Image credit: Dive Newquay

Read three perspectives on the sensory power of the sea, from deep sea diver to experienced mariner to wild swimmer…

Throughout time and place, the sea has had a powerful effect on humans. Its dazzling forms and mysterious depths have seeped into culture, enchanting, thrilling and calming at once.

Whether the crash of the waves on the beach or the glow of the red sun rising over a rippling cove, it’s impossible not to feel the effects of the water.

Dynamic feelings

Jack Carter from Boscastle sought out solace in the sea during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when his first child was born. He opened his own marine touring business to combine his love for both boats and the Cornish coast. Despite these potentially stressful demands, he said “I just can’t seem to be stressed when I’m working at sea every day. For me, it’s the environment I relate to best; I’m in my element.”

“So here, there’s the Irish Sea, the Atlantic and the English Channel, creating some of the world’s biggest tides ripping through the area, along with crazy currents and tidal waves.”

Jack has spent 15 years at sea and some of his favourite moments are witnessing storms, describing feeling both humbled and charged by the water’s immense energy and power. Experiencing the emotions the sea can inspire was behind Jack’s decision to set up Coast Boat Trips.

Image credit: Coast Boat Trips

“We do the tours between Lands End and Cape Cornwall; it’s a really unique area of coastline. The word ‘cape’ literally means where multiple water bodies collide. So here, there’s the Irish Sea, the Atlantic and the English Channel, creating some of the world’s biggest tides ripping through the area, along with crazy currents and tidal waves. The area is just so dynamic.”

“And when you’re out on the boat you can also see the cliffs from another angle and they’re dramatic and incredible in themselves. It’s where an immovable object meets an unstoppable force.”

Going deeper

From thrills above the water to the mystery below, Joe Gurney has been working as a scuba dive instructor at Dive Newquay for the last eight years. He describes the sensation of diving as “weirdly feeling as if you’re flying down there.”

“If you get a clear day, with the sun coming in right, the water is turquoise blue and everything is illuminated on the coral, it’s just amazing.”

While beginners dive to 10m, Joe recently went to 65m in his deepest dive yet. He was aiming to explore one of Cornwall’s 3000 shipwrecks, a ship that sank to the seafloor in 1888 after crashing into the headland near Fistral beach in Newquay.

Image credit: Dive Newquay

 “Shipwrecks are kind of mysterious, especially if there’s lots of plankton it can be pitch black. But it’s like a whole different world and there’s so much marine life sheltering in the wreck, as well as different types of coral that you just wouldn’t see in shallower waters.

“The UK  is pretty underrated I think. If you get a clear day, with the sun coming in right, the water is turquoise blue and everything is illuminated on the coral, it’s just amazing. I’ve also had dolphins doing somersaults in front of me and an inquisitive seal nibble my flipper.”

The effects of exploring the depths are clearly visible for those who try it. “Everyone who comes up from their first dive is beaming from ear to ear,” says Joe.

“it’s my playground, where I go to connect with my inner child, whether that’s snorkeling, seeing different animals or splashing around with friends.”

Water therapy

Lydia Paleschi believes cold water has a healing effect. A founder of Wild Swimming Cornwall and author of ‘A Guide to Wild Swimming in Cornwall’, she swims without a wetsuit all year round, come rain or shine. She said: “The sea has always been a backdrop for me growing up, but it wasn’t until I left Cornwall that I realised how special it is and really started to crave it. When I went through a rough patch with my mental health, I found coming home and going swimming really, really helped.”

Image credit: Wild Swimming Cornwall

Lydia describes being in the sea as a type of therapy that brings many other feelings, from creative inspiration to the feeling of being part of a community. She explains how cold water swimming has a physiological reset effect, as blood rushes from the brain to warm the core.

“I love to sea swim after a run because of the explosion that happens on your skin with all your nerve endings being activated. Each time you go in, you build your confidence and feel proud of yourself; I call it my arena for confidence building.

“But, at the same time, it’s my playground, where I go to connect with my inner child, whether that’s snorkeling, seeing different animals or splashing around with friends.”

