A beautiful country house perched in the hills of North Yorkshire, with delicious food served by a personal chef, doesn’t really sound like the setting for a boot camp.

But throw daily eight-hour training sessions with two army soldiers into the equation and a stay at Lifestyle 247 quickly becomes hard work.

Bollywood Bootcamp is one of several courses offered by the fitness company at their five-star house in Settle.

Three days before guests set foot in the house, they’re sent a detox plan to do at home. It’s a great way to kick-start your diet and get you in the right frame of mind for the boot camp, with consultants offering guidance by phone and e-mail.

On arrival, participants are told to change into their running gear and are then dropped at an ‘undisclosed location’ to meet their trainers.

During a gentle two-mile walk to the house, trainers Jay and Justin give a run-down of the week ahead.

Days start early at 5.30am with military exercises, cardio, weights and more military exercises! Jay and Justin incorporate teamwork into some of the sessions, to keep up morale, and also do regular fitness tests.

Afternoons are spent doing Bollywood dance classes, learning a routine to be performed on the final day.

There’s also the opportunity to hike to Malham Cove, where scenes from Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows were filmed.

Days finally end at 6pm with an ice bath (incredibly painful, but extremely necessary) and a dip in the hot tub (divine).

But fitness isn’t the only focus at Lifestyle 247; the idea is for people to leave feeling and looking fantastic.

In-house psychologist Lesley, who uses similar techniques to Paul McKenna, teaches valuable techniques to deal with stress. Guests are also treated to Cavisculpt sessions, non-surgical liposuction that melts away your lumps and bumps.

Another plus point is – surprisingly – the food. Chef Miranda prepares a selection of fabulous dairy, gluten and wheat-free treats. Everything she uses is locally sourced and organic.

Lifestyle 247 certainly isn’t an easy ride, but if you want to start a new fitness regime this is the place to do it.

  • Lifestyle 247 offers three-night packages at Bootcamp Boutique from £730 per person, including accommodation and meals. Call (0113) 3472477, or visit lifestyle247bootcamp.com If you’re a regular exerciser who has hit a barrier and is stuck in the same weekly routine, Clumber Park is definitely the place for you.

Launching this month, the six-day boot camp will take groups of up to 12 people and put them through their paces through a combination and variety of interesting and challenging activities.

The project has been devised by the hotel’s expert fitness trainer Kyle Hanrahan, who devised the programme to concentrate on individuality, team work and fun. He says the workouts are designed to be intense, life-changing and not just a walk in the park.

“For some people it’s a week away but it’s also the start of a new lifestyle, or the reboot of a lifestyle for others,” he says.

Boot camp days are structured around a combination of cardio and core exercises, which can be adapted to individual fitness levels.

A sample day starts with a warm-up at 7am in the beautiful surroundings of the National Trust park near Worksop in Nottinghamshire, followed by cardio circuits in the hotel’s grounds and a circuit of an Army-accredited assault course (complete with camouflage jumpsuit).

Other activities include aptly named “suicides”, shuttle runs, flipping 30kg tractor tyres, speed ladders, mini hurdles and rope-climbing.

And you won’t go hungry – the food here is plentiful, healthy and tasty.

A nutritionist helps individuals to devise a personal eating plan, while Kyle also prepares an exercise plan for attendees to take home.

  • A six-day camp starts at £799 per person including accommodation, meals and all activities. Call 01623 835 333 or visit clumberpark hotel.com for dates of forthcoming camps.