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Holidays mean something different to everyone. While some of us like to completely switch off and recharge, others prefer itineraries that spark creativity, build new connections, and offer fresh experiences. If you’re someone who likes a bit of both, then booking a special interest holiday can strike a wonderful balance.
With this in mind, we’ve partnered with HF Holidays to explore eight country house stays offering unique experiences. As Britain’s only walking holiday co-operative, HF Holidays is committed to helping people create meaningful connections through shared experiences.
From wine tours and birdwatching holidays to art breaks and refreshing yoga retreats, their range of special interest, expert-led tours offer the chance to get inspired, mix with small groups of like-minded people, and learn new skills. Plus, with one of their characterful country houses as your base, you’ll be perfectly placed to relax and explore some of Britain’s best-loved national parks and National Landscapes.
With full board meals as standard, a cream tea on arrival, and a welcome home-from-home ambience, on an HF Holidays break, all you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself.
While HF Holidays also offers European and worldwide tours, there are plenty of unique opportunities to discover right here in the UK.
1. Art holidays
Whether it’s painting, knitting, wreath making, or creating homemade items good enough to gift, many of us enjoy getting artsy. But, in the busyness of daily life, it can sometimes be tricky to find the time. Art holidays offer the perfect solution, with dedicated sessions and peaceful environments designed to foster friendships, connections, and spark creativity.
Led by expert tutors, HF Holidays hosts several art holidays, focusing on everything from drawing and acrylics to watercolour and portrait painting. In small groups of no more than 15, you’ll have the chance to share skills and ideas, and celebrate each other’s creations. And, with tranquil countryside and dramatic coastlines as your backdrop, it’s difficult not to feel inspired.
Alternatively, if you fancy getting crafty while grappling with a glue gun, completing a knitting project, making a wreath, or trying your hand at soap-making, HF Holidays Come and Craft Weekends and Weekend Craft Breaks, featuring tutored workshops, might be up your street.
2. Discover more holidays
If you’re the curious type, there’s likely nothing better than a sightseeing holiday. But beyond exploring the classic attractions, it can be fun to discover some of Britain’s hidden gems, too.
HF Discover More holidays go beyond simple sightseeing – they’re about connecting with the true essence of a destination for a deeper, more meaningful experience. From the Cornish coast to the Scottish Highlands, on an HF Discover More holiday, you can expect an eclectic collection of expert-led small-group excursions, including local food tasting experiences, heritage railway trips, and visits to historic homes.
Delve into Cornwall’s mining heritage; uncover rich literary history in the Lake District; explore Snowdonia’s peculiarly unique Italianate village; journey through to the UK’s longest, deepest, and widest dry valley in Sussex and the South Downs; or tour lochs, castles, and ancient woodlands in the Scottish Highlands.
3. Walking and wine tours
England might not be the first place that springs to mind when it comes to fine wine. Yet, in recent years, areas like Sussex and the Cotswolds have been quietly winning awards for the quality and character of their homegrown wines.
Sussex shares the same chalky soil as that in France’s Champagne region, so it’s primed for producing the ‘classic three’ sparkling grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. And on HF Holiday’s South Downs Guided Walking and Wine tour, you can sip on the very best of these three favourites during visits to two fantastic local wineries. Wander through picturesque lakeside vines, learn about the wine-making process, and enjoy the surrounding woodland, rolling hills, and hidden valleys – perfect for exploring on foot.
Meanwhile, in the Cotswolds, you can journey through two of the region’s finest vineyards: Poulton Hill Estate and Woodchester Valley Vineyard. Here, peaceful countryside walks and guided tours from passionate local producers await. Nearby, you’ll find the ever-popular Burton-on-the-Water, where chocolate-box cottages and traditional tea rooms sit beside the pretty River Windrush.
4. Nature holidays
If you’re drawn to the great outdoors and enjoy connecting with wildlife, you might like to consider a nature holiday. Britain is a haven for wildlife, and its national parks and various Areas of Outstanding Beauty are home to some of its most captivating inhabitants.
Perfect for casual and seasoned wildlife watchers alike, HF Holidays’ expert-led breaks put nature’s wonders right on your doorstep. Head out on daily walks as a group, with a local guide leading you to spots where local wildlife thrives, before heading back to discuss the day’s adventures over a hearty meal.
