Yoga and Walking – Cambrian Mountains, mid-Wales
Escape for a weekend in the heart of Wales, where wellness and refreshing walks surrounded by mountain scenery will be the focus.
Experience Type: Multi-Day Experience
Duration: 2 nights
Accommodation: Hostel
Group Size: Maximum 20 (but up to 32 sharing the accommodation)
Level: Leisurely Plus
Age: 18+
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs only
In a Nutshell:
Unwind in the peaceful surroundings of the Cambrian Mountains in Wales.
Rest in comfortable chalet-style hostel accommodation - meals included.
Enjoy four yoga classes designed to energise in the morning and relax in the evening - perfect pre and post walk sessions.
Savour the social interaction and fantastic views during two guided walks.
How do we grade our walks?
Yoga sessions (suitable for beginners), refreshing walks and fabulous mountain accommodation in Wales…let the wellness begin!
Unplug yourself from normal life with this weekend escape to the wonderfully named Welsh village of Staylittle and enjoy four yoga sessions and two sociable guided walks.
For this weekend Large Outdoors has booked out the whole of The Lodge, an award-winning group accommodation (sole occupancy double, twin and shared rooms available) that not only has a lounge with amazing views of the surrounding hills and woods, but also a dedicated yoga space.
Don’t be put off if you haven’t tried yoga before, as the classes will be perfect for beginners as well as those who are more experienced. Our walks will be led at a sociable pace and graded as Leisurely Plus (learn how we grade our walks). They will offer a good leg stretch - we are in the Cumbrian Mountains after all!
Home cooked meals will be served each evening, enabling the group to dine together and get to know one another, no doubt accompanied by much banter and chatter. It’s also worth taking a wander outside of an evening, as you’ll be staying in a designated dark skies area.
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1
Feel free to arrive any time after 5pm. There will be a cups of tea being made by your Large Outdoors host, who will help you settle in and make introductions. We will be sharing the accommodation with another Large Outdoors group taking part in a walking weekend and will all mingle together over dinners.
Our yoga instructor will hold the first session at 6.30pm, with a series of exercises aimed at relaxation and winding down.
We will serve the evening meal at 8pm and run through the plans for the next couple of days.
Day 2
There is no obligation, but if you are an early bird then there’s a 7.30am yoga session designed to energise people for the day ahead. Alternatively, you can wake up slowly - perhaps sitting in the lounge and savouring the landscape view - before having breakfast.
After breakfast, we pack up our lunch and head outside to explore. Your Large Outdoors guide will choose a walk that takes account of the weather. We’ll have a few options up our sleeve, but we could follow a route around the moorland and lake that makes up the Glaslyn Nature Reserve. This area is known for its pretty white cottongrass, followed by a swathe of purple with the flowering heather in summer.
We should arrive back at the lodge by mid-afternoon, with another yoga session in the studio planned for 5.30pm - perfect for stretching limbs after the day’s walking.
Then we sit down for the evening meal, re-united with the participants from the other group, so plenty of chance to swap tales of the day’s adventures.
Day 3
Enjoy one last yoga session at 7.30am before we have breakfast, pack up our belongings and check out of the accommodation. There’s time for another walk to explore more of this beautiful mountain area.
We aim to finish the walk around lunchtime, giving participants the opportunity to find a café for one last cuppa or meal together if they’d like, before heading home.
Please Note: On some days there could be a short drive required - where activities don’t start from the door of the accommodation. We don't include transport and participants normally car share.
Good to Know
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Meeting Time: from 5pm
You can arrive any time from 5pm - the Large Outdoors host will be at the accommodation to welcome you. The first yoga session will be at 6:30pm. Dinner will be served around 8pm so if you intend to arrive later than this, please ensure you have something to eat on the way.Meeting Location:
The Lodge
Staylittle
Llanbrynmair
PowysIf travelling by car and using a SatNav: the postcode is SY19 7BU, however this is an area code that takes you to a farm and dead end! Once in Staylittle village, look up for a car park just passed Staylittle Stores. We would suggest driving via Llanidloes or Llanbrynmair along the B4518 if travelling from any direction. A GPS can often send you via Trefeglwys and some very tight, narrow and steep lanes. Difficult to drive when you don't know the road!
