A luxurious harbour-side hideaway for couples or small families, with sea views, indulgent comforts and an air of tranquil elegance – perfect for peaceful retreats.
Lightkeepers Cottage sits in the historic harbour village of Charlestown, overlooking the sea and the iconic ships anchored in the harbour. With two bedrooms (including a super-king master suite with en-suite), two bathrooms and striking features like a bath at the end of the bed with sea vistas, every corner feels designed for relaxation. Outdoors, landscaped gardens gaze towards the waves; a fully enclosed patio and hot tub offer spaces to unwind in privacy, while inside, underfloor heating, a Sonos sound system and cosy fireplaces add warmth and luxury.
Enter through charming harbour-stone walls into a warm open-plan space, where plush sofas surround a log-burning stove, large windows frame the harbour and the sound of the sea becomes rhythm. Complete with Super Fast Fibre Broadband, Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Netflix, Paramount+, you’ll never be short of entertainment.
The kitchen is sleek and well-equipped, flowing into a dining area made for lingering: meals are shared over candlelight or sunlit mornings, with views to sea helping set the pace.
The master bedroom boasts a super-king bed, en-suite bathroom with views and a luxurious bathtub positioned at the foot of the bed. The second bedroom is clever and compact (single/double pull-out bed) – ideal for children.There is a toilet/shower room on the ground floor.
Outside, the garden is beautifully landscaped and complete with a hot tub positioned to make the most of sea and harbour views, while the slate outdoor shower helps wash off the sand and sea water.
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.
