Author: gloversure

What to do in February half-term in Cornwall

February. The post-Christmas blues, new working year stresses, and winter fatigue often mean that this month gets overlooked, treated as one final hurdle to get over before Spring begins to bloom.

Here in Cornwall, we see February a little differently.

Empty, windswept beaches. Wild seas. Clear water and crisp blue skies. Rambling coast paths. Nature undisturbed. February showcases the wild, untamed beauty of Cornwall before the summer crowds roll in, and is secretly a loved-by-locals time of year, due to its general calmness, great surf and spectacular scenery.

February half-term is no different, and makes for a perfect time to gather the family and escape to the coast, giving you that much needed rejuvenation after a long winter season. Here’s some fresh inspiration for things to do this February half-term in Cornwall.

Browse our beach locations or our selection of retreats to find your perfect February half-term holiday home.

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a swimming pool? Check out our cottages with a swimming pool for a relaxing getaway.

Surf’s up

February is ideal for getting in the water, particularly if you’re a beginner wanting to avoid the busy summer seas. Most of Cornwall’s surf and watersports schools operate all year round, and provide the appropriate kit for chillier water. Try Newquay Activity Centre, Kingsurf in Mawgan Porth or Big Blue Surf School in Bude for a challenging but exhilarating day mastering your chosen activity.

Fancy staying in Bude? Check out our luxury holiday lets in Bude.

Image credit: Big Blue Surf School

National Maritime Museum

Head to Falmouth’s National Maritime Museum for a rainy day activity that’ll connect you to our oceans. Their regular exhibitions bring new and diverse perspectives to maritime issues, whilst showcasing Cornwall’s fascinating maritime heritage. With 15 galleries across five floors, you’ll take a walk through history. While you’re here, Falmouth is a great place to grab lunch and wander the quirky boutique-lined streets.

Eden Project

A unique and innovative eco project, the Eden Project is an absolute must see this February half-term. This stunning global garden consists of tropical biomes the size of 30 football pitches, including the rainforest biome, home to 1000 species of tropical plants, a fully running waterfall and suspended canopy walkway. Adjacent to this you’ll find the Mediterranean biome, filled to the brim with spiky cacti and ancient olive trees.

Trebah Gardens

A spectacle at any time of year, Trebah Gardens are worth a visit during your February half-term stay. Trebah is bound beneath canopies of sub-tropical foliage that tumble to the edge of the Helford Estuary, where there’s a divine sandy beach perfect for picnic and stone skimming. Families with dogs will particularly love this natural playground.

Wildlife wonders

Get acquainted with some Cornish creatures, from native baby seals to African lions. The Cornish Seal Sanctuary, in Gweek, rescues and rehabilitates over 70 seal pups, which you can see up close. Or, spot them in the wild below the cliffs at Mutton Cove in Hayle, where they often bask on the sand – just be sure to keep the noise down as to not disturb their nap time. For a wet-weather-friendly day out, head to Newquay Zoo to meet over 130 species of the worlds rarest and most endangered animals.

Eat local

Refuel after a wintery walk with soul-quenching food at one of Cornwall’s many gourmet restaurants. From the range of Rick Stein eateries in Padstow, to cosy pubs with great menus such as The Mariners in Rock, take some time this half term to taste the shoreline’s seasonal delights. Many places to eat are kid and pet friendly, too.

Family time

Above all else, a February getaway gives you a chance to be together, away from the chaos of term time routines, work and household chores. Settle into a retreat where everything has been sorted for you, allowing you to truly relax. With games rooms, log burners, lavish dining tables and gorgeous views, cosy evenings in are a delight. Browse our selection of coastal properties just made for family stays.

Book your February half-term retreat.

Alternatively, visiting at Easter? Explore the perfect things to do in Cornwall in spring.

Festive Nights at Watergate Bay

From 1 December, Watergate Bay is lighting up with a festive spirit. From new shorefront dining experiences, wreath making, Champagne tasting, live music and a dozen Christmas trees each telling a different story, discover the advent of Festive Nights on the beach this December. Here’s what’s on at Watergate Bay this Christmas.

Find your retreat by the bay

Find out why December is the best time to visit Cornwall and some of our favourite winter retreats.

