Bath Life – Little Black Book of Health & Wellbeing No.2

H E A LT H , B E A U T Y & WELLBEING

B A R B E R S / B E AUTIC IANS / SALO NS

T H ER A P I S T S / P E R S O N AL TRAINE RS AND MO R E

S P R ING 2020

WELCOME

W

elcome to the second bumper issue of our Health and Wellbeing Little Black Book.

This time around we spotlight spotlight some of the people and businesses who are promoting health, ďŹ tness and wellbeing in Bath.

From beauticians, personal trainers, therapists, hair dressers and much more.

Elsewhere, we take a look at a wide range of subjects, from some of the best barbers in the city to where to ďŹ nd the best places to work out.

Enjoy.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 3

LEAP TO THE MAT (Offers like this don't come around very often)

29% OFF UNLIMITED YOGA AT THE HIVE £77 per month, normally £924 for a year.

NOW £656 (equivalent to £54.60 per month) for unlimited yoga for a year* *Paid upfront before 20th March

The Hive Yoga Studio 4 The Foundry, Beehive Yard, Bath, BA1 5BT 07960 629 503 www.jointhehive.co.uk @thehiveyogabath

HEALTH, BEAUTY & WELLBEING

Spring 2020 7 MAIN FEATURE Our round up of the

best of Bath’s wellbeing professionals

24 FITNESS Find out who are the hardest

working people in Bath

36 BARBERS Find out who are head and

24

86

shoulders above the rest

44 CLEANSE We test out the Kitchari

Cleanse, bringing balance to the body

48 SOUL SPA Check out a new wellbeing

centre in the city

52 HAIR AND BEAUTY How to get

luscious locks and glowing skin 58 EDITOR’S CHOICE Stay both sleek and stylish with these exercise-themed beauties 60 FITNESS REVIEW Go from couch potato to full-on fitness fiend 66 WELLBEING Discover the local places that will pick you up and leave you revitalised and raring to go 76 HAIR REVIEW We make a long-awaited trip to BA1 78 ONE TO ONE Meet Meg Mathews the country’s leading menopause activist 86 SPAS Spas in Bath have upped their game.

We went exploring 94 NOTES

Senior Art Editor Andrew Richmond Graphic Design Megan Allison Group Advertising Manager Pat White pat.white@ mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Polly Jackson polly.jackson@mediaclash.co.uk Account Manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Sales Executive Louis Grey louis.grey@mediaclash.co.uk Production/Distribution Manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Production Manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production Designer Matt Gynn matt.gynn@mediaclash. co.uk Chief Executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash. co.uk Bath Life MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag). Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

SPRING INTO

SHAPE Because looking after yourself is important, we’ve rounded up the best of Bath’s wellbeing professionals to give us the lowdown

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ADVERTISING FEATURE BATH PILATES

AQUAE SULIS FACIAL AESTHETICS

In addition to offering a wide range of dental procedures, Aquae Sulis Dental provide an extensive portfolio of the latest non-surgical cosmetic treatments. These treatments are administered

by Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner, Cheryl Wright, a registered nurse, who is highly qualified and experienced in aesthetic (cosmetic) procedures.

These include treatments for facial wrinkles, facial and leg thread veins, frown lines, ‘crow’s feet’, skin rejuvenation and contour reshaping for a more youthful appearance.

• Dermal fillers • Lip augmentation • Wrinkle/muscle relaxing treatments • Dermal needling • Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) • Microsclerotherapy (thread veins) All treatments are available for both men and women, and are provided with the utmost discretion.

Please call to book a free, no obligation consultation; parking is free.

Station Court, Ashley Avenue, Lower Weston, Bath, BA1 3DS 01225 339767; www.aquaesulisdental.co.uk

“Aquae Sulis Dental provide an extensive portfolio of the latest non-surgical cosmetic treatment” 8 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Bath Pilates Academy is a well established Pilates school teaching Pilates in various venues around Bath.

It's founder, Margo Singleton, decided to start teaching Pilates when she discovered its benefits which helped relieve her own back and shoulder injuries.

Pilates practice improves your flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness. Margo believes that classes should be enjoyable and instructive, and she teaches in a positive and friendly helpful way. There are no more than 12 people in any class, so that everyone can benefit from individual correction if required. Her classes range from intermediate to restorative Pilates for the mind and body and there is a class that will be suitable for everyone, whatever their fitness level.

Alternatively, if classes are hard to schedule, you could book a one-to-one for individual attention in your own home. Margo also hosts workshops and relaxation days throughout the year.

Margo is a qualified Franklin Method spine and pelvis educator. Franklin Method uses tools and techniques which create lasting change in your body and mind and many top athletes and sports people use these with measurable success. Some of these tools are incorporated into her classes.

If you’d like to start changing your movement practice today, book a lesson on 07939 994757 or email info@bathpilatesacademy.uk; www.bathpilatesacademy.uk Find Bath Pilates Academy on Facebook

BATH SPA HOTEL

Bath Spa Hotel’s state-of-the-art spa, which is surrounded by six acres of glorious gardens, offers its guest the ultimate relaxation experience.

Situated within a grand Georgian building is a luxurious experience guaranteed to leave guests feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Step into the deluxe indoor whirlpool, thermal suite including sauna, steam room, ice room and experience showers to feel the stress of the week ease away. Bath Spa's in-house experts are on hand to personally recommend the best therapeutic spa treatments for you. Complete your day with a delightful afternoon tea or a glass of prosecco overlooking the breath-taking fountain.

Sydney Road, Bath, BA2 6NS 0344 8799106; www.bathspahotel.co.uk

BMI BATH CLINIC

BMI Bath Clinic in Combe Down is a private hospital that has been delivering routine and complex surgery for over 35 years. Services cover a variety of conditions; from the Joint Replacement Centre and Sports Injuries Centre to the Bath Prostate Centre and much more.

You can expect: • Rapid access to experienced consultants • MRI, X-ray, CT, ultrasound & mammography • Well-equipped physiotherapy department • High patient satisfaction results • 68 en-suite bedrooms with TV & WiFi • 3 operating theatres and an endoscopy suite • Flexible finance options The hospital offers a ‘home away from home’ setting, nestled amongst serene woodland neighbouring the National Trust Skyline; a calm location to receive treatment.

Claverton Down Road, Combe Down, Bath, BA2 7BR 01225 835555; www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/bath www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 9

ADVERTISING FEATURE

BOWOOD HOTEL, SPA & GOLF RESORT

Take some time out in 2020 to focus on you.

Bowood is the haven you need to unwind and press the reset button, kick-starting a year of wellness.

At The Spa at Bowood, we combine some of the most indulgent spa treatments in Wiltshire with a breadth of impeccable facilities to create the perfect spa day, leaving you feeling refreshed and relaxed.

BRAD ABRAHAMS OPTOMETRY

Located in the heart of Bath, Brad Abrahams Optometry offers the most comprehensive eye examination in the region.

With innovative, state of the art technology that gives an unrivalled view of the retina, Brad’s is the place to go. The practice boasts over 800 frames to choose from, making it one of the widest ophthalmic and sunglasses collections in the region, so gone are the days where you would have to compromise your fashion style for the sake of your vision. Make your style statement at Brad Abrahams Optometry.

Brad Abrahams Optometry, 2 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG; 01225 444321; www.bradabrahams.uk.com

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Rejuvenate and detox the mind and body with one of our signature treatments, then take some time out in our luxurious relaxation area, soaking up the warmth from the roaring fire. Indulge in delicious food and make the most of the full use of our spa facilities.

Derry Hill, Calne SN11 9PQ; 01249 823883; spareception@bowood.org; Bowood.org/Spa

FRONTLINESTYLE HAIR SALON AND BEAUTY SPA

Frontlinestyle is a multi-award winning family business, rated 5 in the Good Salon Guide, offering a wide array of hair and beauty treatments for men and women – perfect for everyday pampering or a special occasion. This luxury Grade II listed treatment spa, spread across three floors in central Bath, is renowned for its state of the art facilities and highly trained team of stylists and therapists.

The friendly and polite team include Wella hair ď‚Ť

colour experts, specialists in hair and scalp concerns, as well as a wigs specialist offering a discreet and private wig fitting service. Expert beauty therapists offer the very latest, award-winning CACI Synergy non-surgical facelift, IPL permanent hair reduction and skin rejuvenation aswell as a huge range of specialist facials, massages, nails, lashes, electrolysis, waxing and slimming. All using the finest products and highest levels of hygiene.

4-5 Monmouth St, Bath BA1 2AJ; 01225 478478; www.frontlinestyle.co.uk

LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL & SPA

Set in 500 acres of unspoilt parkland, ESPA at Lucknam Park will leave you feeling completely rejuvenated. Take a refreshing dip in the 20 metre indoor pool, unwind in the five thermal cabins and enjoy calming views of the arboretum from the hydrotherapy pool. Their award-winning facilities also include a salt water plunge pool, experience showers, ice bar and a social lounge with a skincare mixology bar.

The highly trained therapists perform a range of personalised treatments using ESPA or Carita products. The adjoining Brasserie offers a seasonal a la carte menu in a stylish and contemporary setting.

Colerne, Chippenham, SN14 8AZ; 01225 742777; spa@lucknampark.co.uk; www.lucknampark.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

LULULEMON

lululemon was born from a love of daily sweat and the desire to innovate technical athletic apparel. The brand's world-class fabrics, beautiful design and functional technology are what set it apart and support ultimate performance potential. Designed for and with athletes, lululemon creates gear for men and women to wear from their next 10K to their next downward dog.

The stores are a hub for the local community – a place to build relationships and create experiences that inspire people to live a life they love, from yoga classes, to goal-setting workshops, to expert panels. For information on the ongoing programme of classes, follow lululemon on facebook.com/ lululemonBath. lululemon Bath is opening spring 2020.

Drop in to say hello, try on some gear, or share your goals with the team. www.lululemon.co.uk

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NUMBER THREE

Number Three is an artistic hair gallery, offering a high level of technical services in a warm, welcoming environment, run by a passionate, dedicated family of stylists.

In 2020 Number Three will have been in business for 12 years. During this time, we are proud to have grown and evolved into becoming an integral part of the Bath health and wellness community. The salon is a creative and passionate hub for everything hair related.

The salon occupies three floors of an elegant Georgian townhouse, in the heart of the Bath boutique district of Bath.

Our solid reputation is built on offering expert colour services and styling, and by creating cuts which support a natural, effortless look.

3 Saville Row, Bath BA1 2QP; hello@numberthreebath. com; 01225 443 222 ; www.numberthreebath.com

“In the heart of the Bath boutique district”

POWER10

This 10-Week Body Transformation Challenge is perfect for people in Bath who want to get back into fitness but don’t know where to start. Power10 offers a structured routine, training three days per week for ten weeks (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Their fun 30 minute kettlebell and bodyweight based group workouts include different levels to each exercise, which mean you can start on the easiest level, then gradually progress through your 10 Week Journey. They also provide you with diet advice inside their online coaching videos, should you need the extra help and motivation to achieve your goal.

Percy Community Centre, New King Street; team@power10bath.com; www.power10bath.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 13

ADVERTISING FEATURE

RIVERFORD HOME DELIVERY, BATH

Riverford delivers organic veg boxes and other groceries, in and around Bath. Their seasonal boxes of fruit and veg will change the way you eat and live – you’ll eat more healthily, reduce the amount of plastic in your kitchen and know that your food is grown ethically. Riverford grow the tastiest varieties of fruit and veg and their organic methods make sure soil and wildlife are cared for.

Alan and Vicki Mowat run Riverford in Bath. They don’t charge for delivery, you don’t have to be at home to receive your box, and your orders are completely flexible.

01225 437438; alanandvicki@riverfordhomedelivery.co.uk www.riverford.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL AND SPA The Spa & Bath House here is a luxurious haven tucked away at the end of the five-red-star hotel’s beautiful acre of gardens. Gentle light from a chapel-style window dapples the relaxation pool, and the Himalayan sauna, steam room and vitality pool complete the soothing environment. There’s

a modern gym for fitness enthusiasts, and decadent treatments for those seeking a little extra TLC. Finish your spa experience with a Champagne Afternoon Tea in the beautiful garden, soaking in the sunshine, birdsong and wonderful floral scents – sheer bliss.

16 Royal Crescent, Bath, BA1 2LS; 01225 823333; info@royalcrescent.co.uk; www.royalcrescent.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 15

ADVERTISING FEATURE TAKE CHARGE BIKES

Take Charge offers service and maintenance on all types of bikes. Anybody who is considering an electric bike is encouraged to pop along and try a demo bike. An electric bike works like a regular bicycle but with power assistance when you want it.

Take charge of your life – you too can really benefit from an electric bike. With the range of speciality e-bikes you are sure to find a bike that can keep up with even the most demanding of tasks.

Trekking, mountain biking, in fact all your road/ off road adventures become more fun with an electric bike.

