The Cornwall Blog

Charlestown harbour It was so lovely to have my brother visit in December. We enjoyed some proper sibling time, revisiting a few favourite haunts and indulging his passion for good coffee and beer. I thought the best plan was a little tour of some fine local establishments, enjoying the wonderful views in between the showers. Having grown up in Cornwall, my brother is no stranger to these parts, but these days it is a modern metropolis that he calls home. Well, Coventry actually, up country. Trips down here are rare but thoroughly enjoyed by us all, so I was glad to hang out with my kid brother and catch up. Coffee and cobbles in Charlestown The first chance we had to head out together came on a soggy and rather cold Saturday. He is not a great early riser, so my first thought was coffee. We headed to Charlestown and managed to squeeze into Short & Strong, where my brother thoroughly enjoyed a V60 pour-over coffee. I had a vegan hot chocolate with ha...

Bren the Border Terrier at Par Beach It's a Wednesday morning and we find ourselves in England in our third lockdown. As previously we have to stay home and only go out for essentials, thankfully this includes exercise. I have never been more grateful than this past year for living somewhere so beautiful. Although many of the gardens and establishments are closed to visitors there is still plenty of parkland to explore. Near me we have Lanhydrock House, although the house and garden are closed the estate remains open with a lovely walk at Respryn also still available.  Last light at Lerryn Woods After the storm at Polkerris Beach Best of all we can access the coast, last week I took a stroll at the little beach of Polkerris. Love it there, the harbour wall hugs the beach like a warm embrace. Though it has to be said not much was warm that day! Bitter wind softened slightly by the beautiful sunshine. There was sculptural driftwood strewed here and there and a fair amount of dogs hap...

A recent trip to Marsh Villa Gardens in Par made me think I should highlight the beauties of this part of Cornwall. Although right on my doorstep, I hadn't properly visited Marsh Villa gardens until the recent Bank Holiday. It worked out really well, its such a peaceful garden owned by a lovely family. They took over the three acre plot in the Eighties and have transformed the over grown valley into a tranquil paradise. I went with my dad and we meandered around the paths before the sun got too hot. This was the creek mentioned by Daphne du Maurier in 'House on the Strand'. You can help yourself to home made cake for a couple of pounds but we went just further along the road to the popular Yummy Scrummy Bakery. They do marvellous pancakes and as the name suggests, yummy cakes. I often meet friends here for breakfast but today it was a smoothie and cake. Par has a wide and windswept beach that I think is often over looked. Granted, at one end you have ...

The Courtyard Deli When visiting Cornwall there are so many fine places to eat but so many of them are hidden away and often locals hot spots. I wanted to share my favourite hidden places to eat in Cornwall, local ingredients cooked beautifully and once found you will also be going back for more. The Courtyard Deli Falmouth. This is a true hidden gem and when I say hidden unless you know about the small alleyway leading up to the Deli you wouldn’t know it was there. Nestled in the heart of the beautiful coastal town of Falmouth this Deli is definitely worth hunting down. With all the usual food you expect to find in a deli from beautiful breads to local cheeses they also serve amazing homemade cakes with delicious coffee. But the best thing about the Deli is when the Deli transforms into a tapas bar in the evening. My favourite is their Cornish mackerel fillets. Jon's Bistro Jon’s Bistro at The Bre Pen farm Mawgan Porth. When looking for hidden spots you can’t get mor...