Lakeside Wellness Weekend: Yoga, Hiking and Massage in the Lake District

The weekend starts on Friday late afternoon when you arrive at the Heaning Estate. After settling into your room, there is a sound bath in the evening to open the retreat. Saturday begins with a combined Hatha and restorative yoga session before breakfast. Later that morning you head out on a circular hike from the doorstep to Orrest Head viewpoint, which looks over Windermere and the surrounding fells. The afternoon is free, and in the evening Laurence leads a TRE session — a series of movements to help the body release tension. Sunday morning follows the same pattern with yoga, then a walk to Cedar Manor Hotel for afternoon tea. In the evening there is a somatic practice session based on the Thomas Hanna method, done mainly on the floor and suitable for people with injuries or chronic pain. On Monday morning there is a final yoga session before departure.

What sets this apart from a standard yoga weekend is the combination of movement practices and hands-on therapy. Every guest gets a 60-minute Chi Nei Tsang massage, a Chinese abdominal massage that works on the internal organs. You can also book extra treatments such as Swedish massage, hot stone massage, Indian head massage or facials. The group is limited to eight people because there are only eight bedrooms, so it stays quiet and personal.

The location is the English Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The estate is a five-minute drive from Windermere railway station, which has direct trains from London Euston and other major cities. If you drive, there is ample parking. The Big House is a large country property with eight ensuite bedrooms, each with views over the surrounding countryside. The grounds are peaceful and you can walk straight from the door onto footpaths.

Gina Navarro runs the retreat. She spent 30 years as a retail manager at the John Lewis Partnership before retraining as a massage and beauty therapist. She has worked with Aveda and Facegym and ran her first wellness retreat in summer 2022. Laurence Brian teaches the yoga and holistic therapy sessions. She has been teaching yoga, meditation and holistic dance for over 20 years and has trained in India. She also leads retreats in other locations around the world.

Meals are cooked at the venue using fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Dietary requirements can be catered for if you tell them in advance. The afternoon tea at Cedar Manor has gluten-free and vegetarian options. The retreat is designed for adults who want a break from a busy schedule — you do not need to be an experienced yogi, but you should be comfortable walking for a couple of hours on uneven ground if you join the hike.

What's included

- 3 nights accommodation in an ensuite room - All meals from Friday dinner to Monday breakfast - Hatha and restorative yoga sessions - Guided hike to Orrest Head viewpoint - Sound bath on Friday evening - TRE (Trauma Release Exercise) session - Somatic Practice (Thomas Hanna method) session - 60-minute Chi Nei Tsang massage - Afternoon tea at Cedar Manor Hotel - Use of the estate grounds and parking

What's not included

- Travel to and from Windermere - Travel insurance - Additional treatments (Swedish massage, hot stone massage, Indian head massage, facials) - Personal expenses - Alcohol