Off street parking available next to the shop or very nearby.

1 Victoria Buildings, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3EH; 01225 789568; www.takechargebikes.co.uk

“Take charge of your life”

THE EDGE & ANDREW BROWNSWORD GALLERY

A space to relax, discover art, catch a morning yoga session or enjoy an array of wellbeing classes from dance fitness to life drawing. The Edge is a place which promotes creativity for wellbeing, with events and exhibitions open to all. With Art Fund revealing 63 per cent of people visit a gallery or museum to help deal with anxiety and stress, The Edge – just ten minutes from the city centre – provides an inspiring hub to think, feel and see things differently.

Discover the full programme of yoga, dance fitness, workshops and exhibitions: www.edgearts. org/whats-on/ University of Bath, BA2 7AY edge-info@bath.ac.uk; 01225 386208; www.edgearts.org

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

THE GAINSBOROUGH BATH SPA

“Tapping into the original thermal springs, the Spa Village Bath here offers a contemporary perspective on the city’s thermal water heritage”

Originally built in the 1800s, The Gainsborough Bath Spa occupies two Grade II Listed buildings with distinguished Georgian and Victorian façades in the heart of the World Heritage Site of Bath. Named after the artist Sir Thomas Gainsborough, the luxury hotel is unique in the UK, in that it has the exclusive privilege of having access to the natural thermal, mineral-rich waters.

Tapping into the original thermal springs, the Spa Village Bath here offers a contemporary perspective on the city’s thermal water heritage. Coupled with the historic use of aromatherapy in Great Britain, this spa, set beneath a glass atrium within this Small Luxury Hotel, gently supports the brand’s philosophy of honouring the healing traditions of the region.

Non-residents can also enjoy a choice of luxurious Spa Days which combine a spa treatment with bathing in the natural thermal waters and a spa lunch or afternoon tea.

Beau St, Bath BA1 1QY; 01225 358888; www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE THE SOUL SPA

©BEATA COSGROVE PHOTOGRAPHY

The Soul Spa is an innovative and unique space in Bath focusing on mental fitness. At the Soul Spa you can access everything you need to become mentally resilient. Meditation classes run throughout the day, mind-body therapists are on hand to treat you and there are regular workshops and courses to learn and practice mind-enhancing techniques to get you in the right mental place to live your optimum life.

Whatever your desire, whether it is to learn how to stay calm and collected, motivate yourself to hit life goals or just find some mental peace, the Soul Spa has the team and the knowledge to help you to evolve.

2 Hetling Court BA1 1SH (just a few steps from the Thermae Spa) 01225 318226; www.thesoulspa.co.uk

THE HIVE YOGA STUDIO

The Hive is Bath’s newest, freshest and most innovative yoga studio in the city. Open for just over a year and with five star reviews, this little gem just off Walcot Street is worth rolling out your mat for.

Award-winning teachers, a varied timetable of classes and workshops, there’s something for everyone, from beginners to experienced yogis, even children, teen and family sessions. “The most instagramable studio in the city” (Bath Life magazine) The Hive has become famous for its “Bee Wing wall” designed by local artist, Sam Lindup. Nestled by the river, with beautiful candles and plants, The Hive’s mantra is “Live, Breathe, Fly” and the calm sanctuary you need from the busy world.

The Foundry, Beehive Yard, (off Walcot St, access from Old Orchard) Bath, BA1 5BT; 07960 629503; hello@jointhehive.co.uk www.jointhehive.co.uk 18 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

VIV KENCHINGTON HYPNOTHERAPY

What would make life better?

Reducing anxiety and stress, overcoming depression, better weight control, conquering fears and phobias, improving sports or work performance, improving motivation, stopping unwanted habits, gaining control over nerves.

Viv’s mission: To help you recognise your full potential and accelerate positive change.

Operating from two great locations with parking, easy for those in Bath and surrounding Wiltshire villages.

Book in for an Initial Consultation in Bath or Atworth to see how hypnotherapy can help you.

London Road Clinic: 2 Lower East Hayes, Bath BA1 6AN; Atworth Clinic: Bath Road, Atworth, Wilts SN12 8LA; 07974 153487 viv@hypnotherapyandhealth.co.uk; www.hypnotherapyandhealth.co.uk

YOGA BODHI

Yoga Bodhi is a dedicated yoga space.

“We have been offering classes here at the studio for 10 years and most of our teachers are very experienced with 10+ years of teaching under their belts. The sense of Community at Yoga Bodhi is wonderful,” says owner Simona Hernandez, “Join us for yoga classes, special events and guest teacher workshops. We offer yoga classes in a range of styles suitable for all, from beginners to advanced students and from gentle yoga to dynamic vinyasa practice. We have two spacious studios with varied classes running every day, a communal space to have tea and chat and changing rooms. Yoga Bodhi has all the yoga mats and props you will need, so you only need to bring yourselves. We are in the centre of Bath, five minutes walk from The Podium car park.”

8 Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2QZ; 01225 464848; www.yogabodhi.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 19

ADVERTISING FEATURE

“Immerse yourself in experiences such as the indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pool, or stretch out on the heated stone recliners”

WHATLEY MANOR HOTEL AND SPA

The Aquarias Spa at Whatley Manor is a place to restore mind and body, to reset and recharge. The beautiful honey Cotswold stone building exudes a calming and relaxing environment that whispers ‘switch off’ as you walk through the doors.

Immerse yourself in experiences such as the indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pool, or stretch out on the heated stone recliners, indulging in the therapeutic benefits of the salt scrub showers, thermal suite including an Infra-red and Swedish sauna. Choose from a host of luxurious spa treatments using results-driven products by Natura Bissé and Gaia Spa. Gaia Spa is a British, natural, and ethical spa brand.

Whatley’s spa is one of the most relaxing spa experiences you will find in the heart of the Cotswolds. Meanwhile, energise in the gym, fully equipped with cardio, weights and all the latest equipment.

“Pamper yourself, and experience one of our treatments, expertly delivered to provide the ultimate benefits and deliver results,” they say.

“Relax, enjoy the space, enjoy the tranquillity and allow yourself the luxury of the time to unwind.”

Easton Grey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 0RB ; 01666 827070; www.whatleymanor.com

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

WHAT’S ON AT LUCKNAM PARK

Make time to enjoy some of these fabulous events this spring…

TIME FOR TWO Valid until 30 April 2020 It takes two to spa! Take a little time out for two to relax, indulge and catch up with a friend or loved one. This indulgent spa experience will consist of tea/coffee and pastries on arrival, 45 minute ESPA treatment, two course lunch in The Brasserie with a glass of wine or soft drink and use of the Spa facilities, a robe and slippers.

Available Monday to Friday, 9am-2pm. £260 for two people.

MEET THE SCULPTOR: A CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW PREVIEW BY HAMISH MACKIE 13 March 2020 Join us in the elegant surroundings of Lucknam Park as we are joined by renowned wildlife sculptor Hamish Mackie ahead of his

exhibition at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. You will also enjoy a traditional afternoon tea before heading out into the estate to discover the collection.

Commences at 2pm. £40 per person. Full payment is required at the time of booking which is nonrefundable.

FLORISTRY WORKSHOPS 16 & 17 March 2020 Perfect ahead of Mother’s Day – Lucknam’s talented florist will share top tips and trusted techniques to help you craft your very own professionally designed arrangement. Includes tea/coffee and pastries on arrival, workshop with all materials needed and a two course lunch in The Brasserie with a glass of wine or soft drink. Runs from 10am-2pm. £75 per person.

Full payment is required at the time of booking which is nonrefundable.

REJUVENATE & RECONNECT New for Spring 2020 Begin your day with a 60 minute well-being class in the studio before relaxing in the awardwinning spa. After delicious, seasonal cuisine in The Brasserie

you will head over to the Equestrian Centre to participate in an Equine Connect workshop.

In this unique session, you will be working in the round pen using the horse’s natural instincts and methods of communication.

Available Tuesday to Thursday. £155 per person, minimum of two people.

allowing a peaceful state and more control over your thoughts.

Sound Bath meditation will promote healing on a deeper level and a therapeutic session at the Equestrian Centre will teach you how to connect with a horse. From £462 per person per night, based on a Classic room.

MOTHER’S DAY DINING 22 March 2020 Lucknam Park is an idyllic spot to treat mums. Set in 500 acres of parkland, you can choose from a traditional afternoon tea experience or a hearty Sunday lunch in the hotel’s relaxed restaurant, The Brasserie. Enjoy a three course lunch at £40 per person in The Brasserie or full afternoon tea in the Palladian Mansion from £40 per person – both include a special gift for mothers. You can also discover their range of luxury experience vouchers.

*All events and packages are subject to availability. Please visit lucknampark.co.uk for full details and terms & conditions.

THE SLEEP RETREAT 23–25 March 2020 An exclusive two night retreat to help you re-discover how to sleep well. Through guided meditation and hypnotherapy, fears/worries and overthinking are released,

Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 8AZ 01225 742777 reservations@lucknampark.co.uk www.lucknampark.co.uk

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HOW TO GET YOUR $#!T IN SHAPE

This content was taken from Bath Life issue 409.

This information was correct at the time

Who are the hardest working people in Bath? It’s hard to say, but the sweatiest are certainly the personal trainers.

We caught up with some of the city’s top fitness gurus to cadge workout tips to get your a$$ in gear (and nicely toned too)

By Matt Bielby

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FITNESS

“By keeping energy levels high but movements simple you build confidence alongside your fitness” Prepped at Studio XXVII and ready to ‘spin

Arm day at Power10

W

hat happens in January?

Everybody joins a gym, of course – then runs out of steam as February looms into view. It’s a fitness industry cliché, but (like most clichés) it exists because it’s sort-of true. What gyms and bootcamps and personal trainers need do is focus on keeping people committed to fitter and healthier lifestyles for longer – forever, ideally – and certainly shrink the number of new members falling off the wagon come February.

Their allies in this? Community, variety, and fun.

Here are local gurus’ top tips for keeping yourself engaged this January and beyond… www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 25

1

Remember, fitness won’t come overnight (but it might come in 70 days)

“We run our 10-Week Body Transformation Challenges throughout the year,” says fitness coach Joe Haines of Power10, based at Percy Community Centre on New King Street. “The aim is get people in better shape in 70 days through high energy 30-minute workouts, primarily using body weight exercises to improve cardiovascular fitness and agility, and kettlebell training to improve strength and power. By keeping energy levels high but movements simple, you build confidence alongside your fitness.”

2

Sometimes the best trainer is someone who’s been through it all themselves

Power10 owner Alexandra Mackenzie started her mission to get in shape after gaining 38kgs during two pregnancies – and, when trainer Joe Haines proved more than up for the task, was inspired to become a trainer herself. Things have been going

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so well for the pair ever since that they’ve raised enough money to pay for a major makeover to their workout space, adding a new floor that will benefit all Percy users.

3

Playing games is part of the fun

At Power10 they run optional Dodgeball sessions once a month. “It allows everyone else to get their own back by throwing balls at us,” Alex says, laughing.

4

There’s little point in training if you don’t eat right too

“When a new member joins, they’ll be entered into a closed Facebook group where we coach them through their 10 weeks with diet and motivational advice,” says Joe at Power10. “This is a great stepping stone back into fitness for those who haven’t worked out for a while.”

5

You need something to take away at the end

Even if it is just an inspiring before and after pic to

FITNESS

“This is a great stepping stone back into fitness for those who haven’t worked out for a while”

Rollerskate fitness is now a thing, reckons MoveGB

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FITNESS

“You’ll go from Linkin Park to Ariana Grande to Led Zeppelin to Prince, and you’ll never hear the same song twice”

No, really: you’ll be doing this in no time

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proudly show off to family and friends, or hide at the bottom of your sock drawer – your choice, naturally.

6

If it’s not pleasant, people won’t go

“Everything at Studio XXVII is aimed at providing the absolute best possible experience,” says Charlie Bird, owner of the recently renamed indoor cycling specialist at Milsom Place. “The class itself is only one element. We provide everything, so you don’t have to: your cycling shoes, shower towels, sweat towel, Dyson hairdryers, GHD straighteners, the lot.”

7

Indeed, working out should be the highlight of your day

“We don’t subscribe to the notion that exercising is a chore,” says Charlie at Studio XXVII. “It should, instead, be something you actually look forward to. Our instructors are unbelievably talented at creating diverse, fun playlists, avoiding generic, clichéd Ibiza house music for 45 minutes. And our front-of-house team are absolute superstars, giving everyone a warm welcome.”

8

Actually, it’s difficult to overestimate the importance of music to working out

“No music genre is safe on my playlists,” Charlie says, “so you’ll go from Linkin Park to Ariana Grande to Led Zeppelin to Prince, and you’ll never hear the same song twice. Grace here, meanwhile, pulls together epic themed classes, which can revolve around everything from ’70s rock to ’90s pop, while ‘smiling assassin’ Darcy offers the smoothest blend of funk, disco and deep house, so her classes are like sitting in the front row for the most exclusive catwalk show at Paris Fashion Week.”

