Three bedrooms: 2 x double, 1 x King. Bathroom with walk-in shower, basin and WC. Kitchen/diner. Sitting room. Snug
Penzance hosts Golowan, the Midsummer Carnival, and The Literary Festival. There are also The Exchange, Newlyn and Penlee Art Galleries. One of Cornwall’s most popular holiday areas is the spectacular sweep of Mount’s Bay, from the cliffside fishing village of Mousehole through Penzance and around to beautiful Marazion, the coastline hides a wealth of sandy beaches, rocky coves as well as winding village streets and other places to visit and explore. Connected by a causeway to the shore at Marazion is the National Trust’s stunningly beautiful St Michael’s Mount with its hilltop castle and Mediterranean gardens. Walk across at low water and take one of the ferry boats back when the tide is up. Penzance with its winding streets, shops, clubs, restaurants and harbour is a must as it is the jumping-off point for day trips to the Isles of Scilly as well as being the harbour. The South West Coast Path passing through Penzance winds its way along the clifftops towards Land’s End. On the way, stop off for a coffee and a rest at beautiful Lamorna Cove, explore the open air Minack Theatre and marvel at the cliffs as you approach Gwennap Head. A stunning walk for those seeking solitude, exercise and some of the UK’s best coastal scenery. Penzance is the perfect holiday base. Ideally placed for exploring this land of Celtic myth and legend and with enough to do and see in the immediate area to keep all the family occupied.
With its sweeping beaches, rugged moorlands, hidden woodlands, and rolling countryside estates, Cornwall is a superb destination if you want to spend some time bird watching on holiday.
One of the best spots is Hayle Estuary Nature Reserve, managed by the RSPB. This rich wetland habitat attracts a variety of birdlife, including teals, wigeons, and goosanders. While winter offers the highest numbers, spring and early summer also bring migrant waders such as oystercatchers, dunlins, and whimbrels to the tidal pools and marshes.
Marazion Marsh, also managed by the RSPB and overlooking the iconic St Michael’s Mount near Penzance, boasts Cornwall’s largest reedbed. It’s a haven for species like chiffchaffs, Cetti’s warblers, little egrets, and grey herons. Bitterns are regularly recorded here, and birds of prey, including sparrowhawks and buzzards, are often spotted too.
For a variety of songbirds and raptors, head to the Rame Peninsula near Cawsand. This beautiful area of tidal creeks, sandy beaches, and peaceful farmland attracts goldcrests, firecrests, warblers, and buntings. You may also glimpse birds of prey such as hobbies, merlins, peregrine falcons, and, if you’re lucky, the rare hen harrier.
At Stithians Lake, a large reservoir, breeding birds like little grebes, coots, and moorhens are common. Waders such as greenshanks, ruffs, and curlew sandpipers can also be seen foraging along the muddy banks.
Not far from St Ives, St Ives Island, actually a headland between Porthmeor and Porthgwidden beaches, is a top spot for seabird watching, especially in autumn. Huge flocks of skuas, terns, gannets, fulmars, and auks pass by, alongside waders like purple sandpipers, whimbrels, and turnstones.
Finally, no trip to Cornwall would be complete without exploring Bodmin Moor. This dramatic granite moorland, scattered with ancient ruins and rich in wildlife, is especially rewarding in spring and summer, when skylarks, stonechats, wheatears, and sedge warblers arrive to breed. In autumn and winter, the moor plays host to thousands of golden plovers, along with snipes and the more elusive jack snipe.
