13 of the best UK wellness retreats for some well-earned R&R

Want some time to focus on yourself for a few days but don't want to stray too far from home? Escape to one of these dreamy holistic retreats 
1/13

The new year is the perfect excuse to book yourself in for some well-earned R&R.

Take some time to focus on yourself for a few days, whether it's at a writers' retreat in the Shropshire Hills, a spot of surfing in the gorgeous Cornish waters or some wild swimming in the good old English countryside, there are plenty of options right here in the UK, meaning you won't have to waste valuable time getting there.

Think cosy log fires, walks in the woods and plenty of meditative activities.

Here's our pick of the best wellness retreats in the UK.

Beaverbrook, Surrey Hills

This March, one of the country's top hotels will be hosting its first Spring Renewal Retreat. Over four days, guests will work through a personalised programme of nutrition (with meal plans to take home), personal training and spa treatments aimed at blowing off the winter cobwebs and equipping you with everything you need to step into the new season focussed and restored. As well as tailored one-on-one activities, retreatees will also take part in daily meditation, vinyasa yoga and circuit training as a group.

The Coach House Spa at Beaverbrook is state-of-the-art and highly Instagrammable with its pretty mosiacs (though we suspect phones will be discouraged on the retreat), and five-star accommodation is included at the outstanding hotel - read our full review of Beaverbrook here.

Dates: March 16 - 19, 2020

Price: From £2,500 per person

beaverbrook.co.uk/

Stede Court, Kent

Don't have the entire weekend to devote to wellness? No problem. Next year Kent-based fitness retreat Stede Court will host a series of day retreats designed to give you the reboot you need and it's located just an hour from Central London.

Typical retreats involve activities such as outdoor circuits, postural review, yoga and Pilates, meditation, a sauna in the glass fronted wooden sauna and a dip in the swimming pond, as well as a two-course lunch, afternoon tea, country walk or run, massage, a talk or class by an expert.

Each retreat date has a different theme, like gut health or menopause so check the website for the one to suit your needs. Stede Court also offers private residential retreats throughout the year for 1-8 guests.

Dates: January 26, March 14, 28, May 9, more TBC

Price: from ​£125 per person

Rest & Restore at Inhabit, London

Londonders won't have to travel far for some R&R in the new year as life coach Milla Lascelles will host the first Rest & Restore urban retreat at Inhabit, the newly opened wellness hotel in London's Paddington.

Rhaya Jordan, the in-house nutritionist at Bamford, Daylesford and Bodyism, and Bone Broth guru Catherine Farrant, founder of OSSA bone broths, will provide a gut-friendly healthy menu, while Veronika Pongracz, head of wellbeing at Inhabit will join Lascelles in teaching yoga and meditation. Guests will also enjoy a nature walk, fermentation workshop, gut health and bio hacking workshop and sound bath with Tibetan singing bowls, as well as use of the hotel's infrared sauna and gym complete with Peloton bike.

The first event is planned for February 2020, but the organisers say they hope to make this a monthly retreat.

Date: February 7-9, 2020

Price: from £650

Fit Again, Dorset

This fitness-focused retreat is run by ex-military husband and wife Andrew and Lucy Watkinson at Monkton Wyld Court, a secluded grade II listed neo gothic court in West Dorset near the Jurassic coast.

The retreat includes daily bootcamp classes, restorative yoga, mindfulness sessions, fossil walks, paddleboarding lessons and swimming in the sea, as well as a private dinner at Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's River Cottage .

Date: June 12-15, 2020

Price: from £649

Simply Healing Retreat, Horsham

Set in a mid-19th century country home in the heart of West Sussex, Simply Healing specialises in detox retreats which are designed to rid the body fo toxins from the inside out, including activities such as juice cleansing, colonic hydrotherapy, meditation and shamanic healing. The family-run retreat is run by founder and healer Vivien Kay

Guests can choose from a long weekend cleanse to a five, seven or ten day plan.

Date: various throughout 2020

Price: from £1,625

Thera-Sea, South Cornwall

Thera-Sea offers a retreat set in rural south Cornwall within the grounds of a 300-year-old cottage perched on the banks of the River Fal. The retreat focuses on the six pillars of lifestyle medicine – physical activity, relaxation, purpose, sleep hygiene, nutrition, and healthy relationships – while also incorporating activities such as wild swimming, yoga, foraging and kayaking.

Each retreat also offers three therapy workshops led by mental health clinician and founder Katy Griffin which involves practical tasks, all designed to help with stress management.

