Pure Indulgence

The out of season blues may be served with rain streaked side dish and a dollop of gale force winds, but spend a couple of days in soft hands and even soft mud and see if you can’t shake off the seasonal downturn.

Cornwall not only has the know-how in pampering and self indulgence but also the stunning backdrops to make it all seem that much more of an individual getaway.

Here are a few suggestions on how you could really indulge your senses.

Sunrise Remedy: The pastel painted room flooded with light, sweeping views across the Fal estuary and a plate of scrambled free-range eggs, smoked salmon and toasted brioche. At the Cesar Award winning Tresanton Hotel at St Mawes breakfast is a leisurely amble into the morning.

Morning Therapy: At 10 o’clock stroll along the banks of the Helford River at the Budock Vean Hotel near Falmouth. Sit in the sun lounge overlooking the foreshore, read the paper and decide what to do next. The Nine-hole golf course located in the grounds is a distinct possibility.

Daytime Healing: Awaken your spine and give salutations to the sun at the Bay Hotel Fistral Spa in Newquay with a Yoga class overlooking the sea. Bend your body in twelve postures in a single, graceful flow and if the sun is shining, even better. Complete the mood with a refreshing swim in the pool.

Midday Treat: Get muddy the natural way at the Oasis Rooms in the gorgeous town of Fowey on the south coast. Nourish your body with an aromatic seaweed and mineral mud poultice sealed in a warm, relaxing wrap. Bit of shopping around the narrow streets. Something pretty from Bibi jewellery, a knot scarf from the Seasalt store.

Lunchtime Unwind: State of the art exercise equipment to work up a healthy glow and a light lunch of endive salad with Cornish blue cheese and roasted walnuts at the stunning St Moritz Hotel near Wadebridge. Tour of Camel Valley Vineyard, personal guide to viniculture and a tasting of the stellar Cornwall Brut wine

Afternoon Amble: The gardeners at the Tregothnan Estate near Falmouth share their passion for plants and give a private viewings of the botanical gardens followed by a cream tea looking out over the UK’s only tea plantation. Buy some Cornish Earl Grey from the estate shop along with some of chocolatier Mark De Marquette’s Tregothnan chocolates

Evening Overture: A romantic evening can start at the Ocean Breeze Spa at the Sands Hotel at Porth on the North Coast where they provide a Prelude to Seduction therapy to wake up the skin’s reactivity to pleasure. Chill out by the pool and chat over a glass of local wine. Open the bedroom window, listen to the surf and take a nap.

End of Day Indulgence: Dinner at St Enodoc Hotel near uber-trendy Rock. Top chef Nathan Outlaw’s Seafood and Grill showcases Cornwall’s local food. Incredible sunset views over the Camel Estuary, bobbing boats and Padstow across the water. Moonlit walk on the beach at Polzeath. Watch the shadows of the clouds on the sand.