From a staycation centered around achieving glowing skin to basking in nature and amping up for your fitness regime, discover the UK’s best wellness breaks and retreats to book this winter
1 Take forest bathing to the next level with The Treehouses at Lanrick
Take the plunge and fully immerse yourself in the latest winter wellness trend this year in the new Woodland Sauna and Cold Water Plunge pool at The Treehouses at Lanrick in the heart of Perthshire.
Taking forest bathing to the next level, embrace your inner Scandi and channel positive New Year vibes with an invigorating sauna and plunge pool combination. Meditate in the exceptional peace and tranquillity of the ancient woodland surrounding you, accompanied by the magical sounds of the winter dawn chorus, ushering in the first gentle signs of Spring.
Enhancing the wellness element of guests’ stays at the magnificent treehouses, and in addition to the Swedish massage therapies already on offer, these beautiful facilities provide yet more opportunity to relax, recharge and reconnect with nature.
Exposing the body to intense heat and cold in short bursts has long been considered beneficial both physical and mental health. Recently there has been a surge in interest in the UK for cold water bathing, and further evidence is emerging of the benefits of “hormesis”, the exposure of the body to small amounts of stress. Benefits can include improved circulation, joint pain relief, and increased dopamine levels leading to a sense of calm, improved mood and energy levels.
How: The sauna is available for all Treehouse guests on a complimentary, first come first serve basis.
Wallet: Treehouses available from £245 per night (min 2-night stay).
How: To book visit www.lanricktreehouses.co.uk
2 Get a burst of rejuvenation with South Lodge’s one-day retreats
Country house spa hotel South Lodge, in West Sussex, heralds another revolution of the year with a series of one-day wellness retreats that embrace the evolving energy of the seasons. Guests are invited to switch off from the everyday and switch on their senses, to recharge and reconnect in the Sussex countryside with forest-bathing expert Helena Skoog for personal transformation in synchronicity with nature.
The one-day Nature Immersion Spa Experiences harness the power of Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese awareness meditation of forest bathing, proven to be a profound antidote to anxiety, depression, fear, and tension. Led by Helena Skoog, who has lived off-grid for five years amongst ancient forestry, guests will embark on a simple nature walk, whereby the forest languages of renewal, growth and change will become experiential second nature. Guests will also experience a wellbeing session of Qigong and breath work, to balance parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, calming the mind and reducing the stress of everyday life.
Nature Immersion Spa Experience dates kick off on Saturday 16 March 2024, with spaces filling up quickly. The experience starts at 10am and includes refreshments, morning wellness activity, lunch, afternoon wellness activity and use of the luxurious spa until close.
When: Launches 16 March 2024, multiple dates to follow throughout the year.
Wallet: Price is £210 per person.
How: Find out more and make a booking via exclusive.co.uk
3 Try a nature-filled wellness break at Whalesborough luxury farm and spa resort, Cornwall
Whalesborough luxury farm and spa resort, set in 450 acres of farmland and countryside on the edge of the Atlantic coastline near Bude, is launching an exciting new range of North Cornwall wellness breaks designed for autumn and winter.
Featuring sunrise and sunset yoga classes, wellness checks, PT sessions, a range of spa treatments, and healthy breakfasts, the breaks are designed to invigorate the mind and body, at the same time as creating a relaxing environment to unwind, contemplate, and recentre with friends.
They incorporate 5-star gold accommodation and come with access to Whalesborough’s extensive facilities, including its 30°C indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, state-of-the-art gym, and outdoor tennis courts.
Daily walks are available across the farm’s 450 acres of land running down to Widemouth Bay, while Bude canal, which originates at Whalesborough, offers the ideal opportunity for a picturesque jaunt or jog to the golden sands of Summerleaze Beach, where you’ll find Bude’s tidal sea pool. Measuring 91m by 45m, the sea water pool is the perfect place for protected saltwater dips and cold-water experiences.
Walks and sea swims are optional and can be built around the wellness experiences, which can be topped up with a range of health, beauty and spa treatments using products from Cornwall’s own Gaia natural skincare to beautify, soothe and revitalise. Treatments featuring Gaia essential oils and botanical extracts range from salt and oil scrubs to deep tissue, hot stone, and Indian head massages. Aromatherapy sessions, exfoliation techniques, pedicures and manicures are also available as well as facials, head, and body massages.
Whalesborough’s wellness breaks include:
- 3 or 4 nights of accommodation
- 1 sunrise or sunset yoga session
- a 1-hour wellness check, or PT session with our fitness expert
- a 60-minute spa treatment of your choice
- daily healthy breakfast at The Weir restaurant, overlooking the lake
- full use of our on-site facilities, including heated indoor pool, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, gym, and tennis courts.
Not included in the offer, but available for just £50pp, is a three-hour foundation for healthy eating cookery course, where you can learn the art of creating nutrient dense, gut loving, healthy food and nourishing recipes. Additional spa treatments are extra and can be booked in advance or on arrival.
How: To find out more and make a booking, visit whalesborough.co.uk, call 01288 361940, or email Jordan.grigg@whalesborough.co.uk to make a booking.
Where: Whalesborough Farm, Marhamchurch, Bude EX23 0JD
4 Book a restorative juice detox at Wildhive Callow Hall, Derbyshire
Combining wellness with boutique staycations, prepare for the season ahead with a cleanse for mind, body and soul thanks to these upcoming expert-led juice cleanse retreats. Boutique country house hotel Wildhive Callow Hall in Derbyshire has announced it will be hosting a series of seasonal therapeutic and restorative retreats that aim to level up the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of guests, leaving them ready for the season ahead.
