An activity weekend at the beautiful Lake District is the perfect way to let off some steam

Ride the trail
Get away from it all and explore the idyllic English countryside of the Lake District on horseback. With miles of peaceful country lanes and open fields, it’s the perfect location to unwind and relax. Run by a friendly, hospitable family at Hipshow Riding Stables, they have horses and trails to suit all abilities, and you help with all aspects of the riding school, including bringing in the horses from the fields and grooming them.
From £156pp for a two night stay including four hours of riding and accommodation, www.horseridingholidays.co.uk

Relaxing retreat
Forget the stress of the daily grind with a yoga holiday in one of Cornwall’s top spa hotels. Recharge, learn to relax, reduce back pain and improve your flexibility with a blend of yoga classes, spa treatments, delicious food and comfortable surroundings. A weekend includes at least six hours of yoga; just pick the perfect package to create your ideal relaxation break.
From £230pp includes accommodation www.yogaatwork.co.uk

Spend
Royal run
Whether you’re training for a race, want to improve your fitness or just love running in the countryside, Running the Highlands organise off-road guided runs tailored to your needs across the scenic moorland of the Balmoral Estate. Pilates and nutrition advice are included, with sports massages between runs to soothe any aches or pains. If running isn’t for all your party there’s plenty to do instead including biking, archery, pony-trekking and fishing. A variety of accommodation is on offer including rooms in the Queen’s summer residence of Balmoral Estate itself.
Weekend full board from £264pp, www.runningthehighlands.com

Family fun
For an action packed weekend based around the picturesque lake Derwent Water and the Borrowdale Valley in the Lake District, Lakeland’s Family Activity Weekend by Activities Abroad is a condensed weekend of fitness, including mountain walks, canoeing, gorge scrambling, climbing and abseiling. Accommodation is in the gorgeous Victorian Keswick Country House Hotel, in the heart of the North Lake District.
From £335pp for three nights accommodation, meals and activities included, www.adventuresportsholidays.com

Walking workout
Celebrity diet and movement specialist Joanna Hall runs three-day walking weekends, including spa treatments, gym use, a choice of up to 20 classes a day and workshops on how to get the most from walking including how to improve posture, fitness and body tone. The Walk Fitter Spa Breaks are held at top spas across the UK including Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire and Champneys Forest Mere in Hampshire.
From £265pp based on two sharing including meals, www.joannahall.com

Splurge
Swim free
If you want a real sense of freedom and adventure, a swimming holiday is just that. Choose from swimming the Scottish Inner Hebrides where you’ll island hop among the beautiful islands, swim with local wildlife including seals and dolphins, cross the legendary Gulf of Corryvreckan, famous for it’s whirlpools and camp under the stars each night. If you prefer the comfort of hotels, swim and walk the Isles of Scilly, a collection of 300 islands of which only six are currently inhabited, and explore the wild, untamed island of Bryher. These are holidays for those with stamina as you’ll cover 3km a day on average, giving a real sense of achievement.
From £515pp for five days including accommodation and most meals, www.swimtrek.com

Sail away
Whether you want to help out on deck or just sit back and enjoy the views, Trinity sailing holidays are a haven of relaxation. Cast off and explore islands, visit stunning harbours and secluded beaches around the south coasts of Devon and Cornwall, Isles of Scilly and West Coast of Scotland on board their gaff-rigged boats. Each evening you’ll arrive at a new harbour and enjoy dinner prepared with fresh, local produce by the on-board chefs, before setting out to explore onshore. Either book by the berth and sail with a mixed group, or charter a boat for up to 12 people and have your own private party.
From £550pp for six nights including all meals, www.trinitysailing.co.uk

Divine detox
Feel cleansed and energised with an award winning in:spa detox retreat in the Cotswolds. With four days of healthy cuisine combined with yoga, hiking, circuit training and spa treatments in the heart of the English countryside at the luxury 19th Century Cowley Manor, you’ll come away look and feeling your best. You’ll have an individual nutritional consultation, a personal training session and an expert team of nutritionists, personal trainers, masseurs, yoga teachers and health experts on hand to give your body a complete health and fitness transformation.
From £775pp based on two sharing, www.inspa-retreats.com

Body cleansing
Feeling puffy, bloated and lethargic are all side-effects of fast-paced lifestyles, and processed diets packed with caffeine, dairy and wheat. Boost your immune system and cleanse your digestive system with a surprisingly easy juice fasting week with Jiva Healing in Wiltshire and you’ll leave feeling rested, lighter and invigorated. You’ll eat only organic fruit and vegetable juices, vegetable broth and husks, allowing your body to use energy normally used for digestion to remove toxins, waste matter and parasites from your system. Optional daily yoga classes are available, and you can take part in classes on nutrition, sustainable living, meditation and happiness. Accommodation is in a restored sustainable 17th Century Mill house, set in acres of peaceful gardens, woodland and water to aid the rest and relaxation of your mind and body.
Week long juice fasting retreat including accommodation, £850 pp, www.jivahealing.com