something for the weekend

Turnberry Hotel, Ayrshire "The chef can cook your catch for dinner," we were proudly informed as we pulled on wellington boots, woolly gloves and thick Barbour jackets on a freezing, soaking wet morning.

The beautiful surroundings of Turnberry on the Ayrshire coast look especially lovely through huge Georgian windows at breakfast time.

Yes, separated by thick glass from outside elements, it all looks superb.

But this was an outdoor activity weekend. Can anyone tell me which sadist put the words 'outdoor' and 'activity' together in the first place? Sheltering in luxury wasn't for us. Whisked out by our guides, we found ourselves at the aptly named Outdoor Activity Centre, within walking distance of the hotel.

First up was clay target shooting (happy to report that as the only girl I hit the targets no problem at all), followed by archery (sad to report that as the only girl I shamed my sex entirely, as the arrow limped across the grass from my bow). By now the rain was pouring down and we could barely feel our fingers, but it was all surprisingly fun and rather bracing into the bargain.

Next - a hopeless attempt to catch some fish in the spring-fed loch, stocked with rainbow and brown trout, meant that the likelihood of Chef grilling our self-caught dinner was pretty small.

Four-by-four off -road driving and quad biking was reserved for the more adventurous among us, but on the whole, outdoor activities (a new direction for a venue mainly associated with golf) were not at all the horror I imagined. Especially when viewed, upon reflection, from the safety and comfort of the magnificent spa.

LESLEY MCDOWELLTurnberry Hotel, Ayrshire (01655 334136) offers a two-night Great Outdoors stay for two from (pounds) 730, which includes dinner, breakfast, coffee breaks, all above activities plus falconry, with full tuition

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