Category: Walking

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Walk through – Rock

Gaze across the Camel Estuary from Padstow on Cornwall’s north coast and you’ll spot the village of Rock. We take a walk…

Said to have been named after the local quarry that once provided ballast for ships sailing from this natural harbour, the name of Rock is somewhat deceptive.

Long stretches of fine sandy beaches line the edge of the village and the calm tidal waters make it a perfect place to sail, windsurf, water-ski and canoe. Others prefer to take it easy with a spot of fishing or bird watching from the dunes. It’s not hard to see why it’s grown in popularity in recent years.

We started our walk at the top of the village visiting Lewis’s Deli & Coffee Shop. Here you can stock up on fresh groceries, artisan bread from Da Bara Bakery, all of your favourite local cheeses and plenty of other treats including wine. Rockfish Fish Merchant across the road sells freshly caught fish plus hand-made dressed crab, potted shrimps and fishcakes. Beach BBQ anyone?

Next door, Mooch Interiors provides tasteful products for indoor and outdoor dining and utility. It’s the start of many great shops you’ll find in this small village.

Preppy and sailing-inspired fashion features large, with Seasalt, Crew Clothing, Jack Wills and White Stuff all having their own shops based at the top and bottom of the village. The independent Quay 4 Ltd also stocks favourites from Joules Clothing.

Next stop is Porthilly Cove which joins up with the beach at Rock at low tide. Glance across the estuary and you’ll see evidence of why this is a renowned area for shellfish, with produce championed by chefs and restaurants around the world, including Rick Stein and Nathan Outlaw. Rock Shellfish are key growers and wholesalers of oysters, mussels, clams and samphire, so make sure you sample some seafood during your visit.

Porthilly Gallery is the working studio of ceramist Paul Jackson, while at Rock Road Gallery you’ll find beautiful paintings from Allan Caswell.

There’s no shortage of great places to eat or drink away the sunset. Nathan Outlaw’s Mariners Rock public house is home to great tasting no-fuss pub grub and locally brewed beers from Sharps. His two-Michelin starred restaurant has recently moved from the St Enodoc Hotel to Port Isaac a short drive away.

©No 1 Rock Road

No. 1 Rock Road Bar and Grill, pictured above, and the Rock Inn are a little further down the road offering food and drinks while the popular Blue Tomato café is great for laid-back family food.

And after all that, don’t forget to take time to explore the beautiful beaches and coastal paths. Take the ferry across Padstow, discover the tranquil Daymer Bay a short stroll along the estuary or the popular surfing beach of Polzeath which is a little further along.

Talk about a beach retreat.

Rock is a 25 minute drive away from our properties at Watergate Bay and the surrounding area.

Walk through – Polzeath

A surfers’ haven with beautiful coastal walks to nearby Damer Bay and Rock, Polzeath is a small village situated across the Camel Estuary waters from Padstow.

The late poet laureate, Sir John Betjeman, adored the North Coast of Cornwall and walking through the small village of Polzeath, it’s not hard to see why.

Polzeath’s main draw is a fantastic beach which is also one of the UK’s best surfing destinations – there’s no shortage of surf schools and shops to take your pick from. Beach lovers head to New Polzeath, to the right of the bay, for a more relaxed swim.

Polzeath may be small, but there are plenty of places to eat and shops to explore. At Surf Side, pretty much on the beach, make sure to try The Famous Lobster Roll or Mackerel Scone.

Waterfront Bar and Grill, Polzeath
©Waterfront Bar and Grill

With panoramic views of Polzeath Beach and Pentire Point, The Waterfront Bar and Grill’s terrace (pictured above) is the best places to enjoy a lazy lunch with a chilled glass of wine or dinner while the sun sets. On Sundays they do a traditional roast dinner (roast beef, Yorkshires and roasties of course). They are open all year round and have a variety of events and specials to keep you coming back.

Galleon Beach Café is known for its outdoor pizza oven. You’ll also find fish and chips and ice creams a plenty in the village centre.

The Tube Station is Polzeath’s community charity which serves home-made food at it’s café. But best of all you don’t have to eat or drink anything at all – its lounge space is there for everyone to use and enjoy.

Whitewater Gallery is well worth a visit, with beautiful ceramics, paintings, jewellery and photographs all on display to buy. Fusion is more fashion-focussed but you’ll find some great gift ideas too.

The village of Trebetherick and Daymer Bay are around the next corner, another fantastic beach which normally has calmer waves, ideal for swimmers and wind surfers.

Take a pilgrimage to see Sir John Betjeman who is buried in St Enodoc Church, close to twelfth hole of the St Enodoc Golf Club. Or simply just sit on the beach and watch the day go by.

Polzeath is a 20 minute car journey from Watergate Bay and self catering accommodation from Beach Retreats.

Walk Through – Padstow

Set on the North Cornwall coast, Padstow is a quintessential harbour full of fishing boats, boutique stores, amazing restaurants and smiling faces.

Padstow

Steeped in fishing history Padstow is a beautiful place to while away the day and watch the world, boats, go by.

Starting at the National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow’s traditional fishing culture is already apparent. At the heart of the hatchery is conservation, taking in pregnant lobsters that have been caught by local fishermen and nurturing her young until they are ready to be released back in to the wild. Over the course of a year, the Lobster Hatchery takes in up to 60,000 young and improves their survival rate in the wild up to 40%.

Fishing-in-Padstow

Make sure you visit the hatchery and adopt your own lobster.

Walking towards the village centre the smell of Rick Stein’s fish n’ chips is alluring, but first it’s time for some elevenses

Flapjack-and-coffee

We tuck round the corner of the harbour to BinTwo, an independent wine merchant and champagne bar. Prizing ourselves away for the vintage collection we ordered a coffee and cake and relaxed.

