The Zest Life - England
Cumbria, England
Lakeside yoga, exhilarating wild swimming and relaxation in Georgian comfort
The Zest Life offers wild swimming and yoga group retreats a few times a year at Silverholme Manor on the dramatic shores of Lake Windermere. The elegant Georgian manor house provides luxurious comfort, while its converted coach house is an exquisite light and bright space for yoga and meditation. With vibrant and plentiful food, wild swimming with expert tuition and beautiful lakeside walks, these are retreats on which to feel invigorated and restored.
our Reviewer Zoe Ross says:
‘I loved the ease and comfort of the retreat, trusting that everything was in hand, without feeling babied or ordered from A to B’
Queen of Retreats says:
‘The lakeside setting of this retreat is sensational, and means you can take a dip whenever the mood to wild swim takes you. Find a bench on the half-moon veranda and watch the light travel across the still water, understanding why it so inspired the Lake Poets. A roaring fire, aromatic candles, fresh flowers and lavender-scented eye pillows all add to the feeling of cocooning’
Experiences
Your stay combines yoga, guided meditation and relaxation with wild swimming, pampering massage, and the chance to unwind in sumptuous surroundings.
Laura Bell, the founder of The Zest Life, incorporates a variety of yoga styles in your sessions, all of which include breathwork and guided mediation. A 90-minute morning practice is more dynamic and energising, while the hour-long evening classes focus on restorative flow or yin yoga.
Expert swim guides are on hand every day for those wanting tips on cold water swimming and support going longer distances. You can also dip unsupervised, with the warm refuge of the manor house just a two-minute dash away.
Between sessions enjoy the lake, roam the stunning parkland surrounding the house and indulge in massages in the yoga space with in-house therapists - they include 45-minute sessions of Indian head and Swedish full body.
Spaces
Silverholme is set within a family-run country estate spanning 5,000 acres of the English Lake District, and is surrounded by parkland and gardens with unparalleled panoramic views. It has private access to the lake, which you can view from almost every window of the house.
A converted coach house is home to the yoga shala. It’s always warm, serene and softly lit with fairy lights and candles, ideal for private meditation. Each yoga mat has a cushion, bolster, block and eye pillow.
Guests congregate in two comfortable living rooms with console tables, original fireplaces and period portraits on the walls. Breakfast is served in the bright kitchen extension looking out to the majestic scenery, while lunch and dinner are in the more formal dining room or on the terrace in kind weather.
There are eight en-suite bedrooms, including four doubles and four twin rooms. Expect soft colours, floral wallpaper, period furniture, Egyptian cotton bed linen and low lighting. The en-suite bathrooms are spacious and modern. Rooms in the front of the house have spectacular lake views.
Sustenance
The food is vegan, with butter, cow’s milk and eggs available, and all dietary requirements are catered for.
For breakfast expect millet and quinoa porridge (bejewelled with pomegranate seeds and coconut), a wild berry protein fruit smoothie, followed by sourdough toast with nut butters and banana.
Lunch might include raw vegan sushi, with an Asian tofu soup. Dinners are flavoursome vegan curries with aromatic rice, followed by vegan cacao and ginger pots.
Hot water, fresh lemon and ginger, and a wide selection of herbal teas and coffee are available all day and at 4pm there is fresh juice and cake!
Silverholme Manor, Graythwaite, Ulverston LA12 8AZ
The Zest Life
The Zest Life was born out of the benefits of yoga, walking and wild swimming after founder Laura Bell used them to recover from a serious back injury. Now - on Anglesey and the Vale of Clwyd in North Wales and in Cumbria in England - Laura offers cosy, affordable, nurturing breaks with yoga and zestful activity at their heart.