If you’re on the hunt for a holistic experience then Cornwall is the perfect place to escape to for a rejuvenating and relaxing reboot. Wide-open spaces, spellbinding scenery and a laidback atmosphere are the hallmarks of Cornwall’s sublime allure, and all reasons why visitors love this special county.
Whether you wish to take a break from - or completely avoid the tourist hotspots, popular attractions and cultural epicentres, you’ll be rewarded by the alternate serene, away-from-it-all aspect to Cornwall that puts wellbeing front and centre.
From retreats and workshops designed to help you hone your self-care to an abundance of activities that will help boost your connection to nature and self, there’s a host of options for visitors dreaming of a wellbeing holiday in Cornwall.
Mindfulness and meditation
Mindfulness, or, to quote its founder Jon Kabat-Zinn, “a quality of awareness that includes that ability to pay attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” is a discipline of consciously rooting oneself in the present moment, making Cornwall the ideal place to practice.
A combination of ancient wisdom and modern psychology, Mindfulness can be practiced in a number of ways to help reduce stress, anxiety and combat a range of other health issues. One of the most basic and effective techniques is breathing, so by simply sitting on a beach and slowly inhaling the fresh salty air, you’re helping to lift your spirits and regain a sense of balance.
Meditation works in a similar way, and there’s an array of mentors, classes, day retreats and non-residential centres available across the county, should you wish to receive expert guidance. Or if you’re already in the throes of mastering the mental exercise, there’s a myriad of spaces to practice, from fields of wildflowers to waterfalls – you can even combine a spot of yoga to maximise the wellbeing opportunity.
Try: mindfulnesscornwall.co.uk, cornwallmeditationcentre.com, uk.tm.org/cornwall, westcornwallinnerspace.co.uk, thevalleyretreat.co.uk
Healing rituals and therapies
Tap into your spiritual side by experimenting with a mixture of therapies designed to help you release negativity, become more comfortable with ‘non-doing’ and appreciate your surroundings for a palpable feeling of escape and enlightenment.
From Reiki and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), Theta Healing, access bars, crystal healing and Rahanni celestial healing all aiming to help you relax, release emotional stress, ‘defrag’ your brain and reset your inner balance, the options for spiritual self-care in Cornwall allow a brilliantly tailored approach for a wealth of individual benefits.
Try: cornwallwellbeing.co.uk, sacred-spaces.co.uk
Outdoor activities
One of the simplest ways to sourcesome inner calm, force yourself to digitally detox, and obtain a sense of solace is to immerse yourself into Cornwall’s natural habitats.
If you do nothing else during your sojourn, find ‘your place’ amongst the bevy available, be it ocean, river, lake, woodland, moor, or countryside, and allow the great outdoors to cleanse and rejuvenate your soul.
Make the most of Cornwall’s world-famed landscapes with an activity that literally immerses you into them, such as wild swimming, which combines Cornwall’s aquatic terrain with beaches, coves and creeks as you relish the freedom of the open water.
Wild walking is another embracing activity to try, whether you pick an organised tour or day trek, or roam the celebrated South West Coastal Path. Cycle off-the-beaten-track, horse ride across Bodmin Moor or return to nature with a stint of foraging (finished with a wild feast) or a bushcraft day, where you can ‘rewild’ yourself into a more self-connected state of being.
Try: seaswimcornwall.co.uk, westcornwallwalks.co.uk, fathen.org, cornishwildfood.co.uk, wildwalks-southwest.co.uk, cameltrail.org.uk, 7thrise.co.uk
Want to visit Cornwall? Take a look at our holiday cottages in Cornwall here.