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Explore a world of fresh abilities alongside incredible places. Starting with scaling cliffs in the UK to creating mosaics in Turkey, these particular adventures deliver the perfect mix of education and holiday.

Rock Climbing in the Peaks

Even absolute beginners will quickly be climbing sheltered regional rock faces on this short program. Attendees will become proficient in tying in, belaying and several methods of ascent, along with descending. Capped at six learners to a single guide, there is plenty of one-on-one guidance and personalised targets. This program is suitable for anyone over the age of 13 and over, from absolute beginners to those with a bit of gym climbing background. This is a non-accommodation option, but there is a range of recommended, affordable accommodation in the vicinity, featuring campgrounds, hostels, B&Bs and pubs with rooms. The base is 10 minutes’ walk from the local train station, located on the Hope Valley line from Manchester to Sheffield.

Cost: £199 for two days. Weekends from March 7th to November 8th, plus midweek sessions most months.

Abstract Painting in Andalucía

Moclín, a historic white village in southern Spain, around a short drive from Granada, is the inspiring location for this art retreat. Artists of all abilities – including beginners – will learn how to conceive and execute modern art. Some time will be spent in the open air, working on guided exercises out in nature. These initial sketches and watercolour studies will then be developed in the workspace, with guests producing several interpretive scenes in acrylic paint to be shown in the village. Participants has exclusive access of the venue, which is built around an central patio and has a roof terrace with views over the hills. The price encompasses five days’ art instruction; all meals; and an trip to the nearby fortress and additional points of interest.

Cost: Starting at €1,950 for one week, May 19th to 26th.

Plant-Based Culinary in the Algarve

This sun-drenched culinary holiday, set on a riverside villa in the inland Algarve, is inspired by the plant-based cuisine of celebrated cooks. Guests will master the art of selection of small dishes, take part in a falafel-making workshop, refine brunch dishes such as shakshuka, and make substantial main courses including spicy mushroom ragu and moussaka. The schedule includes visits to the local market and a local vineyard to taste local vintages, along with leisure time for walks by the nearby river, to unwind on the deck or take a dip in the pool. The farmhouse, a renovated rural property, has multiple rooms, plus safari tents in the gardens.

Cost: From 900 euros for a five-day retreat. Available from March 20th, May 8th, September 11th and 13 November.

Street Dance in High Wycombe

Hip Hop Don’t Stop is an energizing, welcoming three-day dance intensive for adults in High Wycombe. The daily schedule throughout the camp is a party-style warm-up session, followed by several hour-and-a-half classes teaching different urban dance forms, then an hour-long jam to show off new moves. Dancers are divided into levels according to skill level, so it is perfect for those who are completely new to street dance, all the way to advanced dancers or instructors. This event does not provide lodging but there are several places to stay within walking distance, and it is 23-35 minutes by train into central London.

Cost: 245 pounds for the weekend; upcoming session April 7th to 9th.

Maritime Singing Weekend in Cornwall

This coastal town is the ideal spot for a maritime music retreat. Guests will learn traditional shanties from a folk singer and vocal coach, and try their hand at writing their own. There will be voice exercises, breathing exercises, stagecraft advice and a final evening concert. The holiday is based at a country house overlooking the bay. All meals are included, such as a traditional tea on the first day, cooked or continental breakfasts, lunches to go and evening meals. Grog, unfortunately, is not provided. All together now: “How to handle the drunken sailor …?”

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

Writing in Greece

Writer and tutor an experienced instructor leads the regular sessions on this writing retreat. He explores topics including story structure, characters, setting and tension, to sending manuscripts to publishers. A co-host, the well-known writer 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 (companions are welcome to come along). On the last night, aspiring writers mark the occasion with a concert in the courtyard and a final meal.

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

Beginners' Beekeeping in Wales

A leading eco-centre near Machynlleth runs a wide range of programs on sustainability: from wildlife gardening to making pallet furniture. This weekend course will help participants learn the fundamentals of apiary management, explore the biology of honeybees and discover their environmental benefits. It is designed to produce “bee-friendly beekeepers”. The weekend is also a chance to de-stress in the centre's carefully maintained forests, which are home to polecats, otters, dormice, lesser horseshoe bats and uncommon bird species. Bed and breakfast the evening prior is 80 pounds, and all meals and lodging for the weekend is £97.

Cost: 248 pounds. Dates on May 30th-31st and 5-6 September.

Yachting for Novices in the Blackwater Estuary

These recently launched summer sailing weekends are spent on Wayfarers and Dufours on the Blackwater estuary. They are aimed at adult beginners learning the ropes or those with some knowledge who want a refresher. Sailors can improve their helming, strengthen their seamanship and work towards the Royal Yachting Association’s certification levels in a supportive atmosphere. There are day-only and overnight options, with accommodation in simple dorms in the waterside sailing school. The non-residential package includes packed lunches, while the overnight option includes two nights’ accommodation and all meals, from full English breakfasts to evening barbecues.

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

Introduction to Sea Swimming in Cyprus

The setting for this swimming holiday is a {be