Back in 2010 when I was grounded in London to recuperate from a tropical disease I had contracted on a worktrip, Lil’sis and I had a most successful two night trip to Cornwall — my first visit (that I can remember) to the county, and although it did rain a little, we found much to love. We stayed at The Scarlet in Mawgan Porth, walked along the cliffs for the obligatory National Trust cream tea and regretted only that The Scarlet was at that point a dog-free zone.
We loved it so much, and had such an enthusiastic response from readers as far away as Japan, that when I received an email a few weeks back from the PR for Visit Cornwall asking me if I would like to return to check out the local produce, and various other things, we leapt at the suggestion.
Not least because lil’sis had such a wonderful time in Marrakech and was so much better physically when we were away: it’s clear to me that one of the best ways I can contribute to her welfare is to take every opportunity to remove her from her quotidian reality of feeling like crap, shuttling between doctors, hospitals and the sofa.
So, using their suggestions as a foundation, I have put together a tentative itinerary for five days at the end of March. And this time we are taking the dog. We will take the train to Newquay from Paddington, (I thought about driving but it’s five hours by car & I can work on the train), pick up a hire car (so cheap — £99 for the duration!) and stay at The Scarlet for a night — now accepting canine guests. I’m thinking I may go walking along the cliff tops in the morning with the rat, whilst lil’sis wallows in The Scarlet’s spa.
The we will remove down the road to a dog-friendly Beach Retreats self-catering apartment at Watergate Bay. This is the point where we go all food-obsessed. There is a spring Cornish farmers market on the 24th March, supported by Fifteen Cornwall, where we can meet local suppliers & buy the ingredients to cook supper, the possibility of taking a pasta-making workshop at Fifteen Cornwall, and maybe brunch there too on Sunday.
Then we will dive down to glorious– looking The Lugger hotel on the Cornish south coast, spend a day at the Eden Project, (I’m very impressed with their Accessiblity scheme — they even have wheelchairs on site, common in the US but practically non-existent in the UK), and maybe visit some more gardens. Then the train back from Truro to London Paddington. We are thinking about taking the First Great Western overnight sleeper — has anyone done it, and could recommend it?
Really, it couldn’t be more perfect — lovely hotels & local restaurants, sea views, dogwalks, gardens, wonderful Cornish produce and fresh air. Holidaying in Britain has never seemed more alluring.
And, if anyone has any suggestions of things to do that fit in our itinerary, we’d love to hear them…
Photo: The outdoor natural reedbed pool at The Scarlet
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We go to Cornwall most summers in our 1969 vintage VW campervan. One of our favourite places to go is Chapel Porth, which is looked after by the National Trust. It is a great place for walking, chilling on the beach and the beach cafe, like no other, serves amazing food; various posh croque sandwiches and the famous hedgehog ice cream which is a cone with a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of clotted cream rolled in toasted and crushed hazelnuts….divine and well worth a visit just for the cafe alone
I live in Falmouth which is beautiful (a 30 minute drive from Truro, if you get a chance to visit you must go to the Gylly Beach Cafe where they sell amazing Cornish food in a beautiful setting http://www.gyllybeach.com/, your dog would be welcome too) but a garden near Truro that I would recommend if you are up for some more plant viewing after Eden would be Trewithen Gardens, they have some record breaking trees and a grand house that you can pay extra to look around as well as being dog friendly. It is very flat there (unlike most of Cornwall!) but I’m not sure if they provide wheelchairs and the gardens are quite large. http://www.trewithengardens.co.uk/home
I have been to Watergate Bay on holiday before but off of the top of my head I cannot think of any recommendations except avoid Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, it’s very over priced and local businesses in Newquay are superior.
Finally, my favourite place in Cornwall is St Ives. It’s not too close to the towns you are visiting but if you fancy the drive it is well worth it. I posted a few photos from a visit last year on my blog. Just down the road in Carbis Bay there is an amazing vegetarian restaurant (all local food again where possible) which doesn’t look much from the outside but is wonderful. http://www.thebeaninn.co.uk/
I hope you enjoy your stay here.
It’s been very warm lately, today my friends were at the beach in sunglasses and shorts! My mother in London is unimpressed as she said it has been a grey day there.
Kate x
@Kate Hughes: What a wonderful list! Thank you SO much; goodness I wish we had double the time. The gardens near Truro sound especially interesting. I’ll be packing my Hunters AND sunglasses then!
I take your point about the prices at Fifteen, but I have done some reading up, and I think it’s important to note that:
“Fifteen Cornwall is owned by the Cornwall Foundation of Promise (CFoP), registered charity no.1119341. The Foundation is pivotal to Fifteen Cornwall’s success. For a start it owns the restaurant. It also runs the training programme and looks after the welfare of the apprentices during their time here. Like the name suggests, The Foundation is in place to give disadvantaged young people in Cornwall a platform to discover their true potential. But there’s a double meaning. The Foundation is also a promise to these young people that it will do everything in its power to help each one create the productive, successful life they’d like to achieve.
