‘A lesson like no other’: readers’ favourite learning holidays

Rail, sail and learn to surf in Portrush, County Antrim

We took the train to Birkenhead then overnight ferry (new Stena boat with four-berth cabin for £229) to Belfast. The Translink train whisked us to Portrush (£54 for family of five). Arriving in centre of town allowed easy walking to accommodation and the surf beach. The Alive Adventures instructors were fantastic, entertaining kids in all weather conditions and providing snug c-skin wetsuits to prevent cold. Afternoons were spent using the frequent Causeway Rambler bus along the beautiful Antrim coastline.
David Williams

Spotting puffins and gulls on Skomer, Pembrokeshire

Spending two nights with our two young children on Skomer Island off the coast of Wales was an unforgettable experience. The island, known for seabirds such as puffins and razorbills, offered a unique opportunity to get hands-on with nature. We joined researchers in tagging baby Manx shearwaters, learning how their efforts help protect these birds. The children loved gently holding the chicks and seeing conservation in action. We also participated in an evening birdwatching survey, spotting puffins and gulls. Those two days deepened our appreciation for wildlife, and left us with lasting memories of this magical island. My tip? Stay overnight to fully experience the magic of the island.
Clare Baskott

Sing your heart out in Florence

I am easily the worst singer in my family, so when I stumbled on an international group learning how to sing a cappella in a church in Florence last summer, I decided to join them for the week – and my children and wife encouraged me. The sessions were fascinating. In a simple but beautiful Renaissance church overlooking the River Arno, I learned about the history of a cappella (literally of the chapel, as it’s a kind of choral church music), did relaxation and breathing exercises to warm up, and practised some basic songs. The course also taught me how to do vocal harmonies with others. I certainly feel a better singer for it – and I’m told off much less now for exercising my vocal cords at home!
Joe

Write where the Brontë sisters were inspired, West Yorkshire

I can’t think of a better place to attend a creative writing course than Arvon Lumb Bank near Hebden Bridge. If the course is not an inspiration, the setting certainly is. It’s the former home of poet Ted Hughes, and his wife, Sylvia Plath, is buried across the valley in the churchyard at Heptonstall. Walk across the moors at the top of the valley and you will reach Top Withens, the farmhouse (now ruined) which inspired Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Dropping down from there, you reach Haworth and the Brontë Parsonage. Lumb Bank reopens in 2025 after a refurbishment, so go and be inspired to write your own great poem or novel.
Chris Allen

Scuba diving in Malta

Looking up at the sun’s rays permeating the surface of the sea is a lesson like no other. The Maltese island of Gozo offered me the chance to learn to scuba dive in the Mediterranean at Bubbles Dive Centre. The three-day course teaches basic safety skills before you take to the water for practical lessons that enable students to become Padi-certified open water scuba divers. After qualifying, you will embark on a recreational dive. Ours took us along a narrow creek in the breathtaking Għasri Valley, surfacing in Cathedral Cave, where we admired the luminous blue lighting and natural beauty.
T Miller

Painting Irish coastal landscapes

Having never taken an art class at school, (my father insisting that three years of Latin would be more beneficial), I finally signed up for a three-day Artform workshop with Neal Greig as instructor in beautiful Dunmore East, County Waterford. While I’m no Cézanne, I developed a love of oils and textures, necessary tools to depict Irish coastal landscapes. It’s a world away from my day job working in IT, but those few days have left me dreaming of retiring to a studio with nothing more than an easel and the sea.
Aoife Mac Cana

Surf’s up in Portugal

I had a fantastic time at Peniche Surf Lodge in September. For £385, I had seven nights in a single room, with shared bathroom. Being a hostel, all the guests are keen to get to know one other. Also included is seven days of surfboard rental and five in-water coaching sessions. Duncan and Dane Hall are the coaches – Dane is ex-pro. Every day after breakfast, we’d load up the people carriers and head to the beach where the family would set up a beach camp for us, including blankets, windbreaks and cushions.
Paddy G

Cooking in Spain

I spent five days in Moclin, Andalucía, with Granada Cultural Holidays, to learn how to cook local dishes. The course was hands-on, as we prepared all our meals as well as tapas for 50 guests. Having expressed an interest in tortilla, I peeled and sculpted 2kg of potatoes and learned that you can never use too much olive oil. The drained potatoes were mixed with 12 eggs and after cooking, I flipped the huge tortilla out and back into the heavy cast iron pan under the gaze of my fellow students. Everyone wanted to try the result, and I ended up making more for the guests.
Roy Messenger

Snorkelling with sharks off Cornwall

One of the most exhilarating moments of my life has to be seeing a sleek silvery blue shark just below me in the water. We caught a boat with Blue Shark Snorkel from Penzance and travelled 10-20 miles out to sea, where the knowledgeable crew tell you everything you might want to know about these sharks. Once you convince yourself to slip from the safety of the boat into the water, snorkelling is a great lesson in controlling your fear. But you gradually learn to calm your heart rate, keep your face in the water and then every glimpse of these beautiful creatures is a joy.
Sukie

Winning tip: sculpting by the seaside in Dorset

The Isle of Portland may be best known for Chesil Beach, but it captivated my heart as the backdrop for an extraordinary week-long stone sculpture course with the Portland Sculpture and Quarry Trust. Led by an inspiring artist couple, Hannah and Paul, I was guided through the process of hand carving to coax an artistically dubious bird bath from a huge lump of fossil-filled Portland stone. Each day ended with a rejuvenating swim to wash away dust and sweat in Church Ope Cove, believed to be the site of Britain’s first-ever Viking attack, before falling into bed at my hostel in an old lighthouse. I returned to London with hands raw from polishing coarse stone and full of admiration for the craftspeople behind the many Portland stone buildings and carvings that adorn this city.
Catherine