learning

Rock climbing in the Peak District

Even complete beginners will soon be scaling sheltered Peak District crags on this two-day course with Pure Outdoor. Participants will master tying in, belaying and several climbing techniques, as well as abseiling down. With a maximum of six learners to one instructor, there is a lot individual attention and personalised targets. The course is suitable for anyone aged 13 and over, from first-time climbers to those with some indoor experience. It is non-residential, but Pure Outdoor has a list of recommended, affordable accommodation nearby, including campsites, hostels, B&Bs and pubs with rooms. The training centre is 10 minutes’ walk from Bamford railway station, which is on the Hope Valley line from Manchester to Sheffield.
£199 for two days, weekends from 7 March-8 November, plus weekday courses most months, pureoutdoor.co.uk

Abstract painting in Spain

Moclín, a historic hillside village in Andalucía, about 45 minutes’ drive from Granada, is the inspiring setting for this painting holiday. Painters of all abilities – including beginners – will learn how to plan and create abstract artworks. Some time will be spent outside, working on guided exercises en plein air. These charcoal drawings and watercolour studies will then be developed in the studio, with participants producing several abstract landscapes in acrylics to be exhibited in the village. The group has sole use of the hotel, which is set around an open courtyard and has a roof terrace with views over the hills. The price includes five days’ painting tuition; all meals, including a tapas dinner in Granada; and an excursion to the castle and other local sights.
From €1,950 for seven nights, 19-26 May, granadaculturalholidays.com

Ottolenghi-inspired vegetarian cooking in Portugal

This Mediterranean cooking retreat, set on a riverside villa in the inland Algarve, is inspired by the vegetarian dishes of Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage. Guests will learn to produce meze spreads, attend a falafel-making workshop, perfect brunch dishes such as shakshuka, and make hearty mains including spicy mushroom ragu and moussaka. There are visits to the village market and a local vineyard to taste Portuguese wines, plus free time for walks by the Funcho River, to relax on the deck or swim in the infinity pool. The villa, a former farmhouse, has five bedrooms, plus safari tents in the grounds.
From €900 for five days from 20 March, 8 May, 11 September and 13 November, responsibletravel.com

Street dance in Buckinghamshire

Hip Hop Don’t Stop is an uplifting, inclusive three-day adults’ street dance camp in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The format each day is a party-style group warmup, followed by three 90-minute workshops covering different street dance styles, then an hour-long jam to show off those solos. Dancers are divided into groups according to ability and experience, so it is suitable for those who are brand new to popping and locking, right up to advanced dancers or teachers. The camp doesn’t include accommodation but there are several hostels and hotels within walking distance, and it is 23-35 minutes by train into central London.
£245 for three days; next course 7-9 April, urbanstrides.com

Sea shanty weekend in Cornwall

St Ives is the perfect setting for a sea shanty weekend. Guests will learn traditional shanties from a folk singer and vocal coach, and have a go at writing their own. There will be vocal warmups, breathing exercises, performance tips and a final evening concert. The holiday is held in a country house overlooking St Ives Bay. All meals are provided, including a Cornish cream tea on arrival, cooked or continental breakfasts, packed lunches and three-course dinners. Grog, alas, is not included. All together now: “What will we do with the drunken sailor …?”
From £429, 31 January-3 February and 31 October-3 November, hfholidays.co.uk

Creative writing in Crete

Author, playwright and lecturer Greg Mosse leads the daily workshops on this writing retreat. He covers everything from plot, characters, locations and suspense, to submitting work to publishers. Greg’s wife, the bestselling author Kate Mosse, will co-host events at the beginning and end of the week. The holiday is based at a village-style hotel in Vamos at the foot of the White mountains – 10 one- and two-bedroom cottages surround a garden and pool (non-writing partners or friends are welcome to share a cottage). On the last night, budding authors celebrate with a concert in the garden and a farewell dinner.
From £893pp for seven nights (based on two sharing), 11-18 August, simpsontravel.com

Introduction to beekeeping in Mid Wales

The Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleths runs a host of courses covering sustainability: from wildlife gardening to making pallet furniture. This two-day course will help participants get to grips with the basics of beekeeping, explore the biology of honeybees and learn about their environmental benefits. It is designed to produce “bee-friendly beekeepers”. The weekend is also a chance to de-stress in CAT’s sustainably managed woodlands, which are home to polecats, otters, dormice, lesser horseshoe bats and rare birds. Bed and breakfast the night before the course is £80, and full-board accommodation during the course is £97.
£248, 30-31 May, 5-6 September; cat.org.uk

Sailing for beginners in Essex

These new summer sailing weekends are spent on Wayfarers (dinghies) and Dufours (keelboats) on the Blackwater estuary in Essex. They are aimed at adult beginners learning the ropes or more experienced mariners who want a refresher. Sailors can hone their helming, strengthen their seamanship and work towards the Royal Yachting Association’s levels one to three in a fun, welcoming environment. There are day-only and residential options, staying in simple dorms in the waterside Bradwell training centre. The day option includes packed lunches, while the residential package includes two nights’ accommodation and all meals, from full English breakfasts to evening barbecues.
From £299, 18-20 July and 4-6 September, essexoutdoors.com

Introduction to open-water swimming in Cyprus

The setting for this swim camp is a beach resort in Peyia, just north of Paphos, on the white sand of the Coral Bay. It is aimed at those who can comfortably swim 500 metres in a pool, and want to make the transition to open water. All swims start from the shallow waters of the bay, rather than a boat, and the average distance covered is up to 2km a day). There are also daily technical coaching sessions with video analysis in an Olympic-sized swimming pool, two minutes’ walk from the hotel. The price includes coaching, accommodation, breakfast and dinner.
From £1,350 for five nights from 5, 11 and 17 June, swimtrek.com

Mosaic-making in Turkey

Ingi, a mosaicist who learned the art in Turkey nearly 20 years ago, now runs artistic retreats at her villa in Fethiye on the Turquoise Coast. Guests – a maximum of three people – spend the week making a mosaic to take home, in a studio on the terrace. But the holiday is about more than mosaics: Ingi introduces guests to the local culture, taking them to the market, into Fethiye for lunch, and on optional visits to the Blue Lagoon and a hammam. There is also time to relax by the pool, in the landscaped gardens or on uncrowded Calis beach. All meals are included.
From £1,099 for six nights, up to three courses a month from 18 April-17 October, responsibletravel.com