Exercise groups have criticised Harrogate Borough Council‘s decision to seal off a popular part of Valley Gardens.

The path in front of the Sun Pavilion is widely used by people taking part in fitness classes, including yoga and tai chi.

But gates have been put up forbidding access.

Michael Constantine, head of operations at Harrogate Convention Centre, said:

 “The Sun Pavilion is a privately run venue, we have sadly had to take the decision to close off the gates due to recent vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

“In addition, some of the fitness groups have also caused damage with their equipment meaning the council tax payer has had to fund preventable repairs”.

Exercise groups have reacted angrily to the loss of the facility — and the suggestion they cause damage.

Bridget Tayan, speaking on behalf of Red Orchid Tai Chi group, which uses Valley Gardens regularly, said:

“Ou tai chi group have been practising up there for over 10 years and have never caused damage or inconvenienced anyone.

“Indeed we are often asked questions about the Sun Pavilion by passing tourists.

“I also pointed out that most of our group are in their 60s and 70s and not likely to vandalise anything. I have not had a reply.”

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Ms Tayan said several other fitness groups, including yoga organisations and army-style fitness sessions, along with personal trainers and individuals who liked to keep fit. also used the area when it rained and were “equally dismayed”.

She added:

“I know that many of the Valley Garden regulars are concerned about the gates being locked as it has always been a right of way, apart from when there are functions, which is fair enough.

“Visitors like to stand on the terrace to take photos and it is one of the few places you can shelter if it is raining hard.”

Ms Tayan also suggested the size of the gates was unlikely to deter vandals.

‘Our council tax pays for this’

Comments on Friends of Valley Garden’s Facebook group were overwhelmingly critical of the move.

One said:

“I am a member of a fitness group who use Valley Gardens. We would never cause damage to the gardens and appreciate the beautiful gardens we can look at while at our classes.”

Another said:

“Another example of the short-sightedness of Harrogate council. I’ve exercised here for years, many others do so too. I have never, ever witnessed any damage of any kind. Our council should be facilitating and encouraging outdoor fitness.”

How Stean Gorge is urging people to head outdoors in an effort to improve mental health.

The advice comes ahead of  World Mental Health Day, which takes place across the globe on Monday.

The Nidderdale visitor attraction, carved out over thousands of years by waterflow, features an 80ft-deep chasm and underground cave network.

Recently, it has welcomed yoga and wild swimming to its outdoor activities, which include rock climbing, canoeing, abseiling, caving and gorge scrambling.

Above the gorge it also boasts the only Via Ferrata – a series of high wire and zip wires– in Yorkshire; one of just three in the UK.

Tony Liddy, director of How Stean Gorge, in Lofthouse, said:

“It’s proven that children and adults who spend more time in nature are healthier, happier and more resilient. It may be clichéd but it’s proven that nature does have healing qualities, it is our Natural Health Service.”

Studies show being in nature helps to reduce blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the production of stress hormones.

Mr Liddy said:

“We’re becoming a bit of a hot spot for natural detoxing, offering a complete escape. Our upcoming Springtime Cleanse will include yoga, wild swimming and gorge walking, whilst our Flow Back to Nature Weekend Retreat offers yoga, Stand Up Paddleboarding and bushcraft. The perfect antidote to stressful, hectic lives.”

Some experts are urging cold water outdoor swimming to be adopted as a public health measure, as it’s proven to help reduce inflammation, which is linked to health issues ranging from heart disease to depression.

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Outdoor activities generally can advance motor skills, lower body mass index, improve muscle strength and generally boost overall health. Mentally, outdoor challenges can improve self-confidence, independence and self-esteem.

Mr Liddy said:

“Taking on physical challenges has huge mental health benefits. Our team of trained adventure instructors encourage visitors of all ages and skill-levels to take the opportunity to push themselves, mentally and physically. It boosts confidence, helps you overcome fears, and is a fantastic stress-buster. Ultimately, it’s about having fun.”

Other proven benefits include better resilience, being present in the moment, boosting creativity and problem solving.

The gorge has recently undergone a major face-lift, expanding its 20-pitch campsite and installing six new eco-friendly chalets with hot tubs and wood burning stoves.

Mr Liddy added:

“We’ve transformed the site with our ambitious expansion plans to cater to the huge demand for adventure tourism. We want to showcase nature’s stunning playground in this unique gorge that has existed for ten thousand years, since the last Ice Age.”