9

If exercise ain’t sustainable, you won’t sustain at it

“Everything we do is designed to help members continually progress in a holistic way,” says Arron Collins, founder of TONIQ at Green Park, and a personal trainer in Bath for 14 years. “We do this through our core classes and guidance from expert

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FITNESS trainers, plus nutritional support from our team nutritionist and balanced mindfulness workshops that run weekly. We offer a balanced workout week with a variety of classes, six a day running Monday to Friday (plus more on Saturday and Sunday mornings). You will never repeat the same workout twice, keeping you motivated, progressing and never bored.”

10

Sometimes, though, you just need to chill

Or, if you’re at TONIQ, ‘Chill’ with a capital C. “There’s an additional Chill session on Monday evenings too,” Arron says, “which focusses on recovery, with workshops on yoga, qi gong [a bit like tai chi], meditation and breathing.”

11

Community is everything

“There’s a real community feel at TONIQ,” says Arron, “with each workout designed to work for individuals in the optimum way, and qualified trainers demonstrating every move before each class starts and keeping a close eye on you during the session. We pride ourselves on knowing each member individually, and our friendly and approachable team give our clients the support, encouragement and confidence to bring their A game to every session. The motto is ‘work hard to play hard’, and we believe in, and would always advocate, a healthy balance!”

12

Gyms don’t have to look like gyms

In fact, TONIQ is more like a nightclub, with LED lights, dark walls and a great sound system.

“It just has a very cool vibe,” says Arron, “while our trainers are some of the elite of Bath, all highly qualified and varied in their skillsets, providing a huge range of skills and expertise.”

13

Physical and mental health really do walk hand in hand

“At this time of the year, more than most, mental health is a pressing concern,” says Arron. “Along with our higher intensity workouts, it’s important to

30 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

focus on mindfulness exercises, so all members are encouraged to attend the free mindfulness classes that run every Monday evening – these change weekly across yoga, qi gong, breathing workshops, foam rolling and meditation, and are also offered to non-members at the cost of a standard class.”

14

People are scared of approaching gyms, but they needn’t be

“We know that some people may be nervous about coming straight into a full blown class, which is why we’ve created a new foundation class, aimed at people who’d like a gentle intro to TONIQ,” says Arron. “These sessions run once a week and are absolutely free to first timers; as there’s a maximum of six people in each, it’s easy for us to answer questions and guide you through the most common movements and exercises, as well as give an idea of what each class entails.”

15

Of course, you need never step foot in a gym at all

“Our outdoor group exercise classes allow people who don’t like training on their own, or within a gym setting, to get regular exercise, no matter what their level of fitness,” says Zest Bootcamp owner Zita Alves. “I’ve created a programme where different abilities can be challenged, with classes in Boxercise-style fitness boxing, as well as equipment sessions that include battling ropes, suspension training and other ways to work the whole body.

The result is a community that’s friendly, fun, supportive, and full of camaraderie.”

16

Age is no barrier to fitness

Previously an overweight, non-exercising asthmatic, Zita of Zest has completely changed her lifestyle and is now passionate about helping other women over 40 do the same. It’s won her all sort of awards, including Best Fitness Business at the 2015 Bath Independent Business Awards.

17

Variety is key

According to MoveGB, the Bath-based

XXXXX

To say there’s something for everyone would be something of an understatement…

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 31

FITNESS fitness class membership platform, variety is the key to long-term fitness, especially when users include more ‘experience-based’ classes to top-up their standard fitness routine. “Data gathered from our platform’s users in Bath reveals that 62 percent of members who attend a variety of classes are still active after 12 months, in comparison to just 38 percent of single venue users,” says founder Al Rollins. Basically, the more you mix things up, the better. “Popular combinations of fitness activities are gym sessions or bootcamps supplemented by Zumba classes,” Al says.

18

Dance is the way forward

Every type of dance-related fitness activity has snowballed over the last year, thanks to people watching Strictly and street dance crews, and specialist classes like Zumba and Ragtang. “Our research has shown that those who stay committed for longer are still doing the ‘bread and butter’ of their fitness routine through traditional means like gyms and swimming pools,” says Al, “but stay motivated by supplementing these with classes that

challenge them in new ways, adding a fun and social dimension to their regimes.”

19

Okay, we can cope with Zumba

Heck, we’re only getting started. “The enthusiasm for more diverse, experience-led classes has also meant there’s been an increase in more niche and unusual activities,” says Al, “including acro yoga, circus-inspired aerial hoop, twerking and adult gymnastics.”

20

Hang on, did you just say twerking?

We did, deal with it. “Dance will continue to see a huge surge as an alternative way to get a cardio fi x,” Al says. “As well as providing a high impact workout, class goers are working their minds to remember routines and get to grips with new moves.

In fact, dance will see continued diversification with a growth in specialist dance classes, such as barre mash-ups, reggaeton, belly dancing, roller skating and silent disco bootcamps.”

The great outdoors is also an option, says Zita at Zest

32 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

XXXXX

“Dance will continue to see a huge surge as an alternative way to get a cardio fix”

These days everybody wants to feel they could win on Strictly

YOU HAVE BEEN READING MOVEGB Not a gym, this Bath-based club instead offers access to 6,000 activity locations, studios and gyms in 25 cities across the UK. www.go.movegb.com

the Intro Package runs for four weeks instead of three.

How much does it cost? £39.99, giving unlimited access to all weekday classes for three (or four!) weeks. www.studioxxvi.bike

POWER10 How long does it take? 10 weeks. TONIQ How much does it cost? £199.

How long does it take? “TONIQ www.Power10bath.com is not a short term programme, but designed to become part of STUDIO XXVII your routine.”

How long does it take? If you sign How much does it cost? There’s on before the end of the month, a range of membership options,

class passes and drop ins; the first class is free, then you get the option of a seven-day trial pass for £25.

ZEST BOOTCAMP How long does it take? Four weeks, with classes running every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6.30am, 9.30am and 6.15pm.

How much does it cost? £10 for a trial week, then a variety of membership options. www.zestbootcamp.co.uk; www.zita.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 33

ADVERTISING FEATURE

From left to right: Professor Mark Beresford, consultant clinical oncologist plus Jon McFarlane and Jaspal Phull, consultant urological surgeons from the Bath Prostate Centre at BMI Bath Clinic

PROSTATE CANCER:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

We speak to resident urology consultant surgeons and oncologists from the Bath Prostate Centre at BMI BATH CLINIC to understand what men should know about prostate cancer and how new technology is increasing the safety of prostate treatment

P

rostate cancer has recently benefitted from increased visibility due to highprofile figures, such as Stephen Fry and Elton John, opening up about their diagnosis and life after treatment. However, with no national screening programme in place, many men choose to defer thinking about the subject until the condition becomes aggressive or symptoms interrupt everyday life.

What is prostate cancer; is it really that common?

Around 130 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day in the UK1. It tends to affect over 50s, although younger men can get prostate cancer too. Only men have a prostate. It’s a gland that’s normally the size and shape of a walnut, and it sits below the bladder and around the urethra – the tube that men pass urine and semen through. In

34 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

some cases, the cancer is aggressive and can grow quickly. It can also spread to other body areas, most commonly the bones or lymph nodes. A family history of prostate cancer; and certain other cancers, can increase the risk. Whilst age and race are well-established links also, there is emerging evidence about risks that may be lifestyle related.

What are the symptoms?

At the Bath Prostate Centre, we offer a prostate assessment clinic to get to the source of associated symptoms quickly. These can include difficulty or a frequent urge to urinate, signs of blood in urine or semen, painful ejaculation and urination and problems gaining an erection. Not all these symptoms mean a man has cancer, which is why careful assessment is advised. Finally, some men do not have any symptoms but are concerned about their risk of cancer or know someone with prostate

ADVERTISING FEATURE

spreading. Your specialist can help you to choose the treatment most suited to you, including any novel treatments.

If your prostate cancer has already reached a more advanced stage, you may be offered alternative treatment options such as hormone therapy or chemotherapy.

What’s new? Are there ways of reducing the risks associated with treatment?

Radiation therapy is effective in targeting and treating prostate cancer, but as with any procedure there are potential side effects. These can be mild and go away on their own, but for some patients they can last for years after treatment is completed and profoundly impact quality of life. Side effects can include rectal pain and bleeding, chronic diarrhoea, urinary urgency/leakage, and erectile dysfunction. To potentially reduce these side effects after treatment we are delighted to offer an innovative treatment named SpaceOAR Hydrogel. n

cancer. Our specialists can discuss the need and value of PSA or other testing.

How is it diagnosed?

Often, the first test will be physical, where the physician uses a gloved finger to assess any abnormalities in the texture, shape or size of the gland. A blood test may also be recommended, looking at the level of PSA, a substance that’s naturally produced by the prostate gland.

If an abnormality is discovered, you may be referred for additional tests. This could include an ultrasound probe to create a picture of your prostate gland, or an MRI scan to identify suspicious areas of the prostate that require further evaluation. There has also been a great deal of research into other tests that may be relevant to a small number of men.

It is possible you will be offered a prostate biopsy, where small samples are taken from your prostate with a needle to examine it for disease. If cancer is confirmed, a pathologist will determine how aggressive it is. A scale called the Gleason grade is used to rate the degree of aggressiveness (from six to 10 where six is the lowest risk prostate cancer).

How can it be treated?

The treatment options available to you will vary depending on a huge number of circumstances such as how far your cancer has spread, how quickly it is growing and other factors such as your health.

When prostate cancer is detected at the earliest stages, there are three treatment approaches. This may include regular check-ups and PSA tests for ultra-low risk cancer, while for higher-risk cancer that has not spread, you may be offered minimally invasive surgery or carefully planned radiotherapy.

Surgery seeks to remove the prostate in its entirety. External beam radiotherapy involves targeted radiation to the prostate to kill cancer cells. The goal is to minimise the risk of the cancer

“ When prostate cancer is detected at the earliest stages, there are three treatment approaches.

This may include regular checkups and PSA tests for ultra-low risk cancer…”

SpaceOAR Hydrogel is an absorbable hydrogel that temporarily creates space between the prostate and the rectum, reducing the radiation dose delivered to the rectum during prostate radiation therapy.

It has already been used to help more than 50,000 prostate cancer patients worldwide2 plus it has been shown to reduce the risk of side effects such as rectal bleeding, bowel dysfunction and incontinence plus can help to maintain sexual potency.3,4,5

1. Cancer Research UK, https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/ prostate-cancer#heading-Zero 2. Data on file with Boston Scientific.

3. Mariados N, Sylvester J, Shah D, et al. Hydrogel spacer prospective multicenter randomized controlled pivotal trial: Dosimetric and clinical effects of perirectal spacer application in men undergoing prostate image guided intensity modulated radiation therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2015 Aug 1;92(5):971-7.

4. Hamstra DA, Mariados N, Sylvester J, et al. Continued benefit to rectal separation for prostate radiation therapy: Final results of a phase III trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2017 Apr 1;97(5):976-85.

5. Karsh LI, Gross ET, Pieczonka CM, et al. Absorbable hydrogel spacer use in prostate radiotherapy: A comprehensive review of phase 3 clinical trial published data. Urology. 2018 May;115:39-44.

To find out more information or to book an appointment, call 0808 101 0337 or visit www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/bath

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 35

FULL CLIP

This content was taken from Bath Life issue 396.

This information was correct at the time

Getting a decent haircut is key to looking stylish and feeling good, even for the most unreconstructed of men.

But how should you go about making the most of the experience? We caught up with two top Bath barbers who are, yes, head and shoulders above the rest‌

Words by Paul Marland Pictures by Focus First Media 36 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BARBERS

B Paul Taylor-Clinch at Black Sails, one of Bath’s newest, coolest barbers

ack in the day I was more loyal to my barber than I am now. Men are creatures of habit, and me more than most – plus, I’d think about getting my hair cut elsewhere, then feel guilty about abandoning him or her. These days, not so much. I figure, if I’m sticking to a shorter style, how bad can it get? I’ll just pop along to a cheap local place, get shorn like a sheep, and if it looks bad, well, what’s the harm? I’ll live with it for a few weeks – or go along to another one and see if they can fix it. Anyway, one of the joys of getting your hair cut is meeting someone new, soaking up the ambience of different shop, being encouraged to try a style I’d never thought of.

But what if I’m wrong? What if it actually makes better sense to find someone who knows you and your hair, and stick by them? Time, we thought, to catch up with a couple of our favourite local barbers and men’s hairdressers to find out…

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 37

BARBERS HOW TO GET THE BEST HAIRCUT OF YOUR LIFE Step 1. Decide what matters to you “The biggest thing in men’s hair is achieving a good shape that will grow out well,” says Zac Fennell, a director at BA1 Hair on Bartlett Street and one of Bath’s most prominent hairdressers. “That’s why it’s worth going to a decent place where they do it with care. It’s certainly better than sitting in a queue system, where they’re trying to get through as many as they can.