Like a reflection, the sea can be something different to everyone. Whether you’re after a new thrill, a sensory overload or a peaceful escape, there is something for you in the sea’s wonderful expanse of possibility. 

Stay footsteps from the beach, minutes from the sea

Summer days await at Carlyon Bay, an up-and-coming location which breathes a new life into the conventional beach day. With calm water and a tropical backdrop, this hub of activity has something for everyone. So, dive in and see what Carlyon Bay has to offer….

Browse our Carlyon Bay retreats to experience beach living at its best.

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

Theatre on the sand

Wildworks new show, I AM KEVIN, is coming to Carlyon Bay for two weeks, from Saturday 6 to Saturday 20 August. It’s entertainment, right here on the sand.

I AM KEVIN is an outdoor promenade show, directed by Mydd Pharo and created with the communities of Cornwall. It is suitable for ages 12+, perfect for a family day on the beach. Dark, humorous, fiery and honest… ‘I AM KEVIN’ is a provocation to rediscover the power and possibility that lies beneath the surface of us all. This summer, Wildworks invites you to let your imagination run wild on a journey of impossibility. It’s a bedtime story to set the world on fire.

Ensure to follow Wildworks on all their social media platforms to catch a glimpse of the show and stay updated on all things I Am Kevin.

Tickets start from £14. Book now at wildworks.org.uk.

Beach yoga

Where better to channel your inner peace than on the beach? Start your day with lungfuls of sea air and the sound of the waves, helping to clear your mind and energise your body. Every Saturday you can join Beach Yoga with Emma, just £10 per person with under 14’s half price. Emma runs a 60 minute restorative guided practice which will strengthen your muscles, stimulate your metabolism and increase serotonin levels. Each session is then followed by an optional sea swim.

Book with Emma here.

Image credit: Elm Yoga

Food pop ups

Every summer, Carlyon Bay hosts a vibrant pop up food festival, serving up the tastiest street food and fresh sea food. Sample world flavours and local vendors, from the Harvester Seafood Shack, Jasper’s Kitchen for stonebaked pizzas, and gourmet burgers. Best enjoyed in your hands, on the sand.

Keep up to date with what’s on here.

Discover North Cornwall and find out about Morwenstow, the often-forgotten area of Cornwall.

Image credit: Harvester Shack

Live music

To accompany your beach evenings is a busy schedule of live music throughout the summer. Enjoy a variety of bands, DJ nights and acoustic performances from local musicians, the perfect entertainment whilst you enjoy a chilled drink on the sand as the sun goes down. Find out more about what’s on here.

Jet skis

See the coastline from a new perspective and get your heart beating in the ocean spray. Cornwall Waverunner Sarafi’s mini jet ski safaris are an adrenalin-filled way of exploring the bay, with the chance of spotting sealife such as dolphins, sunfish and seals. You can choose to ride solo or share with a friend and head out with the guidance of an experienced instructors, who will show you the ropes of riding the jet skis and take you on the best routes round the shores. Just remember to hold on tight!

Waverunner mini jet ski safari

Swimming and snorkelling

Carlyon Bay is on the south coast, meaning it benefits from generally calm waters and minimal swell. This makes it the perfect spot for wild swimming and snorkelling, the perfect activities to get closer to nature and indulge your senses in the sea. We’d recommend dipping at first light, when the beach is quiet and the sky is still streaked with the pink and orange hues of sunrise. It’s beach bliss.

Read our blog on wild swimming here.

Find a retreat in Carlyon Bay and experience it for yourself.

Check out more of our locations and explore our Charlestown holiday properties.

We’re so excited to announce that we’ve been nominated for Best Company for UK Holiday Home Rentals in the prestigious British Travel Awards.

Our devotion to the coast has always been our driving force, inspiring us to do what we do – provide the best beachside holidays in retreats less than a mile from the coast, all year round.

Show your support and give us 10 seconds of your time and vote for Beach Retreats as Best Company for UK Holiday Home Rentals.

Since we started out 13 years ago, we’ve believed in the power of beach living and we know the feeling that being footsteps from the beach can bring. 

