Crafty breaks: 15 of the UK’s best creative retreats

From pottery throwing to furniture upcycling, these arty breaks are all about learning new skills – or improving old ones – in lovely surroundings

Spend a week in National Forest woodlands learning to craft your very own chair to take home with you, with Greenwood Days, experts in all greenwood crafts. All levels of experience are catered for – beginners will make a single bow Windsor or a continuous arm Windsor, while the more advanced can design their own or try a child’s chair or Welsh Windsor. All materials are included, as well as lunch and hot drinks. The site is on the Leicestershire/Derbyshire border and accommodation is not included – try The Boot Inn in Repton, a 17th-century coaching inn with microbrewery. Shorter courses include two-day stool making or basketry weaving.
• Windsor chair-making courses are £650, next available dates are 21-27 June, 31 July-6 Aug, 25-29 Aug, 4-10 Oct, greenwooddays.co.uk