When deserted by her other half, Women's Editor Sarah Foster joined a fellow cycling widow for some serious pampering at a Lakeland retreat.

WHEN my husband said he planned to do the Coast to Coast cycle ride my first reaction, perhaps a little selfishly, was to say: "That's lovely darling. So what am I going to do?" His response was rather dismissive. "Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something." Right, I thought. I will. It was with this in mind that I arranged for myself and my mother-in-law Pat, whose husband was also taking part, to stay at The Linthwaite House Hotel.

Perched atop a hill overlooking Lake Windermere, this privately owned hotel promised everything we could want: good food, relaxation and lots of scope for a bit of 'us' time. But before we checked in, we spent some time just down the road in Bowness.

Probably my favourite place to visit in the Lake District, the little town is both bustling and compact. The lake itself is always packed with steamers sailing to and fro (I'd recommend a leisurely trip to catch the stunning scenery) and on its shore are friendly swans that are an attraction in themselves. A winding street leads up to shops and cafes, the speciality being ice cream. For those without a care for calories there's endless choice, with real fruit flavours alongside pure indulgence kinds like cookies and cream. We managed not to be seduced - a meal awaited at the hotel - and spent a pleasant couple of hours just browsing in the shops.

At the bottom of the road which wends its way to Linthwaite House, a sign invites you to drive up further and see the view. Reaching the top, we understood what it meant. If nothing else attracted guests, the wide expanse of verdant land which slopes down gently to the lake would be sufficient in itself. Though the term 'boutique' is now quite frequently applied, I got the sense that this hotel had rightful claim to it. Its country house facade, complete with thickly growing ivy, made it seem a home from home. On checking in, we were met by friendly, helpful staff, and soon settled into our luxurious room.

Voted Hotel of the Year in the England for Excellence Awards, Linthwaite House positions itself as better than the rest. When Mike Bevans, its current owner, acquired the place, he banished chintz - along with dropping 'country' from the title - and reinvented it as traditional but with a touch of modern flair. The end result is described as "Ralph Lauren meets Raffles". When we arrived, we just had time for tea in the colonial-style conservatory, which has an unrestricted view across the lake, before it was time to have our treatments.

In keeping with a rising trend, instead of expecting guests to leave the comfort of their room, the therapists at Linthwaite House will come to them. So it was that Pat and I, having changed into the robes provided, awaited their arrival. There was a discreet tap on the door and when I opened it, I was surprised to see a man. Afraid that Pat, who was a little apprehensive as it was, might now take fright, I volunteered to be the first to have a massage.

In the event, I needn't have worried. Menno Brandwijk, our masseur, was joined by his wife Amanda, who did Pat's pedicure as I was pummelled on the bed. When each was finished we swapped over and Pat found Menno's good advice on how to tackle aches and pains immensely helpful. Feeling wonderfully relaxed, we jumped in the car to Parklands Country Club, a nearby hotel whose leisure facilities we could use, and had a swim before our dinner.

Of course, a major part of staying at Linthwaite House is eating well, and we certainly did that. We chose our meals while sipping champagne in the conservatory, feeling every inch the pampered guests, then wandered through to the spacious dining room, which seemed luxurious yet relaxed. As Pat and I ate - each course was like a work of art - the restaurant staff stood by politely. In fact one thing that really struck me was the service overall: unobtrusive yet efficient; in short exactly how I would have wished it.

Before we left the next morning, we just had time to take a stroll beside the hotel tarn, the perfect place to realign yourself with nature, then it was off to meet the men.

Had they enjoyed themselves as much as we had? Of course not - but if they'd like to do the cycle ride again, they'd hear no arguments from us.