MARTYN TORR samples the delights ofthe Lake District, four-star style — andrealises you don’t need to go outside...

THE LAKES have always held afascination for me; it could behaving grown up in Lime-

hurst, I suppose. Well, they’re sosimilar...So when an invitation to spend aweekend at The Lakeside in NewbyBridge arrived in the office, I didn’tneed asking twice.Within days I was pounding up theM6 — in extremely wet weather — inmy trusty Freelander, enjoying thechallenge of the winding A590 intothe South Lakes.Yes, we got lost; we blame the sat-nav. But we forgot that when wearrived in the hamlet of Lakeside,on Windermere’s lower easternshore, and dropped into the lap ofluxury.I had been told by several of mywealthier friends that this was a se-riously hospitable retreat. Theyweren’t kidding.As an Oldhamer I always think I’vearrived, metaphorically-speaking,when someone offers to park my car.This once happened to me at a

converted Roman fort hotel inMasham and, taking one look at theassembled metal in the car park, Iasked the lad to put the Rav4 I wasdriving then with the staff vehicles.So when the offer came this time, Iknew it was going to be a specialweekend.And so itproved.The Lake-side isprivatelyowned bytwo localmen, its75 bed-rooms of-fering ex-tensive fa-cilities foran idyllicescape.

First, we had endured a tiring timein all that rain and deserved a drink,which brought the first problem.There was a tempting and wideselection of local and traditionalbrews in the cosy bar and choosingwasn’t easy.Soon, however, I was sitting,frothing pint in hand, in the expan-sive conservatory which runs thelength of the main building.The view across the lake is, well,gorgeous. Within seconds I waswrapped in a soft leather sofa andwondering why I’d ever want tomove. Possibly ever.But we had a look round: from JohnRuskin’s Brasserie and Lakesiderestaurants, across several lounges— including the exquisite library —to the extensive spa.This wet area included a 17m pool, ajacuzzi and steam room and a sauna,

plus a gym large enough toattract the attention of my com-panion... well and me too, so Icould sit on the rowing machinewhile I read my paper, thusallowing me to say I had used theexercise facilities.The hotel also has a privateviewing lounge, the Oval Room,which overlooks the pool along-side the treatment rooms.If you are into treatments thenthe Lakeside has just abouteverything, from signaturefacials and eye treatments to afive-phase massage to repair andrevitalise.On this menu of delights is Pure-ly Indulgence — you can say thatagain — for men and women, andone that caught my eye, theAyurvedic Head Massage, a tech-nique to “rebalance the upperbody”, or rather, the head.Tempting, yes... but the baroffered more tangible delightsand there were still a couple oflocal ales I wanted to try.But this pool area proved a realattraction during our two daysin Newby Bridge — as it did formany of the guests.The hotel was busy, surprisinglyso for a wet March weekend, withall tables full at dinner andbreakfast (though the layout of

the hotel is such that nowhere everseems crowded).Even the conservatory — to which Iwas drawn after breakfast with mymorning paper and a cafetiere ofpiping hot coffee, at, ahem, £9 athrow — was never busy, but it waspopular with just about everyone.

And that was the thing: people actu-ally had conversations. Over dinner,from the next table; in the lounges,over drinks; in the halls, as we eachheld open doors for others. It was sorefined and relaxing, I just want togo back.Having landed in the lap of luxury,my usual Lakes haunts of B&Bs inthat run of inexpensive hotels and

guest housesbetween Winder-mere and Bownesswill never be thesame.I have at stayed atloads and loads ofthese and they areall mighty fine.But the Lakeside isin another class en-tirely.After we orderedour evening meal inthe restaurant (Iwas saving the Brasserie for anothernight), this pleasant young man, ina sparkling, crease-free white shirt,long black pinny and cravat arrivedwith a trolley. Of bread. Home-made,fresh-baked bread, and nothing else.On a trolley.And what a selection it was. I pridemyself on being a bread aficionadobut limited myself to just threewith my mushroom soup. I hadpromised myself the Melting DarkChocolate Fondant, served withsalted caramel ice cream forpudding, and wasn’t about to fill upon bread, however delicious.The pudding came highly recom-mended and didn’t disappoint,though it cost extra on the fixed-price evening meal menu — as, inci-

