Cooking courses, wellness retreats and foraging: 10 of the best UK holidays for vegetarians and vegans | Food and drink
Mayu Retreats, Norfolk
Luxury and vegetarian are two words you rarely get to savour in the same sentence. Which is why Mayu is something of a rarity: beautifully presented, delicious meat-free menus in an opulent setting. Mayu’s philosophy is rooted in nutrition, boosting your intake of as many different plant-based ingredients as possible – expect at least 30 in a two-day stay. Husband-and-wife team Pamela and Kieron offer expert nutritional advice alongside delicious cooking. Their next retreat (3-6 September) is at Great Barn Farm, a luxury barn conversion with swimming pool, steam room and Jacuzzi along with daily yoga and Pilates, and nature trails deep in the Norfolk countryside.
From £550 for three nights, including accommodation, meals, drinks and activities; mayuretreats.co.uk
Our Lizzy, Worcestershire
Lizzy’s offers courses ranging from Greek and Thai plant-based dishes to tofu, vegan baking, street food and dairy-free desserts. Private classes can also be arranged, including a children’s cookery course and gluten-free cooking. There are two B&B rooms, with a slap-up vegan breakfast to start the day and evening meals on request.
Day courses from £90, doubles from £72 B&B; ourlizzy.com
Saorsa 1875, Perthshire
Scotland’s first vegan hotel, Saorsa sets out to prove that boutique style doesn’t need to involve animal products. The 11 rooms all feature Egyptian cotton on the beds and vegan toiletries in the luxury bathrooms. Set in a grand 19th-century baronial house, it has a pleasing dose of old-fashioned glamour alongside the sustainable ethos. Food is plant-based, with a focus on local ingredients. Doubles from £160 B&B; saorsahotel.com
Avenue Cookery School, London
For those who really want to expand their vegan repertoire, the Avenue offers a one or two-week vegan cooking course, covering the basics, plus lipsmacking bakes and dinner party dishes. The first week is targeted more at beginners, with week two tailored to those at intermediate level. Both weeks can be booked separately, and the course is an informal, fun affair. Accommodation can be booked directly with the Avenue (£305pp for four nights).
Five-day course costs £895; theavenuecookeryschool.com
Demuths Cookery School, Bath
The original plant-based cookery school, Demuths offers day, half-day and evening courses, including lessons on southern Indian thali, Lebanese meze and Asian street food, alongside classes focusing on quick easy meals, 30-minute suppers and Sunday brunch. For serious cooks, the Vegan Diploma is a five-day course, covering everything from knife skills to using ingredients such as aquafaba. Combine a course with a stay at the Queensberry Hotel, which offers vegan/vegetarian tasting menus and a vegan breakfast.
Doubles from £148.50 room-only; thequeensberry.co.uk. Day courses £185/Vegan Diploma £1,050; demuths.co.uk
The Detox Barn, Suffolk
Run by two sisters, the Detox Barn is an elegant conversion surrounded by Suffolk countryside, offering weekend breaks with yoga, guided walks, beauty treatments and plant-based meals. With a refreshing dose of good humour (the course includes a demonstration on how to make smoothies “that don’t taste like pond water”), accommodation is in the cosy bedrooms in the barn, or off-site.
Two-night Gentle Detox break £495pp, with meals, drinks and classes; gavinsisters.co.uk
Over the Rainbow, Cardigan Bay
This restored Georgian mansion, set in several acres of woodland and gardens near the Welsh coast, is ideal for those looking for a sense of escape. Run on ethical and environmental principles, the house uses renewable sources for heating and electricity, and many of the ingredients in the delicious vegan/veggie breakfasts are sourced from the surrounding gardens. The bedrooms celebrate female history, myths and legends, with B&B stays from Thursday to Sunday.
Doubles from £100 B&B (two-night minimum); overtherainbowwales.co.uk
Stonecroft Guesthouse, Derbyshire
Surrounded by the spectacular landscapes of the Peak District National Park, Stonecroft is the passion project of chef Julia Reid, who produces sumptuous vegan, gluten-free breakfasts and hearty packed lunches for those planning a day walking in the hills. The rooms have wonderful views across the Edale Valley or Kinder Scout, while on cooler days the communal lounge is a great place in which to relax beside the fire.
Doubles from £130 B&B; stonecroftguesthouse.co.uk
Live Wild, Yorkshire
Foraging courses focus on edible plants and seeds growing wild in the countryside, making them ideal for vegans and veggies. Live Wild offers four-hour foraging courses, or a longer option including lunch, covering all aspects of wild eating, including the history and folklore around plants. Stay at the Vegan Home, a cosy, pet-friendly B&B in the Calder Valley, a short walk along the canal from the centre of town (from £175; the veganhome.co.uk).
Courses from £50pp; livewild.org.uk
Ambleside, Cumbria
A classic Lakes house near Windermere, Ambleside Manor has 15 comfortable bedrooms, most with glorious views over the grounds. Ideal for a break with the kids, there are family rooms and dog-friendly rooms, and hearty vegan or veggie breakfasts. The house is within a short walk of two veggie restaurants, Zefirellis and Fellinis, offering pizza, pasta and Mediterranean dishes.
Doubles from £130 B&B (two-night minimum); ambleside-manor.co.uk.
