How about a spot of surfing this year?

Its funny isn’t it, how the British manage to fall into holiday fashions? As recently as five years ago the luxurious but largely culture-void bronzing opportunities of Dubai and Sharm-el-Sheikh were intoxicatingly appealing whilst last year had Brits yearning for rainy camping trips to the remotest parts of the UK. I dare say the trends are led in equal measure by celebrity appearances and the ‘hot-on-their-heels’ media who create the image of the dream holiday which we must all aspire to create and enjoy, whatever we do and whoever we are.

This year, it’s different. I cannot work out whether this is because the British public are waiting with their eyes peeled for the first celeb holiday snaps before they make any decisions, or because we may finally have realised that holidays should be planned, and taken, with the holiday maker in mind. I, for one cannot think of anything I’d rather do less than traipse around museums and galleries in the south of France and I know my boyfriend has absolutely no intention of following me to Africa to work in an orphanage or build a school – we are all so different, so why do we go in for holiday fashions?

For the majority of us who travel en couple/en famille/entre amis the most useful set-up is one of versatility. A holiday which offers enough variation so that people can do their own thing but also come together and enjoy a week away from the toll of the office and the stifling misery of the morning commute. This year, I may have found the perfect solution – a boutique eco camp in Portugal which offers as much or as little to the weary vacationer as they may desire.

The camp has been designed to blend into the beautiful natural surroundings of the Estremadura region of Portugal, next to the Obidos lagoon and on the Silver Coast and is centred on the very grounding ‘leave no trace’ attitude which the campers among us are probably very familiar with. The camp director Liz Elder (last month’s RIH gal) has a central philosophy for the camp which is based on guests leaving the camp feeling happier and healthier than when they arrived – simple really! It’s all about leaving the hectic city life behind and spending some time getting to know what nature has to offer.

The laid-back vibe is evident in the philosophy, the set-up, the surroundings and the activities – Liz is an enviably relaxed person who channels energy and it shows, both in the way things are run and in the way she makes you feel – just planning your trip takes you to a better place!

Activities on Offer

Although you could spend the week flopped on a local beach, Liz, a keen surfing and yoga fan, feels that holidays which incorporate activity can be much more relaxing, and has made it possible for guests to spend their week enjoying active pursuits regardless of fitness level.

Relaxing yoga at sundown

Though it’s only an hour from Lisbon, the Estremadura region lends itself to a wide range of outdoor activities. The camp focuses primarily on surfing and yoga, but also offers horse-riding, canoeing, mountain biking, hiking, kite surfing, caving, golf and even paragliding.

The surf in the area is some of Europe’s finest – Peniche and Baleal (both a 20 minute drive) are suitable for beginners and experts alike, and lessons are available for all standards of surfer with lessons individually tailored to ability. Beginners are taught surfing and boarding basics including how to be safe in the waves. More experienced surfers and boarders are given hints and tricks for paddling and more advanced manoeuvres such as ‘cut-backs’ through in-water guidance by our experienced instructors. Transport to and from the campsite to the waves in the area is offered and all lessons include the full range of high spec equipment.

The yoga programme has been designed to complement the surfing with daily Hatha yoga classes, but the camp will also have a number of guest yoga teachers coming out from the UK to offer specific yoga 10 day retreats throughout the summer. It is expected that the camp will host approximately 1 retreat per month from June. Yoga teachers currently lined up include Stewart Gilchrist and Amanda Denton.

For the culture vultures among you, the incredible city of Lisbon (as pretty as Nice but with a young trendy vibe) is nearby and the picture postcard medieval town of Obidos is very close and has been well-preserved with monuments, narrow winding streets and white-washed houses.

The beauty of the set-up is its tailor-made feel. Liz really put me at ease when we were discussing the camp and goes out of her way to make sure that the guest is at the centre of the camp. So although she has set packages, you can pick and choose as much as you like to get the most out of your stay.

Accommodation at the Camp

The accommodation is an eco-campsite with ‘glam-camping’ in tipis and canvas tents, offering guests a true ‘back to nature’ camping experience, but with the luxury of real beds and hot showers. As a keen surfer, Liz knows that this is important after a hard day’s surfing and made the most of this gap in the market.

Boutique camping on offer - anything but roughing it!

A breakfast of fresh bread delivered daily, fruit and cereal is included in the price of accommodation. Lunch and dinner are available on request. The camp offers healthy meals made from local produce including regular BBQs of fresh fish and meat. (Yes, it literally does sound like heaven!)

Finding Out More

The camp will be open from May 1^st to early October. More detail about pricing is available on the website, but a week’s tipi accommodation and breakfast, 5 days surfing (including tuition, wetsuit and board) and 5 days yoga (2 classes per day) is likely to set you back between £497 and £690 depending on the time of year and accommodation options.

Liz is offering a huge 20 per cent early bird discount to anyone booking before the end of April. All you need to decide is how you want to spend your week!

More information on the Surf-Yoga Camp can be found online here.