dentally, did my ribeye beltedGalloway steak — delicious, thanksfor asking — though I was a touchdisappointed with the hand-cutchips.Having lived in chip shops aroundOldham and Southport until I was26, I know a thing or two about ’em,and these weren’t quite right, eventhough they were deliciouslychunky and tasty. Okay, I’m aperfectionist.But this didn’t detract from a mar-vellous weekend. The hotelcommands a serene spot, with easyaccess to the north lakes.We spent time in the local villages,yes, but generally spoiled ourselvesin the hotel. This was probably, as aresult, the laziest time I have everspent in Cumbria.But I found it increasingly difficultto leave the hotel. It was sooooohlovely Even a walk across the carpark to the steamer landing or thelake shore railway seemed a waste.Will I ever return?Well, I’ll have to save up first...

OLDHAM EVENING CHRONICLE, FRIDAY,APRIL 1, 2011 —— 2516 —— OLDHAM EVENING CHRONICLE, FRIDAY,APRIL 1, 2011

Enjoy a morningvisit to delightfulcanal-side Hebden Bridge beforetravelling back in the afternoon tothe austerity and cameraderie ofwartime Britain in Haworth.Price includes• Return coach travel fromOldham.• Morning visit to the lovely HebdenBridge.• Afternoon visit to Haworth for theannual 1940s wartime celebrations.Departs 9.30am • Back approximately 6.00pm.

SaturdayMay 14th

Haworth40sWartimeWeekend

£16per person

Visit charmingSkipton onmarketday with free time for shopping anda canal cruise with refreshments. Inthe afternoon its on to BoundaryMill Stores for more shopping.Price includes• Return coach travel fromOldham• Free time in Skipton onmarket day• One hour canal cruise with tea/coffeeand biscuits• Visit to Boundary Mill StoresDeparts 8.30am Back approx 6.00pm

WednesdayMay 25th

Skipton - Splashes & Shopping

£22per person

A perennial favouritethis festival of the best ofgarden, countryside and food is in abeautiful setting and the day isrounded off with a superb meal atthe Netherwood Hotel.Price includes• Return coach travel fromOldhamAdmission and free time at HolkerGarden Festival• Two-course meal at theNetherwood Hotel in GrangeDeparts 9.00am Back approx 8.00pm

SundayJune 5th

Holker Garden FestivalADULT

£45per person

‘Ewe’ll’ want totreat dad to this dayout – brewery tour and two-courselunch with a half-pint of ale or softdrink at the Black Sheep Breweryand afternoon steam train ride.Price includes• Return coach travel fromOldham.• Tour and two-course lunch with drinkat the Black Sheep Brewery, Masham.• Steam train journey on Embsay andBolton Abbey Railway.Departs 8.45am • Back approximately 6.30pm.

SundayJune 19th

Father’s Day Brewery & Steam

£40per person

Time for shoppingor sightseeing inLiverpool in the morning is followedby a matinee performance of thehit musical Evita plus a three-courseevening meal rounds the day off.Price includes• Return coach travel fromOldham.• Free time in Liverpool in the morning.• Ticket for matinee show of Evita.• Three-course eveningmeal at theEverglades Hotel inWidnes.Departs 9.30am • Back approximately 9.00pm.

