Cornwall in Bloom & Holiday Cottages by the Sea
Idyllic Holiday Cottages, Coastal Adventures, and Springtime Charm
Cornwall in spring time. The days are long, the flowers are in bloom, and the children are in school. Late spring and early summer are the perfect time to visit the mysterious, dramatic, Celtic west. Find our West Country Holiday Cottage collection here.
We began our tour on the wonderful Roseland Peninsula a hidden Cornish gem, turning off the A39 and using the ancient King Harry chain ferry to explore the tiny lanes, hamlets and unspoilt coastline. At St Mawes we lunched at the Idle Rocks, restyled in a stunning contemporary design by owners Karen and David Richards. The hotel perches on the harbour’s edge where you can catch a ferry across the ‘roads’ to Falmouth. A few yards up the hill sits Olga Polizzi’s beautiful and comfortable Hotel Tresanton. An ideal place for a cream tea with views across the estuary, while seafaring visitors might like an afternoon’s sailing on the Pinuccia, their sleek 1930s racing yacht, available for charter. Restaurants and gift shops line the labyrinth of lanes in this gorgeous village. Expect to see plenty of 4x4s with London number plates, but St Mawes still retains its character and charm as a working community.
(Kynance Cove)
Cornwall is bathed by the Gulf Stream, keeping temperatures higher than ‘upcountry’ and allowing gardens in the county to burst into colour during April and May. Some are famous like the Lost Gardens of Heligan, but there is a treat in store at many others. Trebah, a sub-tropical paradise, is one example. Its rhododendrons sit in a v shaped valley above a quiet cove where American infantry barges were hidden in advance of D Day. Further south, don’t miss Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens a wonderful combination of art and horticulture, a bee’s flight from Penzance, with glorious views across St Michael’s Mount.
But before venturing further south we drove through the Lizard Peninsula, more wooded than granite Penwith, past the hidden Helford River towards Coverack , and Cadgwith. We stopped to watch the sunset at rugged, elemental Kynance Cove, beloved by Victorian travellers.
Then over the moor towards Helston and Porthleven. This fishing community with an ancient pub and rows of cottages tumbling down to the harbour, has become a magnet for foodies in recent years with a wide range of cooking styles. Lcals in the know gravitate towards Amelies, Kota Kai, or The Square. We had dinner there, feasting on Newlyn Plaice, Cornish Hake and local pheasant, followed for dessert by a winter fruit sundae, and toffee apple sticky ginger cake. Fresh local produce bursting with flavour.
(Helford Rive)
For our overnight stay we drove south to Penzance, bohemian, historic, artistic, eccentric. In this ancient Cornish port, Alfred Munnings, Laura Knight and Stanhope Forbes once painted, and their work can be seen in the Penlee House gallery surrounded by tropical ferns. The town is steeped in smuggling myth and was once invaded by the Spanish.
Dylan Thomas married here, and news of Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar was first announced from the Union Hotel bar in Chapel Street, an architectural gem which is also home to the Artists Residence, a boutique hotel winning plaudits from discerning travellers since 2010.
(St Ives, Cornwall)
It stands opposite the legendary Admiral Benbow, a 15th century beamed pub with the most impressive maritime interior anywhere in Britain. Capstans, figureheads, brass propellers, ropes and flags. We’d never had fish & chips in the interior of a galleon before, and it’s not a meal we are likely to forget. Washed down by pints of St Austell Tribute bitter, we were asleep by 9.30pm and ready for some exercise along the south west coast path the next morning.
The full route of the path runs for 630 miles from Minehead to Poole Harbour, attracting ramblers from around the world. Best to start with a manageable section, parking first at the Minack Theatre high above the turquoise waters of Porthcurno Beach where Marconi ran his undersea cables to India. Locals call it the original internet. A museum in the car park tells the full story.
The Minack is truly unique. An open air theatre with the sea as its back curtain, carved from a clifftop by the redoubtable Rowena Cade and her gardener before and after the war. Its steep terraces are packed with theatregoers every summer, and the museum demonstrating how it was built is a must see.
(The Minack Theatre)
Turning west, we followed the path, once patrolled by the revenue man watching for smugglers, past Porthchapel beach to magical Porthgwarra. This tiny cove was the location for the famous Poldark scene where Ross, stripped to the waist, harvests the pilchards from the waves, much to the admiration of the local maids.
It’s 13 miles to Lands End for the intrepid walker, but we returned as the sun was fading and headed to St Ives and stayed overnight at the Pedn Olva hotel before the trip home along the A30.
A long weekend really isn’t enough. We’ll be back.
Lindsay
(Boomers on the Beach)
If you’re planning a UK break or looking for UK holiday cottages by the sea, dog-friendly spots are abundant along this beautiful Cornish coastline. You’ll also find cottages to rent in Cornwall with hot tubs or pools, perfect for relaxing after exploring. There’s simply so much to see and do in Cornwall, from its charming cottages and scenic coastlines to its unforgettable cultural landmarks.
Details on all of the above locations and much more can be found at www.visitcornwall.com
