This year will be the forth year that I’ve been running my Pilates and nutrition retreats on the island and each time I come back I fall in love a little bit more. As a teenager I’d had family holidays to the Balearics but it wasn’t until I returned for my first retreat to Deia with Bloom Retreats that I truly appreciated how special this island is.

I still remember pinching myself on my first drive into Deia as I looked over the crystal clear sea and took the windy road down into the stunning artists’ village. It felt a world away from the hectic place I’d been just a few hours before. This is something that everyone who comes on our retreats says as soon as they arrive – there’s a feeling, a tranquility, a spirit that immediately relaxes and calms even the most frazzled minds. Elaine, one of our frequent returners summed it up when she said ‘Within minutes of arriving, I felt like I was meeting a group of old friends. Everyone was there for the same reason – to take some time for themselves to completely recharge.’

So what does a typical day involve?

8.30am

Wake up and have a cuppa and a snack (yes we serve real tea and real coffee – there’s no strict rules on what you can and can’t have on my retreats!).

8.45am

Make our way to our beautiful Pilates spot outside by the pool or in the holistic garden. The temperature is usually perfect at this time in the morning and we do our Pilates class listening to the sounds of cockerels, donkeys and cicadas.

The first Pilates class of the day is a chance to energize, stretch and get ready for the day – whether that is a day of lounging by the pool or a day hiking in the nearby mountain range. Either way, you take it at your own pace.

10am

After class we’ve all worked up an appetite so we go straight to brunch, which has been prepared by the amazing Monika.  This typically consists of local fruit, goats cheese, avocado, grilled tomatoes, Ruth’s homemade granola and a selection of local breads.

11am

There are optional activities during the day – one of my favourites being a walk over the mountains to a gorgeous port called Soller. We stop for fresh orange juice on the way at a stunning rest point and once we get to Soller we have a picnic on the beach (or some people prefer to choose some local tapas).

3pm

In the afternoon those who want to can hire paddle boards in the sheltered bay of Soller – it’s the perfect place to try paddle boarding for those who haven’t before.

Once we get home at around 6 everyone is usually pretty exhausted so we have a gentle stretch and relax before another delicious dinner cooked by our incredible professional holistic chef Nicola (www.nourishbynicola.com)

Having run retreats in the South of France and the UK, I can honestly say that Mallorca feels like it has the best mix of the reliable weather, friendly and accomodating locals, stunning views and areas to explore and of course delicious locally sourced food. I’m so excited to be continuing my retreats in this country and hope to do so for a very long time!

We have a few spaces left on our Deia Pilates and Nutrition retreat this September from the 23rd to the 26th.

 Nourish Guide readers will get 15% off bookings when quoting Nourish The Guide. Please contact Ruth on ruth@ruthtongue.com or Monika on monika@bloomretreats.com for bookings and more info.

About Bloom Retreats

Inspired by author, entrepreneur and founder of the SEED empowerment programmes for women, Lynne Franks, BLOOM Retreats offer a unique blend of experiences for the whole woman at Lynne’s beautiful private estate in Deia, Mallorca.
A select team of wellbeing experts, renowned artists and international guest teachers have joined BLOOM to create a series of holistic retreats on wellness, art, fitness, creative writing and more. In addition Lynne continues to teach her highly successful signature Women’s Creative Leadership Retreat several times a year.

Find out more about BLOOM Retreats here.

 

Written by Ruth Tongue

About the author Ruth is a renowned nutritionist and lifestyle expert who advises on nutrition, teaches Pilates and writes for many national health publications. She has worked in the health and wellbeing industry for over ten years, providing health coaching and nutrition and fitness advice to a range of clients and teaches Pilates across London and the UK as well as running regular retreats with Bloom in Mallorca. She has recently trained as a SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) Pilates instructor and recently introduced brought this to the Docklands in London! Ruth is also launching an employee wellbeing business this year Elevate www.elevateyourhealth.co.uk with the aim to make employees happier, healthier and more balanced. www.ruthtongue.com Twitter @ruthtonguebites IG @ruthtongue FB Ruth Tongue Nutrition and Pilates