Author: gloversure

Walk through – Bude

Just a ten-minute drive along the winding coast road from Widemouth Bay is Bude – a surprise gem of a town. Join us on our walk-through.

Arriving in Bude via the windy coastal road from Widemouth Bay is worth the trip alone, but families will be surprised just how much there is to do in this small seaside town in North Cornwall.

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Bude Tourist Information Centre is a good place to set off from, with plenty of parking and the canal and waterfront within a short walking distance. Bude TIC can book any number of activities on offer, such as surfing, SUPping, sailing, windsurfing, archery, rock climbing and lots more – take a look.

We’re immediately drawn to the waterfront lined with shops, cafes and restaurants. Allow yourself time sit back, relax and take in the slower pace of life.

Bude sea pool

Bude Farmer’s Market runs every Friday throughout Summer from 10am-3pm – a fantastic little market held on the Green overlooking with waterfront with a selection food producers, craft makers and florists regularly attending.

Rowing boats and pedalos can be hired along the Canal, perfect for a leisurely few hours on the water or for finding your own picnic spot. Cycling is also popular with a number of recommended cycle routes to Widmeouth Bay, north to Northcott Mouth and inland to the villages of Stratton and Marhamchurch.

It’s hard not to miss the tall towers of Bude Castle. Formerly the home of Victorian inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, The Castle is now a heritage centre with exhibition galleries, an archive with research facilities, an education room, shop and restaurant which overlooks the water out to sea.

Onwards and Summerleaze is a beach that can keep all visitors happy. There’s crabbing on the beach into the Canal, nice right-hand waves for longboarders, a sea pool for swimmers seeking shelter from the Atlantic, and pretty pastel beach huts which you can hire for the day from Bude TIC.

Away from the water and walking into town from the top of the hill, there are plenty of shops to explore – it would be rude not to leave without some homemade fudge.

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

Experience the magic of Christmas in Cornwall with our top five must-dos, from festive markets to enchanting National Trust gardens.

Eating out in Widemouth Bay | Places to Eat

Widemouth Bay may feel like a wild and remote beach retreat, and in many ways it is. But from beach cafes to Italian-inspired fare, it packs in plenty of places to dine. Read our ultimate guide to eating out in Widemouth Bay.

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Black Rock Café

Named after the iconic rock jutting out of the sea at the south end of Widemouth, Black Rock Café serves up a brilliant breakfast and waffles, as well as lunches and cream teas. The three generation Café is also licensed with outdoor seating and is home to Rocky the parrot.

Trelawny Tearoom and surf hire

A delicious selection of homemade cakes – sometimes slightly wonky, exactly how they should be. They also serve scrummy breakfast baps, perfect after an early morning surf, and a good old cream teas with Rodda’s Clotted Cream.

www.trelawnytearoom.com

Widemouth Bay Café

A long firm favourite located in the middle-to-northern-end of the beach. This is your spot for loaded hot chocolates, hot pasties and a good cup of coffee. Dogs are welcome.

The Beach House

Restaurant, bar and takeaway, The Beach House lies at the northern end of Widemouth with plenty of outdoor and indoor seating overlooking the Bay. There’s everything from Sri Lankan spider crab curry to Asian pork belly and Sunday roasts, and when the weather’s good, cocktail bar in the dunes.

www.beachhousewidemouth.co.uk

Widemouth Manor

On the hairpin bend before you descend into Widemouth from the Atlantic Highway is Widemouth Manor. The menu offers a mix of classics from fish and chips and mussels to ever changing specials and tempting tapas. Open for lunch and dinner.

www.widemouthmanor.co.uk

The Bay View

A popular pub-come-restaurant serving up big burgers, steaks, salads and more. Kids will love the outdoor play area.

www.bayviewinn.co.uk

Elements

Situated high on the clifftop between Bude and Widemouth, Elements serves up an Italian inspired menu of stone-baked pizzas, pasta, steak and salads with a contemporary interior and stunning views. Save room for their gelato menu afterwards.

