Mind & Body Retreat in Exmoor
This Mind and Body retreat offers a transformative experience combining yoga, Pilates and walks in the peaceful countryside to rejuvenate both body and mind. We will spend the first few days working on Pilates exercises then after the free day we will switch to yoga exercises. Our sessions are run by expert yoga and Pilates teachers. There will also be the option to join guided walks each day to get out and explore the beautiful countryside from our Country House in Exmoor, led by an experienced HF Holidays Leader. This holiday suits all levels of yoga and Pilates experience; from beginners to the more advanced.
What you’ll love
- Enjoying guidance and tuition from an expert Mind & Body Leader
- Learning and practicing easy-to-follow yoga and Pilates exercises
- Half day guided walks with our experienced HF Holidays Leaders
- Relaxing at our comfortable country house
- Spending time with like-minded people in the great outdoors
What’s included
- En-suite accommodation in our country house
- Cream tea on arrival day
- Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
- Daily packed lunches
- Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
- Expert tuition with a yoga and Pilates instructor
- Guided walks with experienced HF Holidays Leaders
- Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently
Trip Notes
Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00 in 2026. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.
On this Mind & Body retreat the first two days are outlined below. Your day will be divided into Pilates sessions and optional guided walks in the afternoon. Occasionally, your morning and afternoon activities may switch to ensure each session maintains its small group size.
Your optional walks will take you out to explore the countryside surrounding your HF country house, and the options are outlined below.
Walks information:
Day 2: Above Selworthy
Distance: 3 miles (5km)
Ascent: 700 feet (220m)
In summary: This walk leaves from the house with the opportunity to take in Afton Park and Nature Reserve, before reaching the Golden Hill Country Park and its fort with extensive history. This walk also takes in both sides of the River Yar and a chance to walk part of the Freshwater Way. There may even be the possibility to visit Freshwater parish church on this walk with the grave of Lady Tennyson.
Highlight: Golden Hill country park has extensive views are the surrounding area.
Day 3: A Stroll around Holnicote
Distance: 4 miles (6.5km)
Ascent: 550 feet (180m)
In summary: We explore the Holnicote Estate, taking in the villages of Allerford, Bossington and West Luccombe before returning back to the country house.
Highlights: Exploring the charming village of Bossington.
Discover more about Holnicote House and the local area for ideas on how to make the most of your free day.
On this Mind & Body retreat the last three days are outlined below. Your day will be divided into Yoga sessions and optional guided walks in the afternoon. Occasionally, your morning and afternoon activities may switch to ensure each session maintains its small group size.
Your optional walks will take you out to explore the countryside surrounding your HF country house, and the options are outlined below.
Walks information:
Day 5: Luccombe & Horner
Distance: 4 miles (6.5km)
Ascent: 400 feet (120m)
In summary: Walk via local estate roads and lanes to the pretty village of Luccombe then on to Horner with its tea gardens. We then return to Holnicote House.
Highlights: A relaxing walk with gentle gradients and picturesque villages.
Day 6: Holnicote to Selworthy
Distance: 3 miles (5km)
Ascent: 800 feet (240m)
In summary: We walk on a circular route from Holnicote House today to Selworthy. We will take time to explore the 15th century church, thatched cottages around the green and, maybe, visiting the tea room, before returning to the house.
Highlights: Visit the picture-postcard village of Selworthy.
Day 7: Pop to Porlock
Distance: 5.5 miles (8.5km)
Ascent: 590 feet (180m)
In summary: This is a relaxed circular walk across fields and minor roads to visit Porlock and then back along the coast and through the charming villages of Bossington and Allerford.
Highlight: Visiting the much photographed packhorse bridge at Allerford.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.
Holnicote House
There’s plenty to look forward to at this beacon of Somerset hospitality near the impossibly pretty village of Selworthy. The location couldn’t be more perfect; within rolling-out-of-bed distance from Exmoor National Park and an easy drive from Dunster Castle, Coleridge Cottage, the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth, and the sandy delights at Porlock and Minehead. The walking opportunities here are standout, too, not least for the trails around the Quantock Hills, Dunkery Beacon, Bossington, and a section of the England Coast Path that takes you on a glorious journey along the county’s coastline.
Rooms
Designed with your comfort in mind, Holnicote House has 32 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior.
Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.
Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.
Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surroundings*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.
