I HAVE just been lucky enough to spend a weekend reliving the very best parts of my youth – on an absolutely fabulous hen do.

I don't know if everyone will love the same things as me, or indeed if they even will have had the same experiences.

But when I was a nipper, one of the things I enjoyed the most were those weeks away where you basically got to play in the country.

Growing up in Cumbria, we went on them a lot.

I'm in no way saying it's a dull place – it absolutely isn't – but it's very rural and quiet. Although this does mean it has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world (okay, okay, I could be a little biasied).

Personally I think it's without question the Lake District is our fair country's finest national parks. I mean, I know the others are stunning, but what other national parks have both lakes AND mountains.

And when I was growing up I was lucky enough to not only experience the lovely views – but also got to experience all the other fun stuff it has to offer. From swinging through trees, to swimming in lakes, from sleeping under the stars to hiking up mountains, from camp fires to canoes and gill scrambling, if you could do it in the Lake District, I did it.

At school, every year off we trotted, as a year group, we trotted off to some sort of campsite or youth hostel or barn to spend a week canoeing, and caving and hiking up things and swimming.

But my love affair with all things “outdoorsy” had started long before that, back when I was an impresionable young Brownie.

And because I was a total nerd in my early teens I was also a Guide – something I would strongly encourage everyone to do, it has set me up very well in later life and was a tonne of fun while I was doing it.

So it was with absolutely glee that I happily accepted the invitation to a hen do in the middle of the Welsh countryside to celebrate the upcoming marriage of one of my lovely pals.

There was climbing (which as a sensible adult I have now realised I don't actually want to do as I'm terrified of heights, something I was struck down with in later life), there was a zip wire, there was raft building, there was a “fun mud run”, there was a very wet assault course and there was clambouring through trees on ropes.

We slept in bunk beds, we had barbecues and it was like being a kid all over again.

Obviously there was also wine, ruder games than we played aged 14 and many, many giggles.

But it was the most fun I have had in a long, long time.

It was nice having some proper, wholesome fun – and pretending to be a kid again.

And it's really made me think. We're all so busy being grown-up, we forget to have fun like we used to when we were kiddies.

This is a mistake I plan to make sure I rectify on a regular basis from now on.