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Uncover a realm of new skills combined with stunning locations. Starting with scaling cliffs in the UK to mosaic-making in Turkey, these particular adventures deliver a superb blend of learning and vacation.

Bouldering in the National Park

Including absolute newcomers will soon be climbing sheltered Peak District outcrops on this weekend session. Attendees will learn securing the rope, belaying and a range of climbing techniques, as well as rappelling. With a maximum of six learners to a single guide, there is a lot of personalized coaching and personalised targets. The training is appropriate for all individuals aged 13 and over, from first-time climbers to those with limited indoor experience. It is non-residential course, but you can find a range of suggested, reasonably-priced accommodation nearby, including campsites, hostels, bed and breakfasts and inns. The training centre is a short stroll from the local train station, located on the rail route from Manchester to Sheffield.

Cost: £199 for the weekend. Weekends from 7 March to 8 November, and weekday courses most months.

Modern Art in Spain

Moclín, a picturesque town in southern Spain, about a short drive from Granada, is the breathtaking setting for this creative getaway. Artists of all abilities – including beginners – will discover how to conceive and execute abstract artworks. Some time will be spent outside, working on tutorials out in nature. These charcoal drawings and watercolour studies will then be expanded upon in the workspace, with attendees creating multiple abstract landscapes in acrylic paint to be shown in the local community. The group has exclusive access of the hotel, which is centered on an central patio and has a rooftop with panoramic vistas over the hills. The cost encompasses five days of painting tuition; all meals; and an trip to the nearby fortress and other points of interest.

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

Plant-Based Culinary in Portugal

This Mediterranean cooking retreat, located at a riverside villa in the central Portuguese region, is inspired by the plant-based cuisine of celebrated cooks. Attendees will learn to produce meze spreads, attend a falafel-making workshop, refine brunch dishes such as shakshuka, and make hearty mains such as a rich mushroom stew and moussaka. The schedule includes visits to the local market and a nearby winery to taste local vintages, combined with free time for walks by the nearby river, to relax on the terrace or swim in the pool. The villa, a renovated rural property, has multiple rooms, plus glamping tents in the grounds.

Cost: Starting at €900 for a five-day retreat. Dates from March 20th, 8 May, September 11th and November 13th.

Street Dance in Buckinghamshire

This energetic camp is an uplifting, welcoming three-day adults’ street dance camp in High Wycombe. The format each day is a high-energy group warmup, followed by three 90-minute workshops covering various street dance styles, then an 60-minute freestyle session to demonstrate new moves. Dancers are split into levels based on ability and experience, so it is perfect for those who are brand new to popping and locking, right up to experienced performers or teachers. This event does not provide lodging but there are several places to stay nearby, and it is under an hour by rail into central London.

Cost: £245 for three days; next course 7-9 April.

Sea Shanty Break in St Ives

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 have a go at composing original ones. 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, such as a Cornish cream tea on the first day, breakfast options, packed lunches and three-course dinners. Traditional rum, unfortunately, is not provided. All together now: “How to handle the drunken sailor …?”

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

Writing in Crete

Writer and tutor an experienced instructor leads the regular sessions on this authors' getaway. He covers topics including plot, character development, setting and suspense, to submitting work to agents. A co-host, the well-known writer Kate Mosse, will co-host special sessions at the start and finish of the week. The retreat is based at a village-style hotel in Vamos at the base of the White mountains – ten private accommodations are set around a central garden with a pool (companions are encouraged to come along). On the final evening, budding authors mark the occasion with a concert in the garden and a final meal.

Cost: Starting at £893 per person for seven nights (based on two sharing), 11-18 August.

Introduction to Apiculture in Mid Wales

The Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth runs a wide range of courses on sustainability: from creating habitats to upcycling. This two-day course will help attendees get to grips with the fundamentals of beekeeping, explore the life cycle of bees and learn about their environmental benefits. It is designed to produce “ecologically mindful beekeepers”. The weekend is also a opportunity to de-stress in the centre's sustainably managed forests, which are home to wildlife, otters, dormice, lesser horseshoe bats and rare birds. Bed and breakfast the night before is £80, and all meals and lodging during the course is £97.

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

Yachting for Beginners in the Blackwater Estuary

These recently launched weekend sailing courses are spent on dinghies and Dufours on the estuary in Essex. They are designed for adult beginners starting out or those with some knowledge who want a refresher. Sailors can hone their steering, build their seamanship and aim for the recognized certification levels in a supportive atmosphere. There are day-only and overnight options, staying in simple dorms in the waterside sailing school. The non-residential package includes packed lunches, while the overnight option includes two nights’ accommodation and full board, from hearty breakfasts to evening barbecues.

Cost: Starting at £299. Dates on 18-20 July and 4-6 September.

Getting Started in Sea Swimming in Cyprus

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