For each of us, a beach means different things. It can be time to relax, or get your pulse racing. It can be contemplation alone, or bringing people together. It can be riding waves in the water or building castles in the sand. It can be stormy or sheltered, cliffs or dunes, river or sea. For guests, finding the right beach, theirs to enjoy whenever and however they want, changes everything. And that’s why our selection of handpicked properties never fail our guests, many of which return every year to their new favourite place by the sea.

We pride ourselves in choosing the most pristine properties, equipped and ready for beach living, all within walking distance to the best beaches around the Cornish coast. 

To continue to grow as a company after an unprecedented couple of years has affirmed our belief in the pull of the ocean which continues to tempt guests back to its shores, year after year. We’ve got you, our guests, to thank for our continued success. Your support, like a breath of fresh sea air, gives us the motivation and passion to keep doing what we do, providing unforgettable beach holidays and sharing our love for the sea.

Vote for Beach Retreats by clicking below.

A sonic postcard from Cornwall. The sounds of the sea, beach and cliff top captured during an idyllic morning at Godrevy, as we ventured out for a surf.

Introducing land&water, the range of natural bath and body products you’ll find in most of our Beach Retreats properties…

A wide sandy bay on the North Coast of Cornwall; a place where invigoration and calm, alert and serene are endlessly intertwined.

Winding along the cliff path, gazing at isolated patches of sunlight on the sea. Floating ‘out back’ beyond the whitewater, waiting to catch an unbroken wave. Curling in a window seat with a book, while a storm rages outside. Showering after a swim, before sunset dinners and stargazing on the decking…

This ‘active relaxation’ lifestyle that sparked the land&water collection has its roots at Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall; land&water founder Pix Ashworth’s family’s hotel. As well as appreciating time out on the beach and cliffs herself, Pix has spent many years witnessing the joyful “warm glow” radiating from Watergate Bay guests after days swimming, surfing or walking on the beach.

“It’s a real honour to see people at their most happy and carefree, coming inside after days in the sea air,” she says. “They have that warm glow about them; that natural relaxed feeling, as well as the exhilaration from being active amongst the elements.”

And so Pix set about capturing that feeling; to, quite literally, bottle it. 

Created in collaboration with leading apothecarist and perfumer Richard Howard, the land&water collection translates this emotion – and its distinctive blend of invigoration and calm – into its natural bath & body products. 

Each recipe uses natural essential oils and actives to evoke the therapeutic benefits of time in the elements, recreating the fresh skin invigoration we feel on the shoreline. The whole collection also embodies painstaking care for the environment that has inspired it.

Like that warm glow, the land&water collection has since radiated out to other locations with similar outlooks, communities and values – whether in the mountains of the Lake District, country gastropubs, London boutique hotels, or national department stores.

The places may vary, but the feeling is always the same…

The blend of invigoration and calm is at the heart of the land&water collection. Created in collaboration with a leading apothecarist and perfumer, land&water products capture this emotion with a blend of buoyant, exhilarating citrus and serene, green and woody notes. Using a 100% vegan palette of fruit, flower and plant essential oils, as well as botanical actives identified through the latest advances in bio-technology (including moisturising and rejuvenating samphire, spike moss and sea buckthorn extracts), land&water blends carefully chosen ingredients with insight, imagination and scientific expertise.

Featuring in most of our properties, Beach Retreats has chosen from the land&water collection: a stimulating hand wash for day-seizing hands, an invigorating zesty body wash, fresh mint, mind-clearing shampoo and moisturising conditioner for high tide hydration.

Sustainability:

As the spark that lit the land&water fire – shaping its philosophy, product concept and very existence – nature is what land&water holds most dear. The brand is committed to treading as lightly as possible on the natural world that has so inspired it – from the sustainable, vegan ingredients it selects, to its 100% post-consumer waste recycled bottles.

The brand has invested in sustainable practices from day one, selecting partners and suppliers whose principles chime with its own, and giving painstaking consideration to its ingredients, manufacturing processes and packaging.

Every product contains:

– Ethically sourced ingredients, 100% cruelty-free

– Only natural, botanical materials in all skin formulations

– High quality essential oils used sensitively and in meaningful quantities

– The full collection is suitable for vegans

– All products are made in the British Isles

– land&water’s packaging ethos centres on re-use, recycle and refill

To sample some land&water for yourself, browse their website here. Or, head to one of our retreats and try it out in a self-catering property by the coast….

