The ideal way to stretch, unwind and enjoy a bit of soothing meditation, too, there's no better class to try than yoga. It's a common misconception that only flexible people can do yoga — a bendy body is definitely not required! — but the more classes you attend, the closer you'll get to touching your toes. And perhaps more importantly, yoga has an incredible effect of calming the mind and easing tension away.
So, if you're craving a new place to roll out your mat and practise those downward dogs, SoGlos has handpicked some of the best studios in Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds...
OrangeYoga in Cheltenham
One of Cheltenham's longest serving studios, based in the centre of town, with a fantastic reputation for both its classes and its teacher training, OrangeYoga offers a huge range of classes every day of the week, from a morning Ashtanga session to a restorative evening class and everything in between. It even offers free lunchtime sessions taught by its newly qualified teachers.
Prices start at £12 for a drop-in pass or opt for unlimited classes each month with a commitment-free 30-day pass for £30.
Stroud Yoga Space in Stroud
A studio and shop located in the heart of town, Stroud Yoga Space has been offering classes and workshops for over a decade. With a great variety of times and yoga styles available, including beginner's flows, Iyengar and meditation, the studio also houses the Stroud Yoga Shop which stocks an excellent selection of yoga clothes, mats and props.
Prices start at around £12 for a drop-in, with savings on block booking.
Yahra in Broadway
Just over the Gloucestershire border in Broadway, Yahra is situated in peaceful Cotswold countryside and offers a variety of yoga classes, holistic treatments and workshops such as sound baths. Some classes are heated for extra benefit to muscles and in the summer, classes are taught in the quiet garden overlooking rolling fields.
Classes start at £12.50 for a drop-in, with discounts for block booking and memberships.
Retreat and Rewild in Cirencester
One of Gloucestershire's newest boutique yoga studios, Retreat and Rewild opened in Cirencester in August 2023 and offers yoga, Pilates and barre, alongside retreats and workshops.
Classes start at £15 a session, with monthly memberships from £40. Five per cent of the studio's profits are donated to the John Muir Trust — a UK charity that works to conserve the country's wild places.
Ella and Fleur Hot Yoga in Cheltenham
An exclusively hot yoga only studio, Ella and Fleur Hot Yoga runs classes at varying temperatures to replicate the heat of hotter climates, such as India, with some sessions reaching a scorching 40 degrees Celsius!
With classes ranked at different sweat levels to signify how hot the temperatures are, the studio also boasts an infrared room that recreates a sun-kissed tropical environment that gets up to around 37 degrees Celsius. The benefits of heated yoga include relieving aches, relaxing muscles and giving the heart and lungs a more intense workout. Drop-in passes cost £20, with introductory rates and various membership offers.
Warrior & Wild in Nailsworth
Tucked away in Nailsworth, Warrior & Wild is a cosy first-floor studio brimming with beautiful plants and soothing fairy lights. Choose from sleep-inducing yoga nidra, balancing kundalini, pregnancy classes and much more.
Single classes start at £8, with drop-ins to find a class and teacher to suit you are encouraged. They even offer a membership for £10 a month for unlimited online classes.
The Nook Yoga Studio in Tewkesbury
The Nook Yoga Studio in Tewkesbury is a small, friendly studio that operates on a pay-as-you-go basis with no memberships or block booking. Classes are capped at six attendees and it runs weekly hatha, vinyasa and yin classes alongside meditation workshops and other special one-off sessions. It also has a small shop on-site stocking yoga goodies and gifts.
Classes start at £8 with online booking to reserve a spot.
6 Ways Yoga in Cheltenham
Just off London Road in Charlton Kings, 6 Ways Yoga is a small but serene studio with some seriously chilled vibes. Newbies to the studio can try their first class for free, with classes including crystal bowl sound baths, meditation, yin and popular weekend slow flows.
Prices start at £7 for a zoom class or £12 for in-person.
Cameo Studio in Broadway
Nestled within the 500-acre grounds of the stunning Farncombe Estate near Broadway in the Cotswolds, Cameo Studio is a bright and breezy studio with pale wood floors and lots of natural light. The timetable offers a huge range of different classes, all designed at various paces, from the popular candlelit evening class to wake-up morning classes and alignment-focused sessions.
A single pass starts at £12, with five classes for £50 and ten classes for £95.
Hotpod Yoga in Cheltenham
Hotpod Yoga launched in Cheltenham in September 2023 and is one of the more unique yoga studios in the county. With temperatures of around 37 Celsius, classes are taken inside a pod, which is a large inflatable room with low lighting, heaters and essential oil diffusers. Background beats are played during each class, with different tempos depending on which type of class, whether a slow flow or a vinyasa-type flow.
Classes are priced at £15 for drop-ins or £38 for a monthly membership, with new customers able to buy a two-week pass for unlimited classes for just £18.
Barefoot Nomad in Stow-on-the-Wold
Landing in picturesque Stow-on-the-World back in April 2023, Barefoot Nomad, offers Mysore and hatha classes from Wednesdays to Saturdays and special events such as sound healing and meditation immersions.
Classes start at £15, with block passes for four weekly Mysore sessions for £40.
The Isbourne Wellbeing Centre in Cheltenham
A wellbeing centre based in the heart of Cheltenham, The Isbourne offers a multitude of classes and events, from Reiki to Qigong and holistic treatments such as acupuncture and massage. Yoga classes include Ashtanga, gong baths, yoga nidra and much more.
Prices start from as little as £5 per class and the centre also offers a three-tiered payment pricing for many of its events.