With the first experience set to launch in November, the Wildhive Restorative Retreats will see guests guided by naturopath Lucy Peel through a four-day juice cleanse designed specifically as a gentle detox for the digestive system, as well as promoting a proper rest for mind and body, all in the peaceful and natural surroundings of the Derbyshire countryside.
The retreat includes:
- Four nights’ accommodation in a Woodland Hive
- Daily guided meditations
- Gentle yoga classes tailored to your cleanse
- A beautiful healing sound journey
- A three-day juice cleanse (includes all supplements and cleanse support materials)
- Healthy meals pre and post cleanse
- Talks on nutrition (such as healthy digestion and busting the diet myths)
- A Bach Flower Remedy workshop where you get to make up your own unique blend of remedies to support you on an emotional level
- Breath work and breathing workshop
- Access to the sauna
- A takeaway support pack of supplements and teas
There are also extra treatments available in the Coach house such as therapeutic massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, for an additional sum.
When: 17th-21st March 2024 – Spring Equinox, a reset for Spring
Where: Callow Hall, Mappleton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 2AA
How: Phone 01335 300900 or visit www.wildhive.uk to book
Wallet: Price from £1,650pp.
5 Nourish your skin with PoB Hotels and Madeleine Shaw
PoB Hotels, the leading collection of distinguished independent hotels across the British Isles, is delighted to introduce Get the Glow with PoB Hotels, an innovative collaboration with creator of The Glow Space, Madeleine Shaw.
Madeleine is a renowned nutritionist and esteemed yoga and pilates teacher. Her first of her three books, ‘Get the Glow’, was a Sunday Times bestseller. This partnership offers guests an exclusive opportunity to glow, both inside and out through indulgent treatments and delectably nutritious dishes, all expertly crafted with fresh, seasonal ingredients to enhance overall skin health and wellbeing. Madeleine Shaw’s exceptional expertise certifies these extraordinary treatments and delightful dishes, available at select PoB Hotels from September 2023 to March 2024.
Guests also have an opportunity to experience an exclusive retreat, hosted by Madeleine Shaw, at Barnsley House, a PoB Hotel. Taking place from the 21st to the 22nd of January 2024, this retreat promises Pilates and Yoga sessions, expertly guided by Madeleine herself. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with Madeleine and chat to her about wellness, skincare and her Get the Glow philosophy.
How: Visit the dedicated ‘Get The Glow’ page, where they can explore the participating hotels and select the one that aligns best with their preferences. Better yet, they can start the new year with a glow, having booked the retreat for £350 per person, inclusions:
Wallet: Retreat prices from £350pp.
When: Retreat, 21 – 22 January 2023. The Get the Glow experiences will be available until March 2024.
6 Embrace a moo-re unusual experience with the ‘Whispering Highland Cow’ break in Scotland
One of Argyll’s most iconic coastal hotels is teaming up with a local farm to launch the UK’s first ‘Whispering Highland Cow’ wellbeing experience on the west coast of Scotland. As part of its new ‘Wee Winter Break’, The Pierhouse Hotel at Port Appin is working with Achinreir Farm in Barcaldine to offer guests a new way to relax and explore a real working farm during the quieter part of the year.
Local Highland cow farmer, Jane Isaacson, and the hotel’s head chef, Michael Leathley, have gone the extra ‘country’ mile to create the new farm-based activity breaks with a focus on wellbeing, nature and great tasting, locally sourced food.
While staying at The Pierhouse, visitors to Argyll will get the opportunity to explore the 132- acre working farm between Oban and Glencoe, meet a traditional fold of Highland cattle, and learn a little about artisan ice-cream making. Achinreir Farm is home to Highland Fold Ice Cream, which has been supplying The Pierhouse Hotel with ice cream for two seasons. Highland Fold only uses traditional farming methods and natural and sustainable ingredients to make its artisan ice cream.
For the first time this autumn and winter, guests will not only get the chance to savour the quality of Highland Fold ice cream in the snug comfort of The Pierhouse Hotel, but they’ll also get to visit the farm where it’s made, a distance of just eight miles.
The Whispering Cow Experience is an opportunity for visitors to spend time walking quietly among the cows, followed by the opportunity to sample Highland Fold’s premium product, ‘Pure Highland’ ice cream at the end of the one and a half-hour tour.
Wallet: A midweek ‘Wee Winter Break’ at The Pierhouse Hotel in Port Appin is based on a three-night stay with two people sharing a Cliff Facing Room for £315 (£105 per night) or Sea View Room for £480 (£160 per night) on a B&B basis. The offer is not valid for the Superior Sea View Rooms and is applicable on Sunday-Thursday nights from the beginning of December 2023 to the end February 2024. Lunch and dinner is available in the restaurant from the a la carte menu.
How: For more information on a midweek ‘Wee Winter Break’ at The Pierhouse or to make a booking, call 01631 730302, email reservations@pierhousehotel.co.uk or visit www.pierhousehotel.co.uk/wee-winter-break. Whispering Highland Cow Walks costs £15 per person and are timed for when the cattle are relaxed and resting. Advance booking is essential. Contact info@highland-fold.co.uk
Where: The Pierhouse Hotel, Port Appin, Argyll, Pa38 4De