Parking: There is parking available at the hostel.
Public Transport: The Lodge at Staylittle is located approx. 15 minute drive (taxi journey required) from Caersws and Machynlleth Train Stations, with services to/from Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street.
Please Note: On some days there could be a short drive required - where activities don’t start from the door of the accommodation. We don't include transport and participants normally car share.
Finish Time: We aim to finish on the final day between 1pm and 3pm - the exact finish time may depend on the planned/chosen activity, group dynamic, weather conditions, whether the group chooses to grab a coffee or lunch together during/after, etc. If you’ve travelled via public transport, please ensure you book onward travel accordingly (i.e. an open return ticket), to allow for flexibility.
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The Lodge at Staylittle is an award winning mountain chalet style accommodation set in the heart of the beautiful Cambrian Mountains of mid-Wales. There’s a large comfortable lounge, a perfect place to unwind in front of the wood burner after exploring locally, with a handy drying room just in case. Wi-Fi is available for sharing photos with friends and family. Bedding and a towel are included.
Accommodation Address:
The Lodge
Staylittle
Llanbrynmair
PowysRoom Types:
You can book one of the following options, subject to availability:
Bed in a Shared Female Room
Bed in a Shared Male Room
Twin Room
Single Occupancy Double RoomThe majority of rooms at this hostel are Shared Rooms, where you’ll be sharing a dorm room - usually with bunk beds - with other participants (room sizes vary and bathrooms are shared). Twin Rooms sleep up to two participants booking together, with two single beds (bathrooms are shared with other rooms). Single Occupancy Double Rooms sleep one participant, with a double bed (bathrooms are shared with other rooms).
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Included:
2 nights’ accommodation at The Lodge - Staylittle.
A Large Outdoors host/guide to welcome you, deal with meal preparation and the logistics for your experience.
Guided walks on two days (Day 2 and Day 3).
4 beginner-friendly yoga sessions with a qualified instructor.
Home-cooked set 2-course dinners at the accommodation on both evenings.
A DIY breakfast each morning (toast, cereals, fruit and yoghurt provided).
A DIY packed lunch (sandwich and snacks) for Day 2’s walk. Please ensure you bring a lunch box or dry bag - to reduce waste, we do not supply cling film or sandwich bags.
Teas (including decaf and herbal options), coffee (including decaf option), and soft drinks at the accommodation.
Bedding and a towel - but don’t forget your own toiletries.
The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not Included:
Travel to and from the meeting location.
Travel from the accommodation to activity start points and back, where they don’t start from the door. On some days there could be a short drive required - we don't include transport and participants normally car share.
Any extra (i.e. not mentioned above in ‘Included’) excursions or activities that you may partake in which incur a cost.
Bottled water - tap water and squash are available at the accommodation, so please ensure you bring sufficient water bottles or carriers to fill up and take out with you.
Alcoholic drinks - please feel free to bring something with you to enjoy at the accommodation.
Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.
Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our Residential (Walking) Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should have the items listed.
DON’T FORGET: to bring your own yoga mat and a blanket is really useful for the yoga sessions too!
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• What level of fitness is needed?
This trip is graded as Leisurely Plus. The walks will be of a length to enjoy a later start following yoga and breakfast, as well as a finish time to ensure we’re back before the 5:30pm yoga session on Day 2. The pace will be leisurely, but your legs will get a good stretch with the ups and downs necessary to explore the Cumbrian Mountains. Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.• I am currently on a specific diet / have an allergy - can you cater for me?
Unfortunately, we are generally unable to cater for a wide variety of diets or food preferences due to the nature and cost of our catered trips and/or the use of shared kitchens. However, we can offer vegetarian, vegan, and/or provide meals with gluten free ingredients - these options can be selected when booking. Please see our general FAQs for more information about dietary options.• What transport is provided during this experience?
We do not provide any transport for this experience. On some days there could be a short drive required to activity start points and back, where they don’t start from the accommodation - participants normally car share.• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this trip, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog on an experience, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the itinerary and any activity/equipment/accommodation, and of course additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.