With our energy boosted it was time for meandering through the streets, ducking into the boutique shops, and taking lots of photos.

Padstow-Harbour

The-Shell-Shop

Shells

The-Padstow-Harbour

Rick-Stein-Seafood-restaurant

fish-and-chips

Padstow-Lanes

Ice-Cream

Ocean-Blue

The-Square-Padstow

The-Blue-brick-houses

Padstow-Harbour

THrough-the-fence

One pasty shop.

The-Padstow-Pasty-co

Two pasty shops.

The-Cornish-Pasty-Company

Three pasty shops.

Pasty-Presto

All next door to the other. You certainly won’t go hungry in Padstow.

Three-Pasty-shops-in-a-row

Tracing back to harbour, the central hub of Padstow, the Jubilee Queen is filling up for her twice daily tour of the coast. But that’s not the only way to see the Camel Estuary.

Jubilee-Queen

Starting at Wadebridge you can cycle you way along five miles of coastal path towards Padstow along the Camel Trail. Or if you’re a bit of a thrill seeker why not climb aboard one of Padstow’s famous speed boats for a whirl wind ride.

The-Speedboats

Jaws-the-Speedboat

As the sun started to set and after a day of shopping, snacking and sunbathing beside the harbour it was time for dinner.

Sunset

We headed to Rojano’s in the Square, a favourite restaurant to the locals serving the best of Italian influenced cuisine. We opted for burgers, which were so delicious we didn’t stop in time to take a photo, however, Rojano’s came to the rescue and lent us their image.

Rojanos

Rojanos-interior

See what we mean? Tasty!

Walk Through – Truro, Cornwall

Truro, the Capital City of Cornwall, and Britain’s most southerly city combines the best of cobbled streets, culture and Cornish cuisine.

Truro

If you’re looking for a little retail therapy whilst on holiday, Truro is the place to go. Mixing well known high street brands, such as Jaeger, The White Company and Joules, with local cafes and boutique shops, Truro offers shoppers a cosmopolitan day out.

Starting in Lemon Quay in the centre of Truro, we took in the Georgian architecture of Hall for Cornwall, the historic theatre that shows everything from West End musicals to rock concerts to amateur dramatics. Basking in sunshine, you can sit outdoors in the Quay and enjoy a Cornish Cream Tea, or two, to muster up the energy to shop till you drop.

Hall-for-Cornwall---Truro

Taking off down one of the many cobbled streets in Truro, it’s time to shop, with the beautiful Cathedral towering high above the roof tops. It seems from every angle in Truro you can see at least some of the Cathedral, proudly sitting as Truro’s most iconic landmark.

Main-Street---Truro

Main-Street-2---Truro

Sams---Truro

The-White-Company---Truro

After exploring the bustling streets of Truro we couldn’t resist a look inside the Cathedral.

Built over 30 years from 1880, Truro Cathedral was the first to be built on a new site in England since 1220. Built during the Gothic revival era using stone quarried by the people of Cornwall, Truro Cathedral resembles that of Lincoln Cathedral.

Truro-Cathedral---Truro

Cathedral

Stain-Glass-Window

Truro-Cathedral

Free guided tours run Monday- Thursday at 11am and every Friday at 11.30am.

Side-chapel

Window-Truro-Cathedral

Walking through the aisles, the monumental stain glass windows all tell a story and fill the Cathedral with subdued, elegant light.

Before we knew it lunch time was calling. Just outside the Cathedral is the brand new local ‘Midtown Deli & Café‘. We stopped off for a slice of flapjack and iced coffee, whilst sitting in the large window watching the world go by.

Midtown

Midtown-Cafe---truro

midtown-cafe---truro-town-centre

Frap-and-Flapjack---Truro

Midtown Deli & Café serves and sells a great range of local produce. With huge sandwiches, homemade soup and extremely tempting cakes on offer it’s a great place to take a break and recoup for more shopping and sight seeing.

Bike---Truro

Shops-Truro

Duke-Street---Truro

Truro-street

Fodders---Truro

Top tip: Duck down the many side streets and alley ways in Truro, you never know what boutique shops you might find.

Walk Through – The Gannel and Crantock

The Gannel Estuary, North of Fistral and Pentire Point, is a tidal river that you can explore by foot, kayak or canoe, bike or horseback.

No longer navigable, it was once used to pole barges upriver carrying coal, timber or sand to distribute inland. Today there are still traces of boatyards, moorings and derelict craft.

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

Beyond the boats, The Gannel Estuary is home to an abundance of wildlife, from wading birds such as Egrets to fish such as bass and sea trout, so be sure to take your binoculars and spot the local wildlife.

Gannel

We visited The Gannel Estuary at low tide and walked towards Crantock Beach, but not before we stopped off at the Fern Pit Cafe and had a Cornish crab sandwich and some homemade cake.

Fern Pit Cafe on East Pentire headland overlooks Crantock Beach and The Gannel, boasting stunning views across the beach. It’s also home to the tropical path leading towards the ferry boathouse.

Want to stay in Crantock, Newquay near to Fistral and Watergate? Have a look at our properties in Crantock.

The ferry boathouse, at the bottom of a steep path, provides access between Newquay and Crantock Beach at high tide, between 10am and 6pm. When the tide is out there is a foot bridge which can be used free of charge.

Either way you choose to travel, you’ll arrive on the stunning beach of Crantock. Here you can sit back, relax or explore and play until the sun goes down.

The Gannel Estuary and Crantock are so close to Fistral Beach, why not visit whilst on holiday with Beach Reatreats.

Discover the scenic walk from Crantock to a mystery location, exploring hidden gems and stunning coastal vistas along the way in Cornwall.

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