Dates: ​27-29 March , 9-11 June, 8-10 September , 9-11 October 2020

Price: £575

Results Retreats, Essex

Lucy Mecklenburgh will host more fitness retreats next year at the Lifehouse Spa in Essex, around 90 minutes from London. The retreat includes daily workouts including a dance fitness session and weightlifting, motivational seminars and Q&A with a nutritionist, finished off with a "Dinner with the Girls" at a restaurant on the last night.

She will also host a retreat at Champneys, Leicestershire, in February.

Dates: January 10-12, February 7-9, April and July 2020 TBC

From: £499

Our Retreat, Somerset

Set in a stunning secluded 11-bedroom farmhouse in the Somerset countryside, Our Retreat offers mindful morning yoga classes, guided meditation, Pilates and evening restorative yin yoga, alongside wellness workshops and guided walks through the local woodland. Meanwhile private chefs prepare plant-based, balanced meals for retreaters. Make the most of the chilled vibe, take some downtime to relax by the fire or read a book in the gardens before joining classes when it suits you.

Date: 27-30 March, 21-24 February, 10-13 July, 2020

Price: from £550 per person

Women and Water retreat, Cornwall

Wild and Free Adventures

Woman and water by Wild and Free Adventures offers yoga and surfing in the gorgeous Cornish waters. The four-day retreats are located in Yurt Village at The Park, Mawgan Porth, surrounded by lush greenery and just a short walk to the golden beaches of Cornwall.

A private chef will cook your meals during your stay and you’ll start each morning with guided meditation, followed by a vinyasa flow yoga class and then a surf lesson . It doesn’t matter if you have never done yoga or surfed before, this retreat is perfect for beginners and the days end with a restorative yoga class before bed.

During your free time you can also enjoy swims in the indoor or outdoor pools, warm up in the sauna and steam room or enjoy a glass of wine in your private Jacuzzi. There’s also plenty of Cornish coast to see with a bike ride or walk along the beach. But you'd better act fast –these retreats get snapped up.

Date: June 5-9, 12-15 and September 18-22, 2020

Price: from £480

Healthy Gut Retreat, Worcestershire

The Clover Mill

This gut-focused escape by The Clover Mill in Malvern, Worcestershire, is for anyone with gluten-intolerance, stress, anxiety, depression, stiff aching joints, digestive issues, chronic tiredness, skin conditions, sugar cravings or wanting to lose weight.

The retreat aims to reset your gut bacteria and tackles this with yoga classes, meditation, massages and meals made with seasonal ingredients and probiotics.

Dates: March 26-31, May 14-19, July 23-28 and October 22-27, 2020

Price: from £1,795

Writers Retreat by Arvon, Shropshire

Arvon

For all of you aspiring writers out there, this is the perfect opportunity to shut out the noise and focus on writing for your choice of four to six days. Located in the Shropshire Hills, you will get your own apartment with all meals provided.

Spend your days writing, taking in the 26 acres of woodland and sharing your triumphs with other writers over dinner.

Date: various retreats held throughout 2020

Price: from £480

Walking retreats, Devon

Devon coast
Shutterstock

Staying at Sharpham House on the banks of the River Dart, this retreat marries mindfulness with activity as you’ll be walking up to seven or eight miles per day along the gorgeous Devon countryside.

A typical day at this retreat begins with morning meditation followed by breakfast before setting off on your walk. You'll also enjoy a guided meditation after dinner. Delightful.

Dates: June 8-12, July 27-31 and September 8 - 12, 2020

Price: from £390

Tresco Yoga Retreats, Tresco Island, Cornwall

(Tresco Island)
Tresco Island

Located in the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall, Tresco Yoga Retreats is hosting five nights wellbeing activities on the island of the same name. The retreat includes five nights of luxury accommodation with breakfast meals, six yoga classes with Lucy Aldridge, inter-island transfers between St. Mary's airport and the New Inn on Tresco, a 60-minute massage, full access to spa facilities and a bike to use during your stay. Sounds idyllic.

Date:May 8-13, 2020 (the autumnal retreat in September has already sold out)

Price: £820 per person

Mindfulness for Women, Devon

The Sharpham Trust

If you are looking for some peace and quiet away from the world, Mindfulness for Women by The Sharpham Trust is the retreat for you. Set in the Grade 1-listed Sharpham House in Devon, this Georgian mansion acts as the perfect base for your five day retreat.

During the retreat your days will consist of guided meditation and yoga sessions in the morning, free time after lunch where you can go for long walks through the country before more meditation in the evenings. All meals are provided.

Date: September 29 - October 3, 2020

Price: £390

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in