An enchanting hideaway for couples, offering a romantic woodland stream setting, secluded privacy and luxurious touches like a hot tub, sauna and river-side charm.
Set in the valley of Lamorna, The Enchanted Cottage was once the studio of artist Samuel John Lamorna Birch and retains historic character alongside modern comforts. Natural light floods the open living space, while a mezzanine reading nook, log burner and earthy décor create a sanctuary. Just a stroll from a beach and local pub, this nestling cottage also features a fully enclosed garden, pet-friendly welcome and the soothing melody of water flowing past your doorstep.
Step through a rustic oak door and into a serene living space where natural light, soft tones and the gentle sound of the stream immediately set a calming mood. The heart of the cottage is one harmonious open-plan room, thoughtfully designed to bring everyone together. Here you’ll find a well-equipped kitchen, a cosy lounge and a dining area, all centred around a welcoming log burner. Expansive windows and doors frame the views and invite the outdoors in, blurring the boundary between home and nature.
A staircase leads to a snug mezzanine, an intimate nook perfect for curling up with a book or simply gazing out over the stream below. The main bedroom is generously sized and beautifully styled, featuring a sumptuous king-size bed for restful nights. The bathroom complements this with an indulgent rainfall shower, while the sofa bed in the living area provides additional sleeping space for guests.
Outside, the sense of retreat deepens. A hot tub perched above the river’s edge offers a tranquil spot to unwind, while a private sauna promises total relaxation. The fully enclosed garden ensures peace, privacy and a safe haven for pets. For outdoor dining, there’s a dedicated space with BBQ facilities, ideal for long summer evenings.
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.