Of course, for a more professional service you’ll have to book, so you’ll have to decide what’s important to you.

Do you want it done quickly and cheaply? Or do you want it done well? If it’s the first two, fine – but you’ll get a worse cut.”

Step 2. A good haircut is unique “If you want to be good at this job, you need to be able to read each client’s head shape and growth patterns,” says Paul TaylorClinch, aka Pirate Paulus of Black Sails Barbershop out at Lark Place, near the skate park. “Only that way will you be able to determine which looks will suit each person. You just have to accept some styles will never work with your head shape or hair texture.”

and just as much of it is about being a community hub.

To be good at this job you definitely need to be a people person.”

Step 5. Be honest “It’s not about hiding stuff,” says Zac. “If you’re receding, you’re receding – but there are ways to make it look stylish and natural. A good hairdresser will be 100% honest with you, and you should be honest with them – then give them the freedom to do what will work for you. If you’ve got a bald patch and try for a comb over, you’re asking for trouble; when the wind whips it up, you’re going to look like an idiot.”

Step 6. Take along a photo “That’s one of the best ways to show your barber what you have in mind,” says Paul. “At the very least, it can get a discussion going. I don’t like it when people think I can make them look just like a celebrity – you’re never going to – but, because celebs tend to have expressive hair styles, it’s a great jumping off point.”

“A good hairdresser will be 100% honest with you,and you should be honest with them”

Step 3. Insist they do the dirty stuff “With guys, hair sprouts from nowhere,” Zac says.

“We spend time trimming ears, noses, necks, eyebrows.

But that’s part of the job, and any barber who doesn’t, doesn’t really care. A good barber is looking at the total image. Okay, okay, I do stop at the neck – I’m not going to start shaving your back – but curling hair pouring out of your shirt looks terrible, doesn’t it?”

Step 4. Feel part of a community “Everything we do, we do it for our patrons,” says Paul.

“It’s certainly not for our egos. I often think that the haircut itself is maybe only 40 percent of the service,

38 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Step 7. Clippers are your friend “By all means, quote the clipper numbers,” says Zac. “Say you’d like a two on the side and a four on the top – or say you don’t like clippers at all, and would rather we used scissors, because the effect is softer.

Your hairdresser might not agree with you – but even so, telling us is helpful. It’ll give us a better idea of what you’re trying to achieve, and we might be able to show you some modern clipper techniques that give beautifully soft results, the hair gradually fading from a zero out to very long on top.”

Step 8. Don’t be shy “It’s useful for us to know a little bit about your lifestyle,” Zac says. “You don’t want a style you have to blow dry if you’re a swimmer, say, and are in and out of the pool all day.”

Zac Fennell of BA1 Hair, once known as Artizan and one of the city’s best established salons

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 39

BARBERS

Paul at Black Sails, with its cool pirate theme and wide range of classic men’s cuts

40 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Step 9. Beards need love “A beard needs to be shaped, just like the top of your head,” says Zac. “If you have a fat face you can elongate it with a beard, but if you have a long face you need to keep your beard short – you don’t want to make your face any longer than it already is. You have to cut a beard by eye, like going at a hedge with a hedge trimmer, as beards are just as symmetrical as faces – which is to say, not at all. The other big question is, how long do you want your beard shape to last for? If someone comes in every other week, I’ll just trim it; but if I know I won’t see them for months, I’ll go for quite a tight beard cut. Facial hair is more like pubic hair than head hair, so it needs some love – you have to feed it with oils, and sometimes blow drying makes it a million times better too.”

Step 10. Men should have square heads: fact “A haircut will often look its best if I go for a number one around the hairline, then fade it out to something softer,” says Zac. “You don’t want to lose the shape of the head: a guy’s haircut should always be square, strong and masculine – as soon as you make it round, you risk going girlie. It’s not to do with how long the hair is – there are great guys’ haircuts where it’s longer – but if you lose the square shape with strong corners, it’s unlikely to work. That square effect is what keeps a guy looking like a guy.”

Step 11. Rethink that undercut “There’s one thing I won’t do,” says Paul, “and that’s undercuts on men’s hair. I think it just looks bad, and will never grow out nicely.”

“A haircut will often look its best if I go for a number one around the hairline, then fade it out to something softer” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 41

BARBERS

“You give a guy a good haircut, and wow, it makes a difference. It can make them feel a million times better” Step 12. And maybe rethink that man bun, too “Man buns?” says Zac. “Feck off.”

Here’s a haircut by Paul, a go-to guy for pomps, flattops and quiffs

Step 13. Go light on the products “There’s a saying I really like, though it isn’t true: you need a hairdryer for good hair cut,” says Paul. “Well, you don’t – and it’s the same with products. I love the brand I’m with” – Reuzel, which has a sort of biker, psychobilly thing going on – “and their products are amazing, working brilliantly with both modern and classic looks. But the bottom line is that if you need product to make a haircut look good, the haircut sucks.”

Step 14. Enjoy the banter “I love doing men’s hair, because I love the chat,” says Zac. “Be warned – it can get disgusting. That said, I chat with my female guests just the same. If you don’t like it, you can–” But ah, let’s leave it there.

And here’s an equally impressive cut by Zac

42 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Step 15. Take a bit of pride “You give a guy a good haircut,” says Zac, “and wow, it makes a difference. It can make them feel a million times better, gives them that confidence and that boost.

Maybe they’ve gone through a tough time, had a break up, look terrible. And I’ll say, get in here, get a haircut, maybe get down the gym, but certainly sort yourself out. It’s pretty simple, but when you look good, you feel good.” n For more, www.ba1hair.co.uk; www.blacksailsbarbershop.nearcut.com

Spring 2020 Workshops Join us for these inspiring workshops in March MOON FLOW YOGA WORKSHOP with Annie Saturday 7th March 6–8pm

A DAY OF ANUSARA YOGA With Bridget Woods-kramer Sunday 15th March 10am–4.30pm

CORE FUSION MASTERCLASS With Virginie Saturday 21st March 1.30–4pm

BIRTH ESSENTIALS WORKSHOP With Emilie Sunday 29th March 10am–1pm

Your mental fitness underpins everything in your life.

Come and flex your mental fitness muscles at the Soul Spa! You can’t always control your environment but you can learn to control how you respond to it.

Our 20-minute meditation classes are a perfect way to build up your mental strength and resilience. Classes are teacher-led or recorded so you can listen on headphones, depending on the time of day.

Drop-in £5 Membership £24 per month for unlimited meditation classes Classes run on the hour and half hour all day from 7am – 7pm most days. Check the website for full details, www.thesoulspa.co.uk.

Other things you’ll find at the Soul Spa: Workshops – Courses – Special Events – Mind/Body Therapists

2 Hetling Court BA1 1SH ( just a few steps from the Thermae Spa)

Tel: 01225 318226 | www.thesoulspa.co.uk

The Soul Spa

thesoulspa.uk

CLEAN BREAK

Lydia Tewkesbury tests out the Kitchari Cleanse, bringing balance to the body

This content was taken from Bath Life issue 410.

This information was correct at the time

Now that’s our kind of cleanse

HEALTH & BEAUTY Kate and Kim with a fresh batch of kitchari

W

hen my editor first raised the possibility that I should maybe undertake a digestive cleanse, my initial reaction was one of alarm. The word ‘cleanse’ conjured up images of a liquid diet, hunger, abject misery, the possibility of inflicting hanger-related injuries on my colleagues, et cetera et cetera.

“Is it a weight loss thing?” I hesitantly asked, bracing myself for the worst.

I was assured it was not. Or, at least, it didn’t have to be. Hannah Marshall and Kim Koniotes’ Kitchari Cleanse, fortunately for me, includes actual food.

I agreed to give it a go.

The Kitchari Cleanse is part of the Ayurvedic tradition, meaning it’s from India, ancient, and all about restoring balance. You’re supporting something called

Agni, Hannah explained over a pre-cleanse cuppa.

An Ayurvedic concept, Agni means fire – and we have a lot of different Agnis in the body, all serving different purposes. In the context of the cleanse, you can think of Agni sort of like your metabolism.

It breaks down your food, separating the good from the bad – but, it’s important to note, according to the thinking of Ayurveda, Agni is much more complicated than any comparison to modern science terms like ‘metabolism’ or ‘enzymes’. Agni is more than automatic bodily process – it has intelligence, and (those that follow the Ayurvedic tradition believe) your Agni has an ability to distinguish what is good for you and bad. Strong Agni is crucial to good health, and it’s an interconnected system, so if one Agni is out of whack then the rest of them will soon follow.

So, what happens if your Agni is weak?

“It’s not about depriving yourself at all”

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 45

HEALTH & BEAUTY In a word: sludge. Or Ama, as it is officially known.

Ama is formed of undigested food particles that decay in the body – sludge – wreaking havoc and weakening the all-important Agni. Feeling dull, heavy, lethargic, bloated, without appetite and a bit glum are all signs of Ama in the body. I did this cleanse right after a festive break filled with Lindor and all the cheese I could eat, so as you can imagine I was experiencing all of the above.

The Kitchari Cleanse is designed to restore and balance the Agni to its pre (in my case) two-week Pringle-binge glory. Traditionally a blend of lentils and rice, fresh ginger, ground turmeric and ground cumin served with fresh lemon juice and coriander, the kitchari crafted by Kim Koniotes at St James’s Cafe Deli that I would be living on for the next few days was the traditional recipe combined with Kim’s own, delicious take. Kitchari mixes ingredients that strengthen the Agni and restore digestive function by stimulating the production of the enzymes that aid digestion. The ingredients also support the body to absorb the nutrients and eliminate what we don’t need – hopefully improving the state of body and mind in the process. So it’s not about depriving yourself at all, as I had worried, but actually about giving yourself exactly what it is that you need. And, I was relieved to discover, there is plenty of food.

You can do either a one- or three-day variation of the cleanse, but I would recommend doing the threeday option if possible. In its most basic form, this means popping over to St James’s once a day to pick up your lunch and dinner (kitchari with a lemon and a handful of fresh coriander to garnish) – along with a couple of tea bags. Kitchari makes for a refreshing but hearty meal. Depending on whether you’re cleansing with weight loss in mind or, like me, just to give your digestive system a bit of a kick start after much festive (and delicious) abuse, you can choose to either eat the full two pots per meal, or stick to one if you’re trying to drop a few pounds – though Hannah is launching a cleanse specifically for the purpose of weight loss on 24 February. You can find more on that

on her website.

Aside from the health benefits, it felt such a treat to have all my meals cooked for me. The cleanse does mean eating the same meal for lunch and dinner every day, but I found I didn’t mind it. For one thing, Kim’s kitchari was tastier than anything I’d ever make – I’m a lazy cook – and the novelty of not having to make any decisions about what to rustle up for myself every meal made up for the ‘samey’ complaint Hannah said some of her customers sometimes struggle with. It’s easy to make positive choices when the food is already in your fridge.

The cleanse has a layer of flexibility that allows you to really go as deep – or not – into the whole experience as you like. I went all in, which meant tongue scraping with a 100 per cent pure copper scraper – to clear the morning Ama off the tongue. It makes you gag, but you do feel somewhat refreshed afterwards.

I also took a spoonful a day of Chyawanprash, an Ayurvedic Indian herbal jam that supports immunity and detoxification – probably my least favourite part of the whole thing, but not unbearable – and enjoyed a daily massage with Ayurveda Pura oil, which Hannah will help you select, depending on your body type. While the cleanse itself is very much one size fits all, if you choose to go deeper, finding out your body type is a great start – from there you can establish a routine that supports your constitution on a deeper level. Hannah has the resources to help with this.

Honestly, the three days passed too quickly for my liking. The impact of the cleanse for me, more than anything, was how it made me conscious of the small ways I can take care of myself in my daily life.

From feeding my body the right foods to taking a bit of extra time for a short massage before the shower, I was shocked at how these moments gave my days shape, purpose and a lot more satisfaction than my usual dinner of a chunk of cheese grated over a bowl of pasta... Sorry Hannah, I’ll try to do better from now on, I promise.

“Kitchari makes for a refreshing but hearty meal”

46 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

www.thekitcharicleanse.com

Eat your way healthy

GOOD FOR THE SOUL A new wellbeing centre called The Soul Spa has opened in the centre of Bath. Is this the future?

By Harriet Noble Images by Beata Cosgrove

48 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

This content was taken from Bath Life issue 404.

