Our girly day at Baobab Spa and Yoga retreat in gorgeous Devon

How eight of us enjoyed an amazing spa day in Devon….

Once upon a time, birthdays were about partying, clubs and hangovers.

Of late, they are a much more sublime affair.  These days, going to bed past 10 pm is a late night, two glasses of wine equates to ‘drunk’, and lie-ins are a thing of the past. So with relaxation and time out in mind. For my last birthday (back in July), I opted for a holistic spa day just down the road from my current abode – and around eight miles from Exeter – in a village on the edge of Dartmoor called Cheriton Bishop.

I’d been invited to try a pamper day at Baobab on my own, but when I read up on it, I noticed that they run sessions for up to eight people which, I thought, would make it a perfect birthday treat. So I invited a couple of my pals from London and five local friends from Exeter, and on a glorious summer’s day (vive le heatwave!) we set our satnavs and wound our way through country roads to Lewdon Farm (David, Lynda and family’s) idyllic cottage in the country, for a day of pure feel-good.

Yoga

The day began with a gentle Hatha Yoga class with Jill Hurley – an established local yoga practitioner – in an intimate yoga studio onsite. The room fitted eight people comfortably, and the class was adaptable for seasoned yogis like me, and absolute beginners – so we all got a lot out of it. I’m a massive Hatha fan and the gentle breathing and succession of asanas eased us into the day nicely, leaving us chilled but energised.

Vegetarian Lunch

We were then invited into the house for lunch prepared by Lynda and consisting of homemade quiche, salad and dips. It was lovely and freshly prepared, Lynda told us a bit of history about the house and how she really enjoys cooking. The homely farmhouse kitchen had a large wooden table that easily seated all of us, we had a lovely long chat over lunch and caught up with each other’s lives. After lunch, Lynda surprised Amelie and me with a lovely, healthy, homemade birthday cake!

Treatments

We had been given the choice of a variety of treatments including massages and facials. We took it in turns going into the treatment rooms on either side of the yoga studio. Each person came out looking very relaxed, and I was excited to try mine. I was last in my group and relaxed into a deep tissue massage after a lovely relaxing rub by Lynda using her specially blended essential oils – I felt like having a snooze.

Relaxation

While we were waiting, we were offered slippers and robes and directed to the steam room and jacuzzi where we hung out and chatted, popping out occasionally to sit in the sun. The view from the jacuzzi is stunning and it was lovely to spend quality time together. Life moves pretty fast these days, and it’s not often we completely shut off, relax and just enjoy each other’s company.

I think I can speak for us all when I say that Baobab is a wonderful place to relax and take some time out from day-to-day life. The combination of great food, great company, yoga and massage is spot on.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this experience to anyone wanting to get back to basics and get some headspace.

Wendy loved it… Look >>>

The details:

Baobab’s spa days can be booked individually, or as a group. At £65 per person, we all felt it was a real bargain. Lynda and co. take a maximum of eight people on the day, so it’s great to get together with friends for an occasion or just for a treat (we’re planning a return very soon). If you’re looking for the perfect spa day in Devon, check out their site here.

… and if you fancy an adventure, Lynda also runs Yoga Safaris in Zimbabwe and the next one is planned for May 2019. Incorporating a safari in Hwange National Park and four nights in Victoria Falls! Read all about it here.

*Disclaimer: I received this experience for free in exchange for some coverage on the blog. All views are always my own.