Three bedrooms: 1 x double, 1 x small double, 1 x single. Shower room with walk-in shower, basin and WC. Kitchen. Dining room/conservatory. Sitting room. Electric recliners sofas in the lounge. Sky stream.
St. Austell, a historic market town, can be found in the scenic county of Cornwall, about a mile from the shore, where there are many safe, sandy beaches. St. Austell has a mainline train station, which provides quick and easy access to Truro and further south to Penzance, as well as a wide selection of pubs and taverns serving delicious local cuisine. You can also take the train to Newquay, with a simple transfer at Par. St. Austell, Cornwall, is ideally situated for a trip to the rest of the Southwest. Plan fascinating day trips to The Eden Project or the adjacent historical port of Charlestown, where you can visit the Shipwreck Treasure Museum to discover artefacts found from local ship wrecks. Take a stroll down Porthpean Beach’s silky sands or rent a kayak and paddle the area’s serene, crystal-clear waters before indulging in some spa time at The Clearing or playing a round of golf at the St. Austell Golf Club. On your way back to your holiday rental, stop at the supermarket and pick up some supplies for a well-earned night in. A trip to St. Austell is the best way to enjoy the coast.
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.