This information was correct at the time

WELLBEING OPPOSITE: Deep in meditation

in the zen den;

THIS IMAGE: Life and soul of

the party, owner Madeline Blackburn

I

was very much brought up to expect the least and then you won’t be disappointed – but I railed against that notion and always believed that a positive outlook and mindset was much more likely to lead somewhere better than if you expect the worst,” says Madeline Blackburn owner of The Soul Spa, Bath’s latest wellbeing offering. Madeline talks about the importance of creating places where people can do things rather than buy things. She is not alone here. We’ve seen a huge increase of businesses arriving in Bath – whether it’s high-end gyms or healthy foodie restaurants –

that are all about experiences and have the common goal of improving our health and happiness. In short, the wellbeing industry has gone mainstream and is here to stay.

In keeping with this, and perhaps taking it to a new level, is The Soul Spa; a centre offering a range of classes that aim to make us feel balanced and happy.

The centre is located on Hetling Court, a stone’s throw from the Thermae Bath Spa, and there are different sections: a mind, body, and spirit zone, a quantum field and the zen den. But don’t be fooled by the word spa; it’s not a place of luxury strictly for the elite. Though it does offer massages, the main focus is very much on the mindbody connection, with

“I believe we should all spend a few minutes with a quiet mind every day, just like we take a shower”

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 49

WELLBEING

LYDIA TEWKESBURY WENT TO TRY IT OUT… “Ooh, that’s where you hold all your tension,” says Bruni as she makes her way up to my shoulders during my holistic massage. This makes sense – like so many of us, I spend my days tap-tap-tapping away at the computer. My muscles are very knotted, she tells me, and she spends the next twenty minutes gently but firmly kneading the keyboard-inflicted hunch out of my upper body. Bruni’s chosen warm blend of lavender, bergamot and geranium oil soothes the stress out of my muscles as she pulls each of my arms behind my back in turn to perform this separating my head from my shoulders-type move that leaves me feeling somehow lighter than I have in a long while – and very reluctant to hang my bag back over my freshly released shoulders.

Post-massage, Bruni and I discuss the possible reasons behind the build up of knotted muscles in my body – my aforementioned computerbased profession – and she gives me exercises to do at my desk to release the tension from my neck and upper back, as well as call attention to those moments when my shoulders start creeping up towards my ears in a position known universally as: the stressed journalist.

Later I saw Andrew for a chakra balancing guided meditation in the zen den – a sort of cosy tent filled with cushions and softly lit with fairy lights that feels like a world away from the bustle of the streets below. I close my eyes, and Andrew leads me through a highly visual meditation, where I am encouraged to focus individually on each of the seven spinning chakras, their colours, and resolving any blockages I might have therein so I emerge from the zen den a lot more, well, zen, than I entered it. As Andrew guides me through an imaginary forest to lie down amongst the leaves, breathe and come back to myself, I am given a valuable moment of quiet contemplation at the end of a hectic work day I find myself very keen to repeat in the near future.

SO WHAT ELSE IS ON OFFER? Apart from the daily meditations and treatments, Madeline plans to offer classes for chronic pain, grief, children, stressed out or anxious teenagers, couples trying to conceive, sports motivation, weight loss groups.

“Whether it’s high-end gyms or healthy foodie restaurants – that are all about experiences and have the common goal of improving our health and happiness” meditation being at the forefront of that.

Madeline has deliberately set up her classes and timetable to work around people’s busy lives, enabling people to pop-in and out for short mediations at different times of the day that works for them and framing classes so that they fulfil a purpose which may be relevant to the time of day.

The mediations can be as short as 20 or 30 minutes and can be paid for either by a membership or on a pay-as-you-go system.

“Morning classes are for raising your energy, lunch time classes may be to find the creative part of your mind, re-focus or even take an iRest power nap to set you up for the afternoon,” says Madeline.

“The evenings are about de-stressing and setting yourself up for a good night’s sleep. I truly believe we should all spend a few minutes with a quiet mind every day, just like we take a shower and clean our teeth.

It’s much easier to create a habit if you start as part of a group, which why I came up with the idea of The Soul Spa. I hope it will be my way to add to the sum happiness of the planet.”

The Soul Spa, Hetling Court, Bath: www.thesoulspa.co.uk

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HAIR & BEAUTY

YOUR GUIDE TO LOOKING FABULOUS THIS SPRING

This content was taken from Bath Life issue 404.

This information was correct at the time

The local experts on how to get luscious locks and glowing skin

I

f there’s anyone that looks at their most gorgeous in winter in England I’ve yet to meet them. Tess Daly maybe. It’s one of life’s troublesome contradictions that the exact few weeks when we are supposed to be at our most fabulous-looking selves, party ready with glitter and fizz aplenty, most of us haven’t experienced warmth or sunshine in weeks and are overworked, and sporting dry skin, a sniffly pink nose, and a permanent cheese, wine and box-set complexion. So what can we do? How can we avoid dry winter skin? And what’s on- trend to make us look and feel healthy and just a little bit beautiful this season?

What is on-trend at the moment with makeup?

Dewy contouring and a structured well-shaped brow.

It’s so important to sort out your brows before you apply makeup. We have our unique tailored brow service; we only shape natural, full and beautiful brows; no scary over pencilled ones.

“It’s so important to sort out your brows before you apply makeup”

Skin deep

LITTLELAB Katherine Spreadbury, director LittleLAB offer modern makeup and beauty treatments and makeup workshops.

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Any advice on how we can keep our skin in good condition this winter?

The leave-on hydration masque by ARK skincare that we stock. It hydrates the skin throughout the night to leave it super soft

and ready for a new day.

Anything else?

For anyone who wants advice on putting on makeup, we run a speed makeup workshop, where we show people quick and easy techniques in under five minutes.

LittleLAB, 20 Broad Street Bath, BA1 5LN; www.littlelab.co.uk

© CHRIS DAW

Hair cut and styled by Zac Fennell from BA1 Hair

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HAIR & BEAUTY ENHANCE MEDISPA Hannah Paradise, owner of Enhance They offer treatments which cover all essential beauty needs to more specialised treatments to help target problematic skincare concerns such as acne.

These treatments include Elemis facials, image skincare peels, dermaplaning, cosmetic acupuncture, manicures and pedicures, IPL/laser hair reduction and lash treatments such as lash lifts and lash extensions.

What is on-trend at the moment with treatments?

Quick, results driven, no downtime treatments such as an enzyme peel. You can get the glow of a deep cleansing facial and noticeable results in just one session and in half the time.

Any general skin advice?

Avoid make up wipes and use a good physical SPF all year round to ensure healthy and protected skin.

Enhance Medispa, 3 Miles’s Buildings, George Street, Bath, BA1 2QS; www.enhancemedispa.co.uk

Intensive hair

B HAIRDRESSING Harriet Barber, owner B Hairdressing are colour specialists and offer everything from bridal packages to festival hair. All their products are PETA-approved, even down to their colour.

Tell us something interesting about your salon…

Our salon ethos probably makes us a bit quirky – we are gender neutral, vegan, ethical and nonjudgmental. The B motley crew makes us very quirky; think gender bending rules, tattoos and a whole lot of smiles.

“Face framing balayage is the real star colouring service at the moment”

BA1 HAIR Zac Fennell, director BA1 has been going since 1986, offering hairdressing in a large, cool, unique space split over different levels, all accentuated by massive skylights and windows flooded with natural light. They also have their own training academy.

What is on-trend at the moment?

We are seeing so much in fashion right now, but not much in the way of one set look. It’s more about people expressing themselves through colours, cuts and styles that suit and complement them.

Less is more, just putting a slight wave in the hair then putting it up gives you a great textured natural look. Plaits are my favourite having a house full of girls; I love coming up with different braids for them to go to school with.

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What do you like about working in Bath?

I love Bath, you can’t beat it! We have a beautiful view overlooking the roof tops, the sun setting over the Georgian buildings.

BA1 Hair, 5 Bartlett St, Bath BA1 2QZ; www.ba1hair.co.uk

What is on-trend at the moment with haircuts?

Face framing balayage is the real star colouring service at the moment. Think sun kissed hair. Pair your face framing balayage with a midi bob and you’ve got the most Pinterestable hair going!

For people who are short of time, can you suggest some quick and easy ‘looks’ for hair or makeup that anyone can master?

Sometimes it’s something so simple as popping in for a fringe trim – which are complimentary. A high ponytail is always so chic, aim for just above the crown for a show pony vibe.

Any top tips?

Professional hair products are not a gimmick, never underestimate the power of a heat protector and overnight Olaplex No3 treatment – it is so transformative.

B Hairdressing, 11 Claverton Buildings, Widcombe BA2 4LD; www.bhairdressing.co.uk

Wonderful waves at B Hairdressing

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HAIR & BEAUTY

“Professional hair products are not a gimmick, never underestimate the power of a heat protector ” 56 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

© CHRIS DAW

Pretty pink: fun shades at BA1 Hair

DAVID MAXWELL HAIRDRESSING David Maxwell, director In the heart of Bath, David Maxwell Hairdressing provides hair colouring services, ladies, gents and children’s hair cuts and a range of other services including beautiful bridal hair, hair extensions and straightening.

And how about hair styles…

What is popular at the moment in the world of hair?

How we can keep our hair and skin in good condition this season?

The trend at the moment is polished and sleek with neat and trim ends. The finished look is high gloss, hydrated and bursting with moisture. We recommend Kevin Murphy’s intensive treatment in the salon to ensure hair looks healthy and beautiful.

In the cold weather it is vital to keep hair healthy with regular trims and hydrating treatments. Paul Mitchell’s Wild Ginger range is fantastic to reduce breakage and maintain high moisture levels in your hair. Products such as Kevin Murphy’s Heated Defence prevent damage to hair when styling it in the morning.

David Maxwell Hairdressing, 10 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BQ; www.davidmaxwellhairdressing.co.uk

To compliment the sleek and polished look, hair should be styled in Dior and Chanel-esque waves with less of a beachy waves feel and more of a catwalk, glamour vibe. Rich autumnal auburns are still very prominent this year but they must look neat, styled and glossy.

Just got out the shower kind of styling from BA1 Hair

© CHRIS DAW

VANESSA MEYERS SALON Vanessa Meyers, owner The hair salon offers all aspects of hairdressing, including bespoke hair cutting, blow drys, styling, weddings and put ups, tinting, highlighting, balayage, root stretch, and perming.

Tell us about how you came to be running the salon?

I trained with Toni and Guy in London – Knightsbridge for my cutting and Bond Street for my colouring. I have been a hairdresser for 25 years. I have worked in Larkhall for 20 years and have adapted styles and ideas, keeping on top of the latest trends and bringing them to the local people so that they can feel good about themselves.

What does it take to make a great hairdresser?

Sleek and wavy styles at David Maxwell Hairdressing

I’m a very good listener and I feel this plays a big part in being a good hairdresser so that you can give your clients the best. You need to be able to help people visualise what could be possible and at the same time, it needs to suit the hair and the person.

Vanessa Meyers Salon, 2 Upper Lambridge Street, Larkhall.

Bath, BA1 6RY; www.vanessameyers.co.uk

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GOLD CHOCOLATE MEDALS, £12 Great for a party, sports day or the Olympian in your life, each of these four chocolate medals has been handcrafted by artisan chocolatiers from the finest milk chocolate and dusted in gold edible dust, then strung on a brown satin ribbon From Bath-based Choc on Choc; www.choconchoc.co.uk

BE A GOOD SPORT And stay both sleek and stylish with these exercise-themed beauties

This content was taken from Bath Life issue 400.

This information was correct at the time

BUILT WATER BOTTLE, £14 This hydration water bottle is not just easy on the eye – its double walled, vacuuminsulated body is made of stainless steel, which insulates cold drinks for up to 24 hours and hot ones for up to six hours, keeping you feeling hydrated and happy From Rossiters of Bath, 38-41 Broad Street, Bath; www.rossitersofbath.com

VINTAGE STYLE BOXING GLOVES, £47 Redecorating your home gym?

Or starring in Bugsy Malone? These beauties are hand-made, using 100 per cent supple leather and finished off with leather laces From Bath-based vintagesportsuk; available on www.etsy.com 58 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE PERSONALISED TENNIS BALLS, £19.50 Know a tennis nut?

Gift them these sweet personalised tennis balls and they’ll love you forever (even if you do keep hitting them right in the… oh, you know) From Bath-based Price of Bath; available on www.etsy.com

FITNESS MAD PRO-SPEED ROPE, £8.99 David Beckham’s always skipping, so you know it’s a good idea, and you can do it in your back garden. This smooth-turning speed skipping rope promises high durability and has easy grip, low density shatter-proof handles to ensure you keep on jumping From John Moore Sports, 2 Argyle Street, Bath; www.johnmooresports.co.uk

PIPPA SHORTS, £25 AND SPIRIT CROP, £25 This limited edition run of cycling shorts nails style and practicality in one fell swoop, with flatlock seams for comfort, quick drying fabric to keep you fresh and a high waist design for an oh-so flattering line.

And, at the same time, stay supported and comfortable in this ladies cropped gym top, designed to keep you secure whilst you exercise.

