Traeth yr Ora - Benllech, Anglesey

Treat a visit to this isolated strip of sandy beach as your own private yoga retreat. Traeth yr Ora is one of Anglesey’s best kept secrets, it’s a firm favourite with locals and it’s easy to see why. Offering an empty swathe of golden sands, a good stretch from the beaten track, it’s pretty much a yogi’s paradise. 

Suggested pose: Moving Bridge – add flow to your traditional bridge pose to channel the nearby water element.

Person seen from behind, stood in a yoga pose on the beach looking out to sea.
Person in a yoga pose on a beach with grassy dunes and fields in the distance

Traeth yr Ora - Benllech, Anglesey

Llyn Padarn - Eryri, Gwynedd

Llyn Padarn is a glacial lake in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park could be a contender for best yoga backdrop ever. At two miles wide there is plenty of space for a lakeside limber up, which you could follow with a spot of standup paddleboarding or kayaking with Snowdonia Watersports.

Suggested pose: Meditation – the sheer volume of water should be taken advantage of here so channel its energy to meditate and reconnect with nature.

Person sat in a yoga pose in front of a lake with a tree to their left in the foreground and mountains in the distance.

Llyn Padarn, near Llanberis, Eryri (Snowdonia), North Wales

Submerged forest – Borth, Ceredigion 

Plan your yoga session around the changing tides to witness the lost and submerged forests of Mid and West Wales. These date back to the Bronze Age, and surface at various beaches along the Welsh coastline including Borth, Tywyn and Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire, when the tide is at its lowest point. 

Suggested pose: Tree – reflect your nature-filled surroundings by adopting the majestic tree pose. Extend your arms towards the sky and work on your balance while soaking up the calming benefits of this beginner yogi pose.

Tree stumps on beach at sunset Submerged Forest.

Sun setting over Borth's petrified forest, Ceredigion, Mid Wales

Broad Haven South - Stackpole Quay, Pembrokeshire

Wander onto Broad Haven South's sandy, cave and rock-pool filled beach through Bosherton Lily Ponds for a tranquil start to your day. Bring friends, bring food and bring your yoga mat to one of Wales’ hidden gems. 

Suggested pose: Sun Salutation – kick-start your day with a series of sun salutations. Better than a cup of coffee any day of the week. 

A woman walking at Bosherton lily ponds.
A wide sandy beach. with sunny sky and light cloud.

Bosherton Lily Ponds and Broad Haven South beach, Pembrokeshire, West Wales

Church Doors Cove - Manorbier, Pembrokeshire

To be discovered at low tide, Church Doors Cove, is a secluded beach, only accessed from the coast path,  and backed with towering limestone cliffs. Nature at its finest and the perfect spot for a simple yoga flow.

If you’re planning to visit, check out the tide times to make sure you’ve plenty of beach to perfect your pose on and that you don’t get cut off by the incoming tide!

Suggested pose: Warrior – take in the sea air and stretch your shoulders by adopting the Warrior pose and holding for 30 seconds while you absorb the awesome view of the Pembrokeshire coastline.

 

A seaside rock formation with a hole through.

Church Doors Cove, Manorbier, Pembrokeshire, West Wales

Skirrid Fawr Mountain - Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

Skirrid Fawr, which locals refer to as the ‘Holy Mountain’, can be conquered in just two hours, or two and a half if you throw in a mountain-top yoga session at its peak. The summit itself is fairly expansive and flat, meaning you can spread out your yoga mat and take in panoramic views of the Black Mountains and neighbouring villages of Govilon, Abergavenny and Gilwern, while you say ‘Namaste’ to the calm state that can only be felt atop a glorious mountain. 

Suggested pose: Mountain – obviously. The ultimate place to practice the mountain pose and work on your strong and stable foundation.

Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes – Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan

If you like the thought of a desert yoga retreat then Merthyr Mawr sand dune nature reserve near Bridgend should definitely be on your radar. Acres of sprawling sand dunes offer seclusion for your practise in an almost other-worldy terrain. 

Suggested pose: Back Bend - make the most of the sun warmed sand and challenge yourself with a gentle back bend.

Aerial view of Ogmore and Ogmore Castle.

Ogmore and Merthyr Mawr, South Wales

Cardiff Bay, Cardiff

A capital city may not be the first place that springs to mind when it comes to suitable locations for some calm and tranquillity, but amid the hustle and bustle, there's waterside zen to be found in Cardiff Bay. Take some meditative time-out before enjoying a retail therapy session in the city centre shops.

Suggested pose: Standing Bow – with the stage of the Wales Millennium Centre just around the corner with this pose you can be the star of the show! 

Two people performing stretching yoga poses on a waterside boardwalk with buildings in the background.

Caru Yoga, Cardiff Bay, South Wales

Be safe!

Exploring the outdoors is fantastic fun, but please read up on the risks and make sure you are prepared.

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