Twelve Trees of Christmas

Pearly oyster shells and bee-friendly flower seed packets, beach-found Lego bricks and hand-tied botanical decorations – this year the iconic Christmas trees around Watergate Bay will do more than just look beautiful; they’ll be telling stories too. Twelve Trees of Christmas draws on twelve different friends, partners, suppliers and team members, each will decorate a tree in their own unique way. Expect sustainable, organic displays from Emily at 3 Acre Blooms; recycled, repurposed decorations from Beach Guardian; botanical aromas from land and water, and coffee card baubles from Origin Coffee Roasters.

If you’re staying in the area, be sure to wait until dusk and experience the trees as they light up by the ocean.

Craft workshops

Through December Watergate Bay Hotel is hosting a full calendar of winter events to spark that Christmas feeling, including hands-on wreath making, monoprinting and calligraphy workshops. Feel festive whilst crafting a perfect gift to take home to a loved one- book your session here.

Want to stay in Newquay? Have a look at our luxury holiday properties in Newquay.

Zacry’s on the sea wall

From the start of December, the popular modern dining hub of Zacry’s is moving to the seafront position down on the sea wall, directly overlooking the tidelines of Watergate Bay. Tuck into a seasonally changing three-course menu, bringing the best of Cornish sea, sky and field to the table. If you’re staying with us in the area this winter, be sure to book your table.

Curry Fridays at The Beach Hut

Warming spices and local hero ingredients, head to The Beach Hut for their new Curry Fridays. Every Friday through November and December they’ll be cooking up authentic Indian feasts, with lively Bengali curries, and all of the extras; lemon turmeric rice, warm chapati, spiced carrot pickle, onion bhaji and quince ‘mango’ chutney.

Book your retreat by the bay and experience the seasonal magic of North Cornwall

Discover more about the area around Newquay and Padstow, and find out about Morwenstow, the often-forgotten area of Cornwall.

Celebrate by the sea

Create new family traditions and truly memorable festive moments. Coastal celebration brings the awe-inspiring and restorative power of the sea to your Christmas and NYE…

Find out why New Year is the best time to visit Cornwall and some of our holiday retreats to stay in for the New Year.

Winter might mean wet weather, temperatures that bite and short, dark days, but that doesn’t mean you need to steer clear of the seaside.

In fact, a coastal festive break might be just what’s needed to break out of the yearly cycle of heaving crowds in shopping centres, the last-minute panic buying, the relentless sounds of devices come to Boxing Day and wondering how to make December 31st special.

“An afternoon on a beach you have all to yourselves, before climbing into an outdoor hot tub back at your retreat as the sun sets.”

Image credit: Mia Rumble

Create your klys

The Cornish word for cosy or snug, klys can loosely be equated with the Danish concept of hygge – a way of life that embraces cosiness, warmth and good times with friends and family, with the help of scented candles, cashmere socks, twinkling fairy lights and anything else that says cosy to you.

“Think rugged coastal walks, cliff views and the ocean stretching out before you, ending in a warm and welcoming 12th century pub with delicious local food and drink.”

Where klys differs, is the role the beautiful Cornish wilderness has to play. Immerse yourself in the raw elements of our winters outside, before heading indoors to warm your soul in front of a log fire and a hot cup of cocoa.

Think rugged coastal walks, cliff views and the ocean stretching out before you, ending in a warm and welcoming 12th century pub with delicious local food and drink.

Or an afternoon on a beach you have all to yourselves, before climbing into an outdoor hot tub back at your retreat as the sun sets.

Celebratory splash

It might seem ridiculous – or completely insane – to plunge into freezing water when the mercury is dropping rapidly outside, but the effects of cold water are well known. Chief among them, that natural high thanks to the heady rush of chemicals, endorphins and hormones circulating around your body, lifting your mood, making you feel alive. Really alive.

Image credit: Mia Rumble

That cold rush surrounded by Cornwall’s varied and beautiful coastal landscapes is an unrivalled feeling.

Local favourite locations include Christmas day gatherings in Sennen Cove, Porthtowan beach and Coverack harbour on The Lizard, where you’ll be joined by other brave souls.