www.elements-life.co.uk

The Weir Restaurant and Bistro

Technically not in Widemouth but only a 5 minute drive away in Marhamchurch along the Altantic Highway, we just had to include The Weir – a coffee house, bistro and wildlife centre. Overlooking the lake and along the Bude Cycle Route, The weir combines fresh food and cakes with plenty for kids to see, do and explore.

www.weir-restaurant-bude.co.uk

Take a look at our properties in Widemouth Bay and book your Beach Retreat today. Keep an eye out for deals on our special offers page, or browse our other beach locations to explore further.

Looking at other locations in Cornwall? Explore the enchanting village of Boscastle in North Cornwall with Beach Retreats.

Looking for other fantastic restaurants in Cornwall? Check out some of our favourite restaurants with stunning sea views.

Lelant to St Ives by train

A scenic rail line between Lelant and St Ives is the best way to visit one of Cornwall’s most picturesque seaside villages (and you beat the traffic and parking too).

Arguably the most scenic branch line in Britain, catching the St Ives Bay Line from Lelant Saltings to St Ives is the best way to visit the picturesque town, particularly at sunset. It also wins for avoiding the queues into town and the stress of parking, which can be tricky during summer months.

Arriving at the Park and Ride, there is plenty room to park. Make sure to visit Scarlet Wines if you arrive early for the train – a cosy wineshop come deli come café and restaurant that serves delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners at reasonable prices.

Waiting for the train is a great way to take in the view of Hayle Estuary as it opens up in front of you; and RSBP nature reserve. More than 18,000 which have been seen here. During spring and autumn, it is an ideal place to see migrant wading birds, gulls and terns. In summer, if you are lucky, you may catch sight of an osprey.

Once aboard make sure you sit on the right hand side of the carriage for views across the sea. You’ll travel along Hayle Estuary before it opens up to the sea. From here you’ll have views of Godrevy Bay; four-miles of sand with the iconic Godrevy Lighthouse to the north – the same scene that provided inspiration for Virgina Woolf’s the lighthouse.

From here you’ll pass Porthkidney Sands and Hawkes Point, a spot popular with surfers when the swell is big. You’ll then pass the mellow yellow sands of Carbis Bay before arriving above Porthminster Beach, another family favourite for safe swimming in turquoise waters.

It’s a short but spectacular line, with the journey taking under 15 minutes. Once you’ve alighted, St Ives is a five-minute walk away through cobbled streets; a wonderful way to wind into town.

At the time of writing, the cost to park all day at Lelant Saltings was £2.80 per car. Train tickets are available to prebook and from the train conductor from £2 single, and £4 return with unlimited rides. Up to two dogs may be taken on trains free of charge.

What we do when the surf goes flat…

When the swell is on in Cornwall we’re the first to grab our boards and hit the surf. But what happens when the swell goes flat? One thing you won’t be is bored. Here are our favourite water-based things to do.

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Wakey wakey

Wakeboarding is the one of the fasted growing sports in the UK. It’s similar to snowboarding or skateboarding and involves being strapped to a short board in your usual surf-stance-style and being towed along the water’s surface – in these instances by a remote controlled cable. Once you’re up you’ll try changing to switch stance, ollies (small jumps) and then onto ramps, rails and boxes. You’ll find wakeboarding with South West Lakes Trust at Siblyback Lake near Liskeard on the edge of Bodmin, alongside windsurfing, sailing and kayaking, or head further south to Kernow Wake Park near Falmouth, who also run a special ladies night on Thursdays (Dirty Dancing soundtrack included).

Go with the flow

The Loop – Flowrider at The Retallack Resort from TR7 Video Productions on Vimeo.