Holidays just aren’t the same without your dog- they’re part of the family, after all. That’s why Beach Retreats specialises in dog-friendly holiday properties. And you’re spolit for choice when it comes to beaches to visit, with more than 150 different dog-friendly spots to explore, dig, run and play on.

We’ve compiled a list of the best dog friendly beaches in Cornwall, including the closest ones to our Beach Retreats properties.

Whitsand Bay

This hidden gem in Cornwall’s south coast makes for the perfect doggy day out. With four miles of varying coastline, from gentle coves to dramatic cliff face, Whitsand offers lots of beach options of dogs and owners alike. The beach, which is south west facing, stretches the entire four miles at low tide, whilst at high tide there’s four different beaches to choose from. All are dog friendly all year round, and benefit from being quieter than other beaches in Cornwall. 

Browse our Whitsand Bay retreats to find a place for you and your pup nearby.

Watergate Bay

Watergate Bay is dog friendly year round and actively encourages you to bring your dogs onto the sand to play. With over two miles of sandy beach with rock pools and sea caves to explore, it’s fair to say your dog will love it here. And once you’re both tired out, head to dog friendly The Beach Hut restaurant for something to eat and drink.

Find a Watergate Bay retreat.

Porth beach

Porth beach, situated between Newquay and Watergate Bay, is a large, west-facing, sandy beach with a long tidal drop. Porth Beach welcomes dogs through the winter months of October to Easter but throughout the main season dogs are only allowed from 7pm-9am, meaning sunset strolls or early morning paddles are calling.

Find a dog friendly Porth retreat.

Whipsiderry Beach

Whipsiderry is dog friendly year round, and is perfect if you’re Beach Retreating at Porth or Watergate Bay. Whipsiderry is a beautiful, quiet beach, situated on the coastline between Porth and Watergate, with sheltering cliffs and an abundance of rock pools and caves for hours of exploring fun. There are a set of steep steps to gain access to the beach but it’s worth the climb to step foot on this peaceful sandy cove.

Perranporth

Perranporth is a dog paradise, as not only is it dog friendly all year round, it’s huge! At low tide Perranporth beach and neighbouring Penhale sands join together to make one of the largest stretches of unbroken sand on the north coast. Let your dog off the lead and send them chasing after their ball along the shore, they’ll love it. You can then recharge at The Watering Hole, which is also dog friendly.

Find a Perranporth retreat for you and your four-legged friend.

Mawgan Porth

Mawgan Porth is another year round dog friendly beach, and is perfect if you’re staying at Porth or Watergate Bay too. Even at high tide, Mawgan Porth has plenty of sand to run ragged on. Compared to other beaches on the north Cornwall coast, Mawgan Porth is fairly quiet, allowing you and your dog a more peaceful visit.

Find a retreat in Mawgan Porth.

Fistral Beach

Fistral is possibly the most popular beach in north Cornwall, and the beach is a wide expanse of sand sheltered by two headlands, perfect for letting your pup off the lead. Dogs are welcome at Fistral beach year round, and its sunset views and on the beach bar and restaurant complex make it tempting to stay late into the evening.

Gwenver Beach

Perfect if you’re Beach Retreating at Sennen.

Accessed at low-tide to the right of Sennen beach, or at the base of steep granite cliffs from the coastal – Gwenver’s difficult access stops the beach from ever getting too crowded, so you and your dog need to be fit. There’s rockpools, shipwrecks and pools to explore with dogs welcome all year round.

Find a retreat in the nearby Sennen Cove.

If you need any more temptation to bring your pup to Cornwall, read our top five reasons to bring your dog on holiday.

To find a beachside retreat at your favourite dog friendly beach, browse our locations and keep an eye on our special offers page for the latest deals and discounts.

With dogs permitted on the entire 630 miles of the South West Coast Path, it’s fair to say that Cornwall is a haven for dogs and dog walkers alike. Here’s our tips to keeping your hound even happier on holiday as well as a list of our fantastic dog-friendly properties.