WednesdayJune 22nd

3-in-1 Summer Theatre Special

£48per person

To book your places call

0161 622 2130Oldham Chronicle Reader Travel

Chronicle SummerDays Out

CHILD (0-15 yrs)

£36Per person

TravelTravelNEWSStuck for ideas on Mother's Day? Spoil your mumwith an overnight spa break and treat yourself in theprocess. SARAH MARSHALL rounds up a couple offavourites

Best for... affordable luxury■ Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa, MeltonMowbray, LeicestershireTHIS reasonably-priced destination spa in the Leicestershirecountryside has won numerous awards, and standardsremain high.Beautiful Victorian architecture coupled with state-of-the-art

facilities make it a great all-rounder for mums in need of atreat.The dress code is casual and bathrobes can be worn in thespa, to lunch, to dinner, everywhere in fact.The multi-million pound thermal spa is one of the main drawsat Ragdale, with five treatment rooms and two pools.The Salt Bath is a mystical, blue-lit room filled with mini vol-canoes spurting menthol and eucalyptus scented mist, whilethe Candle Pool is a cavern of calm. Guests can do as muchor as little as they like, choosing to either detox their systemor just chill out.The heated outdoor waterfall pool is a real treat, where thesound of gushing water transports you to a tropical paradise.So, even if you can't afford to take Mum somewhere exotic,Ragdale is a very worthy consolation.Overnight Reviver Break costs £190 for the package, includ-ing one treatment (full body massage or facial) and use of thespa. Book at www.ragdalehall.co.uk or call 01664 434 831.

Best for... an all-round treat■ Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa, Helmsley, NorthYorkshireIF you ask Simon Rhatigan how to describe The FevershamArms, he struggles to answer.It's not country house, says the owner of the North Yorkshire

hideaway; not nostalgic or backward-looking. Then again it’snot “designer” either, with looks before comfort. But it is acombination of the two.The original building has welcomed guests for 150 years. It ispaved with stone and has sloping walls, imposing fireplacesand bedrooms hidden within the eaves.The extension, which incorporates the Verbena Spa and suites,is all clean lines, floor-to-ceiling glass and cool marble.If you're feeling flash, treat Mum to an impressive Spa Suite,overlooking the central, outdoor pool (pictured), heated to awelcoming 30C all year round. Highlights include a stylishlounge area and huge bathroom.The Feversham Arms & Verbena Spa is luxurious, yetapproachable. And while it might not fall into a category, itworks - just as it is.Twin rooms start at £125 per person, per night. A Spa Suiteon DBB basis starts at £190 per person. A “Spa byCandlelight” offer is available between 5pm-9pm on April 3and costs £65. Book at www.fevershamarmshotel.com or call01439 770766.

KEY FACTS —LakesideMartyn was a guest of the LakesideHotel, Newby Bridge, Windermere —15 minutes from Junction 36 of theM6, and around 90 minutes fromOldham.The hotel runs regular special offers:check the website,www.lakesidehotel.co.ukfor details and tariffs.

Orient-Express NORTHERN BELLE Reader Offer

To book call 0845 077 2222 and quote booking code NOLD HB25

London Sightseeing andThames River Cruise onthe Northern BelleTreat someone to a special celebration treat with ajourney in ultimate style and luxury to see London asyou’ve never seen it before by cruising on the RiverThames and getting a bird’s eye view from the LondonEye.

After a welcome from your steward sit back and enjoy adelicious brunch with Bellini from beautifully laid tableswith starched tablecloths,uniquely branded silverware inelegantly decorated and comfortable carriages. Thejourney is as exciting as the destination.

On arrival in London you are transferred by coach,passing some famous London sights, to the stunningLondon Eye for a 30-minute flight — so don’t forget yourcamera! Then you’ll board a Thames River Cruiser for arelaxing tea or coffee as the sights effortlessly glide by.

After returning by coach to the Northern Belle, asumptuous dinner with champagne and wine will beserved as you recall the best moments of your day onyour way home.

Tuesday, June 21from £295pp

Departs Manchester VictoriaStation approximately 7.30am

and returns approximately10.30pm

For sheer variety, class and romance, nothing beats a day out with Orient Express

APerfectMother’sDayGift!

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Sheltered by a wooded hillside, the hotellooks out over the lake.Below: the relaxing lake-front conservatory

The elegant main restaurant

Sumptuously-decorated“country house” bedroom

The spa pool:you tend to wind up living in here...

Lake? What lake?Lake? What lake?