Category: Activities

Dog friendly days out in Cornwall

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Cornwall is a holiday destination as much for dogs as it is for their owners. Here’s our guide to the best dog-friendly days out in Cornwall.

If you’re looking to bring your pup on holiday this year, browse our dog-friendly properties.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Twenty-five years ago, The Lost Gardens of Heligan near St Austell was nothing more than a pile of brambles. Today, Heligan is considered one of the UK’s most loved gardens, by visitors and dogs alike. With 200 acres of pathways and routes to explore, all Heligan asks is that dogs are kept on their leads. Here’s Maisie giving a dog’s eye view of a Heligan walk…

www.heligan.com

Watergate Bay

With no seasonal ban on the two-mile stretch of beach, dogs are welcome year round at Watergate Bay. There are lots of pools, caves and rocks to explore, so it’s literally a doggy playground. Then, when you’re both suitably exhausted, head to The Beach Hut on the beach slipway or The Living Space at Watergate Bay Hotel, where both restaurants accommodate dogs with their own water bowl.

©Ashley Lewis for visit Cornwall

The South West Coastal Path

The South West Coast Path is rated as one of the top walks to be found anywhere in the world. To make it even better, dogs are welcome on the entire 630 mile stretch of coastal routes, which should more than tire you and them out. Read our guide on keeping your dog safe whilst on holiday and hit the path.

www.southwestcoastpath.com

Tremenheere Sculpture Garden

If you can take your eyes of the view over Mount’s Bay and St Michaels Mount, you’ll find landscaped gardens, valleys, woods, and contemporary art installations to explore at Tremenheere near Penzance – a beautiful place to while away the hours. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the gardens, and there is plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy lunch or coffee and cake with your pooch. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor area of Tremenheere Kitchen which serves homemade dishes.

www.tremenheere.co.uk

Eden Project

While dogs aren’t allowed in the indoor Biomes, they are able to explore miles of paths in Eden’s outdoor gardens and visitor centre. There are also former china clay quarry. Here’s Merlin and Ollie, excited about the prospect of exploring the Eden Project.

www.edenproject.com

Search our dog friendly properties and book your stay with Beach Retreats at one of our many beach locations around Cornwall. Keep an eye on our special offers page, too, for the latest discounts and deals.

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.

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.

Coastal running – #behere with Beach Retreats

The first in a series on blog posts on coastal running in Cornwall. Challenging trails. Spectacular coastline. And no iPod. Why you’ll turn your back on road running forever.

“You only have to look at the scenery here to see the appeal of running along the coast path,” says keen trail runner Helen Clare as we lace up our running shoes.

We’re on the North Cornish coast about to tackle a 30-minute circular route for my first foray into coastal running, and I’m a little nervous.
The 3.6 mile round trip is rated easy to moderate on the South West Coast Path’s website, but I’m not convinced. My 20-minute jogs around the flat local park seem like little preparation.

Starting from our holiday home at Watergate Bay, the plan is to follow the two-mile stretch of golden sand southwards to Porth Beach, before climbing up onto Trevelgue head and back along the coastal path to where we started off.

From a physical point of view, coastal running can be more challenging on your legs, core and cardiovascular system, but the softer surfaces are a lot easier on your feet. And as we step as step out the door, my fears are immediately diminished by a cool sea breeze. I’m confronted with a vista of endless blue skies, a beautiful expanse of beach, and barely another soul around.
“It’s about making most the most of the landscape on your doorstep,” says Helen as we start off. I notice there’s no iPod strapped to her body. “Why, when you can absorb the natural surroundings – listening to the birds, the wind and waves?”

I can see Helen’s yoga background coming into play. There are other reasons too which remove coastal running far away from its tarmacked counterpart. “Coastal running is more about freedom, being relaxed and not running against a clock.”
My mind starts clears as we reach the half way point – an almost meditative state. Wondering where that split in the path leads? There’s nothing stopping you to change your route and go exploring. Feeling tired? Then walk for a stretch, or turn around and head back home. No one’s judging.

The terrain along the coastal paths in Cornwall is so varied that you can choose how challenging you want your run to be. And god. Those views. I’m so engaged the whole way that I barely notice how long we’ve been running for when I find myself back where we started.

Later, after we’ve showered the sand and salt out of our hair, we make our way to dinner overlooking the beach and fall into our seats. Exhausted, happy, and exhilarated.

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

And the best thing? It didn’t really feel like exercise at all.
We stayed at The Village with Beach Retreats, a development of eco-houses built into the hill above the beach at Watergate Bay.

