A leisurely trip along the M4 and Lucy Silver leaves the stresses of everyday life behind to sample the joys of a spa in one of Britain’s most beautiful destinations

It's a crisp winter day with a chill in the air, but as the watery sun sets below the horizon, I am luxuriously warm – work and the pressures of daily life becoming a distant memory as I float in a vigorous jet of bubbles under a wide Welsh sky.

I have never been one for spas – all that fussing around with towels, oils and candles – but I am rapidly being converted. My morning facial has left me feeling (and hopefully, looking) 10 years younger, and put me in a state of relaxation hitherto unknown. This, quite simply, is heaven!

Rugged Pembrokeshire may seem a long way to come for a massage and a soak, but Bluestone National Park Resort has a reputation among pampering devotees, which makes the easy drive over the Severn Bridge, along the M4 and into the heart of the rolling Preseli hills, eminently worthwhile for a weekend or midweek break. It’s certainly a lot closer than Cornwall, prettier even, and without the crowds (and prices).

The resort itself is built in the style of a Welsh village, huddled in a valley (what else!) and just a few miles from the broad sandy beaches, splintered cliffs and seabird colonies of the Pembrokeshire Coast (the UK’s only dedicated coastal national park). But while the shoreline receives a battering from monster waves, inland it’s calm, bright even, and quiet and traffic free – guests leaving the cars at the entrance and travelling by bicycle, foot or golf cart-style electric buggies, which make easy work of the steep valley sides.

This is Britain at its most beautiful. And while sporty types will find endless opportunities for getting to grips with the great outdoors, and families can spend action-packed days in its enclosed Blue Lagoon water park (pools, wave machine, water slides and artificial beach), I am here to do nothing at all – other than relax, rejuvenate and find myself again. And it’s working.

My home for the weekend is a gorgeous terraced cottage in the heart of the village. It’s self catering, and ultra modern inside, but with a buffet restaurant offering epic Welsh breakfasts, a fine dining restaurant, a relaxed bar serving snacks – and even a late night takeaway service (Thai, Chinese, Indian and pizza), there’s really no need to cook. The cottage is all of a two minute walk to the Well Spa, which, looks deceptively rustic – more like a Welsh farmhouse than the five-star therapy centre. But that’s all part of the appeal. Inside is a modern, minimalist sanctuary, the only sound being some soft background music and the gentle pad of slippered feet.

Eleven treatment rooms, offering face, body and nail treatments with Decleor, Espa and Jessica products, fan out from a pretty courtyard and the large outdoor hydrotherapy pool which has become my own private haven (nice little secluded corners in which to hide, bubbly back-pummelling jets, and showers of warm mineral-rich mountain water – which, even hours later, won’t leave you wrinkled).

Overlooking the pool is the Olive Tree restaurant, serving healthy, but thankfully not boring, snacks and meals (grilled chicken or tuna bento boxes are a favourite). And, oh joy! there’s a bar... with a respectable and very reasonably priced wine list too (okay, I could have had a smoothie, but come on, weekends like this are made for fizz!).

At the heart of the spa is its Tardis-like thermal area, which feels cosy but reveals itself gradually with hidden aromatic steam rooms, dry salt room, two saunas (one wood, one stone), ice chamber and ‘experience’ showers. I emerged positively gleaming, if a little light-headed, ready for the highlight of my spa experience.

As a girl never before given over to the delights of massage, the concept of a “holistic hot stone” treatment filled me with a mix of trepidation and mild concern. What awaited me at the hands of my masseuse was 45 minutes of paradise. After a gentle back and shoulder massage with an aromatherapy oil of my choosing (“invigorating or relaxing” is the choice), smooth volcanic rocks – gently warm rather than ‘hot’ – are placed along my back, their heat penetrating my muscle and dissolving any lingering vestige of tension. I am soon in a floaty trance-like state – not quite asleep, but definitely ‘no longer in the room’. Call it an out of the body experience if you like, or just a state of deep relaxation. I am brought back to consciousness with a gentle whisper that my treatment is over, the offer of a glass of water and an invitation to take as long as I need to get up. Having regained the use of my jelly-like limbs, I found myself back in the Village.

While Bluestone is very definitely a lively family destination, the Village is a resort within a resort; and its best restaurant, Carreg Las (which, rather cleverly, means Bluestone in Welsh), is among the nicest, and friendliest spots in Wales.

Using largely locally-sourced produce, its imaginative chefs specialise in hearty, yet beautifully presented, Welsh fare (tasty game and robust beef are favourites) as well as delicately cooked fish. And the puddings are, of course irresistible.

And why not? This may be a New Year detox, but, come on, it’s also a holiday. And you could always take that long walk over the hills tomorrow. If you can pry yourself away from the jacuzzi, that is.

Bluestone National Park Resort is at The Grange, Canaston Wood, Narberth, Pembrokeshire. Visit bluestonewales.com or call 01834 862 400 or 08000 224520.
Well Spa: Prices start at £45 for a 30-minute spa experience, or £49 for a two-hour spa entry, 30 minute spa experience of your choice and light lunch. The Well Spa is open daily 9am-7pm. Call 01834 862 41.