With mesh panels and flat lock seams, this crop top creates a streamlined shape, with a racer back to show off the shoulders From Boudavida, 17 Milsom Place, Milsom Street; www.boudavida.com

THE REC MUG, £7.99 Whether you fill this statement mug with whisky or tea during the game is really none of our business; the main thing is, you’ll be supporting the boys in black-and-blue From Bath Rugby Shop, 1 Argyle Street, Bath; www.bathrugbyshop.com

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This content was taken from Bath Life issue 396.

This information was correct at the time

HARRY’S GAME Harriet Noble is up for anything as she goes from couch potato to full-on fitness fiend through The F45 Challenge Photos by Betty Bhandari 60 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

FITNESS

I want to be your sledgehammer: Harriet in action girl mode

BAPTISM OF FIRE How can the 45 minutes not be up yet? Seriously.

How can this class still not be over? I’m doing what are innocently called ‘bunny hops’, where I have to jump over a bench from side to side, feet and legs together, hands holding onto either side. I am raining sweat onto the bench, my legs are in screaming agony, my heart is pounding and I can’t believe I forgot to wear a sports bra. I’ve been lifting, squatting, jumping, rowing, biking, yanking on ropes, climbing like a geriatric spider forwards and backwards, all while a trainer shouts out things like “you’re a legend” and “remember what you came here for” and “you’re all winners.” I’ve never felt less like a winner.

Finally a noise goes off, signalling the end. I feel like I could not have gone on a second longer but, as I look around, everyone is smiling, giving each other high fives and there are lots of phrases like “you smashed it” and “great workout” to be heard.

Great workout? Sorry, was anyone else in the same class as me?

This was the most painful, hurty, never-want-to do-it-again torture I think I have ever experienced.

Except, the thing is, I do have to do it again. And again. And again.

Because I’ve just signed up to do an eight-week challenge, chock-a-block full of these classes, with a matching diet regime. Oh, heaven help me.

The gym in question is Australian-born F45; it’s something of a workout phenomenon, having gone well and truly international, with a huge following of people who love this tough, back to basics kind of exercise. The one in Bath opened earlier this year and is owned by rugby star James Haskell. They run these eight-week challenges, which – if you put the work in – promise to transform you and your bod. The exercise is high intensity circuit training, and the classes are split into either cardio sessions or muscle resistance training, with the Saturday classes mixing up the two.

This couldn’t come at a better time for me. I’m feeling overweight, unfit, unhealthy; my weight has crept up over the last few years and I now can’t fit into 80 per cent of my wardrobe. But I am also scared stiff – it strikes me that people that attend F45 are all gym nuts to start off with; I know I am going to struggle to keep up.

Just before the challenge starts you get weighed and measured. I am, just like I expected, overweight and categorized charmingly as ‘pre-obesity’.

WEEK 1-2 I’ve been told that the first two weeks of this challenge are the hardest, and they weren’t joking.

The preliminary diet is very restrictive, which means no gluten, dairy, and – the worst thing for me – no caffeine. Sitting down at my desk without hugging www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 61

my habitual mug of Earl Grey tea makes me almost weepy. The lack of caffeine gives me really bad headaches, my energy levels are low and the classes remain near impossible for me; I just try to get through them. I do three classes a week; I physically can’t do any more, as I am so achy following the classes and I need the recovery period (every time I sneeze, or reach up to get a mug from a cupboard, my abdomen aches). I am weighing myself every day and not really losing any weight, so I feel like all my hard work is not really paying off. Also irksome to me is the cheerleady mentality of the F45 The compulsory high five challenge; the high fives at the end of each workout and the supportive “you can do it” exactly look forward to the classes, but I don’t dread shout-outs rub me up all the wrong way. I spend a them anymore. While I find the classes so damn lot of time rolling eyes and I’m a grumpy, grumpy, tough, they are also a great stress-buster. When I’m in grumpy bear. class, running madly around, I am not thinking about work or deadlines or anything that normally plays on my mind – I am 100 percent in the moment.

WEEK 3-7 There are also some revelations about exercise for Week three is the game changer moment for me. me. Weights, which I always found boring, I discover Firstly, I try on and can fit into my size 10 skinny I really like. You get so much jeans (after less than three help and support from the weeks! I can’t believe it!); trainers – I learn how to lift secondly, the gym, which once them properly and safely, felt like a rather intimidating and every week I feel I can do place, now feels familiar and better than the last week. Also, friendly. I start to recognise one of the other great things the same faces and we chat is that the gym sessions are never the same – literally about how we are finding the diet and everyone is, never – so you are never bored. universally, really, really friendly.

The cardio sessions remain the toughest for me, On advice from the trainers, I have stopped but I learn to control my breathing, to help me weighing myself completely and, despite a few wilder through the tough patches. I even stop rolling my eyes weekends of weddings and birthday parties, where every time one of the trainers shouts out something the diet went out the window, I stick to the rules and like “let’s get this party started” before a class and the exercise regime. I can feel myself getting fitter, when I give someone a high five, I really mean it, am now going four to five times a week, and can tell because, quite frankly, it is hard and everyone does my body is getting stronger with every session. deserve a big well done.

The biggest change, though, is in my head. I don’t

“I am raining sweat, my legs screaming with agony”

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FITNESS

The gang working hard at it

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Aquae Sulis Dental is a private Dental Practice in Bath. Highly experienced in a wide range of dental procedures including dental implants, we offer a service that puts you and your needs first. In addition to dentistry, we also provide our clients with a full portfolio of facial aesthetics treatments.

The Aquae Sulis team is led by Ian Bellamy, who many of our patients’ credit with breaking a lifetime of dental-phobia. His patient-centric style has won the loyalty of patients in Bath for two decades and the team he has built here shares the same passion for making a difference through gentle dentistry.

Treatments include:

z z z z z z z z z

Dental Implants Teeth Whitening Veneers, Crown and Bridges General Dentistry Sedation for Anxious Patients Facial Aesthetics Anti-wrinkle Therapy Dermal Fillers Snoring & Sleep Apnoea

Aquae Sulis Dental, Station Court, Ashley Avenue, Bath BA1 3DS Free parking outside the practice

01225 339 767 | info@aquaesulisdental.co.uk | www.aquaesulisdental.co.uk

FITNESS

WEEK 8 AND THE FINAL WEIGH IN In the last few weeks I am training nearly every day. I have long ago forgotten about what I weigh, but I can see and feel that my body has changed.

I’ve had some lovely comments from family, friends and work colleagues; lots saying that I look smaller or toned, but most saying I look like I’ve got a spring in my step. My size 12 clothes are now in a suitcase under my bed, and I’ve dusted off all my size 10 (and a few size 8) items.

So, what were the results? Well, at the final weigh-in I’m relieved to see that I am now no longer categorised as pre-obesity. My body fat has dropped by 3.8 per cent, I’ve lost just over a stone, and across all the categories of weight, BMI and fat mass, I am now happily in the ‘normal’ box.

So, would I recommend this challenge to people?

Abso-blooming-lutely.

There are lots of gyms in Bath but there are a few

things that distinguish F45 gym for the others.

The support from the trainers and the cameradie from the others doing the gym challenge is phenomenal – this is what makes this challenge.The trainers teach every session with boundless amounts of energy and commitment, and there’s a level of care and attention that I’ve never experienced from any other gyms. For example, in my last week I finally managed to do an exercise that I’d previously never been able to (jumping onto a big box; doesn’t sound a big deal, I admit, but it seemed like a skyscraper to me). Chris, one of the trainers, notices and says, “That’s the first time you’ve done that, isn’t it, Harry?

Well done, that’s amazing” – and gives me a high five.

I know it’s the first time I’ve managed to do it, but there’s loads of us doing the challenge and I would never expect anyone else to clock that. As much as my cynical, grumpy old self doesn’t want to admit it, I’m feeling, just a smidgeon, like a bit of a winner. n For more: f45training.co.uk

5 MINUTES WITH JAMES HASKELL So, James, do you like a morning or an afternoon workout?

I prefer an afternoon workout.

Part of your body that you always want to work hard on, and are keen to improve?

My chest.

Best post-workout snack?

Protein shake – peanut butter, banana, chocolate protein powder and oats.

And the part of your bod that you’re chuffed with?

My arms.

Favourite exercise?

Burpies.

Nooo! You’re just saying that. Nobody likes burpies.

No, I do. I hate them but I love them, they’re just so good.

Least favourite exercise?

For me, because of my toes, lunges.

James came down to DJ at one of the classes

What’s your guilty workout music?

Will Young.

Lastly, what do you love about Bath?

The great selection of restaurants you’ve got here.

I really enjoyed going to The Olive Tree with my wife – that was wicked.

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WELLBEING

AS GOOD AS NEW This content was taken from Bath Life issue 408.

This information was correct at the time

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Sleep retreats, hot yoga, a nourishing foodie cleanse and a load of heavenly spas – discover the local places that will pick you up and leave you revitalised and raring to go

© PHILIP EDWARDS

By Harriet Noble

Float away at Thermae Bath Spa

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SLEEP RETREAT AT LUCKNAM PARK

Healing food here we come at The Kitchari Cleanse;

In a nutshell: A weekend designed to help you

re-discover how to sleep well. The gang here will be helping to balance your energy levels and to restore equilibrium of mind and body through guided meditation and hypnotherapy.

More details please: Over the weekend you’ll be partaking in yoga sessions, a therapeutic session at the equestrian centre, sleep meditation sessions, forest walks, a sound healing gong bath and breath workshop plus enjoying three-course meals at their Michelin star Brasserie restaurant.

Anything unusual: Yes, you’ll be learning how to connect with a horse! The therapeutic sessions at the equestrian centre are run by Dawn Cameron who has been managing the Lucknam Park Equestrian Centre for over 20 years. Guests will be working in the round pen using the horse’s natural instincts and methods of communication to bond with the fourlegged creature.

Perfect for: Someone who wants to improve their sleep, likes horses and fancies staying in a country house with a spa and a top-notch restaurant.

Starting price: From £1,040 per person for twonight stay.

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire; www.lucknampark.co.uk

HOT YOGA AT BATH YOGA STUDIO In a nutshell: Bath Yoga Studio aims to offer classes

which help you move, sweat and tone your body, whilst also tackling internal stresses; leading to a deeper sense of peace and happiness.

“We are Bath’s only Hot Yoga Studio and we offer a variety of classes both with and without heat, more Yang to soothing restorative Yin,” says Diane Lee, head yogi at Bath Yoga Studio.

What’s coming up: There’s the Yin Yoga hibernation on 24 January which helps you to draw inwards, to recoup lost energy and pass the winter by withdrawing into a deep Yin Yoga practice. Next up is a Prana Kriya (Learning to breathe!)

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Perfect for: Anyone who wants to reconnect with

their body.

Starting price: £15

Bath Yoga Studio, Norfolk Buildings, James Street West; www. bathyogastudio.com

THE KITCHARI CLEANSE In a nutshell: “The Kitchari Cleanse offers regular

cleanses that increase the digestive fire inside us and brighten up the body – giving us back our spark – with a clarity of mind and a passion for life!” says co-owner Hannah Marshall. All the recipes are created in the kitchen of St. James’s Cafe Deli by professional chef Kim Koniotes and Hannah, who is an Ayurvedic lifestyle consultant. They are both passionate about providing delicious, healthy, healing Ayurvedic-influenced food locally. The pair offer talks, cleanses, support and advice, recipes, food plans, and Yoga classes all centered on complete digestion and perfect health.

What’s on the menu: Their signature dish is Kitchari, an Ayurvedic recipe (similar to dhal)

WELLBEING

“Helps balance your energy levels and to restore equilibrium of mind and body through guided meditation and hypnotherapy”

You may never get out of Lucknam Park’s outdoor hydrotherapy pool

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Go for a dip at The Royal Crescent

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WELLBEING

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WELLBEING

Diane Lee from Bath Yoga Studio having a stretch

that cleanses through the GI tract, stimulating the digestive fire and encouraging complete digestion, assimilation, absorption and elimination.

What’s the vibe: “Our cleanses are kind and unique,” says Hannah. “They are fresh, nourishing, gentle, vegan and available locally in Bath. The Kitchari Cleanse resonates with the desire in every individual to live well and enjoy the best possible health.”

Perfect for: Anyone who wants to eat well and feel good.

Starting price: One-day cleanse is £15, three-day cleanse is £45.

The Kichari Cleanse, St. James’s Cafe Deli, 5-6 St James’s Street www.thekitcharicleanse.com

BEST OF THE SPAS THE SOUL SPA

In a nutshell: The Soul Spa is a new space in town providing all manner of meditations in their wonderfully calm zen den.

“The room is full of cushions and mats, and created to resemble the inside of a yurt, with coloured back-lit canvas walls, so you feel like you have been transported far away from the city,” says owner Madeline Blackburn.

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You can also get treatments here, from holistic massages, to acupuncture, energy healing and many more courses and workshops.

What’s coming up: First up is a new group starting for women who are expecting babies called Antenatal iRest®️, for women to connect with their unborn child and learn how to relax through the whole process and there’s also a special meditation group for the over 55’s.

