When you think of a fitness destination, your mind probably goes straight to retreats, meditation, breathwork and spas. What rarely comes to mind is functional fitness. Rarer still, is finding somewhere that combines expert coaching and serious training facilities with high quality recovery options, luxury accommodation, nature walks, lakes and unspoilt countryside, all within easy reach of London.
While Tewinbury Farm doesn't market itself as a luxury wellness retreat, after spending time there, that's exactly what it felt like. But at the centre of the experience – and the main reason for my visit – was its newly opened Farm Fitness Tewinbury facility.
Founded by coach Tom Kemp in 2016, Farm Fitness began on his family's working farm near Dunmow in Essex, where Kemp turned part of the farmyard into a training space. Ten years later, Tewinbury has become Farm Fitness's second location, bringing its unique approach to strength and conditioning to the Hertfordshire countryside.
Alongside a state-of-the-art indoor gym, as well as a large outdoor functional area, Farm Fitness is home to a sauna and multiple cold plunges, a dedicated spaces for yoga, mobility and other classes, and on site support from B&A physiotherapy. The wider Tewinbury estate feels almost like its own small village, with everything you could need spread across the stunning grounds. Farm Fitness fits into its surroundings like it was always there.
Originally a dairy farm, Tewinbury had been in the Williams family since 1931, when their grandfather arrived with 50 cows. Over the decades, the farm evolved into guest rooms, then a B&B and eventually the hotel it is today, while remaining family run.
Tewinbury aims to reconnect guests with nature, and themselves. It's a sentiment that after spending time on the estate, genuinely feels reflected in the experience. And here, switching off doesn't necessarily mean not moving (unless that is your preference). You can train hard, recover in the sauna or cold plunge, eat well, walk around the lakes and stay overnight, all without leaving the estate.
What to read next
The Training
On day one, once I'd arrived, I was quick to check out the gym facilities. I was met by gym manager Rebecca Schofield, who was incredibly welcoming and showed me around. Inside, the large barn style space is fully kitted out for strength and functional training, with ample squat racks, barbells, dumbbells and sandbags, alongside all the ergs you'd expect, including SkiErgs, rowers and air bikes. There are also sleds and plenty of floor space for conditioning work and carries, while the high ceilings and open plan layout make the space feel particularly suited to functional fitness and the farm environment.
The set-up continues outdoors, where there's a huge rig, alongside ropes, yokes for yoke carries and huge tyres for flips. Training outside under blue skies felt a world away from squeezing into a dark London basement gym during rush hour.
That evening, coach Ryan Byrne took me through a strength and conditioning workout – their signature Farm class. I started with heavier sets on the bench press before moving into a giant set incorporating back, triceps, arms and abs, followed by a conditioning finisher.
What impressed me most, however, was the level of coaching. Byrne was particularly good at spotting when I was underestimating what I could lift and encouraging me to increase the weight, while still making sure my technique was there first. Throughout the session, he offered individual cues and corrections rather than simply setting the workout and leaving me to get on with it.
The following morning, Schofield took me through their Engine class, which included a 45-minute partner AMRAP designed to test aerobic capacity. Starting with 200m on the ergs, the distance increased by 200m each round, while a 200m hill run remained constant throughout. As the distances crept up, the challenge became finding a sustainable pace I could maintain for the full 45 minutes.
Again, the coaching went beyond simply explaining the workout. Before I started, Schofield broke down my technique on the rower, showing me how to use it more efficiently before giving me the chance to put those cues into practice during the session itself.
That attention continued across the other classes I tried. During a later deadlift session, Schofield offered individual technique corrections and made sure I was moving well before progressing the weight. Despite training in a group, I never felt as though I was disappearing into the background.
The Recovery
After training, I headed to the recovery area at Farm Club, where there's a sauna and cold plunge alongside spacious changing facilities. The sauna and cold plunge were quiet and relaxed, and the whole space felt premium.
More importantly, having those facilities right there encouraged me to actually dedicate some time to recovery after training, rather than finishing a class, showering and rushing off. After a hard session, being able to head straight for the sauna or cold plunge felt like an important part of the experience rather than an added extra.
There's also a dedicated Reformer Pilates studio – Studio 281. While I didn't take a class during my stay, I did have a look around, and the studio is beautifully finished and, like the rest of the facility, kitted out to a very high standard.
Beyond the Gym
It's the setting that really separates Farm Fitness from other places I've trained. Tewinbury is surrounded by countryside and wildlife, with lakes, farm animals and plenty of space for walking and cycling. You might spot herons around the lakes between sessions, and there are plenty of opportunities to get outside without every bit of movement needing to become another workout. My dog particularly enjoyed the long walks in nearby fields, and it's important to note that the hotel is very dog friendly as long as they are kept on lead to protect the local wildlife.
I was lucky enough to stay in one of Tewinbury's Lake Huts, which felt every bit as premium as the training facilities. Set right on the water with its own boardwalk onto the lake, it was a genuinely incredible place to come back to after a day of training. Waking up surrounded by nature also made it feel so much more than simply an overnight stay.
The food was another highlight. I won't labour the point because this is ultimately a review of the training experience, but the quality was exceptional, with plenty of options that supported a heavy training day.
The Verdict
There are plenty of gyms with squat racks, SkiErgs and sleds. What makes Farm Fitness at Tewinbury different is everything surrounding them. The standard of coaching is high enough that I would genuinely travel there specifically to train, the quality of the equipment is exceptional, while the recovery facilities and countryside setting turn what could simply be a good workout into something much more memorable.
For anyone coming from London, it's around an hour away, making it close enough to visit for a day of training or to turn into a weekend away by staying at Tewinbury. And personally, I'd happily go back for either.
Perhaps the best way I can describe it is as a fitness destination for people who don't necessarily want a traditional wellness retreat. If your idea of switching off involves lifting weights, getting on a SkiErg or heading outside for a long walk rather than avoiding hard training altogether, Farm Fitness manages to offer everything. You can train properly, recover properly and spend the rest of your time surrounded by the English countryside.
There's nothing gimmicky or forced about it. Farm Fitness feels like it belongs at Tewinbury, and after 24 hours there, I left wishing I could train somewhere like it every day.
If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.
Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.
Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
