'I took a UK lake holiday so luxurious a sudden change of plans didn't ruin the fun'

Nothing perks you up more and leaves you feeling ready to face all that life has to throw at you than a couple of days with friends in

Embedded in a longwinter, it felt like the right time for a short break from the grind to indulge in a spot of luxury. And the grim weather was made infinitely more bearable by a lovely weekend trip with my gal pals to the stunning Cameron House Lodges, near Alexandria at the southern tip of

Six of us packed up, left instructions for the other halves on how to keep the children alive, and hot-footed it to the cars to start our recuperation weekend away. It might have been full on winter as we snaked our way out of Glasgow to our West Dunbartonshire base just 25 miles from the city, but we were full of the joys of spring. And just 45 minutes later we were in a picturesque winter wonderland.

Having checked in ahead of time, we simply pulled up to our three-bedroom lodge, one of 115 in the grounds overlooking the famous loch.

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A spacious open-plan lounge, diner and kitchen lead out to a balcony perfect for warmer weather, although too chilly for us to use during our stay. But the floor-to-ceiling windows ensure you don’t miss out on that vista while staying toasty. The lodge sleeps eight people thanks to a pull-down bed in the living area. Two of the sizeable bedrooms are ensuite and the third has a bathroom just across the hall, all with under floor heating.

Despite its size, it was warm and cosy – unlike outside. The kitchen is very well-equipped and we had plenty of crockery and cutlery for the six of us so we were happy to make our dinner in the lodge and then spent the evening relaxing in the lounge area with music playing though the impressive sound system.

We had booked a champagne cruise on the loch for the next day, however Mother Nature had other ideas for us. We woke up to a dusting of and a weather warning that Storm Bert was battering the country. A look at the choppy waters in front of our lodge, assured us that venturing out on a boat was probably a bad idea.

Undeterred and happy to make the most of our surroundings, we took advantage of the hotel’s impressive Fayre which had lots of stalls and mulled wine on offer and was, crucially, inside.

We spent a lovely couple of hours browsing and splashing the cash on thoughtful presents and the mulled wine ­definitely put us in the Christmas spirit. Later, we took the opportunity to check out the hotel’s leisure facilities and were able to relax in a sauna and steam room, and take a dip in their pool and Jacuzzi.

The hotel has full-on luxury around every corner. The Great Scots bar is well worth a visit just to enjoy a drink in the sumptuous surroundings. And even if it’s cold outside – this is , so that’s a lot of the time– there is a covered terrace with heaters and, once again, that magnificent view of the loch. With Storm Bert still doing his worst we settled on the comfy sofas indoors to enjoy our drinks.

You can have light bites and bar snacks there but we had dinner booked so had a couple of drinks and a good old natter before heading back to our lodge to get ready for our evening. We had decided on La Vista in Cameron House marina for grub and it was across the road from where we were staying which was nice and handy. It’s a relaxed atmosphere, not stuffy at all, and the staff are welcoming without being overbearing.

We tucked into calzone, beef cheek and short rib ragu with pasta and side dishes of Caprese salad and Koffman fries. It was all washed down with a couple of bottles of Sangiovese before we decided if we had room for dessert. Of course we did – everyone seemed to have that separate pudding stomach.

The cannoli proved to be a great choice without being too heavy and it was a short totter home before we all fell into bed, stuffed and happy. Even Storm Bert seemed to have given up at this point. We cooked breakfast in the lodge one morning but decided on a Sunday trip to the Cameron Grill. If you’re a breakfast person it will not disappoint.

It proved quite an event with everything you could possibly think of on offer from the full Scottish with endless types of egg to a buffet service that is brimming with fruit, cereals, pastries and yogurts. How any of us managed a cooked breakfast is beyond me after the excesses of the night before, but we made a good fist of it. A couple of the non-drivers even had a mimosa cocktail to wash theirs down with to round off the perfect weekend away.

Storm Bert had given up the ghost so we took advantage of a walk in the ground to soak in some final views of the Bonnie Bonnie banks. Then it was time to hit the road, refreshed and renewed and ready to pick up the pieces back at home.

All of us agreed that it had been the perfect time to indulge in a break away from the rigours of life and the doom and gloom of a Scottish winter. And even Storm Bert couldn’t dampen our spirits.

Book the holiday

Cameron Lodges at Cameron House, Loch Lomond, West Dunbartonshire, start at £229 a night (minimum three-night stay) self-catering. . More info at