For a winning wellness weekend – take a break at this Worcestershire lake

SWIMMING through the pleasingly warm water, my bright-pink tow float streaming behind me and a family of ducks paddling in front of me, I glance up at the sky as two herons fly over in perfectly synchronised formation. This is my kind of wild swimming. I’m taking a dip in the 11-acre lake at Watersedge, a wellness retreat in the countryside near Pershore, 25 minutes south-east of Worcester. Enjoy a break by the lake in Worcestershire Credit: Supplied by Watersedge Club Say ‘ahhh’ at the Wild Spa Credit: Supplied by Watersedge Club My swim session, £10.50, is really friendly and well-organised – with swimmers wearing ID wristbands, bright hats and tow floats, and three lifeguards on boards and canoes in the water with us as we swim one of the 750m, 300m and 150m loops. Groups breaststroke and chat their way round, while others front-crawl impressively quickly, but there’s a sense of community among everyone. Sign up for the Travel newsletter Thank you! Hut stuff Dip and dine in the privacy of The Den Credit: Supplied by Watersedge Club Sink into the luxe lodge Credit: Supplied by Watersedge Club Later, I wander across to the Wild Spa, where there are three different temperatures of wood-fired sauna, plus two small hot tubs. To cool down, there’s an ice cabin, cold-water bucket and, of course, the lake itself. One-hour sessions cost £18. We’re staying in The Den, Watersedge’s largest lakeside lodge. The light, airy space has three double bedrooms, two with French doors overlooking the water, two bathrooms, and an outside space with a hot tub, barbecue and fire pit. Once the final swimmers have left for the evening, it’s a haven of calm, and is equipped with everything you need for a cosy night in – a large, squishy corner sofa, huge TV, a stack of board games and a wood-burner for cooler evenings. The swish kitchen comes with a L’Or coffee machine, induction hob and cute banquette eating area. Most read in Travel But, as it’s a lovely evening, my partner Steve and I make the 20-minute walk into the village of Bishampton to Ounce at The Dolphin for its Thursday-night Chateau Club, which offers a 16oz fillet chateaubriand for just £20 a person. Steve declares the perfectly cooked steak to be in the top three he’s ever eaten, and we wash it down with blackberry-rich malbec, £8.40 a glass (Ouncebar.co.uk). What’s sup? Tuck in at Ounce’s with a steak dinner Credit: Ounce at The Dolphin/Instagram Gaze across the water from sunloungers on the lake’s small beach area Credit: Supplied by Claire Frost. Come morning, there are plenty of farm shops close by, but we’ve booked a breakfast hamper, £50 for six people, full of refreshing juices, juicy sausages and bacon to save heading out. After our fry-up, we try standup paddleboarding (SUP), £20 per person. The lake is shallow around its edges, so getting back on the board if you fall off (which I do, with a huge splash!) is fairly straightforward. Soon we’re paddling around like pros, though our arms definitely get a workout when the breeze picks up and we have to navigate our way back to the jetty. Keen to stretch out our achy muscles, we join a packed Pilates class, £12.50, in the beautiful studio that juts out over the lake. Instructor Alex puts us through our paces and we promise ourselves we’ll try the fun-looking bungee fitness class next time. But for now, I’ve earned a treat – and that’s exactly what I get, thanks to wellness therapist Jen’s blissful 45-minute full-body, hot-stone massage, from £50. Rested and restored, we gaze across the water one last time from our sunloungers on the lake’s small beach area. Spotting one of the herons, we find ourselves wishing we too could make our home close to this special place. FYI Stays at The Den cost from £300 per night for up to eight people. Guests benefit from 10% off all activities (Watersedge.club). Comment now