A Sublime Scottish Spa

'Did I fall asleep?' I asked Nicola, the Scottish girl at the five-star Blythswood hotel. 'Yes', she smiled, bringing me a glass of cold water. Normally I don't have facials because I would rather have a massage and truly relax but with this facial at the Blythswood I got the best of both worlds.

I wholeheartedly approve of spas using local ingredients. I have had a wine treatment in Argentina, a volcanic pummeling in Lanzarote and a lavender massage in the South of France. But a Scottish spa treatment was a new and welcome one on me. The Blythswood offers holistic signature treatments using organic indigenous Scottish ingredients in its series of ‘Turus Experiences’. A Turus Seaweed Bath offers a uniquely Scottish experience which involves being immersed in a hot bath infused with mineral sea salts containing over 85 natural trace minerals with fresh, hand harvested seaweed from the Hebridean coast. The result is a naturally healing, vitamin-rich, moisturising and anti-ageing treatment.

‘Turus’ is Gaelic for journey. My hour-long facial certainly took me somewhere else. As soon as Nicola, the sweet young thing who enthused over all the products, placed her hand on the top of my chest – on my heart chakra she later explained – I began to unwind. A potent mix of essential oils, including lavender, began to work their magic. ‘Take a deep breath’. I did, exhaling almost immediately. ‘Take another one’, Nicola instructed gently, ‘this time waiting before you exhale’. My breaths got slowly deeper, as my other chakras – the third eye and the crown – were skillfully and deeply worked on. I don’t remember much more than that.

Almost an hour later I came to, asking ‘have I been asleep?’ ‘Yes, I think so’, Nicola beamed. My skin felt gorgeous – soft, fresh and plump. Organic milk thistle extract, aloe vera and lavender were used, my face was gently cleansed with an organic oatmeal scrub and after being massaged, a warm oatmeal and Scottish herb poultice was applied. It seems the result is not just a cleaner face, but awakened meridians and improved drainage of the lymphatic system. I may have no memory of what went on during my anti-ageing facial but I do know I felt amazing.

Time Out Person of the Year

Well might she smile!

CD Traveller

Like many publications, Time Out, nominates its people of the year. Their awards are given to those who “they consider the most influential figures of the past 12 months.” And among them, we are delighted to say, is Jane who writes our regular “Letter from London.”

In such company as Steve Jobs, Adele and Terence Conran what has Jane done to deserve this honour? According to the magazine, “we could have picked Kate Middleton for her services as a clothes horse to British designers, or Lulu Kennedy for her dedication to upcoming talent via Fashion East, but for ground level impact to the London shopping scene, we pick Jane.”

Jane has set up markets on Chatsworth Road and St John’s Church in Hackney and has written a story for us on why visitors should go to Hackney. Again, to quote Time Out, “McIntyre seems dedicated to her neighbourhood, all of her projects being fiercely local-minded and wary of frightening off the native communities with over-gentrified products and prices.”

After the riots she was one of many who helped raise £30,000 to help a local shopkeeper who had his stock ransacked and looted. Not only raising money in the east end of London but throughout the UK and abroad so that the store could re-open.

Here is a person who shows support for her community in a number of ways but for the visitor, she promotes it in her writings and website. Now if all areas who thought they were not attracting visitors felt the same way imagine all the hidden delights, visitors would find.

Our congratulations to Jane who shows what one person can achieve.