Don’t stay in too long, be aware of how you’re feeling and prepared – with warm clothes at the ready for when you get out. For cold water novices, check out the Outdoor Swimming Society and RNLI guidance.

Auld Lang Syne to a new scene

From assembling, hand-in-hand on a deserted beach at midnight to usher in the new year to gathering round a fire with the sound of the sea in the distance, the ocean is an epic backdrop for special celebrations.

Image credit: Mia Rumble

It’s a time of high drama at sea, with waves crashing into harbour walls and barracking monumental cliffs. Sealife of the most epic proportions can also be spotted in winter months, so keep those eyes peeled for fin or humpback whales cresting the surf.

“Think celebratory evenings filled with talk, laughter, insight and meaningful connection.”

Make a visit to some of the most impressive vantage points we have, like Cape Cornwall – exposed to the full might of the Atlantic and part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.

Or share warming refreshment and celebrations at your retreat, while drinking in the expansive sea views – so you get the best of both worlds.

Deep connections

It’s Christmas Day afternoon or post New Years’ Day lunch. You’ve eaten too much, you’ve drunk too much, and now you’re slumped on the sofa in front of the TV surrounded by your family and friends. No-one’s really talking to each other. Sound familiar?

What if, you swapped the TV for a crackling fire with a sea view or candle-lit coffee table? Like staring at the sea or the stars, flickering flames are mesmerising and elemental. And in the winter months, they can be a source of warmth, literally and figuratively.

Think celebratory evenings filled with talk, laughter, insight and meaningful connection. Play cards or be more profound: explore your family’s or friends’ deeper selves: what are their private joys, fears, regrets and hopes? What do they wish they could do in a utopia and why? Celebrating by the sea could turn out to be more surprising than you expect.

Discover fresh perspectives and exciting ideas for the new year!

Gather and celebrate on the beach or find just the place to huddle up for the festive season.

How to do slow travel

Catching the next train, a walking tour, road trips…how exactly do we slow down when we travel? We spoke to two slow travel writers to find out…

Visiting Cornwall for a workcation? Have a look at our holiday lets perfect for extended stays and working.

“Like anything in life now, there’s a synthetic version of the thing you’re looking for, and there’s a real version of it. Slow travel is just real travel.”

That’s Dan Kieran’s take on slow travel, something he discovered after an overland journey from London to Warsaw, Poland. That slow travel initiation involved cancelled trains, persuading a train manager to let him board a German train without a ticket, and delivering an impromptu English lesson on a Polish commuter train.

Dan, author of The Idle Traveller: The Art of Slow Travel, describes his travel revelation as magical, realising at the time that most holidays involved simply arriving in a destination, rather than really travelling.

“It’s about depth rather than time. It’s about putting yourself in a context that is unfamiliar. So it’s about opening yourself up, not closing yourself down,” he says.

Invitation to explore

For Jo Tinsley, author of The Slow Traveller: An intentional path to mindful adventures, slow travel is an invitation to explore the world at our own pace, “to journey lightly and adventurously.”

Check out more of what Falmouth has to offer by staying in one of our bespoke retreats in Falmouth.

Image credit: Graeme Owsianski from The Slow Traveller

“It is the antithesis of bucket list travel, placing spontaneity over a packed agenda and allowing you to travel on terms that are meaningful both to you and to the people you meet along the way,” says Jo.

“Reading The Day of the Jackal when I went to Paris, I felt like I was living that book”

That sense of exploration means allowing space to connect to a place, “taking time to scratch below the surface of a destination; to build a stronger attachment with, and understanding of, the places we are visiting. This might mean gathering over coffee in a local’s front room; or understanding the connection between local ingredients and place.”

How to slow down

“It’s perfectly fine to have planned elements, but just have something that gives your trip space for the unknown to happen. Do the things you want to do; that’s the point of going, but leave space for serendipity to strike – even if it’s just for a couple of hours,” says Dan.

“More often than not we’d simply pull over when we saw the ‘silhouette of a bather above two wiggly lines’ sign that meant a hot pool was nearby”

He also recommends picking up a guidebook. “But I don’t mean normal guidebooks. If I’m going to Berlin, I’ll buy books or novels set in Berlin – I want to feel connected to the city. Reading The Day of the Jackal when I went to Paris, I felt like I was living that book,” he says.

