‘opportunity for women to honour, nurture and release feminine energy’.
Mothers can enjoy outdoor yoga, meditation, dance and massage, while their children explore Mother Nature under the watchful eye of qualified Forest School Staff. Alpacas and llamas abound.This retreat is for women wanting to celebrate the empowerment of femininity and to leave feeling energised, and inspired with a true sense of purpose. Be prepared for a few days of real core yogic values and female bonding, to enhance personal balance and self-worth.
Vibe: nature, nurture and sisterhood
Accommodation: The Dovedale Valley location offers rooms in cosy cottages or glamping in a luxury bell tent (12 places); the Bakewell location offers luxury boutique cottage accommodation (15 places)
Price: ££
The manor house and its surrounding cluster of historic buildings give Thyme a quintessentially English feel, with bags of style and understated elegance.Beautifully decorated bedrooms are offered both in the hotel and in the cottages on the 150-acre estate. The seasonal menu is based on produce that is home-grown in Thyme’s own kitchen garden and farm. There is also a cookery school onsite, for those wanting to advance their own culinary skills. The crowning glory of this mini hamlet, however, is the splendid barn-based spa, where, we are reliably informed, yoga classes and weekend retreats will start for the first time from November this year.Book now to be among the first guests to experience the yogic magic of a weekend at Thyme.
Vibe: oasis of calm and tranquillity
Accommodation: rooms available in the main house and in cottages on the estate
Travel: From London to Swindon by train, or 1 ¾ hours by road
Price: £££
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The founder of Chaya Yoga Retreats, Lucy Hill, states ‘the intention for Chaya Retreats is to create a beautiful, supportive and sacred space for rest, healing and rejuvenation'.
Every retreat experience is uniquely curated to synchronise with the landscape, culture, cuisine and climate of the destination in which it is located. Upcoming retreats are offered in Bali and Goa.
The flavour and exoticism of Asia combined with top quality yoga tuition, meditation and first-class food make these retreats an experience well worth the price tag. The small but experienced team at Chaya embrace their clients as family and boast a 50% repeat business rate amongst their visitors. Lucy personally creates each retreat and is on hand throughout to attend to every need, making these retreats quite literally game-changers.
Vibe: intimate, spiritual, physical
Accommodation: hotel with individual bungalow rooms in Bali; eco-lux villas in Goa
Price: £££
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