A weekend of activities from paddleboard yoga and kayaking to creative writing and drawing has been brought together by the Swanage Pier team, aimed at improving wellbeing.
The brand new wellness weekend with activities to suit all different interests, takes place on and around the pier over the weekend of Saturday 16th July and Sunday 17th July 2022.
Swanage Pier makes a spectacular location for a weekend of wellbeing activities
Yoga already a regular feature on the pier
There are already regular weekly yoga classes on the pier which run on Wednesdays between 8 am and 9 am in July and August. But this is a chance for those who have never tried the activity before to give it a go.
Helen McCabe is a yoga teacher in Swanage who has been teaching it for 18 years. She set up a Dorset branch of Urban Yogis and works in conjunction with local youth organisations.
Exercise with the amazing backdrop of Swanage Bay
“Nice way to celebrate the pier”
Helen said:
“It’s a nice way to celebrate the pier and get people coming together and raising a bit of money for the Swanage Pier Trust.
“Yoga has been popular for some time but it’s become much more mainstream. There’s a lot of emphasis on the physical but the breathing and mindfulness are just as important to wellbeing.”
As well as yoga on the pier, there will be yoga on paddleboards under the guidance of instructor Anna Barrow.
Poet and creative facilitator Sarah Acton and artist Heidi Steller are also running sessions.
It’s a chance to try out something you haven’t done before
“It’s about being outside”
Phil Palmer from Pierhead Watersports, which is based on the pier, is providing the paddleboards for the unusual yoga class, as well as offering more conventional instruction into the sport and also kayaking.
Phil said:
“The event is about physical wellbeing but it’s really more about mental health. Covid has trapped a lot of people indoors and now they want to get out and do things.
“It’s not really about vigorous exercise, it’s about being outside and doing things that you wouldn’t normally do.
“If it sparks off a longer-term interest in water sports that’s all well and good.”
Paddleboarding and kayaking are two of the sports that people can try out
“Fun packed weekend”
Amanda Bowden, Swanage Pier volunteer and events co-ordinator, said:
“Working with local instructors, the weekend will be full of a variety of different activities on and off of the water for people to try. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to the pier, in what will be a fun packed weekend.”
Participants can take part in just one activity or buy a day pass for £30 or £55 for the whole weekend and try as many activities as they can fit in.
Further information
More about the Swanage Pier wellness weekend is on its website
Fun on the water is good for physical and mental wellbeing
