Navigation, Hiking & Wild Sauna
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL
£385pp
5th - 7th March 2027
Stay in cosy bunk barn accommodation in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Celebrate IWD with a group of like minded women
Guided hike exploring the hills of Swaledale
Delicious homecooked & nutritious food throughout your stay
Learn the basic skills for navigating your hikes
Special guest Elise Downing - talking about her adventure & outdoor acolades
Enjoy a wild sauna and dip at the beautiful Wain Wath Falls
Overview
CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY with an amazing group of like minded women where you can explore, learn and challenge yourself yourself through the power of the outdoors. You will be staying in Swaledale in basic but cosy bunkbarn accommodation, located between the villages of Muker and Gunnerside, the perfect hub for our activities. Holly Ross, navigation expert will be leading a 3 hour beginner navigation workshop, giving you all the tools to read maps, use compasses and get the most out of your hikes. Michael Monkman (you may have seen him and his pop up sauna feature with Robson Green), will be setting up his tent sauna at Wainwath Falls where you will enjoy the heat followed by a cool dip in Wain Wath Falls itself, Michael will be on hand to guide you safely through the process. Delicious homecooked meals will be provided all weekend, keeping you well nourished and energised, the weekend will be rounded off with a morning guided hike on the Sunday to explore another area of Swaledale.
SPECIAL GUEST to make this weekend extra special, Elise Downing will be joining us to give her fun and informative talk about all her adventures and running unsupported for 5000 miles across 10 months. Elise is also an ambassador for North Face and a bestselling author.
Accommodation
You will have two nights staying at the recently renovated Crow Trees Barn. This is a traditional barn located in the Yorkshire Dales countryside approximately a 10 minute drive from Reeth in Swaledale. The bunk barn is made up of cosy dorm rooms, an open plan kitchen, dining & lounge area, drying rooms for your kit and outdoor areas for us to rest and relax if the weather allows. It also boasts gorgeous views across the Dale.
There is onsite parking, WiFi and toilet and shower rooms. Crow Trees Barn is perfectly remote and an ideal space for relaxing, socialising and exploring. To get here, it is approximately 50 minutes from the A1 and approx 50 minutes from the M6
Activities
NAVIGATION WORKSHOP Navigation is super important for heading out and about on your hikes and on foot adventures. The workshop is aimed at beginner levels and will give you the tools to use a compass, read maps, learn what symbols and contour lines are, use local waypoints to navigate and safety aspects of hiking and walking in different terrains.
HIKING a guided hike with a local expert who will lead you on a safe route. You can expect a relaxed pace suitable for the group as a whole. There will be a mix of terrains with no technical (such as scrambling) aspects but there will be a mix of ascents & descents along with soft & hard terrain.
WILD SAUNA & DIP cold & hot cycling is becoming very popular and it is important to practise safely. Our sauna will be professionally set up and will be manned by Michael Monkman. He will guide you the process and also through the cold dip/swim that follows. Expect 2 - 4 cycles in the sauna. Wain Wath is located at the side of the road and is a wild location with no local facilities. If you have a health condition, please check in advance with your GP that is suitable.
Who is this trip suitable for?
All the activities are aimed at those with a reasonable level of fitness to get the most out of each one. This women only weekend welcomes solo travellers and those travelling with a friend.
Itinerary
Friday 4pm onwards - arrival 7pm - delicious 2 course meal
Saturday 8am onwards - breakfast 9am - 3 hour Navigation & Skills Workshop with Holly Ross 12.45pm - lunch back at Crow Trees Barn 2pm & 3pm - wild sauna & dips at Wain Wath Falls (transport included) 5pm - fun & information talk with Elise Downing 7pm - delicious 2 course meal
Sunday - breakfast from 8am 9am - guided hike to explore another area of Swaledale (perhaps practise your new navigation skills) 11.30am - hot drinks & cakes before departure
Itineraries & timings are subject to change depending on weather conditions. The Yorkshire Dales are beautiful but the weather can be changeable
What’s Included
2 nights cosy accommodation at Crow Trees Bunkbarn
3 hour guided hike with local expert
3 hour Navigation & Skills Workshop with Holly Ross
2 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 2 dinners
Talk from special guest & adventurer, Elise Downing
Unlimited tea, coffee & herbal drinks. Cake after your hike
Time to chill & relax
Pop up wild sauna and swim/dip at Wain Wath Falls (inc transport)
Enjoy a fun weekend away with great company and great activities
Prices & Dates
£385pp. A £150 non-refundable deposit is required to secure the booking, with the balance due 8 weeks before
Accommodation is shared in bunk style rooms. There will be a maximum of 14 people on this trip, split across 4 different bedrooms You will need to bring your own bedding and towel.
5th - 7th March 2027 - 14 spaces in total
There are also two other Navigation, Hiking & Wild Sauna weekends running throughout the year (6th - 8th August & 8th - 10th October)
Dietary Requirements - all of our food is made from fresh and is designed & created with a varied, gourmet vegetarian menu which is a combination of healthy meals and treats. Please let us know if you have any allergies and we will do our best to accommodate you, however please be aware that the kitchens we use can’t always be 100% allergen free.
Any questions about this wellness & adventure retreat, please email info@emmasdale.co.uk