Unwind in Ireland's biggest spa

Starting a new job is one of life's most stressful events, apparently, so what better excuse for a relaxing trip to one of Ireland's newest spa hotels, Farnham Estate?

Situated just outside Cavan, roughly halfway between Dublin and Belfast, Farnham Estate is a beautiful wing of a Georgian country seat, with modern buildings tucked behind. It's set in 1,300 acres with woodland walks, a tranquil lake and pretty meadows.

The hotel marries ancient and modern really well. The glass foyer ceiling now sweeps over the original colonnaded entrance to the house, with its clean lines flowing seamlessly into the 18th-century Music Room with original chandelier, imposing gilt mirror, grand piano and stone fireplace.

Upstairs was my huge room, also teaming old and new effectively, like the open fire, that is, in fact, gas-powered and operated by remote control. After warming up in the fireside chairs with toes curling in the sheepskin rug, I tried the bed. Its comfortable firmness piled with plump pillows with a fresh-air scent made the perfect viewpoint for watching the flickering fire, the rain lashing the windows, and, I confess, the flat-screen TV. Subtly dimmable lighting helped relax me after our hour-and-a-half drive from Dublin.

But a woman's got to eat, so we were soon seated in The Botanica restaurant, overlooking a courtyard pool. My companions rated the Irish beef and lamb as excellent and my vegetarian self was well satisfied with a goat's cheese mille-feuille, then mushroom cannelloni. Puddings, including homemade ice creams, and apple and blueberry pie, were perfect. And their palate-cleansing pink grapefruit sorbet was velvety-smooth.

Next morning, the weather was still blustery rain. So what better place to be, we agreed, than cosied up in a towelling robe and slippers, ready to be pampered?

The spa has 19 treatment rooms, a thermal suite, three types of steam room, plus a gym and yoga suite. Robed and slippered, we headed first for the infinity pool. Once in the water, it was out through the glass door for a swim and underwater jet massage. Our cobwebs were briskly blown away as the wind whipped steam off the warm water and we gazed at lush green countryside.

Come treatment time, I was ushered into a spacious room for my Moor Mud Body Wrap. I put on a tiny paper G-string, and mounted the couch. Each limb in turn was slathered with steaming mineral-rich mud from Hungary, designed to soothe and rejuvenate tired muscles and dull skin. Once coated I was swaddled like a loose mummy, while the mud cooled and contracted, and my facial began. Rebecca the therapist chose the appropriate botanical-based products from the Kerstin Florian range to cleanse, tone and moisturise my grateful face, and applied a clarifying exfoliating scrub and algae gel mask, interspersed with hot cloths.

She helped me into the shower, mud cracking on all sides, where I scrubbed and scrubbed, splattering the walls with mini mud pies. I thought I'd finished, only for Rebecca to say, 'You've missed a bit' and take a hot flannel to my back. To finish, she sprayed me with chamomile dry-oil body mist, before leading me to the relaxation room, where several spa-goers were cocooned under quilts on loungers, with juice, fruit and water on hand. I could have stayed there all day…

But it's amazing how doing very little makes you hungry, so after a drink underground in the Wine Goose Cellar Bar, dinner was on our menu (pasta again for me, as it was the chef's choice that night.)

The next day we tried the Water Mint thermal suite, 'to awaken the circulation and stimulate energy flow'. A couple of hours slipped by in a haze of bubbling foot baths, amethyst salt grotto with salty steam vapours, traditional Finnish sauna, warm Laconium chamber with heated mosaic seats shaped to support your spine, and repeated trips to the Ice Fountain for a rubdown with crushed ice. Soooo stimulating!

We lunched in the spa's Pear Tree Restaurant, which is light and spacious with glass doors onto a terrace. Good place, good food - although on our visit, the only veggie main course was veg and new potatoes.

After lunch Michelle collected me for my full body aromatherapy massage with Aromatherapy Associates oils in her naturally lit treatment room. Ooh, she was good! She worked her way round my body in a series of fluid manoeuvres, while I concentrated on the sensation of wafting off towards the ceiling. She paid particular attention to my tense shoulders, working away at a couple of stubborn knots. Afterwards, my shoulders no longer felt hunched up by my ears.

Completely blissed-out, I floated off to the relaxation room before packing and checking out for the return journey. And I'm happy to report that my state of bliss lasted all the way back to London…

More information and contact details

An overnight stay at Farnham Estate starts from €75 per person per night based on two sharing on a bed and breakfast basis. Spa treatments range from €50 for a body scrub to €190 for the caviar facial. The Full Day Spa Pamper Package costs from €190 and includes dry floatation, detoxifying body wrap, two-course lunch in the Pear Tree, plus use of spa facilities. The Weekend Package costs from €290 and includes a two-night stay, a 25-minute treatment each day, with breakfasts and one dinner in the Botanica Restaurant. For further information or to make a booking call 00 353 049 437 7700 or visit www.farnhamestate.com