Think it’s flat and there’s no waves? Think again. The Flowrider at Retallack Resort near Newquay has harnessed the power of a thin sheet of fast-moving water and a contoured bottom to create a standing wave. It gives you a similar experience to surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding allowing you to carve, turn and ride up and down the wave. It’s open to all levels and abilities, with body boarding sessions being the preferred weapon of choice for beginners.

Coast-cheering

Jump, swim, scramble and climb around Cornwall’s beautiful coastline by joining one of many organised coasteering groups. No two sessions are ever the same as the coastline changes with the tide, swell and individuals on the group: see seals, swim through caves, climb into blowholes or just catch your breath on a ledge as you leap into the sea below. It can be a dangerous activity, but coasteering with qualified instructors and safety equipment (wetsuit, helmet and buoyancy aid) makes things a little more safe.

What’s SUP?

Love it or hate it, stand up paddleboarding and surfing is here to stay. And we love it. SUPping is an ancient form of surfing where you stand on a large and buoyant board using a paddle to propel and steer yourself along the surface or into waves. Those looking for a gentle thrill will find the high vantage point gets you a unique view of the coastline, while sports enthusiast rave about the need for strong core strength muscles. Take your pick or locations around the coast, including The River Gannel, Watergate Bay, St Ives, Sennen, Porthleven, The River Fal and beyond.

Get cruisy

We’re lucky to have some of the best beaches in the world in Cornwall, but take a trip along the quieter rivers, creeks and estuaries and you’ll discover a whole new side of Cornwall. Some would say the ‘real’ Cornwall. Real Cornwall based on the River Fal run a personal luxury cruise service from their 25 foot motor cruiser which can comfortably sit up to six passengers. This coast beats at a slower rhythm to the north, perfect for taking in with food and drink from local producers.

Explore the 10 best beaches to surf in Cornwall, where perfect waves and stunning coastal scenery promise an unforgettable surfing experience.

Jet propelled fun

If you prefer you fun with a motor attached and feel the need for speed then Cornwall Waverunner Safaris based at Lusty Glaze Beach is for you. You’ll blast around Newquay Bay and see around 3-4 miles of coastline from a completely new angle. Their banana boat rides are also really popular with the younger crowd.

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

Search our properties and book your holiday today.

Cornish ice cream

Jelberts in Newlyn might be the most unassuming ice cream shop in the world, but it certainly takes the scoop.

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Although the queue snaking out of the door might give the game away, drive along the promenade from Penzance into the small fishing village of Newlyn and you could easily pass an unremarkable shop to your right-hand side.

Jelberts is one of the oldest ice cream makers in the county, with only one shop here in Newlyn. Yes, it’s a bold claim, but this plain old shop makes the best ice cream in the world.

According to my friend’s old Cornish granny, Jelberts started out as a sweet extension of a local dairy farmer who used to cart the drums of homemade ice cream down the road by pram each day. His grandson Jimmy still runs the shop today.

The recipe is a closely guarded secret but we’re certain it’s the simplicity of milk, cream, and not much else, that makes the deliciously dense, creamy vanilla flavour.

To this day, Jelberts still only produces enough ice-cream to last through the day. So once it’s gone, it’s gone.

There is only one flavour. And there are only six simple options holding you back from the best ice cream in the world. Small or large? Cone or tub? Clotted cream and flake?

Thinking of visiting in the February half term, check out what activities we recommend trying in February.

Well I never…

Glance around the shop when you are standing in the queue and you won’t fail to notice a rower’s ore mounted to the wall.

Look closer and you’ll see it’s the one used by Olympic gold medal winners Helen Glover and Heather Stanning who stormed to victory in the Women’s Pair in the London 2012 Olympic Games. It’s Helen’s Dad Jimmy who runs the family-owned business. Thus proving that ice cream leads to great things.

Jelberts is a 20 minute drive from our properties in Sennen Cove.

Want to explore more of Cornwall? Have a look at our Mousehole holiday properties.

