Holiday Cottages in Cornwall

About Cornwall

Cornwall lies further south and west than anywhere else in the UK and enjoys one of Britain’s mildest climates, benefiting from the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, with early springs and long lingering summers. This unspoilt County is an ancient and mystic Celtic Kingdom, a land of legend and romance.

Looe and Polperro

The bustling town of Looe is divided by the ever-changing river that separates quieter West Looe from the absorbing waterfront of East Looe, with its diversity of shops, restaurants and pubs, Banjo pier and sandy beach.

The pace and routine of life follows the ebb and flow of the tide and the movement of boats returning with their catch of fresh fish. Local boatman can ferry visitors to and from either quay or alternatively one can enjoy a pleasant cruise along the beautiful and rugged coastline, keeping an eye out for the schools of dolphins that can often be spotted in the bay.

A guided tour will draw you deeper into the labyrinth of ancient buildings, clustered together in the narrow streets and courtyards that make up the old town of East Looe. Visit the 16th century Old Guildhall museum with its interesting exhibits detailing the town’s diverse history, or relax and just while away the hours on the wonderful sandy beach, separated from the river mouth by the Banjo Pier.

Across the seven-arched Victorian bridge lies West Looe, with its 16th century Jolly Sailor Inn and St Nicholas Church. Visit nearby Hannafore point and explore the rock pools on the shoreline or join the cliff walk along the rugged South West Coastal Path. You can take a boat trip to the beautiful St Georges Island, with its 12th century monastic cells, once owned by the Abbot of Glastonbury and more recently fervently protected from developers by the Atkins sisters who bequeathed it to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve.

Alternatively take a forest walk through the lovely woods bordering the estuary or simply use Looe as a base to further explore the dramatic Cornish coastline and countryside with its many attractions.

Nestling in a deep sheltered valley protected by the ancient harbour is the spectacular, historic fishing village of Polperro, much favoured by artists, writers and photographers and the location for many films, due to its inspirational and truly remarkable setting.
This extraordinary little village gives one the impression of being caught in a time warp and is truly an area of outstanding beauty.
Polperro retains almost all of its 17th century architectural charm and is still a working fishing port, an activity believed to have been uninterrupted, since the 13th Century. You can sample the local catch in one of the many good restaurants and pubs. Fishing trips and pleasure cruises are easily accessible from the quay.
Wending your way through the narrow traffic-free streets you are treading the paths where barrows of fish were once carted and, under the cover of night, brandy casks and tobacco bales were carried to their hideouts. Make no mistake, this peaceful cove was once a thriving centre for the area’s smuggling exploits and achieved great notoriety in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The Polperro Heritage Museum is a mine of information.
Transport into the village from the main car park is either by horse and cart, motorised tram or your own two feet, the harbour is approximately half a mile away. Some vehicle access is possible, but not to all parts of the village.

Cotehele Estate - Cargreen -St. Mellion -The Tamar Valley

The river Tamar has been the official border between Cornwall and Devon since Saxon times and the area around the Tamar Valley is recognised as a World Heritage Site, having cultural importance on a global level being rich in both beauty and heritage. The rural landscape pattern has changed little from the Medieval period with hedgebanks forming some of the oldest features and the Valley possesses some of the most beautiful and unspoilt scenery in the Westcountry. Bovisand, a few miles south of Plymouth, is an ideal location for cultural, seaside and rural activities. Saltash, near the Cotehele Estate with its’ beautiful Medieval house set in extensive grounds and with a superb collections of textiles, armour and furniture lies just over the border into Cornwall. Off the beaten track discover the village of Bere Alston and nearby Bere Ferrers, with its quay alongside the River Tavy, a hidden gem and well kept secret; where the ebb and flow of the tidal river brings the scenery alive as the estuary constantly changes. Cargreen is a pretty Cornish village off the beaten track, perched on the banks of the beautiful and mainly undiscovered Tamar Estuary, though of equal beauty to the more famous Helford and Fal estuaries further west and an important habitat for wildlife, providing a wintering and passage site for birds such as the avocet and little egret. St Mellion, with its famous championship golf course, leisure centre and spa is a short drive from all these villages and just 7 miles from Plymouth. Near Callington there is evidence of prehistoric settlement in the Stone and Bronze Age barrows in Kit Hill, the highest point in Cornwall with amazing panoramic views and look-out point.

Morwenstow -Welcombe - Bude - Crackington Haven

Explore the dramatic scenery of the Heritage Coast around Morwenstow and Welcombe the delightful seaside town of Bude along with nearby Crackington Haven and a couple of miles inland - Jacobstow and Marhamchurch. From here discover the secrets of Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, by climbing the steps to Tintagel Castle. Visit the extraordinarily pretty little fishing villages dotted along the coast, with ancient inns, many with piratical influence or stroll through the famous Lost Gardens of Heligan. The Eden Project has become a world famous venue – a global garden in a dramatic setting, containing plants from all over the world and tells the fascinating story of man’s dependence upon the environment.

Penryn and Falmouth

Penryn is a convenient centre from which to visit much of west and mid-Cornwall and is largely overlooked by the tourist industry, unlike many other towns and villages in the area with the beautiful Helford river nearby, and also the towns of Falmouth, Helston and Truro.

Bodmin - Mullion - The Lizard

Cornwall is a land of extremes from the wild and rugged Bodmin Moor, where the mysterious "Beast of Bodmin" is said to roam, to old-fashioned small towns and villages where people have lived for centuries, many of whom, particularly within the farming community have never ventured out of Cornwall in their entire lives and some not far from the homes in which they were born. The stunning coastline with vast areas of fabulous sandy beaches, tiny hidden coves and picture postcard villages, such as St Ives and Polperro have become popular with artists and celebrities including Padstow with its fish restaurant, owned and run by TV chef Rick Stein. A visit to Land's End and Mullion with its pretty working harbour and sandy cove on the Lizard peninsula or St Michael's Mount is a great day out, along with the surfing beaches of Newquay where world surfing championships are held.

The seas around Cornwall are amongst the cleanest in Europe and fish served up in the evening may well have been caught just a few hours beforehand. Artists come to Cornwall for nourishment drawn by its rugged beauty, the quality of light and a pace of life in which passions can run free, they find inspiration that reaches deep into their souls.