Picture yourself in a forest, surrounded only by the sights and sounds of nature. The rustling of leaves in the wind. Gentle birdsong. Water languidly flowing over rocks. No phone calls, no text messages, nothing that demands your immediate attention and distracts from your innermost thoughts. This is the type of serenity you can expect when you disconnect from the everyday and indulge your senses on a wellness retreat.
The Best Health Retreats in the UK
Wellness has become one of the most prevalent global trends and the UK is no exception, with several options available for enjoying a quiet getaway. We take a look at some of the best wellness retreats in the UK where you can revitalise and recharge in luxury.
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa - Lake District
This magnificent stone-walled Victorian mansion situated near the picturesque Bassenthwaite Lake is set in 400 acres of tranquil woodland. The spa at Armathwaite Hall offers a wellness retreat that aims to build harmony with nature through mindfulness and meditation, as well as more unusual activities including walks with alpacas and forest bathing, led by the spa’s wellness teacher and forest-bathing guide Jen Grange.
Our Retreat - Somerset
42 Acres is an award-winning destination conceived in 2015 by siblings Lara and Seth Tabatznik. Nestled in a 700-acre forest with meadows, open fields and four rivers in the vicinity, 42 Acres is designed to provide a more mindful approach to living and connecting with the world. The retreat features a biodynamic farm, a nature reserve and a mix of spaces designed to promote fitness and wellness. Our Retreat is one of those spaces, offering daily yoga and pilates sessions, as well as various wellness workshops featuring alternative therapies like sound healing.
Lime Wood - Hampshire
Lime Wood is a relaxed countryside hotel located in the heart of New Forest National Park. There are 33 beautiful rooms in the hotel, as well as lodges and cottages that offer more privacy and a closer connection to the natural surroundings. On the rooftop, you will find Herb House Spa, which offers regular mindfulness and wellness retreats including the Rewild Yourself Retreat, which lets you spend some time in New Forest as part of the experience. Spa facilities include treatment rooms, an indoor hydro pool and a sauna, as well as a fitness centre with Technogym equipment. Amelia Freer, one of the leading nutritionists in the UK, also hosts regular workshops on healthy cooking.
Thera-Sea - Cornwall
Katy Griffin has worked in the field of mental health for over 13 years and wanted to develop an experience that would put more emphasis on the development of mental well-being. Thera-Sea is a rewilding retreat taking place over 4 days that combines exercise with the outdoors. Unlike the hotels and bespoke spaces that make up most of this list, the lodging at Thera-Sea is a quaint cottage where residents have communal facilities they can use. Activities are focused squarely on exploring nature and include foraging, bushcraft skills, swimming in the River Fal, hikes by torchlight, stargazing and feasts cooked up by the resident chef using the freshest possible ingredients.
Yeotown - Devon
This charming resort complex in Devon has won multiple awards and has hosted everyone from stay-at-home parents to C-suite executives. The retreat’s signature program, known as Yeotox, runs over the course of five days with activities such as hiking, surfing, strength workouts, cookery sessions and yoga - it’s worth noting that Yeotown Co-Founder Mercedes Ngoh Sieff is considered to be one of the best yoga teachers in the country. The retreat also features conscious cuisine with clean, natural vegan ingredients, as well as a full digital detox.
With so many different types of wellness retreats available in the UK and all in the most exquisite natural surroundings, you don’t have to travel far to find a place where you can ‘get away from it all’. Life might be full of challenges and you might have a packed schedule, but prioritising your own self-care will have untold benefits across all areas of your everyday. Isn’t it time you put yourself first?
