Cheryl Cole wants to escape to mountain retreat for six months

Cheryl Cole would love to take six months out to meditate on a mountain.

The 'Promise This' singer - who, last year, divorced soccer player husband Ashley Cole and battled potentially-fatal malaria, which she contracted during a trip to Africa with rumoured boyfriend Derek Hough - often dreams of taking some time out from her hectic career.

She said: "It would be nice to take six months out and got to a mountain top and just meditate, let myself go."

Cheryl also revealed she was tempted to have therapy after her marriage split, but her public profile means she doesn't trust anyone other than friends and family.

She explained to the February edition of Elle magazine: "It crossed my mind but I'm not trusting enough to bare my soul to a stranger. I'm lucky that I've got friends and family to turn to."

Despite refusing therapy, Cheryl admitted she didn't cope as well as some people thought with all her problems last year but was determined to put on a brave face in public.

She said: "It's very much a perception. Nobody knows what I went through behind closed doors.

"Nobody knows what it was like when I was on my own. Of course I held it together in public. Who wouldn't?"

Cheryl, 27, is set to put her difficult year behind her with a planned move to Los Angeles after reportedly signing a deal to become a judge on the US version of 'The X Factor'.