Fancy staying in Watergate Bay? Check out our luxury holiday properties in Watergate Bay, Newquay.

Hit the coastal trails with Beach Retreats’ guide to invigorating seaside running experiences.

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

Walk through – Porthleven

This unspoilt fishing village on Cornwall’s south coast is a place for all seasons. Its for ice cream-filled strolls in the summer and spray-flying storm-watching in the winter.

Discover our Porthleven holiday properties.

A happy mix of working village and holiday spot, the historic fishing harbour of Porthleven boasts being the most southerly working port in the UK, located between the Lizard Peninsula and Penzance.

Interested in staying in our most luxurious holiday cottages? Check out our luxury coastal cottages.

Come summer you’ll find children crabbing and jumping from the harbour wall, and at winter it’s up to The Ship Inn, an old fisherman’s pub built into the rocks at the entrance of the harbour, to watch the waves breaking over the iconic clock tower and pier.

We started our walk on Peverell Road and past The Atlantic Inn – nab the seats outside for a sundowner with spectacular views across the village and the sea to Penzance.

Snaking down the road you’ll see signs for the National Trust’s Penrose Estate and Loe Pool, the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall cut off from the sea by a shingle bar heaped by the heavy Atlantic seas. This is a great spot for nature watching, walking and running, well away from any main roads.

The main beach is patrolled by RNLI Lifeguards and in the summer is a sun trap thanks to large sea defences. This is the place to BBQ your freshly caught fish. Or if you’re unlucky like us, you’ll find locally caught fish available from Quayside Fish, voted Britain’s Best Fishmonger, on Fore Street.

Continuing on the theme of food you’ll find everything you need to eat and drink right on your doorstep here. The opening of Rick Steins Fish & Seafood in October last year firmly put Porthleven on the map as a foodie destination. But it would be a crying shame to miss out on the other great restaurants including Kota, Kota Kai, The Square Porthleven, SeaDrift Kitchen Café and Amelies.

Meanwhile, The Corner Deli serves breakfast, lunch and wood-fired pizzas on certain evenings, or pick up your own cheese and bread for a picnic on the beach. No visit is complete without going to Nauti But Ice serving more than 25 flavours of Roskilly’s organic ice cream from its Jersey herd and farm on the Lizard. Origin Coffee Roasters also opened The Brew House in 2014 as a place to experience Origin’s speciality coffee at its very best. Don’t forget pub grub at The Harbour or the two fish and chip shops too.

All this sets the scene for a burgeoning food festival. Porthleven Food & Music Festival sees a strong line up of recognised chefs. Save the date in April.

Discover what to see and do in Porthleven with our guide, showcasing its scenic beauty, vibrant culture, and culinary delights along the Cornish coast.

See our holiday cottages in Porthleven.

Get busy in Cornwall this spring

Stuck for ideas, things to do and places to go in Cornwall this spring? Well there’s plenty going on. Here’s our pick of the bunch…

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

The World Pasty Championships

Saturday 28 February

Competitors from all over the world are invited to battle it out at The Eden Project for the 2015 World Pasty Championships. There’ll be traditional Cornish pasty making, as well as the more experimental bakes. It’s open to amateurs too, so why not perfect your pasty and get creative with your crimp? Legendary singers Fisherman’s Friends from Port Isaac will be headlining and you can even expect some Cornish rap from Hedluv and Passman – including the Cornish Pasty rap.

More information can be found here.

Seal pup season

February-March

Spring is the time to see the Cornish Seal Sanctuary do what it does best – rescue, rehabilitate and re-release stranded seal pups. Around 40-60 pups are rescued each year during the colder months and taken here – the leading Seal Rescue Centre in Europe. The seal hospital and nursery pools are usually full at this time of the year, so it’s the perfect time to visit with little ones.

Visit the website.

Stranded – an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Now until 5 July

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That’s exactly the inspiration behind artist Joanna Atherton’s colourful tapestries created from items washed up on our shores displaying in Falmouth. You’ll find fishing line, netting, rope and… unexpected items. Those with a more classical taste of art might prefer the museum’s Celebrating the Sea exhibition, which features a stunning selection of works from the Royal Society of Marine Artists, running also until 17 May.

For more information visit here.

