Category: Slow travel

What a klys – Cornish for cosy and snug – approach for the year ahead, and to those annual life-changing resolutions, looks like…

The New Year is upon us. The Christmas parties are over, and you may have overindulged in, well, just about everything. And with a New Year, comes the inevitable resolution making. As convention dictates, you might want to lose weight and get fitter. Perhaps you’d like to strike a better work/life balance. Maybe you just want to be happier? But what if, instead of focusing on those big, nebulous goals – which inevitably end up overtaken by events and unachieved by December – you adopted a klys approach to change?

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Defined as snug or cosy, the Cornish word klys is all about making the most of the beautiful wilderness we have here, before sinking into the warmth and snugness of the indoors as the winter deepens around us. In other words, by making lots of small, tangible changes to your everyday – revolved around the concept of klys and in turn engendering feelings of contentment – you may actually reach those bigger goals as a happy by-product.

“Listening to an album from start to finish, to cooking a slow meal or simply watching the waves as they pummel the sand from the comfort of your window seat, these are all activities guaranteed to boost your wellbeing, physical and mental.”

“When I started feeling the drag of winter, I began to treat myself like a favoured child,” writes Katherine May in Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. “I assumed my needs were reasonable and that my feelings were signals of something important. I kept myself well fed and made sure I was getting enough sleep. I took myself for walks in the fresh air and spent time doing things that soothed me. I asked myself: What is this winter all about? I asked myself: What change is coming?”

Keep making time to live slower this winter

Winter is cold, winter is dark. But perhaps it’s an opportunity to slow down; to meditate on the last year, to consider where the coming year will take you, and to focus on easily-achieved activities that restore rather than drain. Central to klys is the idea of experiencing the bracing, raw elements in the Cornish wilds, before retreating to a wood fire and a warming hot drink – your skin tingling and your soul full.

Step out of your front door and go for a rejuvenating walk by the sea (or if you want a rush of feel-good dopamine, and are well-prepared, a bracing dip). Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social feeds when you get inside, make a conscious effort to do something that doesn’t involve technology ­– or the, often bleak, news cycle.

“The feeling of klys needn’t be confined to solo activity – in fact, it’s a feeling amplified by sharing experiences with others, especially friends and family.”

From settling down in a comfortable chair to read a book by the fire or listening to an album from start to finish, to cooking a slow meal or simply watching the waves as they pummel the sand from the comfort of your window seat, these are all activities guaranteed to boost your wellbeing, physical and mental. Any time of year, but particularly now.

For klys times, make it friends and family time

The feeling of klys needn’t be confined to solo activity – in fact, it’s a feeling amplified by sharing experiences with others, especially friends and family. Think of it as an extension of the feel-good festive season gone by. While the winter weather can be harsh, these conditions make the vast expanse of a deserted beach outside – with friends and laughter and a couple of cosy hours spent in the pub after(with loved ones and locals alike) – all the more rewarding.

Check out our other locations and other retreats across South Cornwall.

“Give yourself to winter and the pursuit of klys, and come springtime, you will find yourself fortified and energised for the seasons ahead.”

Choosing to adopt a klys way of living for winter means adapting to the cold season accordingly. Not being afraid of nature and the elements, but rather embracing them wholeheartedly and being open to how they can make you feel, how they can change you.

“In our relentlessly busy contemporary world, we are forever trying to defer the onset of winter,” writes May. “We don’t ever dare to feel its full bite, and we don’t dare show the way it ravages us. An occasional sharp wintering would do us good.”

Want to learn more about how to make the most of your travel? Read our blog on how to do slow travel.

Give yourself to winter and the pursuit of klys, and come springtime, you will find yourself fortified and energised for the seasons ahead. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll have unwittingly achieved those goals you normally set yourself every January.

Experience klys this January, in a beachside retreat where you can embrace the elements outdoors before getting cosy indoors. Browse our selection below.

’Tis the season…

The approaching festive period offers a welcome chance to unwind after another tough year. Here we explore how you can create the ideal family winter break, one that offers all the rich pleasure of the holiday season – and none of the stress.

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

Christmas is a rare chance to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, to take a break from the everyday grind and spend quality time with loved ones. All too often, though, the desire to get everything just right only adds to the pressure: you squeeze several generations into the family home; sweat away over an ambitious roast that fails to satisfy the nuanced dietary needs of the gathered hordes; and despair as everyone fights over the TV remote.

But the festive season does offer another opportunity – to truly escape. Together. And with its epic landscapes, cosy evenings, and luxurious food and drink, Cornwall offers all the ingredients you need to stuff your festive break with deep, restorative joy – leaving the whole family feeling totally at home.