Walk through – Sennen

Sennen is the country’s first and last port of call. One of the first places to receive the Atlantic’s storms. One of the last places you’d see as you floated away on a boat to America. Sennen feels like the end of the earth. Join us as we take a walk.

It was a sticky warm night when we visited one of the UK’s most far-flung villages near the South West tip of Cornwall. But a building with low pressure only added to its beauty.

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The sand is still bright white. The sea is still unbelievably clear. It’s easy to see why Sennen makes plenty of the UK’s top destinations for jaw-dropping beauty.

The coastline here is wild, and a few wild fishermen still occupy the small fleet of ships in the harbour. Cape Cornwall Gig Rowing Club is also located here. It’s a treacherous stretch of coast, with the sea showing the wisps and change of colour of competing currents.

The Sennen Coastguard Station originally built in 1812 is still a working Lifeboat Station, now manned by the RNLI. It houses a state-of-the-art Tamar-class lifeboat alongside tales of shipwrecks, sea rescues and many, many lives lost at sea. It’s open to the general public and well worth a visit.

From here we take a walk through thatched fisherman’s cottages and upwards along the cliff path towards Sennen’s granite coastguard lookout.

Explore Beach Retreats holiday cottages in Sennen, West Cornwall, offering stunning coastal views and a relaxing retreat amidst natural beauty.

The view here is quite unbeatable. Look left and you’ll see Land’s End just over a mile away jutting out into the Atlantic. Look right and you’ll see the mining coast towards Cape Cornwall. Straight out are the Cowloe rocks and The Tribbens, a natural breakwater during big storms. On a clear day, you can even see the 28 miles out to sea to the Isles of Scilly.

Returning back to the village we had worked up an appetite for our dinner booking at Ben Tunnicliffe’s – a beach-side restaurant that offers relaxed dining. Despite the rain settling in, we tucked ourselves away undercover to enjoy the outdoor barbecue.

Take a scenic walk through Mousehole, immersing yourself in its charming harbour, historic streets, and breathtaking coastal views along the Cornish coast.

Well. It wouldn’t be Cornwall without four seasons in one day.

Book your stay at Sennen with Beach Retreats today.

Tolgus Tin Mill – Beach Retreats

Tolgus Tin Mill is a unique survivor. From the heyday of tin where nearby Redruth was one of the richest towns in England, to the lows of the 1980s industry crash, the mill has witnessed 150 years of highs and lows.

Now 150 years on, the mill has entered a new chapter, one where it is once again a hub of activity, not only a visitor attraction, but also producing and smelting tin. We thought it was about time we familiarised ourselves with our county’s most renowned heritage.

Situated on the site of Cornwall Gold, the mill is the only original tin streaming works left in Cornwall and is a testament to human ingenuity and endeavour.

We were led through the whole process of recovering tin from the simplest of materials through to the finished products.

A mix of old and new can be found side by side, with shaking tables from the 50s to the mighty Cornish stamps which are thought to be more than 200 years old.

Amid the whirling machines we learnt how using simple principles of relative weight allowed tin streamers to isolate the heavier tin, how rock from local mine waste was pulverised by huge stamping machines and how sand and river deposits were sifted, washed and sorted to isolate precious tin ore.

But it’s the stories behind the talented ‘make do and mend’ mine workers that bring the mill to life.

Time your visit to arrive on smelting day and you’ll have the opportunity to see the fascinating and almost beautiful process of heating the tin ore and turning it to shining ingots ready to be transformed into jewellery.

Tolgus Tin Mill is a time capsule of Cornish history waiting to be discovered.

Tolgus Tin Mill can be found at Tolgus Mill, Redruth Cornwall, TR16 4HN.

Free admission and parking. Open peak: Mon to Sat 9.30pm to 5.30pm, Sunday and off Peak: 10am to 4.30pm. For more information call 01209 215185.

Walk through – Whitsand Bay

Join us on a walk-through as we visit our latest property destination. Cornwall’s hidden gem – Whitsand Bay – on the South East Cornish coast. A true Beach Retreat.

