Find out what travel expert, Rebecca, made of the GI Jane Bootcamp in Kent. A fitness-focused retreat where lasting friendships and mental and physical transformations are what it's all about.
Location
The train from Victoria Station takes less than one hour to reach Sittingbourne Train Station in Kent. It's then a short 10-minute taxi ride to Scuttington Manor Guest House. Scuttington Manor is set in the beautiful English countryside surrounded by country lanes, apple orchards, sunflower fields and farmland for as far as your eye can see. It's an inspiring setting, giving you a real sense of freedom in the great outdoors. The lanes and fields (and the occasional hills!) around the Manor are used during the bootcamp programme, from the brisk morning walk to the Iron Woman Challenge.
The bootcamp
The promise: You will lose a dress size after a seven-night stay!
Your day starts at 7am with a one-and-a-half-hour fast walk, followed by a morning warm-up, intense training, interval training, assault courses, games, obstacle courses and much more.
The trainers, mostly from the Royal Navy, are incredibly motivating and kind, without losing the necessary discipline to push people. I particularly enjoyed the boxing sessions, the team sports and the unforgettable Iron Woman Challenge (running up and down hills carrying survival equipment). The sense of achievement after these tasks is truly priceless. At the end of the day with very tired legs you are invited to take a three to five-minute dip in the ice water barrel. It was a little bit of a struggle getting in as it’s very chilly but certainly worth it! The cold freezes the lactic acid build-up in the muscles, so it really helps with muscle recovery and easing stiffness.
The team
Sharon, the founder of GI Jane Bootcamp is extremely supportive of every woman attending. She understands the journey and the obstacles that you will inevitably face during your stay.
The trainers are tough and they'll make sure you push your body to its own limits, but they are also kind, funny and motivating. Very quickly, you will build a team bond that will inspire you to achieve a level of fitness that you never thought possible. The personal trainers, Emma and Susan, were the superstars of our stay, and we can’t thank them enough for all their enthusiasm, drive and warmth. They are extremely knowledgeable and passionate — military personal trainers at the top of their game!
My diary
Friday
14:30 Pick-up from Sittingbourne station
15:00 Check-in
16:00 Fitness assessment including a one-mile run, series of basic exercises, weigh-in and measurements
18:30 Dinner — mushroom stuffed peppers)
20:00 Lights out
Saturday
07:00 Fast walk around the local fields and farms
08:30 Breakfast — Muesli, porridge or Weetabix
09:30 Circuit training
11:00 Snack time — oat cakes and scrambled eggs
11:30 Bums & Tums work out
13:00 Lunch — vegetable soup followed by pears
14:00 Iron Woman challenge
15:00 Snack time — grapes and nuts
15:30 Bucket ball game
17:00 Ice bath and shower
18:30 Dinner — chicken and vegetable stir-fry
20:00 Lights out
Sunday
07:00 Fast walk around the local fields and farms
08:30 Breakfast — Muesli, porridge or Weetabix
09:30 Group fun and active games
11:00 Snack time — omelette on crackers
11:30 Tabata & Boxing workout
13:00 Lunch — mackerel on a bed of beetroot salad
14:00 Military assault course
15:00 Snack time — hummus on crackers
15:30 Kwik cricket game
17:00 Ice bath and shower
18:30 Dinner — chicken casserole
20:00 Lights out
Monday
07:00 Fast walk around the local fields and farms
08:30 Breakfast — Muesli, porridge or Weetabix
09:30 Weigh-in, measurements and results
10:00 Depart for Sittingbourne station
Insider info
Nearly all the activities are done outside so take plenty of active wear. You will need a good pair of trainers for jogging and a second pair for getting wet and muddy. The kit list provided after you book is a great tool, so make sure you check it before packing. Don’t worry about taking smarter clothes for the evening meals, as everyone goes to the dinner table in their PJs, which is perfect considering how tired you are at the end of the day.
Who's it for?
- Women looking for a bootcamp retreat, a personal fitness challenge, a healthy lifestyle kick-start and to lose weight. The military-inspired exercise routines are intense yet enjoyable, and the carefully crafted meals are designed to be low-calorie while still providing the energy needed for your workouts.
- Women looking to spark a positive transformation, both mentally and physically which is what the retreat is known for. After spending a weekend there, I truly realised that my potential was far greater than I had ever imagined!
- Solo travellers or groups of friends
The bootcamp emphasises teamwork and building lifelong friendships while pushing your body to its limits — making it the perfect fitness retreat. Participants leave not only having lost weight and inches but also with lasting friendships and unforgettable memories. And before you think this bootcamp might be too challenging for you, remember: it’s all about pushing your own boundaries, not anyone else’s. Everything can be adjusted to fit your own pace and ability, and you’ll meet women of all ages and fitness levels. People come to GI Jane at all points of their wellness journey.
I had such a great weekend! I got to truly understand my own physical and mental limits and how to differentiate one from the other, whilst making great friends and creating lovely memories along the way.
Like the sound of trying a bootcamp retreat like Rebecca's? We have a whole range of these wellness holidays, from the UK to Europe and beyond. Get in touch with our expert team to find a programme to suit you.
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