Its principles and thinking mirror the Fifteen Foundation set up by Jamie Oliver and whilst Jamie remains the figurehead for the group, a dedicated team in Cornwall runs the CFoP. They do an outstanding job.
Since May 06, the CFoP has enrolled over 120 apprentices. Seventy per cent are still cheffing today. Whether or not an apprentice makes it to graduation, the Foundation works tirelessly and seamlessly to create the environment needed for these young people to flourish. ”
Which surely must be a good thing?
LLGxx
@Kate Hughes:
Love St. Ives as well. Farrell’s bakery is the business. Very retro with lovely saffron cakes and buns, plus delicious many different sized pasties.
So many ice cream places to try! We stayed in Downalong which has immediate access to beaches in the daytime, before the tide comes in. The main road by the harbour is quite flat as well. I love the immediacy of stepping out of the cottage we stayed in and being in the thick of it. Everyone was good natured. We did go off season though at the end of September. Lots of dogs out with their owners to admire.
I am wildly jealous. We spent all our childhood holidays at Watergate Bay and even though I now live in Australia with access to boundless, gorgeous beaches, the seaside still means Cornwall and Watergate Bay to me. I loved reading about the Scarlett when you wrote about it before so look forward to hearing about this trip.
@nancyblackett: I’d just like to say that I love yr Swallows & Amazons user name! LLGxx
@LLG love swallows and amazons!
A drive north from Newquay. Harlyn Bay is stunning for walking and surfing and then further up the coast to the Camel Estuary. Walk along the coast path from Padstow or the ferry over to Rock. Ignore the reputation, the time you are going it will be blissfully quiet. It is to me the most beautiful place in the world.
Looks beautiful
http://haideeandco.blogspot.com/
Sounds amazing – I’m off to Cornwall the month after you, also with hound in tow. I wanted to take the train but don’t think they allow dogs on the sleeper. Shame as it would have been ideal.
Have fun x
@Jessica: Ah. Thanks for this. P Bad is lil’sis’s disabled companion dog, so I will find out if she’s allowed. (I looked on the website and it said assistance dogs in cabins, all other dogs in carriers in the guards van) LLGxx
I’ve always, always wanted to go to Cornwall. Famous Five novels etc.
Perhaps you’ll run into my brother & family on the beach! They live in Camelford and are at the beach nearly every weekend. He will be the only Jersey Boy with a gaggle of blonde British girls with him at Newquay. They also do organized activities at the Eden Project with the little ones. Enjoy!
So many glorious places to visit and things to do I don’t know where to start.. here’s a few lovely ideas for North Cornwall.
- Polzeath and Rock for surfing (Wavehunters) or sailing, a glorious coastal walk, stunning views down the estuary finishing up with tea & cake in the Mowhay Cafe Trebetherick.
- Port Isaac / Port Gaverne for a potter amidst quaint fishing villages, enjoy fresh crab/lobster from Fresh from the Sea.
- Explore the Camel Trail under pedal power – hire bicycles Padstow end and head to Wadebridge, stopping for tea and cake enroute courtesy of ‘Treats on Trikes’. Pick up fresh veg in The Vine for sustenance and cycle a further 3 miles to Bodmin where you’ll find the Camel Valley Vineyard enjoying picturesque views through the valley. A couple of glasses of Cornish wine later and its time to head back to Padstow to enjoy a takeaway portion of Stein’s Fish & Chips.
- Hire a vintage MG from Cornwall classic cars and put-put along the fabulous coastal roads that stretch from Padstow to Sennen – some of the most stunning diverse scenery, ooh love.
Hope this helps! For more info, do have a peep at my little site http://www.thisisyourkingdom.co.uk/her-kingdom/all-articles/filter/cornwall/ – an insider’s guide to lovely things to do, each recommendation is shared and discovered by our rather marvelous community and curated by us to ensure you enjoy only the very best insider knowledge. We’d love to hear about your favourite finds on your return!
Sounds like the perfect itinerary, we’re planning to go in June, haven’t been for nearly 20 years since uni days! I just read about The Scarlet but with a toddler in tow thinking Self catering is a better option, sadly. Look forward to reading about your trip and your recommendations!
Loved St. Ives when I stayed there. There is a stunning selection of beaches dotted around the town, not just one. I sat in a restaurant one evening when the tide had come in and watched a couple of dogs swimming around in the sea. The beaches there are very dog friendly, even in the summer. I want to go back now!