Here are a few suggestions for getting that festive break just right…

EXPLORE

When it comes to blowing away any tensions and cobwebs, nothing beats walking beneath sprawling winter skies – whether crisp or foreboding – and breathing in the smell of a freshly whipped sea. Cornwall is about letting the quiet magic wash over you. You just have to layer up – and don the gloves, hats and boots – and get out there.

“Treat yourself to an invigorating swim – or at least to the warm, romantic feeling of being out in the elements, hands warming on an enamel mug filled with seasonal spiced oats, enhanced by cinnamon, cloves and orange zest.”

You can take your pick from hundreds of miles of breathtaking coastal walks, and winter is an excellent season for descending on to the county’s beaches. Whether marching across miles of golden sand, or using a low tide to explore hidden coves, this is the only chance you’ll get to have the entire sand to yourself.

Teach the kids to fly kites. Treat yourself to an invigorating swim – or at least to the warm, romantic feeling of being out in the elements, hands warming on an enamel mug filled with seasonal spiced oats, enhanced by cinnamon, cloves and orange zest.

ESCAPE

When several generations of the family come together for a prolonged period, people will want different things from the experience. And while Cornwall will offer untold delights on the doorstep, there’s even more to explore further afield. Independence is the great stress diffuser. Bring separate vehicles so everyone is free to go off and explore, and to do exactly what they need to.

Of course, the one thing anyone wants to do with precious time away from work is relax. The problem is that kids tend to be up at the crack of dawn, demanding entertainment. But that lie-in needn’t remain a distant Christmas wish: ensure everyone takes their turn on ‘getting kids out of the house early’ duty, so the rest get to rest.

“Cornwall has a healthy dose festive romance too – from the transformative magic of the Christmas lights around the harbour at Mousehole, to the childlike delight of the Truro City of Lights annual lantern parade.”

Check out our holiday properties in Mousehole to experience everything the area has to offer.

You could even consider cluster-booking apartments in the same complex. Whether your group includes energetic young children, couples craving private time, or seniors seeking just a little bit of shut-eye, everyone will have their own special place to retreat to.

COMMUNE

Cornwall has a healthy dose festive romance too – from the transformative magic of the Christmas lights around the harbour at Mousehole, to the childlike delight of the Truro City of Lights annual lantern parade. Local theatre groups stage seasonal work in spectacular locations around the county, including the clifftop Minack Theatre, Heligan Gardens and countless woodland and coastal locations.

Then there’s the simple bonding pleasure of pausing whatever you’re doing to watch together as the sun sets over the sea. Stand on a harbour under the crisp winter skies, the lights flickering on inside the surrounding cottages, and find your way to the pub.

As well as potentially chancing upon local folk music by a roaring hearth, there’s no shortage of mouth-watering food being offered by Cornwall’s country inns and restaurants these days – on clifftops, moorland, or nestled into breath-taking creeks.

RELAX

Much of the delight of exploring what’s outside lies in the deliciousness of coming home. Return with ruddy cheeks, kick off your boots and step into a hot shower, as someone heads into the living room to fire up the log burner. Then settle in for a long, slow evening of comfort.

“Hearty winter veg like cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli are all readily available from the county’s well stocked farm shops and markets, and pair well with locally produced beef, pork, poultry and fresh fish. Or local pot-caught crab, which is a great sustainable choice through the winter.”

Sit back and relax, and reflect on the satisfaction of a day, before lining up a film. Or perhaps it’s simply time to be alone, together. Disappear into your own world with a good book, iPad, or paper, while you savour a mug of hot chocolate. Or enjoy a tipple from Cornwall’s growing army of award-winning brewers and distillers, who offer premium craft beer, rose gin, whiskey, vodka and rum, all locally sourced and made.

Read our blog on why celebrating Christmas and New Year’s in Cornwall is the perfect time to explore and begin new traditions.

FEAST

Christmas is all about communing for shared meals. And sharing the cooking. One great way to enjoy a break from all the resting is by testing your culinary chops, enjoying the time and space to create a delicious new dish for your assembled loved ones.

Why not challenge yourself to use only local seasonal ingredients? It will reward the effort. Hearty winter veg like cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli are all readily available from the county’s well stocked farm shops and markets, and pair well with locally produced beef, pork, poultry and fresh fish. Or local pot-caught crab, which is a great sustainable choice through the winter.

You can, of course, take this to the next level – by foraging for edible greens. Keep your eyes peeled for alexanders, nettle tops, wild garlic and wild cress. Researchers have shown that bacteria in the soil releases serotonin – a mood-lifting neurotransmitter – the perfect winter tonic.

Whether you’re creating mezze-style sharing plates, or hearty stews and soups, combine it all with freshly-baked sourdough, and be sure to save some bread to enjoy the next morning – with farm-bought eggs and locally roasted coffee.

What will it be for your Christmas retreat?