Gals in the know do not always want to stay in hotels! Hen parties want a change from routine and regime. I am staying in a smashing private home now with my good friends John and his wife Camilla (top photo). I am trialling my new folding bike, a Montague X50. It says Swiss all over it but I suspect it is made in Taiwan, ha ha. It folds in half, the front wheel takes off and therefore the whole thing pops easily, or quite easily, into our 4x4. Camilla and I went off for a ten mile ride before breakfast (second photo, taken in part of the enormous garden – their estate seems to go on forever.

As it happens they travelling themselves later to day as this weekend their home is being rented to a party of 14 girlfriends, a hen party for one of the ladies’ forthcoming nuptials. Camilla runs an amazing site, www.eventfulstays.com She has over 700 homes around UK and rents them, on behalf of their owners, not only by location but by event – want something near to Ascot 2012?

The lucky gals staying here, at John and Camilla’s home, have plenty of space. As well as five bedrooms in the main house there is accommodation for four in the pool house (bottom photo). I just hope the sun comes out before those hens arrive.

I never had a hen party before my wedding. My sister had a hen birthday party. I will leave it to others. For me, mixed parties are much more fun.