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Search forJoel Cooper decides to bliss out at Downe Health Spa
Thursday, October 16, 2008, 07:00
Upon arrival at our destination, just half an hour from the North Devon fishing port of Bideford, we turned into the driveway and were greeted with an unremarkable tin shed, in which we had been instructed to park our car.
An abundance of swallows glided playfully overhead in the large garage and we removed our bags from the boot with an air of excited anticipation and slight confusion. Surely this could not be the place. "Maybe we've taken a wrong turn and ended up in a farmer's barn," I suggested nervously, having heard tales of what happens to farmland trespassers in rural North Devon.
However, as we followed the bright light emanating from the corner of the darkened barn, it soon became clear that we were in the right place. A cosy, yet somehow vast courtyard opened up before us, lined with several stone cottages. Water trickled quietly down into a central pebble plot, similar in style to Chinese stone garden, but slightly more Devonian (if you know what I mean).
We were greeted in the spa by owners, Lynda and Jeremy Roe, who sat us down on the comfy communal sofas and served us tea and biscuits accompanied by a spot of light conversation. Jeremy and Lynda purchased the site 11 years ago in a bid to swap the hustle and bustle of London for the countryside and spent three years rebuilding the then dilapidated cottages. However, it was only three years ago that health farm connoisseur Lynda had the idea of introducing a spa and the couple have never looked back since.
We opted to take our tea outside to enjoy the sunshine and breathtaking views of rolling countryside and Lundy Island looming in the distance of the Mediterranean-esque sea.
We relaxed, completely content in the sun, until Lynda sauntered out and informed us it was time to check in to our cottage, Japonica. On opening the door, we were greeted by the sight of a bottle of Italian red and a box of chocolates, a gift awaiting all guests at Downe, not just the journalists (or so I'm assured).
The cottage was quaint and cosy, as cottages should be, with a small kitchen and lounge taking up the lower floor. Up a small flight of wooden stairs lay the expansive, open plan bedroom, basking in the glory of the sun which shone brightly through the skylights.
As is customary on such occasions, and with Lynda now firmly out of sight, we removed our shoes and proceeded to jump up and down on the bed, like two hyperactive children expressing their delight through the medium of bounce.
With our bags now unpacked, we donned the white towelling robes and soft slippers that we were to live in for the next 24 hours. Our first treatment was just minutes away: a facial, something I, rather chauvinistically, had not previously encountered.
We strolled back through the courtyard to the spa building where we were greeted by our therapists, Kay and Kayla, and ushered into our respective treatment rooms. Candles flickered gently in the dimly lit room and soft Japanese Koto music played in the background as I lay down on the bed.
I could literally feel my troubles blowing away as Kayla administered the most relaxing face and shoulder massage using aromatherapy oils and creams. After a skin test, informing me of my sensitive and slightly oily complexion (something friends have been telling me for years) Kayla proceeded to use skin-type specific Repêchage products which she claimed would unblock pores, reduce redness around the T-zone and give my face a new lease of life.
After an hour of near-unconscious bliss, I sat up to inspect the new me. The results were outstanding, something which surprised me as a health spa novice.
My girlfriend and I met in the lobby, both looking fresh and decidedly relaxed. We took lunch in the conservatory – a chicken, bacon and avocado club sandwich, the likes of which I have never tasted before. Maybe not the healthiest choice on the menu but certainly the most indulgent.
A two-hour break between treatments awaited us, time which we could have spent sweating in the gym, sauna, steam room or bubbling away in the Jacuzzi. However, given the unusually sunny weather, we opted instead to sit on the veranda, read a newspaper and appreciate the deathly silence that surrounded us, interrupted only occasionally by the swooping of nearby swallows.
As I fleetingly perused the Guardian travel section, I remember feeling as content as I have ever been, not a worry in the world. Like the swallows, time seemed to fly by and before we knew it, the two Kay's were beckoning us back to the treatment room for our next therapy, reflexology.
As Kayla explained, in a slightly watered down version, reflexology is the practice of massaging, squeezing, or pushing on certain areas of the feet with the goal of encouraging a beneficial effect on other parts of the body. Kayla told me, as a result of some initial prodding, that I had what's known as a build up in my sinuses, teeth and elbows. Whether the resulting procedure had any effect on said parts is up for debate, but it was incredibly unwinding (to the extent that I may or may not have dropped off at one point).
Afternoon tea was the next stop on the day's menu: a selection of finger sandwiches, scones and cakes, all delicious.
With our hunger satisfied and the evening drawing in, we took the five-minute drive down to Hartland quay to admire the sunset. With a pint of real ale and a glass of dry white, we watched as the sun slowly disappeared behind the low lying cloud in this, our amphitheatre of rolling rock and green countryside.
A good night's sleep awaited in our comfortable bed and, despite having our skylight windows ajar, the silence and pure darkness of the night was incredible.
The next morning, the sun shone brightly into our room and awoke us from our slumber, by far the most satisfying alarm call I have ever experienced.
After an alfresco breakfast of fresh fruit salad, organic Greek yoghurt and wholemeal toast, we packed up our weekend lives into suitcases, said goodbye to Lynda and Jeremy and hit the road home.
While neither of us may have looked 10 years younger, the experience was certainly rejuvenating.
• Downe Health spa and cottages are located on the Hartland Peninsula in North Devon, approximately a 30-minute drive from Bideford to the east and Bude to the south west.
• The cottages at Downe are available to rent all year round without the use of the spa, ranging in size from the cosy single-bedroom Japonica to the luxurious three-bed Wisteria.
• Nearby attractions include Hartland Abbey, Docton Mill and the picturesque village of Stoke.
• Treatments available at the spa include head and body massage, stone therapy, manicures and holistic relaxation therapy.
• Pamper breaks start from £199 per person and include one night's accommodation, a light lunch, afternoon tea and an aromatherapy body massage
• For more information contact Downe Health Spa on 01237 441881 or visit www.devonspa.co.uk
"What more could I want?" asks Joel Cooper as he enjoys cup of tea at Downe Health Spa
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