@Catherine: I’m looking forward to seeing P Bad swimming! Usually she does swims around in circles…LLGxx
Hi, sounds fabulous, we were at Eden the other day and it is one of my favourite places in the world. They have a new Bakery there on the lower ground floor which is immense.
Other fab places to go, especially to eat, are
http://www.blue-bar.co.uk – right on the beach, great food and great vibe
http://www.porthminstercafe.co.uk – fabulous food and amazing views
and finally for a lovely walk around and the best icecream in Cornwall
http://www.roskillys.co.uk
Hope you have a great time
F xxx
@Fiona: The bakery is DEF on our list! And I know my sister will have ice cream as a priority…LLGxx
Like Kate I live near Falmouth, and if you are down this way The Cove at Maenporth beach has a fabulous menu and location: http://www.thecovemaenporth.co.uk/. The Ferryboat Inn on the Helford is also a delightful place for an afternoon of tea drinking and dolphin spotting. I did the sleeper about 10 years ago and it was fine, but that’s a long time ago in transportation!
Hope you have a wonderful holiday. x
@Ailsa: The menu looks wonderful: love the emphasis on local produce. LLGXx
Hurray! This sounds absolutely glorious. I’m off to Cornwall myself this friday (like you, by train from Paddington to North Cornwall) for two nights and am SO excited; have never been but have been salivating at the thought of great food, sea air and rugged beaches. Joy!
Briony xx
Oh! I really want to Cornwall! I walk through Paddington station everyday after jumping off the dastardly Circle Line and the station announcements make me long to jump on a train.
As an aside, I think I remember India Knight saying on her twitter feed that she’d done the sleeper to Cornwall and liked it a lot. I might be wrong though…
Hope you have a wonderful time
I heart Cornwall, you’ll have a lovely time. A few of my recs:
The Pandora Inn http://www.pandorainn.com/ – it was massively damaged in a fire last year but has been rebuilt and due to open again on 9th March if that fits in with your schedule? It overlooks the creek, and the food has always been excellent.
Lanhydrock House near Bodmin – a gorgeous National Trust-owned Victorian house and gardens http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock/
Truro is lovely for a mooch, as are the shops and cafes around Falmouth harbour.
Bon voyage! x
Agree with all the suggestions that have been made. I spent many wonderful family holidays in Cornwall as a child. The stand out place that I have to return to every couple of years though is St Ives. Such a great area, good food, lovely beaches and just a brilliant place to relax. Well worth a visit. Hope you have a fab time. x
A really good vegetarian cafe is Archie Browns – there’s one in Truro and Penzance but the Penzance one always seems to have a wider range of dishes. Downstairs they also have a great selection of organic foods and produce including skincare.
As well as Padstow, Rick Stein has a fish and chip outlet in Falmouth which is very good and well priced. There’s more seating available in Falmouth if you decide to eat in, the queues at Padstow can get quite long even off season unless you get there early.
In Falmouth there’s also a small restaurant called Bistrot de la Mer which is constantly good.
Heligan is a wonderful garden to visit at any time of year with a fantastic walled garden and vegetable garden from which you can sometimes buy produce. Some parts are not suitable for wheelchair access but much of it is. I thoroughly recommend the honeycomb ice cream too!
Mousehole is a very quaint fishing village which is well worth a visit (just past Penzance) and if you’re in the mood for a crab sandwich or salad The Cornish Range is good.
Mount Haven Hotel in Marazion has absolutely the best views of St Michael’s Mount – incredible sunsets – and there’s a small outside terrace where you can order sandwiches and light lunches They don’t have a spa but offer treatments and massages in their treatment rooms – I recommend the massage with Katie.
I’m going back to Cornwall this weekend (I lived there till I was 18) to review and also to cover the first World Pasty Competition at the Eden Project – should be interesting – and not fattening much! If I make any new discoveries I’ll report back.
Have a lovely weekend.
Melissa x
LLG you should check out Beachcroft near St Ives – cosy, homely, five star luxury overlooking St Ives Bay!
Can’t wait to be in St Ives this easter, table already booked at the Porthminster Beach Cafe, another couple of really excellent restaurants in town are Alba and Black Rock, add in a visit to the the Tate and the Hepworth studio too you could spend days visiting the many small independent galleries in town.
On to Newlyn for the art Gallery and then to Penzance which has lovely art and craft shops and the exchange gallery is always worth a visit.
A visit to the lost garden of Heligan is on my to do list this time round.
One of the most stunning beaches (there are many) is the 3 mile stretch near Hayle called the Towans truly beautiful in all weathers and PBD friendly.
That freshly baked bread from Eden really ought to be eaten with a hunk of nettle wrapped Cornish Yarg and a glass of Tribute Ale. The perfect picnic!
