Yoga & Pilates Retreat on the Shores of Loch Leven, Scottish Highlands

The week splits cleanly into two halves. Days 2 and 3 are Pilates days — morning sessions on the mat, then optional guided walks in the afternoon. Day 2's walk goes from Glencoe Village up the main street past the local museum and the Glencoe Massacre Monument, over the old Bridge of Coe and through woodland around Hospital Lochan, an 18th-century manor house that served as the local hospital for years, finishing at the National Trust for Scotland Visitor Centre. Day 3 swaps the walk for a cruise on Loch Linnhe from Corpach Marina, with views of Ben Nevis, the Jacobite steam train passing the marina, and the small islands around Corpach. Day 4 is a free day — no sessions, no organised walks — with maps, route guides, weather forecasts and public transport info left out at the Discovery Point if you want to head off on your own.

Days 5 to 7 switch to yoga in the mornings, again with optional afternoon walks. Day 5 is an easy five-mile circular route along the shores of Loch Linnhe straight from the house — calm water, forested hills, plenty of stopping points for photographs. Day 6 afternoon is a mobile sauna parked at the country house, split into smaller groups because of the size of it. Day 7 goes up the Nevis Range on the Mountain Gondola, which climbs the north face of Aonach Mor to the top station, with time to wander the viewpoints.

Days 1 and 8 are arrival and departure. Check-in is from 16:00 (14:00 if you're a member), with a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 to meet the other guests; departure day is just breakfast and the drive home, with check-out at 10:00.

The group sizes for the Mind & Body sessions are kept small — if numbers require it, the morning and afternoon activities occasionally swap around so each session stays manageable. No equipment beyond an exercise mat and a small blanket is needed; loose-fitting clothes are recommended since there's floor work. The guided walks are graded and led by volunteer walk leaders who go through a thorough assessment before leading, and they'll run a short safety briefing before setting off, with the day's weather forecast posted in the house.

Alltshellach itself is the reason a lot of people book this rather than a hotel-based equivalent. It's a baronial Scottish house with 38 rooms, an indoor pool open 7am–12pm and 4:30pm–9pm, a boot room and drying room, free Wi-Fi and parking, an EV charging point (bring your own cables), three lounges, a licensed bar, and books and games to borrow. The gardens run down to the loch. It's roughly a 2.5-hour drive or coach transfer from Glasgow, and the nearest railway station is Fort William.

What's included

- 7 nights en-suite accommodation at Alltshellach country house - Cream tea on arrival day - Cooked or continental breakfast every morning - Daily packed lunches - Three-course evening meals, plus tea and coffee - Expert tuition with a yoga and Pilates instructor - Guided walks with experienced walk leaders - Easy-to-follow routes, maps and information at the Discovery Point - Cruise on Loch Linnhe - Mobile sauna session at the house - Nevis Range Mountain Gondola ticket

What's not included

- Travel to and from Alltshellach - Optional group coach transfer from Glasgow (£85 return / £55 single) - Return flights from London Heathrow to Glasgow with transfers (£350 per person) - Drinks from the bar - Room upgrades and Choose Your Room service - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - First aid kit and personal walking equipment