Broughton Sanctuary Reimagines the Traditional British Staycation

Self-catering stays, holistic wellbeing and rewilding in the Yorkshire Dales

As international travel grows increasingly complex and travellers seek meaningful escapes closer to home, Yorkshire’s Broughton Sanctuary makes the case for a restorative ‘slow travel’ staycation.
 
Set across 2,500 acres in the heart of the Dales, Broughton Sanctuary encompasses 23 self-catering accommodations and the historic Broughton Hall, with stays suited to everyone from solo travellers and couples to friends, celebrations and multi-generational groups. Guests can also enhance their stay at Avalon Wellbeing, one of the UK’s leading wellbeing centres, alongside rewilding experiences designed to reconnect them with their inner and outer natures.

A stay for every kind of traveller

Couples and solo travellers can settle into charming one- and two-bedroom boltholes, including the Grade II listed Middle Lodge within easy walking distance of Broughton Hall, Avalon and Utopia bistro and the romantic Ivy Cottage with a private garden.

For celebrations, Eden offers a characterful party house with space for a marquee and 11 guests, making it well suited to weddings and special occasions.

Larger groups can enjoy exclusive use of the grand Broughton Hall, a Grade I listed 16th-century home and recent filming location for Netflix’s House of Guinness and Channel 4’s A Woman of Substance.

For guests looking to immerse in nature, the remote former goat farmhouse, Yellison Lodge, is conveniently placed beside the wild swimming reservoir, with sweeping views across the Dales.

Nature recovery: Reconnect with your ‘outer nature’

Reflecting the rise of nature-led holidays and trips anchored in a distinct sense of place, Broughton’s rewilding project provides more than a scenic countryside backdrop. Across the Sanctuary, guests and the local community can explore a landscape undergoing active woodland and habitat restoration thanks to support and funding from the White Rose Forest.

The 30km self-guided Odyssey Trail, supported by the White Rose Forest’s Government-funded Trees for Climate programme, offers five interconnected loops, storytelling zones and key sites connected to the Sanctuary’s nature recovery project. Guests can learn more about Broughton’s rewilding work, including areas connected to beavers, Iron Age pigs and Riggit Galloway cattle.

Wellbeing: Reconnect with your ‘inner nature’

Restore balance at Avalon Wellbeing, with its Pool Suite, hydromassage pool, sauna and steam rooms. Book yoga and meditation classes and therapies such as Somadome meditation pods, Crystal Light Therapy, massage, acupuncture, Ayurvedic treatments, sound baths and bodywork. Outdoor experiences include wild swimming and sessions in the secluded Woodland Sauna.

For those who prefer a simple yet comprehensive introduction to Avalon during their stay, the Wellbeing Bundle (£70pp) brings together key highlights from across the experience.

Go Deeper with Broughton Immersion

For guests who prefer a ready-made itinerary, the brand new Broughton Immersion offers a structured introduction to the Sanctuary. The three- to seven-night residential programme brings together personal wellbeing and nature recovery, combining Avalon’s wellbeing approach with time spent alongside Broughton’s ecology team learning about the Sanctuary’s rewilding work. The first of the series runs from Thursday 20 - Sunday 23 August 2026, with further dates to follow. From £550 per person for a three-night immersion.

Stays at Broughton Sanctuary start from £245 per night in the one-bedroom Ivy Cottage.  Book here.

NOTES TO EDITORS

*Photo credits: Foraging image by Soulfocus Media; all others by Broughton Sanctuary
 
About Broughton Sanctuary and Avalon Wellbeing
Located in the Yorkshire Dales, Broughton Sanctuary is the only accredited Healing Hotel in the United Kingdom. The accolade recognises its commitment to wild wellbeing through immersive retreats, innovative rewilding initiatives and sustainability. The Sanctuary was named one of the world’s 30 coolest places to visit in 2024 by National Geographic Traveller and commended as “one to watch” in the Rest of the World Responsible Tourism Awards.

Broughton Sanctuary offers 98 bedrooms across historic and nature-immersed accommodation, from the 16th-century Broughton Hall to off-grid Hermit Huts and Sanctuary Homes. Home to one of the UK’s leading nature recovery projects, with over 330,000 trees planted in partnership with the White Rose Forest, activities include wild swimming, woodland saunas, forest bathing, ice bathing, sweat lodges, fire ceremonies, meditation labyrinths and moon baths. Plant-based dining is served at the walled garden bistro Utopia, with bespoke catering available throughout the estate.

At the heart of the Sanctuary lies Avalon Wellbeing, conceived by owners Roger Tempest and Paris Tempest as the estate’s wellbeing hub. Featuring thermal facilities, studio spaces and specialist treatment rooms, Avalon hosts residential retreats, daily yoga and meditation, workshops and a wide range of therapeutic practices.

Together, Broughton Sanctuary and Avalon Wellbeing are recognised as one of the UK’s most progressive destinations for depth-led, future-facing wellbeing.