Dogs love exploring, digging holes and jumping in the sea almost as much as we do. That’s why Beach Retreats offers dog friendly holidays, with dogs welcome to stay in over half of our holiday cottages. If you haven’t read it already, do take a look at our guide to the best dog friendly beaches in North Cornwall.

With this in mind, we were keen to whittle down Kennel Club’s Steve Jenkinson’s advice on keeping your dog happy and safe along the coastal path. So here are our top doggie tips for beach holidays with your pup.

Tagged and collared

Dogs love running in rural areas, but unexpected sheep or cow fields, lots of people and unfamiliar areas can cause them to spook and run off. Dogs that are name tagged and micro chipped can easily be reunited should they get lost. If you’re on holiday, a temporary tag with your contact details will save a lot of heartache and hassle.

No hot dogs

Dogs can easily get dehydrated, especially when running around in the warm summer months. Nowadays, you can buy collapsible bowls, but an old fashioned water-tight plastic bag can work just as well. Also, stick to walking them in shady areas, such as leafy woodland or areas with streams for them to cool down in, or walk them at sunrise or after sunset when it’s cooler.

Lead(s) the way

Keep your dog on a lead at all times when walking on the cliff path. Anywhere else you may walk, be sure to always keep your dog in sight. Or, use a lead if you don’t have a reliable recall. Cornwall’s coastal paths can have a lot of dangers, including cliff edges and animals, so it’s important to keep them close at all times. Avoid letting your dog run up to people uninvited – not everyone may be as familiar and comfortable with dogs as you are. 

Doggy retreats

Choosing a retreat with an enclosed garden space and outdoor shower can make the world of difference to your dog holiday. This extra outdoor space allows them to run around and have some room to enjoy themselves, preventing them causing any nuisance in your self-catering retreat! An enclosed garden is especially important to prevent them escaping.

Many of our retreats also have outdoor showers, which are great for giving the sandy pups a rinse after they’ve spent the day rolling in the sand or any other coast path muck! This allows them to step foot in your retreat clean, fresh and ready for snuggles. 

Browse our dog friendly retreats to find the right one for you both.

Happy walkies.

Browse our locations to find your perfect dog friendly beach, and keep your eyes peeled on our special offers page for our latest deals and discounts. Read more about Beach Retreats’ dog friendly holidays.

Looking for the perfect family holiday, but not sure what beach retreat is right for you? We’ll save you time scouring the shorelines for the right space with our seven handpicked retreats for a family getaway, all walking distance from our favourite family beaches in Cornwall. 

So close down the search engine, book into one of these retreats and settle into a getaway on the coast. All you need to think about is packing the beach towels. 

To see all of our retreats available for a summer break, click here.

Skyfall, Falmouth, sleeps eight

For the ultimate family holiday experience, look no further than Skyfall. This impressive duplex penthouse apartment sits up high above Gyllyngvase beach in Falmouth. The beach is a picture perfect setting for a family day out, with soft sand lined with sea pinks and a mostly calm sea great for paddling with little ones. Skyfall sleeps eight, accepts one small/medium size dog and has availability for the weeks starting 16 July, 30 July and 27 August.

Find out more about Skyfall.

Heron House, Fistral, sleeps 14

For large families or a trip bringing several families together, Heron House is perfect. Sleeping fourteen just moments from the family friendly River Gannel near Fistral, memories can be made around the private pool, in the games and cinema room or down on the riverbanks. Enjoy activities nearby such as crabbing, horseriding and stand up paddleboarding, before dining all together on the large waterfront balcony. 

Heron House has availability for the weeks of 3 July, 10 July and 21 August, see more here.

Winnow, Watergate Bay, sleeps 10

For a family holiday in style, choose Winnow. Situated on the shorefront of family favourite Watergate Bay, this retreat balances luxury with laid back coastal living, creating the perfect pad for kicking back and relaxing after a day on the sand. Recently redesigned by BBC One Interior Design Masters winner Banjo Beale, you’ll fall in love with its outdoors inspired and sustainably sourced interiors. Winnow is available the week of 23 June and 18 August, see more here.

