Two bedrooms with Smart TVs: 1 x king-size with en-suite basin and WC, 1 x ground-floor double. Ground-floor shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC. Open-plan living space with kitchen, dining area, and sitting area
Dive into deepest Cornwall in the delightful village of Pool, found in Carn Brea civil parish, Pool sits below the World Heritage Site of Heartlands. Once a proud mining hub, this friendly village now blends industrial heritage with modern Cornish life. Visitors can explore the fascinating Heartlands attraction, a free cultural park celebrating Cornwall’s mining past, or hike up Carn Brea Hill to discover the striking Carn Brea Monument and Castle, both offering sweeping views across the county. Pool also has practical perks, with supermarkets and local shops perfect for stocking up on essentials during your stay. Just a short drive away lie the golden beaches of Portreath and Gwithian, ideal for surfing or seaside strolls, while the historic towns of Redruth and Camborne invite you to delve deeper into Cornwall’s rich heritage. Pool is the perfect base for uncovering the spirit of west Cornwall.
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.