“If I visit the sea, I have to go in the water. I have to walk the coast path. There’s something hugely beneficial in feeling like you know the context of where you are,” he adds.

Image credit: Lily Bertrand-Webb

Jo says that travelling overland – by train, bus, boat, bike or on foot – encourages the exploration of slow travel, but it’s not prescriptive. It isn’t necessarily a question of speed or the length of a trip either.

“It is more about deceleration and reframing travel as a journey – it’s a mindset thing. Once slow travel becomes a mindset rather than a mode of travel, we realise that our journeys don’t need big budgets, long trips or far-flung destinations to be genuinely transformative.”

Experience the captivating beauty of dawn and dusk along the Cornish coast, as we compare and contrast these magical moments in nature’s theatre.

Journey stories

Jo embarked on an Icelandic holiday without a plan, seeking out the country’s thermal pools. “More often than not we’d simply pull over when we saw the ‘silhouette of a bather above two wiggly lines’ sign that meant a hot pool was nearby,” she says.

As well as following road signs on a whim, she relied on local recommendations and taking spontaneous detours. “Our meandering route eventually led us to the most remarkable pool of the entire trip: Krossneslaug, an infinity pool at the end of a 90km unpaved, potholed dead-end road, which looked out over the North Atlantic, as a gleaming iceberg idled in the far distance.”

It’s always tempting to pack a lot in to a holiday, which is the opposite of that slow travel mindset. Think spending a whole afternoon in one gallery rather than visiting all the top sights in a day, and taking some time to observe the local details where you are, says Jo.

Image credit: Sarah Mason from The Slow Traveller

“When you’re living life doing your normal routine, your unconscious mind is in control. The reason travel is so amazing is you’re putting yourself in a context which is unfamiliar,” says Dan. “That’s what makes it nourishing, because you are conscious of what’s happening to you. That is when you really start to have a fabulous time.”

Slow down and take it all in, footsteps from the shore…

New Year in Cornwall

Wondering what to do on New Year’s Eve in Cornwall? Welcome in the New Year with a bracing sea dip, don fancy dress and party on the streets of St Ives, or watch harbourside fireworks reflect into moonlit seas.

Here are some of our favourite ways to bring in the New Year in Cornwall.

Find out why New Year is the best time to visit Cornwall and some of our holiday retreats to stay in for the New Year.

Dress up for a street party, St Ives

This idyllic Cornish fishing village hosts one of the UK’s most famous New Year’s Eve parties, which sees crowds come from far and wide to hit the streets in fancy dress. Spectacular costumes and vibrant parades floods onto the beach and harbour, where food stands serve up festive treats. Listen for the chime of the bells at midnight, when fireworks fizz and pop over the ocean, bringing in another year in style.

Thinking about staying in St Ives? Have a look at our luxury St Ives holiday properties.

harbour beach st ives

Watch fireworks over Newquay Harbour

Another seaside town that hosts an almighty New Year’s Eve party, the highlight of New Year’s Eve in Newquay is the spectacular fireworks display over the harbour and ocean at midnight. Make your way through streets packed with party goers in fancy dress, squeeze into local taverns or book a table at a sea-view restaurant, and make your way down to the harbour for the countdown to the incoming year.

Have a New Year’s day sea swim, Bude

Blast away the cobwebs and embrace the New Year with an invigorating dip in the ocean. The craze of shedding your wetsuit and leaping into the icy waves has become a New Year’s Day tradition across Cornwall. Join in the icy experience at Crooklet’s Beach in Bude, or head to Summerleaze tidal pool for a more sheltered dip.

Want a relaxing holiday in Cornwall? Check out our favourite spas and saunas for a truly relaxing getaway

Dine by the sea

Fancy food, fine wine and starlit seas. Book a table at a restaurant with a sea view and dine beside the waves. If you’re not big on partying, this is the perfect way to see in the New Year in style, without the headache the next morning.

