Our woman pounding the pavements heads to Spain for a very active family holiday
It’s around this time of year, as the days get darker, cooler, wetter and more bleak, that the hot, sunny weather of the summer seems like a distant memory – it’s always over far too quickly. It won’t be long until we’re constantly wrapped up in scarves, jumpers and jackets, with gloves and woolly hats at the ready whenever we go out. It’s also at times like this you think how lovely it would be to plan a holiday for next year – something to look forward to and to get excited about, even if it’s months down the line.
In August this year, I went to Spain to a resort in Murcia called Las Colinas. It’s a huge development, with plenty of villas being built over a huge expanse of land. It’s centred around a stunning golf course in the middle, and if you like your golf, there are a brilliant 18 holes to play. I played every day I was there (five days in a row) and I loved every minute! Ever since I took up golf in 2018, it’s become one of my favourite hobbies. I love the fact that it requires focus, practice and it allows you time in the fresh air – a great deal of time too, as a round of golf takes about four hours and, during that time, you will most certainly hit your Fitbit step goal!
I went to Las Colinas with my husband, daughter and mum. We stayed in a lovely villa – not that we actually spent that much time there, as we were out constantly. I think that’s what I love most about a resort that has so many activities on offer – you’ll always be on the move and find that you’re outside in the fresh air most of the time. In the few days we were away, we were only indoors to shower, change and sleep; we didn’t once turn on a television and we all felt great after doing so much exercise.
A lot of my friends are baffled by the fact that I want to keep fit and stay active when I go on holiday. For me, that’s part of the break – it’s how I relax and enjoy myself. I know some people like to switch off completely and laze about, but I need to be busy. I start most days off with a run early in the morning before breakfast, unless of course our golf tee-off time is early!
I have breakfast after exercise – whether that’s a sweaty run in the morning sunshine, or after 18 holes on the golf course.
My husband James and I also love to play tennis. We’re certainly not the kind of players who will ever rival Serena and Andy, but we enjoy the fun of the competition all the same. We’ve played every time we’ve been on holiday since we first got together, 17 years ago. I’ve always won, until this year – clearly I need to work on my game before we play again in 2020! At Las Colinas, the tennis courts are all brand new and in a beautiful spot, and there is also paddle tennis and basketball courts, if you fancy those games instead. There’s a lovely swimming pool and, a few miles down the road, a beach club for residents which has an infinity pool and stunning views out to the Mediterranean Sea.
When we arrived home, we couldn’t believe how much we’d done in such a short space of time. We all felt very healthy after being so active – we’d burnt calories, spent a vast amount of time in the fresh air and enjoyed trying the local wines and cocktails – we were on holiday, after all! We came home well rested, energised and, because we’d crammed so much in, we felt like we’d been away for a lot longer than just five days. Isn’t it ironic that sometimes the most active holidays actually turn out to be the most relaxing!