Anything else?

“Our monthly Laugher Yoga evenings will continue to get those endorphins flowing, something we all need a bit of in January,” says Madeline. We’re teaming up with Harrington’s Hotel to create packages for their detox January/February where visitors will be able to totally relax in a guided visualisation and then bathe in the vibrations of a delicious sound bath.

Perfect for: Anyone in need of some time out to recentre.

Starting price: £5 drop-in or £20 monthly membership.

The Soul Spa, 2 Hetling Court; www.thesoulspa.co.uk

THE SPA AT NO.15 GREAT PULTENEY, BATH In a nutshell: Underground and housed within

exposed stone vaults, this gem of a spa features four

“Our monthly laughter yoga evenings will continue to get those endorphins flowing�

The pool at Lucknam Park also has a roaring fire

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WELLBEING distinctive treatment rooms, a large cedar wood hot tub, a barrel-shaped sauna and a separate steam room. Each treatment room’s name hints at its distinctive decorative style – the Sock Room (where you’ll find handmade socks), Tapestry Room, Coral Room and the Pottery Room.

Treatments to try in January: The ‘Balancing Back Treatment’ which focuses on stress in the back and shoulders. Ancient marma therapy and warm herbal poultices are massaged into the back of the body, while sound healing and chakra balancing takes away tension, releases negativity and brings your body back to a state of equilibrium. The longer treatment includes a massage to the front of the body as well as a scalp massage.

Anything else? Half-day spa packages are a good choice; you arrive at 1.30pm and enjoy use of the hot-tub and sauna alongside a treatment of your choice (a back, foot and scalp massage; an energising and detoxifying body scrub or a glowing radiance organic facial de-stress massage and facial) before rounding off with English afternoon tea.

Starting prices: For non-residents, use of the spa

Wine cellar meets sexy spa at No.15

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starts at £20 if booking a treatment or £35 if not.

Perfect for: Those who want chill-out time and massages in a cool, quirky (and central) location.

No.15 Great Pulteney, 15 Great Pulteney Street; www.no15greatpulteney.co.uk

THERMAE BATH SPA In a nutshell: Sporting the UK’s only natural thermal waters and a showstopper of a rooftop pool, Thermae Bath Spa also offers the indoor minerva Bath, wellness suite (two aromatic steam rooms, infrared room, celestial relaxation suite, ice chamber and experience showers no less), Springs restaurant and an impressive 27 treatment rooms, Grade-II listed Hot Bath and Grade-I listed open-air Cross Bath.

Treatments to try this January: Why not go for the perfect pick-me-up treatment (£102), an invigorating body scrub that lifts away dead skin, followed by an energising mud wrap, a relaxing head massage, finishing up when the therapist will ‘layer lock’ the goodness of the rich essential oils into your skin so that it continues to absorb and revive after the treatment.

Perfect for: Those who want to relax with a partner

Lavender scents await at The Bath Priory

or friend and take in some great views of Bath’s rooftops.

Starting price: £36 for entry to the main Thermae Bath Spa. Thermae Bath Spa, The Hetling Pump Room, Hot Bath Street; www.thermaebathspa.com

THE SPA AND BATH HOUSE AT THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA In a nutshell: Could this joint win best looking

swimming pool in Bath? Possibly so, it’s a beautiful 12-metre relaxation pool, with deep blue tiles and tall chapel-esque windows set in the limestone walls.

Generic it is not. From there, you can float between the vitality pool, herbal steam inhalation room, and Himalayan salt-infused sauna – finishing your day with a luxurious treatment.

Anything else? In warmer months, you can sit outside in the Taittinger Spa Garden and enjoy the birdsong while you sip Champagne in your fluffy dressing gown. Sounds good to us.

Perfect for: Anyone who wants a spa with a bit of character, with beautiful gardens to boot.

The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, 16 Royal Crescent; www.royalcrescent.co.uk

THE GARDEN SPA

BY L’OCCITANE, THE BATH PRIORY In a nutshell: Set within the beautiful Relais & Chateaux property of The Bath Priory hotel are four luxurious treatment rooms including a dual treatment suite, a relaxation lounge, indoor pool, pool-side sauna, elliptical steam pod and shower.

Treatments include Swedish effleurage, Chinese acupressure and Balinese massage techniques, to stimulate circulation, ease tension and relieve stress.

Treatments to try this January: The Bath Priory is hosting a Winter Spa Day (available to book between Sunday-Friday until 28 February 2020) offering guests a sumptuous two-course lunch with a glass of Champagne in The Pantry and a 60-minute treatment, followed by time to relax and unwind with full use of the spa facilities (Prices start from £125 per person).

Perfect for: those wanting to rest and indulge in a relaxing haven away from the bustling city, with scents from Provence pervading.

Starting price: Spa day prices start from £150, treatments start from £60. n The Bath Priory, Weston Road; www.thebathpriory.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 75

A CUT ABOVE

This content was taken from Bath Life issue 410.

This information was correct at the time

Lydia Tewkesbury makes a long-awaited trip to BA1

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henever I get my hair done it rains. This has been the rule for as long as I can remember, so I wasn’t surprised when Storm Brendan arrived on the day I was due to have my hair cut and styled by head stylist Leah at BA1 Hair on Bartlett Street.

Even though BA1 is the chosen salon of many of my friends, I had yet to visit, so when the opportunity came up to go in for a chop I leapt at the chance.

I am in general not the biggest hair and beauty fiend. I don’t get my hair done regularly enough, I’ve only had a facial once (for

work purposes) and I’ve never set foot inside a nail salon. That said, despite my beauty treatment reservations, I really enjoy having my hair washed.

And, I have to say, the washing at BA1 is on another level. Leah took one look at my winter ravaged hair and decreed it was in serious need of some extra TLC, so after a lovely shampoo, condition and head massage, an Aveda Botanical moisturising treatment was carefully worked into my hair and then left for ten minutes or so. Before I had the chance to think damn I wish I had my phone to pass the time I was treated to a hand massage – a first for me. I recommend it. Whether you’re the lie back and relax type (the lady next to me) or the person that talks incessantly throughout (me), it really is lovely.

“Hair washing at BA1 is on another level”

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Lydia was still feeling the benefits of her Aveda moisturising treatment a week – and a couple of hair washes – later

WHAT YOU NEED IN a hairdresser more than anything is confidence, and Leah put me at my ease from the moment I sank into my chair. We bonded quickly over mutual appreciation of podcasts and Greta Gerwig as she expertly dealt with my mostly grown-out bob. The primary way I can describe the experience is one of infectious enthusiasm – whether we were chatting about hair or Everything I Know About Love. Leah’s an Aveda colour ambassador, and after talking to her, I have to say, I’m a convert. Aveda was all about clean beauty a long time before it was cool, Leah explained, and to this day their products are cruelty-free and contain around 90 per cent organic raw herbal ingredients and organic essential oils, while 85 per cent of their skin and hair product packaging is almost entirely comprised of recycled materials. From the moisturising treatment to the

Confixor styling gel, a lightweight product that kept my curls in place despite the less-than-ideal weather, to the Nutriplenish leave-in conditioner that left my hair softer than it has perhaps ever been, every product felt fresh, light and, best of all, guilt-free.

You can see why Aveda is the chosen brand at BA1.

The salon’s commitment to Aveda is part of what drew Leah, a fairly new (but already sought after) member of the team, to the salon in the first place.

I was sad to leave – and not just because of the weather. But off I went, with a vow soon to return that I might even keep, my immaculately curled hair carefully tucked away under my waterproof, a handful of podcast recommendations to add to my repertoire and a new set of products for my wish list. n For more: www.ba1hair.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 77

ONE TO ONE

HOT GOSSIP Once a Britpop party animal and tabloid darling, Meg Mathews has started making very different headlines: as the country’s leading menopause activist and advisor

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By Matt Bielby

t doesn’t seem long ago that Meg Mathews was a fixture of the red-tops.

Wife to Noel Gallagher, pal to Kate Moss and Sadie Frost, she was Queen Bee of the Primrose Hill set, a woman forever caught draped over her buddies in the tabs or standing, slightly more demure, in bare legs and denim jacket on the Vogue society pages.

“But then, in 2017, I started getting these strange feelings,” she tells me. She’s coming to Bath in November, with a very different medication regime in mind. “I thought I’d hit a mid-life crisis, that my ’90s partying had caught up with me. Or could this odd collection of symptoms be, I wondered, something to do with my mental health? They were certainly nothing like I’d ever heard about the menopause.”

But menopause they were, and Meg suddenly found her life taking a new focus.

“The basic version of what everyone thinks happens is you stop having your period and might get a hot flush, but that’s not what happened with me. I felt terrible anxiety, I didn’t want to leave the house.

There was no hot flush, and I had no idea if my periods were stopping or not – I used the Mirena coil, so I didn’t bleed anyway. I was totally confused.”

The truth, though, seems obvious in retrospect: Meg was going through something every woman on the planet goes through – around 13 million in the UK alone, she says, at any one time – and she didn’t understand it. More frighteningly, hardly anyone else seemed to either. And the symptoms for everyone, Meg suspects, are getting worse.

“Everything’s conspiring against us,” she says.

“Pollution, 4G, Brexit, the cost of living, the rain forests burning down – it all means our lives are so much more stressful than our grandmothers’ were. And these days there aren’t always older women around to help. My own mum passed away five years ago this August, for instance, so I basically had no-one to speak to.”

Really? Has life actually got that much worse?

“It seems to me that it has. It certainly isn’t as easy as it used to be in the ’80s and ’90s, which were brilliant.”

Hanging out with movie stars in Primrose Hill, maybe…

“Our lives are so much more stressful than our grandmothers’ were. And there aren’t always older women around to help”

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This content was taken from Bath Life issue 402.

This information was correct at the time

Meg Mathews: once the face of hip Primrose Hill, now bringing her message to the British everywoman

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ONE TO ONE “But whoever you are, whatever you are, the big thing with the menopause is that we don’t talk about it – and we should, because it happens to every single woman. I’ve never got my head around why we talk about periods and pregnancy in schools, but never mention the menopause. Why is nobody preparing us for what’s going to happen to us?”

Well, not quite nobody. There’s now Meg, with her website, Meg’s Menopause; less than two years old, it’s been a massive hit, and turned Meg into the somewhat unlikely face and voice of the menopause in the UK, and a dedicated campaigner through newspaper features and daytime TV. Is the tide turning on this, do you think? Are we finally starting to learn how to talk about the menopause a little more?

We are – but because I’m a celebrity, people still find it funny. They say, ‘Oh, look at her, she’s lost her libido, she’s all dried up, she’s over the hill.’ But I can take it. Not many would want to become the face of the menopause, maybe, but I’ve found it somehow empowering. I’m certainly more comfortable talking about it now, in my fifties, than I ever would have been in my twenties or my thirties. After all, what have I got to lose, really?

Do that, and you’ll feel like you’re 25 again…

Not quite! When I was young I had such an easy ride.

I never had a heavy period or period pain, never took a day off games. I was never all ‘kill your boyfriend’ with PMS. I gave birth in an hour and 15 minutes, then got up and had a shower.

But in your early fifties it all changed.

God said, ‘Here you go’ – and floored me. I didn’t leave the house for three months; I told everyone I had glandular fever. There are around 30 known symptoms of the menopause, and I had 27 of them.

My quality of life went completely downhill. You put on weight, you have no energy, and the thought of going to the gym makes you sick.

So what should women do? Go along to see their GP?

Yes, of course – but remember, they may not know a great deal about the menopause either.

I’d suggest finding a menopause expert, and doing your own research. It doesn’t help, of course, that we get so much conflicting information: first we’re told HRT might cause cancer, then we’re told it doesn’t, then there’s a scare again…

It means I’m very careful about commenting on things – I won’t do it until I’m 100 per cent certain.

“When I was young I had such an easy ride. Then God said, ‘Here you go’ – and floored me”

So are you all the way through the menopause yourself now?

Part of the problem seems to be that everyone’s menopause story is different…

Out the other side, though I’ll keep taking Hormone Replacement Therapy until I’m 99. I take testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen – and feel great, actually. I’ve got my energy back, and life is practically normal again. I say ‘practically’, because I still get days when I don’t feel as good, or can’t sleep at night. But there are ways to cope with that too – often as basic as eating healthily, and drinking lots of water. Basically, looking after yourself.

Hardly any are the same. And while it’s true that some HRTs are running out, others aren’t – and you can usually swap over, though women don’t always know this. My favourites are the ones you rub into the skin, as there’s no danger of it going into the liver and causing clotting. They help with the libido, help you become more active – but using testosterone doesn’t mean you’re going to turn into a man. You’re taking just the tiniest amount. Some women can’t use HRT

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Meg’s MM range is subtle enough that you can pop ’em in your shopping bag and nobody will notice, she says – and cheap enough that your partner won’t question the cost, either

for medical reasons, and I feel so sorry for them – but if you can, you probably should. Millions of women are suffering right now when they don’t need to.

