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Discover a realm of new skills paired with amazing places. Starting with scaling cliffs in Britain to creating mosaics in Turkey, these adventures provide the perfect blend of learning and holiday.

Rock Climbing in the Peaks

Even total beginners will quickly be scaling protected regional outcrops on this short session. Attendees will become proficient in securing the rope, belaying and several methods of ascent, along with abseiling down. Limited to a half-dozen students to a single guide, there is plenty of one-on-one guidance and custom goals. The training is open to anyone aged 13 and over, from absolute beginners to those with some gym climbing background. This is a non-accommodation course, but you can find a list of recommended, affordable accommodation close by, featuring campgrounds, hostels, bed and breakfasts and pubs with rooms. The training centre is 10 minutes’ walk from the local train station, located on the rail route from Manchester to Sheffield.

Cost: 199 pounds for the weekend. Courses from 7 March to November 8th, and weekday courses throughout the year.

Non-Representational Art in Andalucía

Moclín, a picturesque town in southern Spain, about a short drive from Granada, is the inspiring backdrop for this art retreat. Painters of every skill level – even beginners – will be taught how to conceive and execute modern art. Part of the schedule will be spent outdoors, working on structured activities in the open. These initial charcoal drawings and paintings will then be expanded upon in the studio, with guests producing multiple interpretive scenes in acrylics to be shown in the local community. Participants has sole use of the venue, which is centered on an open courtyard and has a roof terrace with views over the hills. The price includes five days of art instruction; all meals; and an outing to the local castle and additional points of interest.

Cost: Starting at €1,950 for seven nights, 19-26 May.

Vegetarian Culinary in Portugal

This sun-drenched cooking retreat, set on a riverside villa in the central Portuguese region, is draws inspiration from the vegetarian dishes of renowned chefs. Participants will learn to produce meze spreads, attend a falafel-making workshop, perfect mid-morning meals such as shakshuka, and make substantial main courses like spicy mushroom ragu and moussaka. The schedule includes visits to the local market and a nearby winery to sample local vintages, plus free time for strolls by the Funcho River, to unwind on the terrace or take a dip in the infinity pool. The farmhouse, a renovated rural property, has multiple rooms, plus safari tents in the gardens.

Cost: Starting at 900 euros for five days. Available from March 20th, 8 May, September 11th and November 13th.

Hip Hop in High Wycombe

This energetic camp is an energizing, welcoming weekend adults’ street dance camp in High Wycombe. The daily schedule throughout the camp is a party-style warm-up session, then several 90-minute workshops teaching various street dance styles, then an hour-long freestyle session to demonstrate new moves. Dancers are divided into groups based on ability and experience, so it is suitable for those who are completely new to street dance, right up to experienced performers or instructors. The camp doesn’t include lodging but there are a number of places to stay within walking distance, and it is 23-35 minutes by train into London.

Cost: 245 pounds for the weekend; next course 7-9 April.

Sea Shanty Weekend in Cornwall

This coastal town is the perfect spot for a maritime music retreat. Guests will be taught historic sailing songs from a folk singer and vocal coach, and try their hand 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 with views of the bay. Full board are included, including a traditional tea on arrival, breakfast options, lunches to go and evening meals. Traditional rum, unfortunately, is not included. Everyone join in: “How to handle the drunken sailor …?”

Cost: From 429 pounds. Available 31 January-3 February and October 31st to November 3rd.

Creative Writing in Crete

Writer and lecturer Greg Mosse conducts the daily workshops on this authors' getaway. He covers topics including plot, characters, setting and suspense, to submitting work to agents. A co-host, the bestselling author Kate Mosse, will participate in events at the start and finish of the retreat. The holiday is based at a traditional complex in Vamos at the base of the White mountains – 10 one- and two-bedroom cottages surround a garden and pool (non-writing partners are welcome to share). On the last night, aspiring writers celebrate with a musical performance in the garden and a farewell dinner.

Cost: From 893 pounds per person for seven nights (based on two sharing), August 11th to 18th.

Beginners' Beekeeping in Wales

The Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth runs a wide range of programs covering sustainability: from wildlife gardening to making pallet furniture. This weekend course will help attendees get to grips with the fundamentals of apiary management, study the life cycle of honeybees and learn about their ecological importance. It is designed to produce “bee-friendly beekeepers”. This course is also a opportunity to de-stress in the centre's sustainably managed forests, which are habitat for polecats, otters, dormice, lesser horseshoe bats and rare birds. Accommodation the night before is 80 pounds, and full-board accommodation for the weekend is £97.

Cost: £248. Sessions on 30-31 May and 5-6 September.

Yachting for Beginners in the Blackwater Estuary

These new summer sailing weekends are spent on dinghies and keelboats on the estuary in Essex. They are designed for novice sailors starting out or those with some knowledge who want a refresher. Participants can hone their helming, strengthen their nautical skills and work towards the recognized levels one to three in a supportive atmosphere. There are non-residential and residential packages, staying in simple dorms in the waterside sailing school. The non-residential package provides packed lunches, while the residential package covers two nights’ accommodation and full board, from full English breakfasts to evening barbecues.

Cost: From 299 pounds. Weekends on July 18th-20th and 4-6 September.

Introduction to Sea Swimming in Cyprus

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