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Discover a realm of new skills alongside amazing locations. Starting with scaling cliffs in Britain to creating mosaics in Türkiye, these adventures offer an ideal combination of education and vacation.

Bouldering in the National Park

Including complete novices will soon be climbing protected regional rock faces on this short course. Attendees will master securing the rope, belaying and a range of climbing techniques, plus rappelling. Capped at six learners to a single guide, there is plenty of one-on-one guidance and custom goals. The training is open to all individuals aged 13 and over, from first-time climbers to those with a bit of gym climbing background. This is a day-only course, but you can find a selection of suggested, reasonably-priced lodging close by, such as campgrounds, hostels, bed and breakfasts and pubs with rooms. The venue is a short stroll from Bamford railway station, which is on the Hope Valley line from Manchester to Sheffield.

Cost: 199 pounds for two days. Courses from March 7th to November 8th, and midweek sessions most months.

Non-Representational Art in Andalucía

This historic hillside village, a ancient white village in southern Spain, approximately 45 minutes’ drive from Granada, is the stimulating backdrop for this creative getaway. Painters of every skill level – including beginners – will learn how to plan and create modern art. Some time will be spent outside, working on structured activities in the open. These sketches and watercolour studies will then be worked on in the workspace, with participants producing a number of abstract landscapes in acrylic paint to be shown in the village. The group has sole use of the hotel, which is built around an central patio and has a rooftop with panoramic vistas over the hills. The price covers five days of painting tuition; full board; and an outing to the nearby fortress and additional points of interest.

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

Vegetarian Culinary in Portugal

This Mediterranean foodie getaway, located at a riverside villa in the central Algarve, is inspired by the plant-based cuisine of renowned chefs. Attendees will learn to produce meze spreads, take part in a hands-on falafel session, perfect brunch dishes such as shakshuka, and make hearty mains including spicy mushroom ragu and moussaka. There are trips to the local market and a nearby winery to sample Portuguese wines, along with leisure time for strolls by the Funcho River, to relax on the deck or take a dip in the pool. The farmhouse, a former farmhouse, has multiple rooms, plus safari tents in the gardens.

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

Street Dance in High Wycombe

Hip Hop Don’t Stop is an energizing, inclusive weekend adults’ street dance camp in High Wycombe. The format each day is a high-energy warm-up session, followed by three 90-minute classes teaching different urban dance forms, then an 60-minute freestyle session to show off new moves. Dancers are divided into groups according to skill level, so it is suitable for those who are brand new to street dance, right up to advanced dancers or teachers. This event does not provide accommodation but there are a number of hostels and hotels nearby, and it is under an hour by train into London.

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

Maritime Singing Break in Cornwall

This coastal town is the perfect location for a maritime music retreat. Participants will be taught traditional shanties from a experienced musician, and try their hand at composing original ones. There will be vocal warmups, breath control techniques, performance tips and a closing performance. The retreat is based at a rural hotel overlooking St Ives Bay. Full board are included, including a Cornish cream tea on the first day, breakfast options, lunches to go and evening meals. Traditional rum, alas, is not provided. All together now: “What will we do with the tipsy mariner …?”

Cost: Starting at 429 pounds. Available 31 January-3 February and 31 October-3 November.

Creative Writing in Greece

Writer and tutor an experienced instructor conducts the daily workshops on this writing retreat. He covers everything from plot, character development, setting and tension, 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 holiday is based at a traditional complex in Vamos at the foot of the White mountains – ten private accommodations are set around a garden and pool (non-writing partners are welcome to come along). On the final evening, aspiring writers celebrate with a concert in the courtyard and a final meal.

Cost: From £893 per person for one week (for double occupancy), 11-18 August.

Beginners' Beekeeping in Mid Wales

The Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth runs a wide range of courses covering eco-living: from creating habitats to upcycling. This weekend course will help attendees learn the basics of apiary management, explore the biology of honeybees and learn about their environmental benefits. It is aimed at produce “bee-friendly beekeepers”. This course is also a chance to de-stress in the centre's carefully maintained woodlands, which are habitat for polecats, otters, dormice, lesser horseshoe bats and uncommon bird species. Accommodation the night before is 80 pounds, and full-board accommodation during the course is £97.

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

Sailing for Beginners in Essex

These recently launched summer sailing weekends are spent on dinghies and Dufours on the Blackwater estuary. They are designed for novice sailors starting out or more experienced mariners who want a refresher. Participants can hone their steering, build their seamanship and work towards the Royal Yachting Association’s certification levels in a supportive atmosphere. There are day-only and residential options, with accommodation in simple dorms in the waterfront sailing school. The non-residential package provides lunches, while the residential package covers two nights’ accommodation and full board, from full English breakfasts to evening barbecues.

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

Introduction to Sea Swimming in Cyprus

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