FOR THE LADIES

SPA WEEKEND

Buckinghamshire The tragic, clichéd irony of visiting the extravagant Stoke Park, near Slough - the location for one of Hugh Grant and Renée Zellweger’s ill-fated weekends in Bridget Jones’s Diary - when you actually have man troubles would be too much to bear. So don’t wait.

Hook up with your bestest mate now and take advantage of the Bridget Jones package. Yes, it’s obvious, but it’s excellent, too, offering two nights’ accommodation in this country club and spa - complete with Italian-marble steam rooms and indoor pool - with chilled chardonnay on arrival, a plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries, a three-course dinner each evening, a full English breakfast and, of course, a copy of the DVD.

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Details: from £360pp, including access to the spa; 01753 717171, www.stokeparkclub.com . A full-body massage starts at £80.

ANTIQUES AND SHOPPING

Portobello Road, London As everybody heads off like shop-obsessed sheep to the new mega-centre that is Westfield, now’s the time to do something completely different. London is home to some of the best street markets in the world, and Portobello Road is arguably the coolest - and the most fun.

It starts with antique glass and silver at the Notting Hill end and becomes quirky fashion by the time it reaches the Golborne Road end, with the excellent Hummingbird Bakery (133 Portobello Road; 020 7229 6446, www.hummingbirdbakery.com ) conveniently located in the middle for a restorative cupcake or four.

Stay: Miller’s Residence (020 7243 1024, www.millersuk.com ; £225 for a twin room, B&B, including complimentary drinks) is a must for antiques addicts - every square inch of table, floor and wall is loaded with objets d’art and bric-a-brac collected by Martin Miller, of the Lyle Antiques Guide. Or try the Main House (020 7221 9691, www.themainhouse.co.uk ), two minutes from Portobello. Prices start at £120 for two sharing a twin room, including morning tea/ coffee, but not breakfast.

FLYFISHING

Dartmoor, Devon Flyfishing used to be a male preserve, but then came Brokeback Mountain, and now it’s difficult for them to phone up a mate and suggest it for a weekend away. The sport has become increasingly popular with ladies, however, for three reasons: it’s a chance to learn a skill in some of the prettiest countryside in England; it’s noncompetitive; and you get to scream with excitement when you get a bite. One of the best areas is Dartmoor, where there are several well-stocked lakes with rainbow trout practically throwing themselves onto the bank.

Details:Fly Fishing Devon (01752 893382, www.flyfishingdevon.co.uk ) can tailor group sessions (between three and six hours); from £70 for three people.

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