Health & Wellbeing
In this helter-skelter world, we all need time to relax and recharge. From world-class spa retreats to forest bathing, yoga, or simply spending time in nature, the Tweed Valley offers a chance to slow down and breathe.
In the Tweed Valley, you can do as much or as little as you like – with plenty of options at the more relaxing end of the scale.
Set in the most gorgeous landscape imaginable, Stobo Castle Health Spa is Scotland’s only destination spa resort. A visit here opens up a whole world of pampering, from customised treatments to spa packages.
There is also a beautiful pool area, with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, one of the most advanced hydrospas of its kind, outdoor hot tubs, a dedicated relaxation suite, and plenty of healthy dining options.
It’s an easy place to visit, but a hard one to leave.
Spa treatments and beautiful pools are also available at Barony Castle, Peebles Hydro Hotel and Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf & Spa, with each offering a range of treatments to help you wind down and rejuvenate body and soul.
Barony Castle and Peebles Hydro are also blessed with beautiful grounds full of lovely walks, so there’s every chance to stretch the legs before or after a treatment.
But what if it’s a yoga and wellness break you are after? No problem, we’ve got that covered too. A quite stunning country retreat nestled deep in the hills just outside Innerleithen, the historic Leithen Lodge offers a range of yoga and self-care breaks in a location where you will be hard pressed not to relax.
For many, the very best antidote to stress is time spent outdoors in nature. And there is no more relaxing and intuitive a guide than Anna from WanderWomen Scotland who offers a variety of women-only nature escapes. If you’ve always wanted to try forest bathing, outdoor swimming (even in depths of winter!) or just simple meditation in the woods, then this is most definitely for you.
And for a change of pace, the John Muir Trust offers a range of volunteering opportunities at its Glenlude site on the edge of the Southern Uplands, near Traquair. Here, you can help the Trust in its mission to rewild a former sheep farm and conifer plantation by getting involved in a variety of conservation tasks. You’ll also learn a huge amount about the ecology of the area at the same time.