After the holiday season, many of us want to take some time out and start getting into shape, but that doesn’t have to mean staying in and having any less of a good time.
Your new year detox is the perfect reason to get the girls together and go away for a healthy, fun weekend. Here are our picks for the best trips to leave you feeling fit and fabulous (without a big dent in your post-Christmas budget!).
Get into nature. Photo © Remains
1. Start walking
A walking holiday lets you get in shape, catch up with your besties and feel at one with nature. If you don’t want to brave the January cold (although you’ll have the pick of places to stay and roam without lots of tourists), save your trip for the beginning of spring. You’ll still get the exhilarating crisp air, but also see new life bloom.
Stay in one of our Cotswolds Travelodge hotels and enjoy one of the many beautiful countryside walks before snuggling up with a herbal tea or enjoying a spa. Not Just Juice, in Cheltenham, is a little vegan cafe perfect for a healthy lunch. Their detox juices will leave you feeling right as rain. If your are looking for somewhere to start walking, this nearby hike is perfect for a fresh morning.
2. Get cooking
What better time to brush up on your cooking skills than during a January detox with the girls? The Cracking Good Food school, based in Manchester, offers fun courses that focus on great-tasting, healthy food from sustainable fresh produce. As well as cookery classes, learn how to forage for food, an original way to impress your friends!
Alternatively, stay in a Cheshire Travelodge and take a course at The Vegetarian Society Cookery School, learning how to incorporate more vegetables and less meat into your dinners. The Light, Healthy and Easy course costs £125 a person and is a great way to start a healthy 2016.
3. Go riding
Not one for long walks? Horse riding is a different way to get in shape while getting closer to nature. There are plenty of courses for beginners, or you may want to use your healthy weekend to refresh your skills.
Good horsey. Photo © Milenko Bokan
Learn from BHS-approved instructors and with friendly, gentle horses at Murton Equestrian Centre, just a 22-minute drive from our central Newcastle hotel. They run beginners’ lessons from £17 per half-hour, or get a group of 4 or more experienced riders together and go hacking from £30 per hour.
Alternatively, visit Bristol and enjoy a 1 – 2 hour ride at Tynings Trekking Centre, which hosts scenic rides in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
4. Enjoy a spa
A trip to a day spa can round off your girls’ weekend – or be the main feature. Eden Hall Day Spa near Nottingham is an indulgent spa in luxurious surroundings, with a simple day package starting from £89, complete with healthy three-course lunch (with a few naughty options), access to the gymnasium and all the spa facilities. Alternatively, stay in one of our Liverpool Travelodge hotels and visit the Chill Out Spa, enjoying the tranquillity lounge, bistro, full massage services and much, much more.