Does it feel like talking about the menopause has become your life?

I definitely think, ‘This is what I should be doing’ – far more than I ever did with my interior design, or the other stuff I did. This seems important – and partly because I’ve found I have a voice, and am being listened to. People always want to talk to the celebrity rather than the expert, but I’ve made sure I’m backed up by a solid panel of medical women.

When there’s something I don’t know, I go straight to people like Dr Louise Newson, an amazing menopause specialist, to find out.

What are the most important things you can do to help?

My diary’s fully booked into 2020, five days a week, talking with the press or going into big companies and explaining ways to manage the menopause with their staff. I’ve done talks at the Foreign Office twice now. There might be 3,000 women in an organisation, none of them knowing if and when their periods will come. Some might need a quiet space, some might be about to make a presentation and feel overwhelmed or have a hot flush – the idea is to make it all seem as normal as possible. Women find they’ve worked their whole lives to get to a certain place – then suddenly don’t want any more promotions, because they don’t feel they can t ake it on.

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ONE TO ONE The menopause is one thing for rich, successful women to deal with, surely, and another for everyone else…?

Which is why I do everything on the NHS – I never use private clinics – and why my range of MM products is pitched to be accessible too. Only a small percentage of people can pay for a £700 blood test at Harley Street. Everything I do, and everything I talk about, the whole nation can afford. That’s why you won’t find my stuff in Selfridges or Harvey Nichols or Space NK, but you will find it in Boots and Superdrug and Tesco. I’m not so much interested in the three million who could maybe afford Harley Street – I want to help the other 10 million, too.

MM is growing into quite a range, isn’t it?

Some products are specifically for the menopause, but others are for more general vaginal health. Keeping the PH balance of your vagina is so important, because it’s a membrane, yet your body almost abandons it during the menopause; it decides you no longer need to be moist down there. Back in the olden days, if I was living in a tribe of cave people, nobody – not nature and certainly not the other cave people – would want me running around as an old women, trying to fornicate with all the bold young warriors. They’d rather I sat back, giving out herbs and advice and looking after the children. But because we’re living longer and have better lifestyles, you and I might have other ideas – and that’s why I made my own lubricant!

Nobody wants to pay £45 for expensive lube, so mine’s just £10.

menopause, there’s a lot of interest. They start thinking about their wives, their mums, their sisters – and what they went through, or will go through.

What are you still surprised that women don’t know?

Well, I thought I was a woman of the world and knew everything – but I had no idea, for instance, about the three basic stages: perimenopause, menopause, then postmenopause. From your early forties you might have weeks when you feel off or tearful, and you think it’s just holiday blues – but that’s perimenopause.

Then you have a stage where your periods are all over the place – one every three months, maybe – and that’s the menopause. It can go on for years. The last one is postmenopause, which is when you’ve not had a period for 12 months.

Typically people start going through the menopause around age 51, but one in a hundred women starts between 40 and 45. I’ll stand in front of a room of 300 women and ask who knows this, and maybe five hands will go up.

“Well, I thought I was a woman of the world and knew everything – but I had no idea, for instance, about the three basic stages”

And the more we do that, the easier it will get for everyone?

How do men feel about all this?

I want the taboos and the stigma to go. We’ve made such strides with LGBTQ and mental health issues, so I’m now starting to lobby government to pay more attention to the menopause. We need more training for GPs, bringing them all up to date on best thinking, but we also need more nurses in the local surgery who are specifically trained in the menopause.

And we need to be more vocal ourselves. We need to complain more if we’re not being given the right help! n

At first they laugh, or don’t want to know.

But actually, once you get them talking about the

For more, www.megsmenopause.com

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Amongst the lesser known menopause symptoms, Meg says, are dental problems, joint pain and electric shocks

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SO SPA SO GOOD This content was taken from Bath Life issue 399.

This information was correct at the time

Fancy a warm, cocoon wrap or a Swedish effleurage?

A rock sauna or a bamboo massage?

Spas in Bath have upped their game.

We went exploring‌

By Harriet Noble

Release your inner mermaid in the pool at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa

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SPAS

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B SPAS

ath is, of course, rather famous for its spas. It’s what most tourists do when they come here.

But it sometimes feels like it’s so obvious, so quintessentially Bath, that we, as residents, actually forget to go to them, which is something of a shame.

And they’ve progressed a lot over the years. Forget grating rainforest-sounds humming out of a tired CD player – these days you’re looking at tailor-made treatments designed to suit your specific needs and desires, whether you’ve got a dodgy knee, are seven months pregnant, are going through chemotherapy, or just want some time out from your busy life. Here’s a snapshot of what’s on offer locally to soothe both mind and body.

SPA VILLAGE AT THE GAINSBOROUGH

and warm cocooned wrap? “The magnesium is responsible for promoting energy levels, sleep, circulation, metabolism and muscle movement,” says Peter Rollins, director of marketing and communications at the Gainsborough.“This relaxing therapeutic treatment helps to replenish commonly deficient levels. Body tissues relax and pores take in the vital minerals from the products.” www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

THE SPA AT WOOLLEY GRANGE

Woolley Green, Bradford on Avon In a lava shell: Set within the walled garden at the hotel, this is a mecca for all those in need of some downtime. Facilities include a sauna and steam room, heated indoor and (during friendly seasons) outdoor pool, beautiful 14-acre gardens, and a relaxing hangout area, decked out with comfy sofas where you can enjoy assorted drinks and refreshments.

“Bucking the trend for adult-only spas, Woolley Grange is very family orientated”

Beau Street, Bath In a lava shell: Spa Village is set beneath a glass atrium in the heart of The Gainsborough Hotel and is famous for its natural thermal waters. Guests can expect three natural thermal baths, 11 treatment rooms, an aromatic steam room, ice chamber, infrared and traditional saunas, a relaxation terrace and a fully equipped gymnasium.

What’s unique about it? Your average spa, this is not. It stands over an old Roman Bath House and contains a replica of a 4th century Roman mosaic.

The thermal waters which guests can bathe in today fell as rain 10,000 years ago, and contain over 42 minerals, which provide a range of therapeutic benefits.

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What’s so great about it? “The location is idyllic,” says marketing manager Caroline Mackay. “Take a walk around and see fresh flowers and produce growing, and the comical Indian runner ducks – who keep down the slugs and snails.”

Or, if the weather’s not so great, enjoy a coffee in the panelled drawing room of this Jacobean manor.

What special treatments do they offer?

They’re big on skincare at The Spa at Woolley and offer Elemis luxury spa treatments – they’re famous for their anti-aging products – and Jessica Cosmetics nail treatments.

above: ‘I’ll get in in a second, stop pressurising me!” The Spa

Village at The Gainsborough; below: Save me a bed! The L’Occitane Relaxation Suite at Bath Priory Hotel

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SPAS Anything for the kids? Bucking the trend for adult-only spas, Woolley Grange is actually very family orientated. Children can use the pools and spa facilities – they even offer mini me treatments, if you actually think your kids are worth it – or, if you have young children in tow, they have an Ofsted registered crèche on site, aptly called Woolley Bears Den, which offers two hours of childcare. www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk

THE GARDEN SPA BY L’OCCITANE AT THE BATH PRIORY HOTEL

Weston Road, Bath In a lava shell: This award-winning spa has four luxurious treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, indoor pool, pool-side sauna, elliptical steam pod and shower, and a heated outdoor pool, set within the hotel’s four acres of beautiful gardens. It’s also the first and only L’Occitane Spa in the UK.

our car park, which eases arrival and departure and maintains the wonderful feeling of calm!”

Any special treatments? “The spa’s signature treatment is a Verbena Relaxing Massage, featuring one of L’Occitane’s emblematic ingredients, the aromatic verbena,” says Sam. “Combining Swedish effleurage, Chinese acupressure and Balinese massage techniques, this treatment stimulates circulation, eases tension and relieves stress.” www.thebathpriory.co.uk

BATH SPA HOTEL

Sydney Road, Bath In a lava shell: The hotel is nestled in beautiful landscaped gardens, making it the ideal spot for a bit of me time. Their facilities include an indoor and outdoor pool, gym, hydropool, whirlpool, treatment rooms, sauna, ice room, and thermal suite.

“Guests can enjoy the sunshine in their robes whilst robins flit around the garden”

What’s on offer: Expect a full range of luxurious treatments, from facials, body massages, body scrubs and wraps, to mini treatments, manicures and pedicures, alongside holistic and beauty treatments.

What’s so special about a L’Occitane Spa? “Guests at the spa are invited to enjoy the facilities of the hotel, including its world class restaurant in which to enjoy lunch, afternoon tea or a drink, either on the terrace in sunnier months, or beside a roaring open fire in one of the hotel’s lounges in colder times,” says spa manager Sam Teifal.

“Slightly less exciting, perhaps – but always appreciated – is that we’re one of the very few spas in Bath to offer our guests complimentary parking in above: Having a cuppa at The Bath Spa Hotel;

below: Make a splash at The Gainsborough Bath Spa

What sets this spa apart? The team here pride themselves on creating treatments that perfectly fit the individual. “Whether your aim is relieving muscle pain, de-stressing or to leave feeling energised, we’ll help you select the perfect combination of treatments, aromatic oils and skin rubs to work with your skin, mood and needs,” says general manager Stephen Browning.

“We work to be as inclusive as possible, offering a carefully tailored men’s package, as well as pregnancy massages geared to support women through each trimester.”

They are also one of the first hotels in the UK to offer Jennifer Young treatments for those living with cancer. “Our staff have been specially and meticulously trained to offer sensitive consultations and treatment in this area,” says Stephen.

Anything else? Yes, the food! “Our executive chef, Jon Machin, takes his inspiration from his

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SPAS early career working on the super-yacht, Octopus, for the late Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen,” says Stephen.“He’s classically British trained, but loves to bring an international twist to everything he does.” www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

THE SPA AT BOWOOD

Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, Derry Hill, Calne In a lava shell: A mere thirty minutes drive from Bath, this spa boasts an infinity pool with corker views over Bowood’s pristine parklands. Facilities include aromatherapy showers, a rock sauna, a crystal steam room, a gym and a spa bar. [Read about Ané’s visit here on page 63] What treatments do they have? “We’ve introduced Eminence Organic Skincare for most of our facial treatments,” says senior digital marketing executive Dan Robinson.

“Our spa manager, Angela Covey, was inspired by their unbound commitment to all things socially responsible and, of course, natural. We’ve been working closely with the founders to create skin specific facial treatments to help naturally reduce signs of aging, redness and acne, to name a few.”

Anything else? They practice and promote Thai massage techniques, such as warm bamboo massages which are designed to break down fatty deposits and minimise cellulite, whilst providing lifting effects on the body. Another treatment is hot poultice massage, used to relieve aches and pains. www.bowood.org

THE SPA & BATH HOUSE

The Royal Crescent Hotel &Spa, Bath In a lava shell: Six treatment rooms, a Himalayan salt-infused sauna, herbal steam room, 12-metre relaxation pool, vitality pool, fitness centre, and a Taittinger Spa Garden.

What sets this spa apart? “Hidden away at the end of a beautiful garden, the Spa & Bath House is a haven of tranquillity, where you can truly escape the hustle and bustle of the city,” says marketing 92 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

above: Get wallpaper envy in the treatment rooms at The Spa at

Bowood; below: the luscious Spa Gardens at The Royal Crescent

manager Mary Stringer. “Let the birdsong and quiet scuffles of squirrels burying their nuts soothe you on your walk across the garden, then slip into the cool welcoming embrace of our relaxation pool.”

What about the atmosphere? “This Spa is as closely intertwined with nature as is possible,” adds Mary. “Guests can enjoy the sunshine in their robes whilst robins flit around the garden. Even inside the spa there are elements of nature – such as the 3D-effect silver leaf wallpaper. And from the relaxation pool guests can view the garden through high, chapel-style windows.” www.royalcrescent.co.uk

MORE SPAS IN BATH

LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL & SPA Colerne, Chippenham This country house retreat offers some rather kooky treats, like their Saddle and Spa day package, where you can go for a hack, have a spot of lunch in their brasserie, and then get horizontal in their spa pool and thermal cabin. www.lucknampark.co.uk SPA 15, NO 15 GREAT PULTENEY No 15 Great Pulteney Street, Bath The vintage-inspired, underground spa offers themed treatments rooms and a plethora of holistic treatments. www.no15greatpulteney.co.uk THERMAE BATH SPA Hot Bath Street, Bath Here you’ll find the Minerva Bath, a wellness suite, and the jewel in the crown – the open-air rooftop pool. www.thermaebathspa.com HOMEWOOD SPA Freshford A range of treatments, spa days and spa packages are on offer; facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, sauna and steam room, and a heated outdoor pool. www.homewoodbath.co.uk

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