Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size, 1 x king-size (zip/link, can be twin on request), 2 x twin. Ground-floor shower room with walk-in shower, basin and WC. Shower room with walk-in shower, basin and WC. Bathroom with bath, basin and WC. Kitchen. Utility. Dining room. Sitting room with woodburning stove. Snug
Porthgwarra is a small, coastal village resting upon the Penwith Heritage Coast in Southwest Cornwall, near the iconic Land’s End point. Set upon the coastal path, with historical landmarks of Gwennap Head Daymark on route, and with a delightful haven of Porthgwarra Beach within reach, both visitors and locals can enjoy the beauty of the village, before grabbing a bite to eat at Porthgwarra Cove Café. For a hub of amenities, nearby Sennen is home to a convenience store, and the First & Last Inn pub, both reachable via car, along with the Surf Beach Bar, located upon the golden shoreline. Travelling east from the village will bring you to Porthcurno, with beautiful, turquoise waters to take advantage of, where you’ll also locate The Minack Theatre, PK Porthcurno Museum, and the 3 Cove Lookout hiking area, whilst Penzance Promenade is a must for a full day out, brimming with galleries, shops, eateries, and a hub for watersports. With so much to see and do in the area, start with Porthgwarra as your base.
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.
