RAGDALE HALL SPA

Lift your heart and shift your soul

There is so much to experience at Ragdale from the moment you step through the glass doors, and Kate and Mary made the most of it

MARY AND I were lucky enough to stay overnight at Ragdale recently and sample the refurbished gym and fitness studios. ormally when go to agdale tend to concentrate on the rela ation side of things head straight for the pool and thermal spa, then try and sit in as many different rooms as possible reading my book, drinking tea and watching the world go by. do tend to try one, at a push two, fitness classes but if ’m honest generally choose the wind down classes at the end of the day. his time wanted to focus my attention on moving around a little more and trying some of the new signature classes that are bespoke to agdale. he idea is that when you enter the new eart and Soul itness space the instructors will help you find that e tra drive and inspire you to go that extra mile so that you leave with more of an idea of how much you can achieve if you put your heart and soul into it. ell, Mary and were prepared to give it a go

Bearing in mind ’ve become a tad more sluggish over loc down, we decided to go for five classes in total over the hour period we were there. e wanted a taste of the different types of classes on offer, which are divided into cardio, strength, dance, mindful and water classes. e started with Musical Madness where we learnt a se uence of dance steps to the tune of Footloose under some seriously impressive lighting while in fits of laughter. e’d both forgotten how much fun exercise classes can be, but also how much of a memory challenge they are. hy is it so hard to remember the beginning of the se uence, while you’re practicing the chorus aving given our cognitive abilities a work-out we moved on to Pilates which was strenuous in a different way. feel as though my core has not been so engaged’ for many a month. hese are small movements but are still demanding and highly effective in improving your posture and e ibility. hat li ed so much about all the classes we too was the advice given by the instructors as to how to incorporate these lessons in everyday life. oc ing bac wards and forwards on your feet while cleaning your teeth does wonders for your balance apparently.

We then moved on to WAVE which is one of the new signature classes fusing yoga, ilates and contemporary dance. s loise added more adaptations to the ow towards the end of the class must admit did start to struggle slightly but it was my third class of the day and overall wal ed away feeling rather en with all my muscles stronger and longer than when wal ed in. inally we did a Stretch to ela class which obviously helped to soothe those tired muscles. nd boy, did we feel a sense of achievement we’d definitely wor ed hard enough to deserve a relaxing facial and back massage before heading to the delightful new Twilight Bar for a cocktail then a slap up three

course dinner in the restaurant.

We got the impression there were more people coming in small groups treating themselves to a long, luxurious spa retreat perhaps in lieu of a holiday abroad. And why wouldn’t you? You have endless classes and treatments on tap, a beautiful 25 metre pool and the thermal spa with all the different heat and water rooms to choose from. nd since it was built in the rooftop infinity pool has certainly become one of my favourite spots. You can see for miles from up there and I love the way modern additions to Ragdale have managed to blend in over the years with the original, highly distinctive building.

It wasn’t great weather when we visited which was such as shame as we didn’t take advantage of the outdoor pool or extensive gardens but we noticed the increase in outdoor seating areas, which are being made ready for more outdoor dining. The food is absolutely delicious, and far more plentiful than was presumably on offer in when Slimming Maga ine first turned it into a spa. aving previously been a hall dedicated to country pursuits, nowadays the main pursuit at Ragdale is relaxation, luxury and spending quality time with friends and family. We met numerous people who have been coming for the

“Finally we did a Stretch to Relax class which obviously helped to soothe those tired muscles. And boy, did we feel a sense of achievement.”

last 20 years for a few nights each summer plus an extra top up during the winter months. bviously things are slightly different at the moment with some Covid restrictions still in place; you don’t get the friendly handshake from your therapist before your treatment, and you have to book a time slot in the thermal spa and in the infinity pool. But the upside of that is you feel e tremely ovid secure, and the staff, as usual, couldn’t be more supportive.

After a good night’s sleep - we were out for the count after such a busy day – we started the next morning with the LIFT strengthening class. Mary used to lift weights in her gym before lockdown but hasn’t managed to get back to it yet, but I’d never used a barbell before. Let me just say the muscles in my shoulders and legs are still aching, days after the event. I have been inspired to have a go on my son’s weights at home though as I want to improve my muscle mass to help boost my metabolism but also to tone up. Staring at yourself for three hours in a studio mirror is quite the incentive!

For full details and prices of spa days and stays visit

www.ragdalehall.co.uk