Apples and Pears Retreat

 It’s only human, I suppose, for everyone to have a favourite boot camp – and mine is, by a comfortable distance from all the others, Apples & Pears. It easily romped away, yet again, with our National Award for ‘ The Best Mixed Boot Camp in England ‘, so perhaps it’s time to analyse exactly why Apples & Pears is so good.

Firstly, Katie Duncan is the best boot camp manager in the country. More than anyone else I’ve ever met, Katie is out there in the thick of it with you nearly all the time. Consequently, she knows the mood of the group. No chance here of that alienation which can occur when trainers and guests feel that the people issuing orders from the office are completely out of touch – or, in the case of some owners, rarely seen on site at all. It’s much to her credit that, although Katie Duncan owns Apples & Pears and has five sports science qualifications to her name, she’s not afraid to sweep floors, run errands and generally do whatever it takes to make sure that each retreat is a resounding success. People quickly warm to Katie – with the result that she has a large and loyal fanbase of customers who keep on returning – not necessarily because they need to, but because they want to.

Secondly, Apples & Pears is, whilst being a well-oiled machine, also a boot camp with a distinct personality and a great warmth of character to it. Right from its quirky and original name, this camp has a winningly individual way of doing things. Each morning, for example, a different national flag goes up in the porch and festoons the dining tables – meaning that all the dishes served that day will be from that country. Not only a fun idea, but marvellously executed too. Look forward to China day for the Hoi Sin Salmon and Pak Choi, with Baked Plums to follow; or Mexico day, for a rousing breakfast of Mexican Eggs; or Thailand day, for a classic Green Curry, with a soothing watermelon to begin with. Unique in the world of boot camps, A&P’s lunches and dinners, whilst staying inside calorie limits, always contain two courses; and rare in the boot camp world, sparkling mineral water and coffee are also on offer. Hurrah, and thank God for that – it’s just so boring having to drink plain water with every single meal. With delightfully inventive snacks – like an Italian tricolore of avocado, mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil – serving to complete an all-round picture of excellence, Apples & Pears is one of the very exceptional boot camps in England to be awarded the full five stars for its food.

Thirdly, the staff are superb. Clearly hand-picked by Katie to match the same levels of enthusiasm, flexibility and friendliness that she exudes, they all radiate both an affection for one another and a total commitment to Apples & Pears. The pleasing result of coming into one-big-happy-family like this is that campers bond with each other much more quickly. On site, Amelia & Sally will cook for you; Lizzie & Steph will co-ordinate you; and Will will do pretty much anything you ask him to. This, by the way, includes carrying all your luggage in, from car-boot to bed-room, when you arrive. A host of outside specialist staff – like Polly the excellent Nutritionist – come and go throughout, spicing up the programme for the week with extra interest and variety. However, the staff do all have one thing in common. They’re all going to be at The Apples & Pears Christmas Party, when Katie traditionally turns her house over to that year’s campers. Just the sort of personal touch Apples & Pears does so well.

As for the trainers, you won’t anywhere in England meet a more laid-back and softly-focused duo than Woody and Gary. Oh, you’ll do the work alright and they will get that weight off you – but it’s all done with such impish humour, and in such-a-soft-Welsh burr, you’ll hardly notice until it’s too late. Different gig, though, if any of the marines are there. But, yet again, Katie’s gone out and found for Apples & Pears a trio of the calmest, least-up-themselves commandos you could ever hope to meet. Although I have nothing but praise for Hammy and Pete, should Duncan Godfrey be on the rota for the camp, it’s your lucky day. An alpha-male trainer, with a gentle manner and looks the ladies like, he’s right up there with the very best, somehow able to get that extra yard out of you, because you don’t want to let him down. The one-to-one Personal Training Sessions with him are memorable. Just look at what he did to me: took 11lbs off me in 6 days and turned me into The Boot Camp Guru – a guy who, formerly, would be quite happy to take a taxi to the bathroom.

Fourthly, the Devon setting is lovely – allowing wonderful all-day hikes along the coast to Dawlish Beach, overlooking the mouth of the River Exe. Days at camp are structured sensibly, with built-in time to recuperate your energy, and you’re not complelled to do anything after dinner, if you don’t want to. A few eyebrows might have been raised by the high maximum capacity of each camp, so I’d better explain how it all works out perfectly well in practice. Basically, at Devon, you’d be divided into colour-coded teams of, say 12-18, always have two trainers with you, criss-cross inquisitively and sympathetically with one another all day long around the village, with matters only intensifying all of a sudden if you find yourself up against another team. After all of which, the hot-tub and the indoor heated swimming pool are welcome blessings indeed.

Perhaps what I like most about Apples & Pears, though, is the way Katie Duncan has built up her business. Shunning the tacky path of roping in minor celebs for publicity, hardly ever in the media or bothering to advertise much, she has managed to create an award-winning camp, primarily through sheer word of mouth alone. In quick time, the acorn became the oak-tree. And I’m not often this happy at someone’s success.

Accommodation: Smartly renovated cottages form their own private village in blissfully rural South Devon setting. Gartmore House in Scotland is an outstanding C18th Mansion, in 75 acres of its  own grounds.

Capacity: 36 (South Devon) & 54 (Scotland). Mixed M/F (Av: 85%F;15%M)

Duration: 7 nts. ( 5pm Friday – Friday 9am). 6 nt, weekend & 4 day options also available.

Cost: All bedrooms en-suite. £1595 (sgle) & £1195( room sharing). Discount deals frequently on offer.

Price includes: All food, lodging & activities which typically include: gym-style work-outs plus hiking , boxing, cycling, yoga, pilates, aerobics & hypoxic training in the pool, 1:1 Personal Training, team games, orienteering, an assault course, 5 Seminars on Nutrition & Life-Coaching & photos plus i-movie of your week at camp.

Evening Events: Nightly options, from Salsa/Zumba, Film Night, Quiz Night,  Healthy Cooking Workshop and so on, till Final Night Champagne & Awards. Heated indoor pool & hot tub always there too, if you prefer. Plus free, in-house computer – the only boot camp to provide this service.

Optional extra: Massage/ £25 half, £45 full.

5 STAR RATINGS

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