Sandpiper, Perranporth, sleeps six

For a peaceful family retreat which is still within arm’s reach of the shoreline, try Sandpiper. Just a ten minute walk along the coast path to Perranporth beach, any family will love a holiday in this town, with its quirky shops, vibrant cafes and family friendly beach. Sandpiper is available the weeks starting 18 June, 25 June, 16 July, 23 July and 27 August, find out more here.

Beachside Bude, Widemouth Bay, sleeps eight

Looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life? Head to Beachside Bude, situated on the rugged shoreline of Widemouth Bay in north Cornwall. This retreat is perfect for families with young children due to its large grassy garden, where hour after happy hour can be spent playing and relaxing under the summer sun. Beachside Bude is new to our books and has availability throughout July and August, find out more here.

8 The Bay, Cawsand, sleeps six

For calming interiors and sea views set amongst an adorable fishing village, choose 8 The Bay. This apartment is right on the seafront of Cawsand, a hidden gem in south Cornwall. Catch the ferry across to Plymouth, walk the south west coast path or just enjoy a day on Kingsand beach next door. 8 The Bay has availability throughout July and August, see inside here.

Cannery Row, Hayle, sleeps six per house

For relaxed waterfront living, take your pick of the selection of wharf houses at Cannery Row, on the Hayle estuary. Choose between 1 Cannery Row, 15 Cannery Row and 16 Cannery Row, all of which have calming interiors and waterfront balconies where you can spot wildlife. Or, head to the beach for kite flying and ride ponies along the shore. Each Cannery Row retreat has availability for selected weeks across summer, click here to browse.

Want to see more retreats? Click here to search all of our available summer stays.

From annual tradition to daily dose of invigoration, what are the feelings and benefits of outdoor swimming? We spoke to three swimmers about where and why they swim…

Waves have a time-honoured way of beckoning swimsuited humans to them, whether it’s joining in with the summer holiday swimmers or that freezing, giddying, in-out dash at Christmas and New Year. Then there are those who cannot imagine life without immersing themselves in cold saltwater as part of their weekly or even daily routine.

Sea swimming can offer much to swimmers: a free exercise activity, a refreshing plunge to put the day into perspective, a connection with a marine environment we’re often estranged from.

Some studies show that regular exposure to cold water through sea swimming has proven to keep depression and anxiety at bay by stimulating the senses and energising swimmers with a hit of endorphins.

When it comes to the positive effects on cognitive health, Professor Giovanni Mallucci from the University of Cambridge has even drawn a possible link between cold water swimming and a delay in developing neuro-cognitive disease, as the low temperatures provoke the production of a “cold-shock” protein RBM3 which early research suggests offers protection against the onset of dementia.

But it can seem daunting and exposing to don a swimsuit, or wetsuit, and submerge ourselves in coastal waters at first. What is it about cold water swimming that makes it so addictive and integral to life for so many?

“Jumping in the sea offered me the maximum respite and escapism achievable in the 20 minutes I felt I could spare.”

Being in the water

Sarah Walsh, a 51-year-old mother of three started the Perranporth branch of the Bluetits swimming group with fellow group member Sophie Reeves. She swims in the open sea, or the tidal pool, at Perranporth, or along the coast near Crantock.

“Sea swimming is a very spiritual experience for me. I do love the silence of being in the sea and underwater. My body feels free and childlike. I feel very at one with the environment. It clears my thoughts and resets me for the rest of the day,” says Sarah.

Paige Payne is part of the team at inclusive swimwear brand Soul Cap, created to help open-up swimming for all. Her favourite outdoor swimming spot is Hampstead Ponds in London. “Swimming out in the open with nature is blissful and freeing. Hearing birdsong in the trees, feeling the water touching my skin, and the sounds of water are so therapeutic,” says Paige.

 “Even long after I leave the water, my body feels good inside.”

Chloë Peglau, who lives in Leeds but grew-up in Falmouth, takes a dip at Gyllyngvase beach when she is back in Cornwall.

“It’s a full body experience. It can be quite painful but for me it’s the best experience, especially after I’ve done a longer, more physically exerting cold water swim without a wetsuit. You get an elating head rush when you come out and your body feels super strong and empowered,” says Chloë.

