Single-storey. One double bedroom with en-suite walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail, and WC. Sofa bed available on request for additional sleeping. Open-plan living space with kitchen, dining area, and sitting area
Nestled next to Penzance, and although still a quaint town in its own right, Newlyn is actually the third largest fishing port in England, and an important Port of Refuge for all seafaring craft. This Cornish town is clustered around the harbour, with its historic 800 year old quay (the Mayflower actually left for America from this quay, not Plymouth) curling around a few small boats on the western side. Famous for the Newlyn school of Art and Newlyn Copper, the Cornwall Coastal Path passes through the town, as does the level Mousehole to Marazion cycle path. An abundance of wildlife and flora can be enjoyed along both, with basking sharks, dolphins and grey seals often seen. The Cornish coast is renowned for surfing, and Penwith offers some splendid beaches on which to enjoy this sport as well as surf fishing for sea bass. Mounts Bay also offers a wealth of opportunity for watersports enthusiasts as well as giving visitors an opportunity to relax and unwind in beautiful surroundings.
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.
