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Explore a world of fresh abilities combined with amazing places. Starting with rock climbing in Britain to creating mosaics in Turkey, these particular experiences deliver an ideal combination of learning and vacation.

Rock Climbing in the Peaks

Including absolute beginners will quickly be climbing sheltered Peak District outcrops on this short session. Participants will become proficient in securing the rope, safety techniques and a range of climbing techniques, as well as abseiling down. Limited to six learners to one instructor, there is a lot of personalized coaching and personalised targets. The training is suitable for anyone aged 13 and over, ranging from first-time climbers to those with limited indoor experience. This is a non-accommodation course, but you can find a selection of recommended, affordable accommodation close by, featuring campgrounds, hostels, bed and breakfasts and inns. The venue is a short stroll from Bamford railway station, which is on the rail route from Manchester to Sheffield.

Cost: 199 pounds for two days. Weekends from 7 March to 8 November, and midweek sessions throughout the year.

Modern Art in Spain

Moclín, a picturesque white village in Andalucía, approximately 45 minutes’ drive from Granada, is the breathtaking location for this creative getaway. Participants of all abilities – even beginners – will be taught how to conceive and execute non-representational pieces. Some time will be spent outside, working on structured activities in the open. These charcoal drawings and watercolour studies will then be expanded upon in the workspace, with participants completing several interpretive scenes in acrylic paint to be shown in the village. Participants has sole use of the venue, which is built around an open courtyard and has a sun terrace with panoramic vistas over the countryside. The price covers five days’ art instruction; full board; and an excursion to the local castle and additional points of interest.

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

Ottolenghi-Inspired Cooking in Portugal

This sun-drenched culinary holiday, set on a riverside villa in the inland Portuguese region, is draws inspiration from the vegetarian dishes of renowned chefs. Guests will master the art of selection of small dishes, take part in a falafel-making workshop, perfect mid-morning meals such as shakshuka, and make hearty mains like spicy mushroom ragu and moussaka. There are trips to the village market and a local vineyard to taste local vintages, along with free time for strolls by the Funcho River, to unwind on the deck or take a dip in the pool. The accommodation, a former farmhouse, has multiple rooms, plus glamping tents in the grounds.

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

Hip Hop in Buckinghamshire

Hip Hop Don’t Stop is an uplifting, inclusive three-day dance intensive for adults in High Wycombe. The format each day is a party-style warm-up session, then several 90-minute workshops covering various street dance styles, then an hour-long jam to demonstrate new moves. Dancers are divided into groups based on skill level, so it is suitable for those who are completely new to popping and locking, right up to experienced performers or teachers. The camp doesn’t include lodging but there are several places to stay within walking distance, and it is under an hour by rail into central London.

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

Maritime Singing Break in St Ives

St Ives is the ideal location for a sea shanty weekend. Guests will learn traditional shanties from a experienced musician, and have a go at composing original ones. The schedule includes voice exercises, breathing exercises, performance tips and a final evening concert. The holiday is based at a country house overlooking the bay. All meals are included, including a Cornish cream tea on arrival, cooked or continental breakfasts, lunches to go and three-course dinners. Grog, alas, is not provided. Everyone join in: “How to handle the tipsy mariner …?”

Cost: Starting at 429 pounds. Dates January 31st to February 3rd and 31 October-3 November.

Creative Writing in Crete

Writer and tutor Greg Mosse conducts the daily workshops on this writing retreat. He explores topics including plot, character development, setting and suspense, to sending manuscripts to agents. A co-host, the bestselling author Kate Mosse, will participate in special sessions at the beginning and end of the week. The holiday 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 welcome to share). On the final evening, budding authors mark the occasion with a concert in the garden and a final meal.

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

Beginners' Beekeeping in Mid Wales

A leading eco-centre near Machynlleth runs a wide range of courses on eco-living: from creating habitats to making pallet furniture. This weekend course will help attendees understand the fundamentals of beekeeping, study the life cycle of honeybees and discover their ecological importance. It is designed to produce “ecologically mindful beekeepers”. The weekend is also a chance to relax in the centre's sustainably managed forests, which are home to polecats, otters, dormice, lesser horseshoe bats and uncommon bird species. Accommodation the evening prior is £80, and full-board accommodation during the course is £97.

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

Yachting for Novices in the Blackwater Estuary

These new summer sailing weekends are spent on dinghies and Dufours on the estuary in Essex. They are designed for novice sailors learning the ropes or more experienced mariners who want a refresher. Participants can hone their helming, strengthen their nautical skills and work towards the Royal Yachting Association’s levels one to three in a fun, welcoming environment. There are non-residential and residential packages, with accommodation in simple dorms in the waterfront sailing school. The non-residential package provides packed lunches, while the residential package covers two nights' stay and all meals, from full English breakfasts to evening barbecues.

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

Getting Started in Open-Water Swimming in Cyprus

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