Sun, Sand.. And Beach Yoga At Neverland London
I have been dreaming about beach yoga for a long long time…running my toes through the warm velvety sand whilst practicing my ‘Down Dog’, catching a nice gold tan simultaneously (a girl has to multitask). With all the endless options out there offering yoga holidays, I could never decide where to go – Ibiza, Bali, Thailand, Greece… Fulham? Yes you read it correctly – Fulham, the southwestern suburb in our good ol’ London.
Being a yoga enthusiast and a recently qualified yoga teacher, I love exploring new places and always get excited when I can try new ways of practicing yoga. So when I heard about beach yoga taking place at Neverland London, the new beach bar and dining pop-up, I jumped at the offer faster than you can say Surya Namaskar (meaning Sun Salutation in Sanskrit).
Neverland London is the new alfresco dining and drinking experience (also BYOB) in Fulham with views of Albert Wharf and London’s riverside. It is nestled in a large space by the river Thames at the north end of Wandsworth Bridge.
Expect sand, deck chair, daybeds, colourful huts and much more.
It also happens to be the only place in London where you get to practice beach yoga this summer.
The weather forecast the day before predicted rain, but luckily I woke up to another hot summer morning. My fellow yogi friend and I embarked on our journey to Neverland London, armed with yoga mats and eagerness in our step. And when we arrived at 10.30 in the morning, the sun was already burning worryingly and really made me doubt the choice of my attire.
There were just three of us participating in the class on that day – which created a nice and intimate atmosphere. The class was led by a yoga teacher Lauryn Allman. Lauryn altered the class to match the scorching temperatures and made the flow really nice and slow, which suited us perfectly.
I’m not going to lie – it was hot! And there was sand. There was hot sand. Everywhere. My inner Zen got tested in that hour like it hasn’t in a long time! Only about half way through the clouds came in and with them a light breeze, by which point I stopped carrying about the burning and about the sand making its way everywhere.
The class was accompanied by nice music, which helped to drown the sound of the busy road above and kept the outer world where it belonged. It was an enjoyable and fun class and overall, a great experience. But while I enjoyed the experience, it definitely left me wanting to hop on that plane to Ibiza. Or Thailand. Or anywhere exotic really, I’m not that fussy.
Luckily we bought a towel with us to wipe off any excess sand, and on reflection, wet wipes would have been a good idea too. I’m still finding evidence of that downward dog in the sand a week later…
- Beach Yoga at Neverland London runs every Saturday and Sunday morning until the end of July. The one-hour class cost £25 and includes refreshments as well as entry to Neverland London after the class. Mats are not included. For more information and bookings visit www.neverlandlondon.com. Location: Neverland London, Wandsworth Bridge Road, London, SW6 2TY
