A Winter Holiday in Cornwall

Cornwall has always been a popular UK holiday destination, thanks to its relatively temperate climate and beautiful beaches. And in 2021 there’s been more of an influx of UK tourists than ever. Overcrowded destinations and villages bring their own issues. So we decided instead to combine our late November wedding anniversary with a winter holiday in Cornwall.

Our base was Mousehole, down in the far reaches of the south west. With the weather remaining unseasonably mild – if a little windy – here’s how we spent our week exploring west Cornwall.

Mousehole (“Mow-zel”. Not “Mouse-hole”)

Last time we stayed in this charming fishing village, we were coming down from a post-wedding high, gorging ourselves with wedding cake. We did a whistle-stop tour of all the tourist hotspots in Cornwall. This time round we took the opportunity to explore a little more of this sleepy picturesque village itself.

You can find out more about our holiday home Thimble Cottage here!

With views of St Clement’s Island and the imposing St Michaels Mount perched on a rocky outcrop in Mount’s Bay, Mousehole provides an idyllic coastal escape. So much so that Welsh Poet Dylan Thomas described it as “the loveliest village in England”. Which is quite the TripAdvisor Review. And what’s good enough for Dylan is good enough for us. Once the centre of the Cornish fishing trade thanks to its export of cured pilchards to France, good times no longer rolled after it was razed almost entirely to the ground by the Spanish in 1595.

And that’s not the only bad luck story for Mousehole. According to legend, during one stormy winter in the 16th century, the villagers were close to starving. Fisherman Tom Bawcock bravely took out his boat and managed to catch enough fish to successfully feed the whole village. His bravery is celebrated every year on the 23rd December and fish-filled Stargazey Pie is distributed to all the locals.

And in a final blow to this tiny and peaceful village, 16 lives were lost in December 1981 as the crew of the Solomon Browne lifeboat tried to assist a stricken cargo ship. But for everything that has befallen Mousehole, this quintessentially Cornish village still draws visitors for it’s old world-charm, independent boutiques and foodie offering. And in particular, for its Harbour Lights Festival every December. We were sadly a little too early for the full display this year, but had a sneak peek at some of the installations as they were tested during our stay. I can confirm that Stargazey Pie and Mousehole Cat both make an appearance.

If you want to know more about where we ate and drank during our winter holiday in Cornwall, there’s a whole blog post coming soon!

Newlyn

It’s an easy 2 mile walk along the road from Mousehole to neighbouring Newlyn. This is where Cornwall’s largest deep sea fishing fleet is based, with a vibrant commercial port and bustling fish market. Except on a Sunday. When everything is closed. Which of course, is when we visited. Even Aunty May’s was shut so we couldn’t pick up one of their legendary pasties for lunch. However I am told that there are plenty of places to get sumptuous seafood – including Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar and the Tolcarne Inn with it’s Michelin-starred chef.

There’s also a thriving art and culture scene in Newlyn, centred around the Newlyn Art Gallery (Closed Sundays & Mondays, £4.50 admission) and the Newlyn Filmhouse

Penzance

Walk another mile around Mount’s Bay and you hit the sleepy seaside town of Penzance. The town has a rich history, naturally involving pirates amongst other things. It’s also the gateway to the Scilly Isles, although the ferry service is suspended during the winter.

There are long sandy beaches with shallow waters, and Penzance is also home to Jubilee Pool, an art-deco seawater lido. The pool and it’s café are closed on Mondays. Which, of course, was when we visited. Luckily we didn’t plan on taking a dip. Penzance is incredibly proud of it’s independent businesses and boutiques, and we enjoyed popping into quirky shops on Chapel Street and Causewayhead

If you don’t fancy walking, or the weather is unkind during your winter holiday in Cornwall, there is a frequent bus which runs from Penzance to Mousehole via Newlyn. Watching the bus drivers navigating the narrow streets is an experience in itself.

The Lizard

I’m not going to lie. When we pulled up in the car park at the UK’s most southerly point to lashing rain and gale-force winds, the desire to drive back to our cosy cottage was strong. But I pulled on my big-girl (waterproof) pants and went to do a recee walk before we committed to paying for parking*. It was so spectacular that I actually ran back up the hill to tell Mr Fletche that we needed to brave the elements together.

*Many of the car parks during our holiday were National Trust maintained and we regretted letting our membership lapse a couple of years back. Some car parks have parking apps, but mobile internet connection wasn’t always strong so always make sure you have some coins for parking charges.

We initially intended to walk from Lizard Point to Kynance Cove. It’s a 2.5 mile walk along the South West Coast Path and easily achievable. But with limited parking time (which we ended up extending anyway so we could have lunch at Polpeor Cafe) we walked about halfway before turning back. We then took a stroll in the other direction for views over the stunningly pretty Housel Bay Cove. Honestly, the aquamarine waters looked like something you would see on the Mediterranean.

Godrevy

It was Mr Fletche that suggested a visit to Godrevy before we visited St Ives. And if I was to pick my favourite spot of the week, it would be standing on the beach at Godrevy Cove as moody clouds threatened to spill their load whilst sunshine tried it’s best to poke through. When it did, the light falling on the white octagonal Godrevy lighthouse was quite spectacular.