We love: The rooms in the main building or the thatched grounds, especially Rooms 1 and 4. The first floor rooms have fabulous views across Crawter Hill and Dunkery Hill.
The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.
Room supplements
| Superior | Premium single | Premium double/twin | Choose your room |
| £25 pppn | £20 pppn | £20 pppn | £30 per room |
*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location
About your stay
A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).
Evening entertainment
While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.
Walks talks
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.
The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.
Food & drink
Seasonal dining, tailored for you
Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a 40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.
Welcome Cream Tea
What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home. A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.
A hearty breakfast to start the day
Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.
Our famous picnic lunch
Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.
3-course evening meals
Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.
Accessibility
For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Holnicote House
Getting to Holnicote House
Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.
More InformationAddress
Holnicote House
Selworthy
Minehead
Somerset TA24 8TJ
Tel: +44 (0)1643 862013
By train
The nearest station is Taunton.
Check National Rail for train times and routes.
By taxi
From Taunton train station it’s a 27-mile journey taking 1 hour.
For pricing, please contact Minehead Taxis directly.
Minehead Taxis
You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended company, Minehead Taxis*. We recommend booking your taxi at least seven days in advance by contacting:
Tel: +44 (0)1643 704123
A return journey can be arranged on your behalf by the HF Holidays House Manager at Holnicote House.
*Minehead Taxis is not owned or managed by HF Holidays.
By bus
The number 28 bus runs between Taunton station and Minehead, taking around one and a half hours. At Minehead, change to the number 10 bus to the Selworthy turn (at the end of Holnicote House drive). A two-minute walk along the drive will bring you to the house.
For bus times, check Traveline.
By car
There’s free car parking at Holnicote House if you decide to drive.
From Bridgwater take the A39 though the southern outskirts of Minehead towards Porlock. You’ll find Holnicote House on the left about four and a half miles out of Minehead.
By air
The nearest airport is London Heathrow.
Take the train to London Paddington station where there are direct trains to Taunton. It’s a relatively straightforward journey that’ll should take around 2.5 hours.
Bristol Airport is also an option. From here, you can take the bus and train to Taunton.
Check National Rail for routes and train times.
Mind & Body sessions
No special clothing is required for your Mind & Body holiday, but it is recommended that you wear loose-fitting clothes to facilitate easy movement. There may be some lying down work, so you need to bring an exercise mat and a small blanket.
Walking
The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next. To make it easier, here’s a list of items you should consider packing.
Essentials
- Suitable footwear such as waterproof walking boots that provide ankle support and good grip
- Waterproof and windproof jacket
- Comfortable clothing (jeans & waterproof capes are not suitable)
- Mid-layer(s) to keep you warm. Fleeces make a good choice
- Waterproof overtrousers
- Gloves and a warm hat
- Rucksack with waterproof liner
- Flask for hot drinks
- Water bottle (at least 1 litre capacity)
- Sunscreen
- UV sunglasses
Recommended
- Several base layers (long-sleeve or short-sleeve)
- Cushioned walking socks to avoid blisters
- First aid kit, including plasters and insect repellent
- Sit mat
- Waterproof pouch for valuables
- Rubbish bag (remember to always leave no trace)
- Wallet/purse
- Camera
- First-aid kit
Holnicote House Calendar
- Guided Walking
- Self-Guided Walking
- Special Interests
- Unavailable to Book
Molly Melhuish
Molly is a qualified and experienced Yoga and Pilates teacher with her own studio based in Cardiff. She holds a BA Hons degree in Human Movement. She teaches Hatha yoga to include physical postures, breathwork, relaxation and visualisation and meditation exercises. Her Pilates classes focus on the original exercises since she was trained individually before any of the big Pilates schools were formed. Molly is very passionate about the human body; what it can do and seeking out its limits.
She was very knowledgeable about her subject and was very good at getting us to do the exercises and showing us how we could do them better using her techniques of energy lines and points. She listened to questions and comments and incorporated them into her sessions very well.
Guest reviews
All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.
Members save £30 on all prices. Join today! Click here or call us to find out more.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Holiday prices
| Date (Start - End) | Itinerary | Double / Twin Room | Single Room | Notes / Offers | Trip Notes | Book | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||||||||
|
26 Jun - 03 Jul 2026 7 nights |
Itinerary Single from £1,369 Double from £1,299 pp |
from £1,299 pp |
from £1,369 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
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