🔗 Share this article

Discover a world of new skills combined with stunning locations. From scaling cliffs in Britain to creating mosaics in Türkiye, these particular adventures deliver a superb combination of learning and escape.

Rock Climbing in the National Park

Including absolute newcomers will quickly be scaling protected regional outcrops on this short session. Participants will learn tying in, safety techniques and multiple methods of ascent, along with abseiling down. Limited to six learners to a single guide, there is significant personalized coaching and personalised targets. This program is appropriate for anyone aged 13 and over, from absolute beginners to those with some gym climbing background. It is non-accommodation course, but you can find a selection of recommended, budget-friendly places to stay nearby, including campgrounds, hostels, B&Bs and pubs with rooms. The venue is a short stroll from Bamford railway station, situated on the Hope Valley line from Manchester to Sheffield.

Cost: £199 for the weekend. Courses from 7 March to November 8th, and midweek sessions throughout the year.

Non-Representational Art in Spain

This historic hillside village, a ancient hillside village in southern Spain, around 45 minutes’ drive from Granada, is the breathtaking setting for this painting holiday. Participants of every skill level – including novices – will discover how to design and produce non-representational pieces. Part of the schedule will be spent outside, working on tutorials out in nature. These initial sketches and watercolour studies will then be worked on in the workspace, with participants producing a number of abstract landscapes in acrylic paint to be displayed in the local community. Participants has exclusive access of the hotel, which is centered on an open courtyard and has a roof terrace with panoramic vistas over the countryside. The price includes five days of painting tuition; full board; and an outing to the local castle and other local sights.

Cost: From 1,950 euros for one week, 19-26 May.

Ottolenghi-Inspired Culinary in Portugal

This sun-drenched foodie getaway, located at a riverside villa in the inland Portuguese region, is inspired by the plant-based cuisine of renowned chefs. Guests will learn to produce selection of small dishes, attend a falafel-making workshop, refine brunch dishes such as shakshuka, and make hearty mains including a rich mushroom stew and moussaka. There are trips to the village market and a nearby winery to sample Portuguese wines, along with leisure time for walks by the nearby river, to unwind on the deck or take a dip in the infinity pool. The villa, a renovated rural property, has multiple rooms, plus glamping tents in the grounds.

Cost: From €900 for a five-day retreat. Available from March 20th, May 8th, 11 September and 13 November.

Hip Hop in Buckinghamshire

This energetic camp is an uplifting, inclusive weekend dance intensive for adults in High Wycombe. The daily schedule throughout the camp is a high-energy group warmup, followed by several 90-minute classes covering different street dance styles, then an 60-minute jam to demonstrate those solos. Participants are split into levels based on ability and experience, so it is perfect for those who are brand new to street dance, all the way to advanced dancers or teachers. This event doesn’t include lodging but there are a number of hostels and hotels nearby, and it is 23-35 minutes by rail into central London.

Cost: 245 pounds for three days; next course 7-9 April.

Sea Shanty Break in Cornwall

St Ives is the perfect spot for a maritime music retreat. Participants will be taught traditional shanties from a experienced musician, and have a go at writing their own. There will be vocal warmups, breathing exercises, performance tips and a closing performance. The holiday is based at a country house overlooking the bay. All meals are included, such as a traditional tea on arrival, cooked or continental breakfasts, packed lunches and three-course dinners. Traditional rum, alas, is not provided. All together now: “What will we do with the tipsy mariner …?”

Cost: From £429. Dates January 31st to February 3rd and 31 October-3 November.

Writing in Greece

Writer and lecturer an experienced instructor leads the regular sessions on this authors' getaway. He explores everything from plot, characters, locations and suspense, to submitting work to publishers. Greg’s wife, the well-known writer Kate Mosse, will participate in special sessions at the start and finish of the retreat. The holiday is based at a traditional complex in Vamos at the base of the Lefka Ori – ten one- and two-bedroom cottages are set around a central garden with a pool (companions are encouraged to come along). On the final evening, aspiring writers celebrate with a concert in the courtyard and a farewell dinner.

Cost: Starting at £893 per person for seven nights (based on two sharing), 11-18 August.

Introduction to Beekeeping in Mid Wales

A leading eco-centre near Machynlleth runs a wide range of courses on eco-living: from creating habitats to upcycling. This weekend course will help participants understand the fundamentals of apiary management, study the life cycle of honeybees and discover their ecological importance. It is designed to produce “ecologically mindful beekeepers”. The weekend is also a opportunity to relax in the centre's sustainably managed woodlands, which are habitat for polecats, otters, dormice, lesser horseshoe bats and uncommon bird species. Bed and breakfast the evening prior is £80, and full-board accommodation for the weekend is 97 pounds.

Cost: 248 pounds. Sessions on May 30th-31st and 5-6 September.

Yachting for Beginners in Essex

These new summer sailing weekends are spent on dinghies and Dufours on the Blackwater estuary. They are designed for novice sailors learning the ropes or more experienced mariners who want a skills update. Sailors can hone their steering, strengthen their nautical skills and aim for the recognized certification levels in a fun, welcoming environment. There are non-residential and overnight packages, with accommodation in simple dorms in the waterside sailing school. The non-residential package provides packed lunches, while the residential package covers two nights' stay and all meals, from full English breakfasts to evening barbecues.

Cost: From 299 pounds. Dates on July 18th-20th and September 4th-6th.

Introduction to Sea Swimming in Paphos

The setting for this swim camp is a {be