Thinking about bringing your dog on holiday? Check out our dog-friendly holiday properties.

You only have to take a look at our pictures to see why we’ve decided to spread our wings property portfolio to Whitsand Bay.

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Whitsand Bay

A Beach Retreats property

Whitsand Bay

The Meadow at Whitsand Bay looks out over the sea

Here you’ll find the best and breadth of Cornwall contained within three miles of coastline; long golden beaches, small rocky fishing coves, sweeping green hills akin to Bodmin moor, dramatic cliffs and sleepy villages.

Take a look at our properties at Whitsand Bay and book your holiday today.

Discover Whitsand Bay, a forgotten gem in Cornwall that promises stunning coastal landscapes and tranquil retreats away from the crowds.

Coastal running stretches – #behere with Beach Retreats

The second in our series of blog posts focusing on coastal running in Cornwall. We join Helen Clare on Porthtowan Beach for her essential warm-up and warm-down stretches tailored specifically to coastal running.

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Once a competitive swimmer to a regional level, Helen has always been driven by sport, health and fitness. Now a keen trail runner and surfer, she is dedicated to spreading the health benefits of exercise and yoga and works closely with many athletes as part of their cross-training, injury prevention and therapy. Helen has gained the Leadership in Running Fitness certification and Sport Yoga instructor status.

Helen says: “Start jogging at an easy pace to allow your muscles to warm up as you progress along your run. Afterwards, take the time to do these essential post-run stretches.”

Down Dog

On your hands and feet, bend the knees to guide your hips up and back, lengthening your spine (pictured above). Only then start to think about lowering your heels towards the ground. This pose helps to re-lengthen the hamstrings gradually and stretches out the entire back, realigning and decompressing the spine.

Standing forward fold

From your down dog, walk your feet up to your hands. Bend your knees and look forward, then breath out and draw your chest towards your thighs, straightening your legs to your own degree. This pose releases the lower back and gently stretches the hamstrings.

Low lunge

From the forward Fold, step your right leg back. Place your hands on your front thigh and lower your tail bone towards the ground as you sink your hips comfortably. This pose releases tension in the hip flexors and the quadriceps.

Side stretch

From the low Lunge take your hands to your hips and align hip over knee and knee over ankle. Reach up, hold your right wrist and stretch over to the left. This pose offers a great side body stretch that can go all the way down into the hip, stretching into the tensor fasciae latae muscle, which attaches to the IT band.

Runner’s stretch

From the side Stretch lunge, come up and take your hands to the ground and press your front toes down, lengthening the front leg – this will provide a nice stretch through the front of the ankle and shin. Then, bend the left knee and lift the toes, draw back the hip before beginning to straighten the leg to your own degree. This pose starts to deepen the stretch into the belly of the hamstrings.

Hip opener

From runner’s stretch, widen your left foot out and place your right hand down. Start to turn to your left, flexing back your toes and either placing your left hand gently on your thigh or stretching it up to open the chest. This pose works deep into the glutes and piriformis hip muscles, as well as the back hip flexors and quads – relieving built up tension from running.
Repeat on the other side.

Helen’s top tip!

When home, lie down with your feet up the wall! This relieves pressure on the feet and legs, reverses the blood flow and allows the muscles to rejuvenate!

Discover the freedom of coastal running with expert tips from Beach Retreats

We joined professional yoga instructor and trail runner Helen Clare at www.helenclareyoga.com

Explore the breathtaking beauty of St Agnes in North Cornwall, where coastal trails make it the perfect destination for running enthusiasts.

The Caribbean? Or Fistral Beach in the summer?

Who needs the Caribbean when you’ve got Cornwall? There’s only one thing for it when summer arrives here at England’s answer to holidays – head to the beach and jump in the sea (without a wetsuit if you’re feeling brave). Here’s some shots from the other day when we took a trip down to Fistral.