St Piran’s Day

Thursday 5 March

Legend has it that St Piran was tied to a mill-stone, dropped off a cliff and cast out into stormy waves from Ireland. He then floated across the sea to land on Perranporth beach in Cornwall. Considered as the Patron Saint of Cornwall, St Piran’s Day on 5 March was one of many traditional tin miner’s holidays in Cornwall which involved plentiful feasts and drinking. Eat a pasty – or make your own, join one of the many town processions or take a pilgrimage to Perranporth where you’ll find oratory and other happenings. Newquay Zoo is also expected to be holding its annual pasty throwing competition.

Check out our holiday lets in Perranporth.

Legend of the Bay

18/19 April

Finally, if you prefer your days more action packed then head to Watergate Bay for Legend of the Bay – a unique event bringing together stand-up paddle boarders (SUP) and kitesurfers. Competitors can enter either individual competitions in their favoured sport – a wave jam kitesurf event, or a SUP surf competition – or compete for the coveted ‘Legend of the Bay’ title, which will be awarded to the competitor with the highest combined score from both disciplines.

Keep up to date with the latest information from British Kite Sports.

Book your holiday with Beach Retreats.

Discover easter adventures in Cornwall with our guide to seven must-do activities, promising fun-filled experiences for the whole family.

Beach Retreats visited the unassuming shop on Cornwall’s north-coast to find out more and sample its famous saffron heavy cake as seen on TV.

The secret is out about this unassuming bakery. We visited one of its flagship shops on Cornwall’s north coast to find out more, and to sample some of its famous saffron-heavy cake as featured on TV, of course.

Take a stroll into Portreath village centre and you’d be forgiven for walking straight past Portreath Bakery. But you’d be missing a treat if you did.

Established by Marion Symonds in 1988, the family-owned business has gone strength to strength, now offering much more than the humble – although fantastic – Cornish pasty.

The bakery sources all of its ingredients locally, adding eggs, meat and vegetables, who have been a supplier for more than 20 years.

Over the years the bakery has featured on various television programmes alongside Hugh Scully and ‘Two Fat Ladies’ and has also been personally recommended by Rick Stein’s book ‘Food Heroes’ and Carolyn Martin’s book ‘Our Daily Bread’.

Their famous saffron heavy featured on a recent television programme, Britain’s Best Bakery, where the judges remarked on how moist and fruity it was.

Cornish pastry facts

    • Heavy cake was originally taken to sea as sustenance for sailors, including Marion’s uncle Gordon Greenslade who is now in his 101st year and still living in Portreath
    • Pasties were originally invented by housewives for their husbands to take down the mine and typically had a savoury and sweet end
    • Miners would hold the pasty by the crimp throw this away at the end to avoid eating the arsenic that was on their hands
    • Housewives marked their husband’s initials on the left-hand side of the pastry to avoid any confusion at lunchtime
    • Miners often saved this corner of their pasty for a ‘knocker’ or mischievous elves who were believed to cause bad luck

Portreath Bakery is 30-minute drive down the coast from Newquay. Visit www.portreathbakery.co.uk for more information.

Elevate your beach BBQ game with expert tips and tricks on perfecting a beach BBQ with our guide!

Fancy staying in Portreath? Check out our Portreath holiday retreats.

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

Swim Club | Day membership at Watergate Bay

If all the excitement of Christmas and New Year has left you feeling a little weary, then a bit of ‘you time’ at Watergate Bay Hotel’s Swim Club could be just the ticket.

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

Watergate Bay Hotel, swimming pool.
Winter day membership for Watergate Bay Hotel’s Swim Club allows non-guests to experience the award-winning secluded surroundings to do as little or as much as they want.

Over selected dates this winter, you’ll have access to all of Swim Club’s facilities, the choice between a two course lunch in The Beach Hut or The Living Space and a 60 minute treatment all for £80. Treatments for 90 minutes are also available for £100.

Fancy staying in Watergate Bay? Check out our luxury holiday properties in Watergate Bay, Newquay.

Swim Club includes:

  • 25m infinity swimming pool
  • Cliff terraces with hot tub
  • A 60 minute treatment in one of our treatment rooms
  • Sea-view manicure & pedicure snug
  • Cardio room
  • Studio
  • Café-bar
  • Ocean room

Winter day membership dates

Available from:

  • Monday 3 November to Friday 19 December*
  • Monday 19 January to Friday 13 February*
  • Monday 23 February to Friday 27 March*

*excluding weekends and only available to over 18’s

To book your day or to buy gift vouchers, please contact Swim Club on 01637 861237 or email [email protected]

For more information, visit www.watergatebay.co.uk/swim-club/membership/

Explore sensory swims along the Cornish coast, where each dip offers a refreshing and rejuvenating experience amidst stunning natural landscapes.