Graded as a triple Site of Special Scientific Interest, the gorge hosts geological formations, features bats hanging from its caves and fossils frozen in its limestone.

A surprise guest with a film crew brought a bit of fun to a village yoga class near Ripon last week.

Hugh Dennis, best known as a comedic actor including in sitcom Outnumbered, was in Studley Roger filming for archaeology show The Great British Dig.

The TV crew asked if they could join Kirsten Agar Ward’s Iyengar yoga session at Studley Roger Village Hall, so they could invite participants to help with the dig.

While there, Hugh and co-presenter Natasha Billson joined in the class, which was all filmed by the production company. Kirsten told the Stray Ferret:

“I’ve been filmed quite a bit before, not for TV but I’m fairly used to it, up to a point. I was a little bit nervous, I have to admit, but once I’d started I just got into what I was doing.

“It was a very unusual situation. It was fast-paced and fun, and they said they’d enjoyed it and seemed quite relaxed at the end.”

The session proved fruitful for the visitors, who recruited a number of locals for their dig, which will be shown as part of a new series of the programme next year.

Kirsten hopes some of their yoga session will be included in the final edit, not only to raise the profile of her classes but also to spread the word about Iyengar yoga.

She trained extensively in India and is a senior level three teacher, travelling around the world to deliver classes as well as setting up the Bath Iyengar Yoga Centre in 2000.

Now based back in Yorkshire, she leads sessions in Ripon and Harrogate too, along with online classes which attract international participants from Tasmania, Costa Rica and elsewhere.

She said:

“I’m very committed to teaching this method. it’s very structured and progressive and safe. The teachers are rigorously trained.

“It’s very good for meeting people’s needs, because you aren’t just doing one thing, you can adapt and grade it according to people who are coming, whether they are old, young, bendy, stiff, have health problems or whatever.

“I’m very pleased they came to film the class. Part of the Great British Dig is they’re trying to build community and that’s what I’m trying to do too, so it was a good mix.”

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A three-storey boutique “wellness venue” is set to officially open in Harrogate town centre tomorrow.

Ebru Evrim will offer daily classes and workshops in yoga and Pilates in the former Laura Ashley premises, on James Street.

It follows a 4,000 sq ft refurbishment thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, which saw more than £300,000 raised.

A launch party, featuring food from Hustle & Co, took place at the venue last night and guests were given a tour around the building.

The third floor.

Ebru Evrim is the name of the brand’s founder and owner, who moved over from Istanbul in 2015.

She began to teach  yoga and pilates in village halls in the Yorkshire Dales, before launching her first studio in Skipton.

Apparatus in one of the studios.

Following its success, Ms Evrim looked to Harrogate as a vibrant spa town already famed for championing wellness.

Ms Evrim, who also runs wellness holidays and yoga retreats, said:

“I’m so happy I think we are unique and I’m super excited to bring some healthy living to Harrogate. And I’m excited to introduce ourselves, our teachers and our services. I think it’s going to be great. I can’t wait.

“I was so lucky to find this place. We still have some work on the building to complete, but it has all been done by local tradesmen.

“The location is amazing. I’m so grateful to be given the opportunity to open this venue. Life is short and I want to give something good to this place.”

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On the ground floor shop-front, Ms Evrim’s own-branded boutique fitness clothing is on sale.

On the second floor, state-of-the-art Pilates reformer apparatus will be in place. The machines are being made in California and were expected in April. However, they are now unlikely to arrive until September as a result of shipping delays.

Apparatus in one of the studios.

The apparatus will be alongside a space for working with clients requiring specialist therapy for conditions such as lower back, scoliosis, arthritis and osteoporosis. The floor also features showers and changing rooms.

The third floor, complete with industrial-style exposed brick walls and ambient lighting, provides space for yoga and Pilates classes with 30 mats and underfloor heating.

There will also be a cafe on the ground floor, offering snacks and healthy food, which is set to open in a month’s time.

Classes will begin tomorrow from 9am.

A yoga and pilates instructor will hold a free sun salutation event in Harrogate to mark the summer solstice on Tuesday.

Ebru Evrim, who is set to open a new studio on James Street on July 2, will hold the event in the Valley Gardens, near the cafe, from 6pm to 8.30pm.

She will lead participants through 108 sun salutations, a number representing spiritually significant landmarks including the number of sacred sites in India.

She said:

“Summer solstice is a lovely time of year, and it adds something extra special when practicing yoga outside in the evening sunshine – hopefully!