Image credit: Amy Bullock @amsbullock

Free feelings

Paige describes a similar feeling from being in the sea: “Physically, sea water makes you feel great when you are active in it. Even long after I leave the water, my body feels good inside,” she says.

Sarah found sea swimming to be a valuable physical and mental activity when she started Bluetits. “Being peri-menopausal, that first wave going over my head and washing everything away helped with hot flushes.

“Around the time of starting the Bluetits, my role had changed suddenly from an active working mother to a full-time carer for a teenager suffering severe mental illness. Jumping in the sea offered me the maximum respite and escapism achievable in the 20 minutes I felt I could spare.”

“The sea is a great leveller and we all have a love of cold water swimming in common. I have made long-lasting friendships and reignited old friendships.”

For Chloë, the invigorating experience of sea swimming is simply a long-held affinity: “I’ve just been swimming in the sea my whole life since I was young so I don’t ever reflect on its effects on me. It’s just something I do and that I like to do.”

Swim together

Swimming alone can be daunting, particularly when swimming further from the shore into open water. Lots of cold water swimmers swim together informally or in organised groups.

Of her group, Sarah says: “It’s very supportive – and hilarious! Also inspirational and moving to see people conquer fears and achieve amazing things. The sea is a great leveller and we all have a love of cold water swimming in common. I have made long-lasting friendships and reignited old friendships. It has been an amazing experience.”

“Sea swimming can mean meeting people of all ages and exchanging different life experiences,” adds Paige.

Taking the plunge

“Everyone has a different reason for not feeling confident in water,” says Paige. “This could be beliefs, money, hair etc. As small as these things can seem, they can have a massive impact on people’s relationship with the water.”

For Chloë, having confidence in the pool is essential before putting your stroke techniques to test in the sea. It’s important to check conditions and find out about tidal patterns wherever you take the plunge. The best place to go, particularly if you’re new to sea swimming, is lifeguarded beaches, with lifeguards able to tell you all about local conditions.

“Don’t go out for too long, that’s the important thing,” says Chloë. “Go in and come back out when you’ve warmed up; don’t stay in the water long enough to get cold again. It can take a long time for your body to warm up once you’re out of the water.”

You can find more information on swimming outdoor this summer on the Outdoor Swimming Society website and from the RNLI.

Find your place by the sea to experience the sea as a swimmer…

Our new series, Staff pick of the month, asks members of the team about their favourite Beach Retreats property. This month we speak to Owner Services Co Ordinator, Sam Beverley. Sam lives in Newquay and loves swimming in the sea and occasionally trying her hand at surfing.

Her chosen retreat is Pilots Cottage, a Grade II listed traditional Cornish cottage which sleeps four in the heart of Mousehole.

What is it you like most about this property?

Its character and charm make it feel homely and familiar, whilst the modern décor and quirky layout make it feel special and exciting. 

What will be your favourite part of the day when staying at this retreat?

The dining area gives off hidden wine bar vibes and the sitting room has a log burner and beautiful exposed brick work, so I’d have to say enjoying an evening tipple in one of those spots, whilst re-capping the day’s adventures. 

What is it that you like about the local area?

Mousehole is equally as captivating in all seasons, from lovely coastal walks and fish and chips on the beach in summer and the spectacular Christmas lights in the winter.

What’s the nearest beach like and how far is the walk?

There are two small, safe local beaches but a short drive or long coast path wander will take you to some of the nicest, most secluded in Cornwall, including Marazion beach. 

Is there a particular restaurant in the area that you would choose to eat at?

2 Fore Street for fresh, local seafood with harbour views. The fish bouillabaisse special was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!

Can you catch a good sunset or sunrise here?

Mousehole is on the south coast of Cornwall, meaning it gets great sunrises. If you’re willing to get up early enough to see one!

What would you say is a must-see or do in this area?

The Sea Salt & Sails Festival in summer or the famous Christmas lights in winter. Otherwise, a boat tour to soak up the stunning coastline and wildlife.

Pilots Cottage has availability for 2022, find out more here.