How lovely! My friend’s mother lives in Cornwall, and she and her girlfriend always take the sleeper! They think it’s awesome.. But never been on it myself…. If you take it, would be great to hear how it went! Hopefully P bad will be allowed on it
rx
Great to hear that you’re heading back to my home county for a visit.
If you are staying at the Lugger and visiting the Eden Project, then I would definitely recommend going to Heligan (http://heligan.co.uk/) which is en route between the two. The gardens are stunning in the spring. Another place to see near the Lugger is Caerhays Castle (http://www.caerhays.co.uk/) which also has great gardens and a beach.
The countryside and coastline around Portloe is one of my favourite parts of Cornwall and a great area to just see where the car takes you.
I’m from a village called Polruan which is across the harbour from Fowey (http://www.fowey.co.uk/) so I could not give anyone Cornwall tips without recommending a visit to Fowey. A stunning harbour with great walks, a variety of places to eat and interesting shops.
Also I’m based between London and Cornwall so am a seasoned First Great Western traveler and can definitely recommend the sleeper. The cabins are a bit poky but that aside it’s a good service.
Try Cornwall. I love Cornwall, my best childhood mreemios are there! Here are some things i love to do while i’m there:The Lost Gardens of Heligan (huge gardens restored to former glory, will take a whole day & tire out the kids)Lands End is a must (although you have to pay, there is plenty for you & the kids)Watergate Bay (just outside of Newquay a 3 mile long beautiful golden beach it doesnt cost anything)Newquay Zoo (another great one for the kids)Boscastle (village of the awful floods a couple of years ago but still a beautiful & livley, also has a witchcraft museum)Tintagle (another one to tire the kids out and fill them full of magical history about King Arthur & Merlin)Marazion St Michales Mount (fab day out for you and the kids, if the tide is high you can get a boat to the mount, at low tide you can walk across the causeway)Padstow (the home of Rick Stein & his resturants, a beautiful little harbour village that is always busy)Truro (Cornwall’s cathedral city, beautiful to walk around and the cathedral has a great cafe at the back run by the church)Pendennis Castle (built by Henry 8th with superb views & some times activity days where they shoot the cannons & dress up)Cornish Cider Farm (see the day to day activities of making cider, there is a farm for the kids & cider tasting for the adults YUM)Strawberry picking (take your kids pick loads of strawberries and eat them with clotted cream. mind you your kids will prob end up eating more than putting them in the baskets)Also get to the beaches, they are amongst some of the most beautiful in the UK and they cost you nothing for the whole day (ok maybe parking).Above all have fun, make some great mreemios and enjoy Cornwall! Get in touch if you want anymore info!References :
Oooh fab – I am going to Cornwall for a long weekend in April, so will look forward to your post. Some great tips on the comments here too.
I have never been to Cornwall, but it always looks so dreamy on TV – I can’t wait! Like you, this kind of holiday is a lot about food for me – maybe a bit of wine too
Have a lovely time
xx
my parents are visiting my brother in Cornwall for Easter holiday. My mother is booked for a Spa Day here while my father plays a round of golf. All will be very very happy. Thanks for the recommendation!!
Sounds like you have an amazing trip planned! You will actually be in my neck of the woods…until last year I lived in Portloe and now live in Veryan Green, just up the road.
As Karen Toms suggested, Heligan is well worth a visit as is Caerhays Castle – I was there on mothers day and their Magnolia collection is in spectacular full bloom!
A lovely (and large, great for dog running!) local beach is Carne, which is overlooked by the Nare Hotel. They have a smart restaurant there called the Quarter Deck. It is open all day everyday and is a great place to sit overlooking the sea with a glass of something or a cream tea…my husband and I always pop in when we go for walks there, I highly recommend it!
Also, the Ship Inn in Portloe and The New Inn in Veryan are both lovely local pubs…standard pub food but they often have good specials on the menu too.
Have a super trip!
Oh Cornwall is so lovely at this time of year, I love popping to visit my mum !
Falmouth is lovely especially Pendennis point , amazing views of the sea, perfect place to eat Rick Stein’s dish and chips !
The poly in Falmouth often have interesting films/ theatre on.
Wonderful textile gallery in Penryn called Penny MacBeth Gallery, as well as a yummy deli opposite it selling the delicious sandwiches and coffee.
I could go on and on !
Lally
In St Ives there’s a new pub doing lovely food, The Queens Hotel. It’s very relaxed but nice to hang out with board games, books etc. They make their own icecream, I had Marmalade ice cream, yum! You can stay there too.
The tiny cafe on the Digey is great too, for homemade quiches and coffees.
The Tate are extending and will one day have a permanent exhibition in place of classic Cornish artists like Alfred Wallis.
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