#50 – Go to a Yoga Retreat

Scotland Yoga retreat starting 27th August 2021 with a company called Reclaim Yourself. Luxury Yoga Retreats | Reclaim Your Self
How did I end up here? 

A very unlikely source.

Unfortunately my thirtieth birthday fell at the very beginning of lockdown meaning we could not go anywhere exciting like the previous 5 years. I have the most amazing group of lads as best mates, we are loud, we love football and a beer, a good piss up and some extremely good shit chat. So the last thing you’d expect would be them to embrace the bucket list and give me a birthday present, voucher for a Yoga Retreat at Reclaim Your Self. What a group of lads. 

I was originally looking at Iceland yoga retreat with lots of bucket list actions ready to tick off, however, Covid did not allow this, so when I saw Scotland coming up, it worked out perfectly. 

Before I go into detail about the retreat, I have to say just how amazing Jools is/was in regards to organising and I’m very impressed with the amazing company she has built. If you are looking to get away for a well deserved break, a change to reflect I highly recommend Reclaim Your Self

I flew from Luton to Inverness. It was great to be back on a plane, I always find it so exciting knowing I am going somewhere new. Traditional beer and fried brekky at the airport. 

Day 1
A bit of a hectic day arriving on the plane and getting a taxi to our accommodation which took about an hour. Introduced to the first of many amazing people I met, a lady called Sarah (small world) who grew up in Frinton, where Lindsey and I had been the week before, great sense of humour. We rented bikes and went to a beautiful loch. I really enjoyed getting back on a bike and swimming a long way out on a beautifully sunny day. We then walked 20 minutes along by the river to get to the village hall, where we did 2 hours of yoga. The house I was in, was beautiful! The sauna and hot tub were located at our place. Although it was a bit of a weird layout, a beautiful house. 

Day 2
We started the day with a very challenging yoga session, we really worked my apparent weak areas, hips, hamstrings and lower back. I asked the amazing host of the Dell (where we stayed) Polly where to go for a run. This was the highlight of my trip. I ran for about 6 miles uphill through a beautiful forest, ending up at a loch in the middle of nowhere, just me. I had a real moment of peace here. I shouted out and there is an amazing echo that comes back, so clear and great fun. It was as if I really understood in that moment how hard Covid has been. It’s taken away something I rely on to be me, new places, new people, variety that gives me excitement. It also made me realise, I am doing a great job! I need to learn to not be so hard on myself. 
Getting back from the run I relaxed in the Hot Tub before our evening yoga session. I can not speak highly of all the amazing people I met along the way, because there was 24 of us it felt like I was meeting a new person every day. Yin Yoga. I really bonded with the Yoga instructor with this session, I really trusted her. Yin Yoga is all about discomfort, working the muscle tissue. I worked my hips and they felt so much better after this amazing Yin session. 

Day 3
A 2 hour morning yoga session before a very busy day ahead. I’d challenged Jules to find me a way to tick off another item off the bucketlist. Star fire without matches. A guy there called Justin taught me how to get it started with flint and first time I got this started no bother, not really enough time to practice but a good little activity. It was then time to go on a 4 hour trek with one of the guys who runs a nature walk company called Rooty. A top lad with a lot about him. The most fascinating thing with the trek was the social aspect. I got to know even more people who were on the trip, which felt like I was meeting someone new every couple of hours. I think it was just incredibly humbling how nice everyone was, how kind and how open to sharing the experience. 
I relaxed in the hot tub before another Yin Yoga session. 
The final meal was my favourite, a vegan plater of greatness if I had to describe it. 

Day 4
One last day of yoga, grabbing food and as quickly as that it was over. We were recommended a café in Inverness to go to, it ended up being myself and 3 young ladies old enough to be my mother, just great people. 

I can not recommend booking something for yourself enough! Doesn’t matter what it is or where, go and stand somewhere new, see something different, meet someone new, life is too short.