Bird enthusiasts can enjoy spotting kites, hawks, harriers, and buzzards in the South Downs, or head to Northumberland’s arid coastline, where thousands of wigeon, red-throated divers, whooper swans, and pink-footed geese flock year-round. Meanwhile, in the Shropshire Hills, swathes of rare butterflies, birds, plants, and insects await. Keep your eyes peeled for ferns, mosses, woodpeckers, and wood white butterflies.
HF Holidays’ nature journaling breaks combine nature and art, if you’re passionate about both. Nature journaling is about taking time to notice the tiny details of your surroundings and learning to express them through a mixture of sketches, paintings, and notes. Led by expert tutors, you’ll have plenty of time to develop your style and technique before returning home with a beautifully unique nature journal.
5. Literary holidays
If you’ve always got your head in the latest page-turner or have always dreamt of writing your own book, you might like to spend some time away on a literary holiday.
Bookworms will love the friendship-forming experiences of HF Holidays’ book club weekends. Ranging from classical to crime, thriller, and Gothic, each weekend follows a different theme, and days are spent exploring texts, discussing story ideas, and bonding with fellow guests. Excursions connected with the selected book or author, all within easy reach of your country house base, are also included.
Alternatively, if you’re keen to put pen to paper, a creative writing holiday could be for you. Designed to help you become the writer you dream of, you’ll have all the time to brush up on your writing skills, style, and confidence through a mix of group writing workshops and one-to-one sessions with published authors. There’ll also be plenty of free time to head out and take inspiration from your stunning coastal or countryside surroundings.
6. Music and singing holidays
If you’ve got a passion for music, a music holiday could strike the perfect chord. As a universally shared passion, music holidays are a celebration of creativity, breaking barriers down and bringing people together regardless of talent and experience.
In Cornwall or the Isle of Wight, you can delve into maritime history, singing traditional sea shanties with talented folk singers and vocal coaches. You’ll learn all about vocal warm-ups, breathing techniques, and performance tips before writing your own shanty. Meanwhile, on a choir holiday, houses come to life with daily, expert-led sessions where you’ll sing a range of modern classics and iconic songs, before taking part in a fun, informal performance.
For those with musical instrument experience, HF Holidays’ folk jam holidays are also ideal for brushing up on your skills. Led by three expert tutors, the focus is on learning together in a fun, relaxed, and supportive environment. Expect a range of workshops focusing on different music styles and techniques, as well as plenty of time to improvise with like-minded guests.
7. Bridge holidays
Tracing back over 500 years, bridge is one of the world’s most popular card games. It’s considered a ‘mind sport’, stimulating both sides of the brain – and a wonderful way to make new friends, too.
If you’re keen to learn the ins and outs of bridge or you’re already an experienced player, a bridge holiday is a fantastic way to have fun, develop your skills, and connect with others through practice and play. Beginners will have every chance to learn the basics and get to grips with a few tricks and techniques, while seasoned players can spend time deepening their knowledge and strengthening their strategies.
Expect fun morning bridge sessions and evening competitions led by EBU-qualified bridge directors, with plenty of free time to enjoy walks in the local area, too.
8. Mind and body breaks
In our busy lives, sometimes we just need to hit the pause button, slow down, and reconnect with ourselves. Among other things, practices like yoga and Pilates have been linked with reduced stress, higher energy levels, better sleep, and overall quality of life – and many people find them effective for fostering mind-body connection.
HF Holidays Mind and Body breaks are designed with relaxation in mind, offering you all the time and tools you need to return home refreshed and revitalised. Whether you book a yoga or Pilates break, or blend of the two, you can enjoy morning sessions led by expert instructors, with the North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, or Peak District as your backdrop. Switch off with specialised breathwork and meditation exercises, and release physical stress with movements designed to improve posture.
Then, once you’re nice and relaxed, the afternoons are your oyster. Spend time journaling, reading, connecting with like-minded guests, or set out on foot into the beautiful surroundings of your country house.
Final thoughts…
If you enjoy learning new skills, exploring new areas, and connecting with others, a special interest holiday could be for you. Whether you fancy brushing up on your music, bridge, or creative writing skills, wildlife watching, or recharging with a peaceful yoga break, HF Holidays has a holiday to suit every taste.
Set in the heart of stunning national parks and National Landscapes, their collection of country houses puts some of Britain’s most scenic spots on your doorstep. Plus, with small groups of like-minded people, delicious meals included, and a welcome home-from-home ambience, on an HF Holidays break, you’ll come away feeling refreshed and with memories to cherish.
To browse more HF Holiday deals, head over to their website.