“This free event is a great opportunity for anyone with experience of yoga to enjoy an outdoor session, or for those interested in trying it for the first time.”

While beginners are welcome to participate, Ebru said the session will be physically demanding, though she will offer modifications to suit different abilities. Anyone taking part will be asked to complete a health questionnaire and must alert the instructor to any injuries or difficulties.

To book a place, email info@ebruevrim.com or call 01756 229356.

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A day of free events in Harrogate will promote wellbeing to mark the beginning of Stress Awareness Month next weekend.

The Festival of Wellbeing on Saturday, April 2 will include pilates, yoga, barre, and nutrition sessions hosted by the company OneWellness at its studio on Mowbray Square.

It is the third time the festival has been held and aims to boost participants’ moods as well as increasing their energy levels through activities as part of a group.

Alasdair Everest-Ford, head of OneWellness, said:

‘’Lack of support can cause loneliness and isolation, lowering personal wellbeing and impacting people’s health.

“At OneWellness, we believe community support should continue during and beyond challenging times. A community is much more than just a group of people; it’s about connection, having fun, and feel supported and accepted.”

The day will also feature Rose Petal Tea Room from Knaresborough, Sweaty Betty, and The Body Shop. It will raise money for mental health charity Mind, including through donations as part of a series of fitness challenges.

For more information or to book a place on one of the sessions, click here.

A Pilates and yoga studio aimed at bringing “a London feel” to Harrogate has opened in an old chapel on Skipton Road.

Alicja Palutkiewicz, launched Empowered Movement Space, which specialises in Reformer Pilates, after spending years teaching in community centres, halls and gyms across district.

Ms Palutkiewicz, who is originally from Poland and has lived in Harrogate for 14 years, started instructing Pilates in 2015, before qualifying as a yoga teacher a few years later.

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She said:

“I decided to open this studio to create a relaxed environment for my students where they can come along, socialise, meet like-minded people, move their bodies and clear their mind.

“Also I wanted to be able to teach from one place, have all my equipment stored there and ready to use whenever needed.”

The studio, based at The Old Chapel, offers mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates and yoga classes, as well as private one-to-one sessions.

The new studio is based in The Old Chapel on Skipton Road, Harrogate.

Ms Palutkiewicz said:

“I am a big fan of Reformer Pilates. I have had one Reformer for numbers of years and was teaching private classes only.

“It’s an amazing piece of apparatus and having a space in a studio allows me to have four of them and make it more accessible for everyone to join and try it.

“Also, when I was looking for a Reformer class, I felt there wasn’t one in Harrogate so I had to travel to Leeds to attend one.

“The main difference between mat and Reformer is that you work with your body weight on a mat and against the spring tension on Reformer, so it is more suitable for people with injuries.”

The Reformer Pilates machines in action.

Ms Palutkiewicz said the old church in which the studio is based provided lots of space and a “really good atmosphere”.

She added:

“I hope my studio will bring a little bit of a ‘London feel’ to Harrogate, as nearly every Pilates studio in London is equipped with Reformers.”

January can be a pretty depressing month.

Our finances have usually taken a hit thanks to Christmas, we feel run-down due to the impact the festive season has had on our nutrition and sleep and the cold, gloomy days don’t help either.

Add to that the effect the pandemic has, and continues to have, on our mental health, it comes as no surprise some of us just want to lie down in a dark room and hibernate until spring.

If the past year has been a slog, these breaks focusing on nutrition, yoga and mindfulness in the Harrogate district can help restore balance, health and creativity.

A boutique yoga and pilates studio has submitted plans to open in the former Laura Ashley shop on Harrogate’s James Street.

Ebru Evrim currently provides provides classes in Skipton and sells activewear clothing.

According to planning documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the owner wants to replicate the business in Harrogate town centre.

If approved, the plans would see the James Street unit converted into a retail and teaching space over three floors.

The two upper floors would be used as yoga and pilates studios and the activewear would be sold on the ground floor.

The company, which also arranges holidays, retreats and workshops, says on its website:

“The boutique brand founder and owner Ebru Evrim moved over from Istanbul in 2015, and began to teach ashtanga yoga and basic pilates as a freelancer in village halls and other local venues in Upper Wharfedale.”

The building, at 3 James Street, has been vacant for 12 months after Laura Ashley went into administration in March last year before going into partnership with Next.

The plans are currently under review by.

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