Enjoy a beach walk

A New Year’s break in Cornwall isn’t all about revelry. Welcome in the New Year at a more relaxing pace, with a stroll along the beach or the South West Coast Path, enjoying the eye-popping scenery as the sea breeze brings a glow to your cheeks. We recommend the 2-mile walk from Watergate Bay to Mawgan Porth, hugging the cliff-tops and keeping your eyes peeled for seabirds and seals at the pristine Beacon Cove along the way.

Book your New Year retreat and welcome in 2024 by the shoreline.

5 retreats for Christmas

The scent of pine needles, wood fires and sea salt. Christmas lights glinting from harbour waters. The chorus of waves from outside your window. Christmas spent by the coast invites you to step away from the busyness of this festive period and reconnect with the senses, making time to cherish loved ones, good food and relaxation. Because after all, that’s what Christmas is about.

Looking to celebrate the festive season, coastal style? Here’s our pick of five winter retreats with availability this Christmas.

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a log burner? Check out our cottages with a log burner for a cosy getaway.

Ellenglaze, sleeps 10, Holywell Bay

The ultimate decadent, glamorous retreat for anyone wanting to celebrate in style. Ellenglaze, a beautiful Grade II listed farmhouse tucked away in acres of land near Holywell Bay. Inside, you’ll find a heated swimming pool and a hot tub with a movie projector – we can’t think of a better way to watch a Christmas film. You can also keep cosy with the Aga and large fireplace, perfect for festive evenings.

Gwynver Beach Cottage, sleeps 10, Sennen Cove

Beach chic meets elegance at Gwynver Beach Cottage, a stunning retreat with almost instant access to one of the most beautiful stretches of West Cornwall coastline. Here, the little ones can play in the glass-walled garden room, with views of the ocean, as you relax with a newspaper. Plus, the chance to spot dolphins on Christmas Day from Sennen Cove is not to be missed.

Check out our other Sennen holiday properties from Beach Retreats.

Gwel Teg, sleeps 12, Porth

Ideal for a large family looking for a North Coast escape, Gwel Teg is just moments from Porth beach, meaning Christmas morning walks await. Stride all the way along the South West Coast Path to Watergate Bay, where you can enjoy a seasonal feast or warming hot choc with all the toppings.

Inside, Gwel Teg is stylish and modern, featuring a games room and hot tub, ideal for hosting a large family get-together.

Swell, sleeps 8, Falmouth

Spend Christmas on the South Coast at Swell, a modern and light filled family retreat seconds from Swanpool beach in Falmouth. Here, you’re close to Falmouth’s array of restaurants and bars, but far enough away to enjoy the peace and seclusion of Swanpool beach. There’s also a great coastal walk from here to Maenporth beach.

Seamist, sleeps 16, Watergate Bay

Our largest retreat, Seamist, sleeps 16 just a few minutes from the Watergate Bay shoreline. Here, there’s plenty of room for a multi-generational family to dine, watch Christmas films, unwrap presents and make memories by the coast.

Read our blog to find out more about what Watergate Bay, Newquay has to offer at Christmas, especially at night.

Stay by the sea this Christmas, with selected retreats offering up to 15% off and open for short breaks of 4 nights or more. 

New traditions

As the festive season approaches, create new traditions by the coast on a Christmas holiday in Cornwall. From Christmas morning sea dips to boxing day drinks at your favourite sea-view pub, spending Christmas in a different landscape means creating new festive rituals to return to year on year.

Add that little extra magic to your stay and form lasting memories with these new coastal traditions you could try.

Visiting with a large group? Discover our large holiday homes perfect for big families or friend groups.

Christmas morning sea swim

This one is local tradition: every year you’ll see Cornish folk (many with santa hats on) running into icy waters on Christmas morning.

Start the day with a dash of exhilaration and dip in the closest sea to your retreat. Then, return back to your retreat, light the fire and get cosy as you unwrap presents with your loved ones.

Discover Perranporth and check out our holiday lets in Perranporth.

Christmas drinks

On Christmas afternoon, swap the living room for a seafront pub and raise a glass to coastal wonder. There’s sure to be a lively festive atmosphere, and heading out for a drink is a great way to fight the post-lunch slump whilst taking in some of Cornwall’s incredible views.

Experience the magic of the season and discover festive nights at Watergate Bay.

