A CITY centre park became a tranquil haven for hundreds, thanks to Carlisle’s yoga day.

Held in Bitts Park on Sunday, more than 600 people gathered for a day of meditation, mindfulness and yoga.

Organised by Carlisle-based yoga teacher Caroline Robinson, the day attracted more than twice the numbers seen the previous year.

“We had about 200 people last year, but this year we had about 650 coming along,” said Caroline, 35.

The free event had 16 instructors holding 36 classes throughout the day, covering a range of yoga techniques.

Caroline said that the Bitts Park event provided a very different environment in which to practise yoga.

“Doing yoga outside is very different,” she explained. “Having the natural world around you changes the experience.”

The day attracted residents already well versed in the world of yoga, but also many people keen to learn more about it.

“We wanted to make sure the day provided the opportunity for people to learn more,” Caroline said. “Yoga is different to other kinds of exercise, because it’s got more of a holistic approach.

“It gives your brain a bit of space and time, it helps to put a bit of distance between you and the rest of the world.

“The science behind it is that yoga boosts your parasympathetic nervous system - your rest and digest state.

“It means that we grow parts of our brain that help us focus better, so in those moments of high-pressure stress, you’re able to cope better.”

Alice and Chris Whysall-Price had come along to the day with their children to try out some yoga.

“The relaxation, health and holistic benefits really interest us, we would like to learn more,” Alice said.

“We’ve done a bit of yoga with the children using YouTube as a guide, and they really enjoyed it.

“I think they should do more yoga in schools, it clearly has a lot of benefits.”