We parked on the side of the road on the B301 opposite St Gothian Sands nature reserve – still falling foul of those parking charges by not having enough change – and walked towards Godrevy Point along the South West Coast Path. Godrevy Cafe provided shelter on our return as the rain that had been threatening all morning finally fell.

St Ives

Known for it’s stunning beaches and art galleries, St Ives is one of my favourite towns in Cornwall. Chock-a-block full of tourists in the summer, it’s a pleasure to visit in the winter. Even if you do have to run the gauntlet of the waves crashing over the seawall during particularly stormy days. It may be cruel, but I literally cried with laughter at the shocked face of a toddler in a pushchair whose “responsible” adult decided she could beat the waves. And failed miserably.

There are plenty of hills to keep your thighs and lungs burning should you fancy an impromptu workout. If you’re visiting in winter, make sure you’re prepared for wet or even icy surfaces – I wouldn’t fancy tackling some of those hills in bad weather. St Ives is known for its art scene so if you’ve got the time, head for the Barbara Hepworth Museum or Tate St Ives – perfect for all the culture vultures out there.

Lands End via Sennen Cove

More of a summertime than a wintertime hack, I remembered reading online about parking at Sennen Cove so that you didn’t have to battle the crowds or pay exorbitant parking costs at Lands End. It turns out that neither are something you really need to worry about in December. Still, it’s a relatively easy walk, back on our old friend the South West Coast Path. There’s a bit of a steep climb to start off with from Sennen Cove Harbour Car Park (£4 all day parking); from there it’s a gentle undulating 1.25 mile walk over the headland, with stunning views over Whitesand Bay.

We didn’t pay £10 to have our photo taken with the famous Lands End signpost. But if anyone lives in Bracknell, you can have a copy of the photo I took for £9.50. Bargain. I did have my photo taken with Morph though. For free.

Marazion

The oldest chartered town in Cornwall is currently campaigning for city status, which would make it the UK’s smallest city. (Sorry, St David’s, your time is up). Thank you to Pa Lee for this little nugget of information which I have now verified as truth.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/08/marazion-cornish-town-with-1440-residents-seeks-to-become-the-uks-smallest-city

In truth, Marazion doesn’t offer a lot to a curious tourist. However it is the gateway to the spectacular St Michael’s Mount, so you may find yourself lingering here for breakfast or lunch. We managed to sneak into Shutters at the Godolphin Hotel about two minutes before their breakfast service stopped at 11am.

St Michael’s Mount is accessible by foot at low tide, or via ferry during the summer months. During our weeklong winter stay, the causeway was only open on two mornings, and only for a couple of hours, so make sure you check the website before you visit. We gave ourselves plenty of time to cross – after all, no-one wants soggy feet. Due to the limited time we decided not to book castle tickets (£14 per adult); this alone requires an hour or so to explore and time wasn’t on our side. But the harbour, shop, exhibition centre and cafe are open and free to access from the 1st November.

The Minack

After an aborted trip as far as the (closed*) car park, Mr Fletche and I returned for a visit to this stunning open-air amphitheatre the next morning. Built in the 1930’s by Rowena Cade, there are few more special places for a theatre lover than the Minack, with its spectacular backdrop of an aquamarine sea crashing against craggy rocks. Apparently many a performance has been halted thanks to a pod of dolphins causing a distraction behind the scenes.

Seeing a show at the Minack remains on my bucket list, but you can still pop by and enjoy the views, even when there’s no performance. It’s worth using the QR Code onsite to access the audio guide on your mobile to hear all the secrets about the construction of this world-famous theatre. And Rowena Cade was quite the woman, turning her hand to almost every task as she and her gardener built the whole venue by hand.

Pre-booking is essential so that the venue can manage visitor numbers; tickets can be purchased on the Minack website.

*The Minack is currently closed for maintenance on Wednesdays and Thursdays – I should have taken my own advice and checked the website beforehand.

Planning your winter holiday in Cornwall: Getting There

There’s no doubt travelling to west Cornwall can be a bit of a ballache. To see the best of Cornwall, you’ll probably want to travel by car. But even from our home in the Midlands it’s a 5 and a half hour drive. You hit the end of the M5, think you must be close and realise you still have another 2 hours to go on the A30. If you are driving, make sure you’re prepared to face some challenging situations from time to time. Country lanes are often single track with occasional passing places, and villages such as Mousehole have tight corners (and pedestrians) to navigate. If you’re travelling in winter, chances are you’ll also be driving in the dark at times.

Trains from Paddington to Penzance also take about five and a half hours if you prefer to let the train take the strain. Of course, if you’re planning a winter holiday to Cornwall – especially around Christmastime – make sure you take peak travel times into account, and purchase tickets as far in advance as possible.

I highly recommend a winter holiday to Cornwall; it’s the perfect place to escape the winter blues and dodge all the festive planning. Traditional fishing villages, history and culture, spectacular landscapes, amazing food and drink – and best of all – no crowds!