Christmas Day coastal walk

Another way to wake yourself up after your festive feast is to refresh with a Christmas Day walk along the South West Coast Path. Rather than nodding off in front of the TV after one too many pigs-in-blankets, get the kids togged up and set off in search of sea vistas.

Beach scavenger hunt

A tradition that the little ones especially will enjoy. Set out on a Christmas treasure hunt along the shoreline, investigating what’s been washed in by the tide. Keep what you find as a Christmas memento, or search for a pretty shell or interesting rock to give to one another. It’s a great way to appreciate nature’s wonder and make gift giving about small acts of love.

Stargazing on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, trade the twinkling indoor lights for the celestial wonders above. Wrap up warm and take a blanket on the beach (or your balcony), gaze at the starlit sky, and share stories beneath the cosmic canopy. It’s a quiet and magical prelude to the days of celebration ahead.

Seafood dinner

Sure, seafood isn’t typically included in traditional Christmas cuisine, but if you’re spending the season in Cornwall, why not sample some of the delightful local produce which the fishermen bring in every day?

Dine in an award-winning Cornish restaurant and make your festive stay extra special. Or, purchase some local fish and include a seafood recipe in your Christmas meal plan.

Image credit: Graham Gaunt photowork

Escape the ordinary and embrace coastal wonder this Christmas with Beach Retreats, creating new traditions by the coast. Book your Christmas stay.

National Trust at Christmas

Get into the festive spirit at the National Trust’s houses and exotic gardens, which transform every year into winter wonderlands. From holly-adorned great halls serving up mulled wine, woodland strewn with fairy lights, wreath making and Santa’s grotto, these Cornish heritage sites are the ultimate Christmas delight.

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a log burner? Check out our cottages with a log burner for a cosy getaway.

Here’s a run down of what’s on.

Find a festive retreat in Cornwall

Cotehele

Visit this atmospheric Tudor house with Medieval roots, with a mill on a historic quay, and a vast estate and garden to explore. This grand home, near Saltash, is a festive wonder, with a 60-foot garland in the Great Hall, festive lights along the stream and choir performances throughout the season.

See this year’s garland in all its glory from daily Saturday 18 November – Sunday 7 January, 10.30am-4pm. (Closed 25-26 December).

Trelissick

This lovely house and garden, set in an estate with maritime views and woodland walks, gets festive year on year. With Father Christmas in residency, mulled wine and spiced apple juice in the café, Christmas gifts in the shop and festive cheer in the stable yard, this is the perfect day out for all of the family. This year, pick up (or make) some Christmas gifts at the Christmas craft fair and festive weaving workshop.

Find Trelissick in Feock, near Truro, with Father Christmas around from 2 – 23 December.

Lanhydrock

Enjoy woodland magic and festive delight at Lanhydrock. This late Victorian country house features a countryside trail, Father Christmas’s woodland grotto and plenty of surrounding land for winter walks and bike rides. With frost-dusted trees and a festive cheer in the air, Lanhydrock makes for a perfect wintry visit. Open throughout the festive season.

Discover the essence of Cornish cosiness with Klysa, where every moment embraces the warmth and charm of this unique tradition.

Trerice

Trerice, near Newquay, is an Elizabethan manor house bursting with colourful plants by summer and a festive ambience by winter. This year, experience storytelling with Father Christmas, wreath making in the hayloft, and festive performances from the volunteer choir, the house and barn adorned with traditional decorations and festive cheer.

Father Christmas will be at Trerice on Saturday & Sunday 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 and then daily between Monday 18 – Saturday 23 December.

Want to stay in Newquay? Have a look at our luxury holiday properties in Newquay.

Godolphin

Open throughout the festive season except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Godolphin hosts a range of Christmassy activities and events. From Christmas wreath making, craft sessions, candle and lip balm making, and a variety of Christmas performances, head here for a fun day out. The 500 acres of countryside are also perfect for a winter walk.

Godolphin is near Helston, experience the Christmas House Sat 2 – Sun 3 Dec, Sat 9 – Sun 10 Dec, Sat 16 – Sun 17 Dec, 10.30 am – 4pm (last entry at 3pm).

Find your Christmas retreat in Cornwall and be here for the holidays.