England's Best Wellness Retreats for a Better You

The peaceful Syndale Valley in Kent makes a blissful spot for well-deserved R&R. Over three days, you’ll work through qigong, yoga nidra and sound-healing meditation, as well as a variety of yoga classes (hatha, yin, vinyasa). Detox juices, home-cooked vegetarian or vegan meals and a raw-food nutrition class help your body reset. There’s also free time for journaling, exploring beaches, soaking in the hot tub or a deep-tissue massage. The backdrop is a smartly converted barn in Faversham, with gorgeous gardens for outdoor practice led by host Amber.

Escape to the New Forest for a three-day wellness stay at 100-acre (40ha) Warborne Farm near Lymington. The boutique-style barns provide a dreamy setting for recharging. With 10 yoga and meditation sessions, Nova Milesko’s retreat combines morning vinyasa and pranayama with evening yin, plus optional add-ons of acroyoga, ayurvedic talks or yoga nidra. You’ll also get the chance to go horse-riding, cycling and hiking. Organic vegetables from the garden mean delicious plant-based and gluten-free meals.

Celebrate the summer solstice, autumn equinox or International Women’s Day with a three-day mindfulness programme for women, set on flower-filled The Quaives estate, just outside Canterbury. Hatha, kundalini and womb yoga classes complement yoga nidra, massages, mindfulness walks, meditation and sound-healing sessions. There are also discussion circles around a log fire, home-style vegetarian meals, and workshops on communication, moon cycles and more. You’ll stay in a cosily styled cottage or a smart eight-bed dorm.

Based at boho-chic Deighton Lodge farmhouse, surrounded by the rippling countryside south of York, Debbie Jenkins’ three-day retreats challenge, soothe and refresh both mind and body. Expand your yoga and meditation practice with vinyasa, ashtanga, yin and yoga nidra sessions, which happen al fresco when the sun shines. The super-fresh vegetarian meals are another highlight. And in your spare time? Laze in the outdoor hot tub, roam the Yorkshire Dales or just cosy up fireside with a book.

A stylishly restored 15th-century farmhouse, Green Farm sets the luxe tone for a three-day yoga escape in rural Kent. Join Caelia Butcher’s hatha, vinyasa, yin and restorative yoga sessions in a light-flooded barn or, in warmer weather, out in the gardens, before feasting on farm-fresh meals crafted by nutritional therapist Alice Yeates. There’s plenty of time for cycling, walking, running, reading, and kicking back in the boutique spa, which offers ESPA treatments, a sauna and open-air hot tubs overlooking a glinting lagoon.

Embracing the nurturing power of nature is the focus on this Wild Times retreat in the Lake District. The setting at Nab Cottage couldn’t be more magical: a charmingly converted 16th-century home overlooking Rydal Water, which has a sauna, firepit, piano and yoga barn. Over three days, you’ll practise vinyasa, yin, yoga nidra and meditation with teacher Jen. Jump into stand-up paddleboard yoga, mountain hiking and early morning lake swimming, all fuelled by home-cooked vegetarian meals.

Dive into the wave-riding scene in the surf capital of England on a four-day, small-group retreat, courtesy of independently owned Base Surf Lodge. Daily two-hour group classes happen on Fistral or Towan beach, with coaching tailored to your personal level. Accommodation is in cosy dorms or private rooms, overlooking a palm-studded garden. Hosts Rob and Lou – both experienced surfers and skiers – organise wood-fired barbecues and health-focused breakfasts packed with fresh Cornish produce.

Designed for intermediate and advanced riders, this four-day adventure is all about soaking up the wild beauty of Exmoor National Park from the saddle. Alongside a handsome four-legged companion, you’ll explore 40mi (64km) of off-road trails, surrounded by windswept moors and dazzling coastal views. The guided hacks tackle a different area each day, plus there’s also a horse-and-rider workshop. Your delightful base is a 15th-century farmhouse on the National Trust’s 12,000-acre (4,856ha) Holnicote Estate, with original beams and vintage furniture near the pretty village of Porlock.