Pilates on the beach in Cornwall

Sarah Page
Mar 17
5 min read

Updated: 6 hours ago

"It Felt Like the First Evidence of a Season Change''

...A Relaxing Spa Weekend at Bedruthan Hotel

A Weekend Escape

It felt like the first evidence of a season change last weekend. I found myself saying in utter astonishment: "Look at me just sitting on the beach in a *t-shirt*!" True British-ness coursed through my veins as I remarked on the weather with genuine enthusiasm.

Not bad for the first half of March, which can notoriously swing to either end of the temperature scale.

My partner, Danny, and I escaped our usual life, routines, and surroundings for a relaxing spa weekend on the Cornish coastline. Bedruthan to be precise, nestled quietly between the bustling tourist spots of Newquay and Padstow.

The original 'excuse' for our indulgent weekend was part Valentine's gift from me to Danny and a slightly preemptive 'congratulations' gesture for his new career move. Although he hasn't received the final job offer yet, I feel it's very imminent. Yes, I hear you—my gesture wasn't entirely selfless. I too reaped the benefits.

A Reflection on Life Values

As the date drew nearer, I began to reflect on a potential development within my career, which nicely tied in with this little toe-dipping excursion. I indulged in some daydreaming about my values—what do I truly treasure in life? What brings me the most joy? Can I dial those elements up to extract as much pleasure as possible from this amazing experience we call life? Not to be dramatic or anything...

I concluded that the following three elements bring me the most joy and satisfaction—my life's passions:

Family & Close Relationships
Movement: Dance, Pilates, and ways to express using our bodies.
Travel, Adventure, and Exploration.

With this in mind, I vowed to find a way to boost all three passions. I conceived a long-term creative project: I will travel to new places, meet new people, and document my journey of learning (and perhaps even trying!) how movement and dance manifest in different cultures. I envision using this documentation in the form of film, blogs, and maybe even books one day. For now, it's all about diving in and honing my craft as I go.

The Journey to Bedruthan Hotel

With all these thoughts rattling around in my brain, I saw this weekend as an excellent first attempt to dust off my creative brain cells, edit some content, and enjoy the experience.

We left Dorset on Friday afternoon, tuned into a mix of Linkin Park and Louis Theroux. (I wonder how many people sit at the intersection of those two tastes?) We drove through an increasingly grey drizzly landscape heading southwest.

"Where's that sunshine gone?" we both remarked as Danny increased the windscreen wipers' speed. But weather is relevant—about two minutes before we arrived at Bedruthan Hotel, the sky opened up dramatically. The sunshine seemed to save itself for that last moment, giving us maximum 'wow factor' as we swung the hotel room door open to a breathtaking view of the beach under glistening early evening sunshine.

That evening, we had dinner reserved at the hotel. Honestly, neither of us knew what to expect, but we were blown away. The attention to detail, local produce, customer service, flavors, and aesthetic of the meal were outstanding. It was a truly memorable meal—I'm still daydreaming about it a week later!

A close second to our dining experience was the breakfast spread. With an on-site bakery, we enjoyed almost constant top-ups of freshly baked croissants, pain-au-chocolat, cinnamon swirls, sourdough toast—the list goes on! And, of course, we had fresh fruit, homemade compotes, smoothies, and countless options. All of this came with that same sunny beachside view. Complete heaven!

The only challenge was balancing our desire to indulge with making it to the 9:30 am Pilates class without any unfortunate gastrointestinal issues.

A Revitalising Pilates Class

I was really looking forward to attending a Pilates class. Guests at the Bedruthan Hotel have complimentary access to wellness classes and activities. The offerings turned out to be limited (a Pilates class one morning and a yoga class the next), but we were very grateful.

As a Pilates teacher, I often run out of time to partake in my own training—the very activity that fueled my initial interest and passion. This year, I vowed to prioritize my exploration of movement. This class felt like a fantastic way to kick off that intention.

The little studio was gorgeous, with soft pink walls and large windows that overlooked the stunning seascape. Danny and I ended up being 50% of the class. We exchanged smiles and polite chit-chat as the four of us picked mats from the wall and created our personal space in the studio.

The instructor had a lovely, airy, 'Cornish-chill' vibe. She guided us through a natural flow of Pilates-inspired movements. I appreciated her instruction, as it was hands-off while still offering options and suggestions for each of us to explore with our bodies.

We engaged in a great conversation about pain science, exploring the balance of physicality and mentality in managing discomfort. The class featured a spattering of classical Pilates exercises: mermaid, double leg kick, teaser, roll-overs, and roll-ups. I felt refreshed, challenged, and stretched afterward—the perfect state to head into the spa for a couple of hours of relaxation, which was next on our itinerary!

A Spa Experience Like No Other

The on-site spa, overlooking the ocean, featured indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, a steam room, and a jacuzzi. There was also an outside sensory garden we didn't explore, complete with cold plunge and an outdoor hot tub surrounded by plants and herbs.

To balance the high-end culinary experience from the night before, we opted for takeaway chips on Saturday night. We found a beautiful spot in the next bay to watch an unforgettable show put on by Mother Nature: a dramatic, ever-changing deep orange sunset.

Occasionally, we sprinted along the beach to retrieve some of our cardboard that had blown away. It was a relaxing dinner and definitely our first al fresco meal of the year!

The Final Day

The following day brought more glorious sunshine. Danny dusted off his longboard and headed to the beach to tackle the Cornish swell. I used this time to film a couple of movement sessions:

A 10-minute surf mobility warm-up (as requested by Danny).
A 20-minute flowy, wave-inspired Pilates session.

Both are available on my new project YouTube channel, entitled Sarah On The Move. I plan to incorporate both movement and travel diaries!

At first, I felt a bit awkward knowing beachgoers could see (and film) me doing Pilates. However, I thoroughly enjoyed moving in fresh air on the sand. Having focused on the reformer repertoire, I’ve relished returning to mat Pilates lately. It's an incredibly effective way to exercise and always more challenging than I anticipate!

Despite the late-winter British climate, I miraculously generated enough internal heat to alarmingly remove a jumper, leaving me in a gasp short-sleeved layer!

I created a little flow inspired by the ebb and flow of the sea and the waves. I incorporated classical Pilates mat repertoire—movements like mermaid, seal, curl-ups, roll-ups, and shoulder bridges—adding elements of undulation. It ended up feeling a bit yoga-esque due to the spine-waving and stretching quality. Check out the full class and let me know what you think!

Moving forward, I plan to upload regular, weekly sessions on this new channel while vlogging my explorations into other movement modalities.

I'm excited to put my journalistic, explorative, and creative hat back on!

We thoroughly enjoyed our relaxing weekend at Bedruthan Hotel in Cornwall. I loved discovering ways to move and engage in mindful mat Pilates.

You can explore the hotel's website and packages here.

Check out my fledgling YouTube project, 'Sarah On The Move' here.

Check out the video blog 'vlog' of the weekend here.