Having just returned from the most idyllic few days exploring the Cornish coast from north to south, I am a little in love with that southwestern pocket of England at the moment. Being based in Dorset, admittedly, it isn’t a million miles from us (a comparatively “short” three and a half hour drive) but, no matter where you’re based, that far-flung county, dotted as it is with surfers, sweeping beaches and panoramic skies is well worth a look in, either as a long weekend destination or the spot for your summer holidays (which we’re seriously considering should the weather keep going as it has the past few years). So if you want to know what to do in Cornwall, this is what we simply wouldn’t miss.
Where we stayed
Natural Retreats is a company with properties across the United Kingdom (and they now have a few in North Carolina and Virginia, too) who specialise in eco-friendly, dog-friendly, family-friendly houses that are luxurious, lovely and extremely welcoming. We stayed in a fabulous, four-bedroom house in Trewhiddle, which skirts the edge of the lovely Cornish town of St. Austell. Self-catering it is, but the house comes fully equipped (and we mean FULLY equipped), so you need bring nothing with you except what you plan to eat and drink at home. The area is dotted with delightful pubs if you plan on spending not a second in the kitchen (see below for the big name restaurants that aren’t more than a short drive away). The Natural Retreats hub is absolutely tranquil and there is a charming on-site playground for children. A concierge on the property means that any questions you have can easily be answered, DVDs can be borrowed, and bookings can be made on your behalf. This is a delightful and very intimate way to holiday as a family if you want something more personal than a hotel, but far more luxurious than a B&B, a cottage, or (dare we say it), a tent.
Where we ate
Padstow is about as idyllic as fishing villages get. From the rock-dotted estuary across to the small, painterly harbor that bobs happily with wooden fishing boats, this is the stuff of picture postcards. And for food-lovers it’s worth, quite literally, hiking to. Rick Stein has his name stamped right across this little pocket of Cornwall, but Padstow itself manages to retain a charming, historic and very localized feel. So, if the culinary genius of one of our most-watched television chefs is what you’re after, there are several options. His fish and chips can be ordered in super stylish blue-and-white boxes and enjoyed along the waterfront (there are lines waiting to order before the place even opens), and his fish and chip restaurant has communal but very inviting wooden seating. He has a deli (where I had to resist spending a small fortune) from which you can buy home made pies (we did just that for Saturday night supper), meats, cheeses, his own oils and wines, and, of course, any of his cookbooks. And then there is Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant, the smarter, more formal version of all the above, which I can’t recommend highly enough. Laden with flowing white tablecloths and inhabited by seriously professional wait staff it may be, but we wandered in with our three year old Lola and couldn’t have been made to feel more welcome. We dined on lobster and fennel risotto, monkfish curry and a lobster salad (all washed down with one of Stein’s own surpisingly delicious Spanish white wines), while Lola ordered from the Mini Stein’s menu. Children aged three and over are absolutely welcome and there is a wonderful amount of thought given to their food, as well as yours. Forget the usual sausages and fried scampi options: she happily munched on squeaky fresh grilled cod and vegetables (the battered fish and chip option is available too, of course), drank fresh pressed apple juice and happily coloured her menu (crayons are provided by the lovely staff). This meant we could sit back, as a family, and enjoy a long, lazy lunch. We walked (a small portion of) the calories off along Padstow estuary at low tide later that day, which was glorious. The air was fresh, the beach was practically empty (despite Padstow being so buzzy) and then we meandered back through the Cornish lanes to our charming house in Trewhiddle for those aforementioned (seriously tasty) ale and steak pies, red wine and a trashy movie.
What we did
Aside from exploring the beaches of Cornwall (another one worth a visit is Waterside Bay Beach – home to Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant which is vast, great for surfing and seriously beautiful), we also couldn’t miss the Eden Project. Having heard so much about it over recent years, we spent a very happy Sunday afternoon there. Appearing as if out of nowhere, the glass biomes of this incredible conceptual space house perfect examples of untouched environments so rarely found on today’s planet. The rainforest biome, for example, is an immaculate example of a natural rainforest – it demonstrates the same humidity, heat, sound and plant life, only you’re in the middle of Cornwall’s heartland. Aside from offering gorgeous acres of gardens in which children can happily spend a day, the entire project is designed to educate and inspire children about the world they live in, to work to preserve what we have and appreciate everything around us. Though too young to fully grasp the concept of where she was, Lola was mesmerized by everything around her.
And if you’re in the area this coming half term, the Eden Project’s own ice rink is set to open on the 18th of October, while Halloween promises to be great for kids. Fans of “Room on the Broom” (by “Gruffalo” creator Julia Donaldson) will adore the Little Monster’s Ball on October 31st though, no matter what time of year you’re lucky enough to find yourself in this part of the world, The Eden Project really should be a requisite visit.