Welcome to The Aval Loft - the most idyllic countryside retreat for two.
This is a very special home away from home.
The bedroom is quite simply gorgeous.
The en suite bathroom is a real treat.
Just soak up that view - it's a real escape away from it all.
The no expense spared kitchen will certainly not disappoint.
The Aval Loft - is our luxury self catering retreat in the heart of the countryside.
Take a pew at the breakfast-bar.
The lovely sofa invites you to snuggle up together.
The gorgeous sitting-area has everything you could want in your home away from home.
The toasty wood-burner makes this a perfect retreat whatever the weather.
There is incredible attention to detail throughout.
From the sofa you can really enjoy the setting.
The restful tones and most sumptuous bed will ensure you have a blissful night's sleep.
The bed is dressed to perfection.
The styling throughout is stunning.
Take a moment out for coffee and a good book.
One of the original window openings.
Take a peek into the en suite.
The en suite bathroom is a real treat with a super walk-in shower and free-standing bath.
Enjoy some quality 'me' time having a leisurely holiday soak.
Steps lead up to the door into the living-room and there is also a door to bedroom on the ground floor - saves lumbering your cases up and down the stairs.
Enjoy time simply lying on the loungers.
With such a setting you are sure to dine 'out' as much as you can.
Set in the tranquil countryside this is the place to unwind and totally relax.
Just down the road is Horsebridge which crosses the River Tamar, the natural boundary between Devon and Cornwall.
The Royal Inn at Horsebridge is popular with locals and visitors alike.
Hire a canoe or kayak and discover all the delights along the River Tamar.
Spend the day exploring the glorious gardens and historic house of Cotehele (National Trust).
The beaches on both the north and south coast are easily accessible.
The Norman keep of Launceston Castle (English Heritage).
The Aval Loft
47066.3 miles W of Tavistock | Sleeps 2 + cot*
7 Nights from £587
The location of attractions is intended only as a guide. Distances are 'as the crow flies'.
Nearby pub
This 15th Century Inn on the Tamar river is on the Tamar Trail. Stop off for some traditional home cooking and real ale.
August 2025
Evening walk and supper
Very nice spot for a relaxing pint / glass of wine and some simple tasty homemade food!
September 2021
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May 2012
Traditional pub food in a lovely setting
Good traditional pub food, open fires, one side carpeted , the other with old slate floors so it's OK to have muddy boots and dogs. On the Devon side of the Tamar just next to the ancient Horsebridge.
June 2011
A great traditional pub with a lovely friendly atmosphere and good food. Try the lamb shank if they've got it - it's delicious!
May 2011
Very traditional but welcoming pub - good home cooked food and a nice open fire. Very atomospheric and popular with the locals - a beautiful setting that would be hard to beat. You must try the beer from the pub's own micro-brewery if you visit.
Nearby beach
This sandy cove is quite sheltered and offers a good safe place to swim. There are also great places to snorkel at high tide.
Nearby walk
This walk is a nine and a half mile section (5) of the Tamar Valley Discovery Trail which starts from the Milton Abbot village post office and takes you through valleys and over hills with stunning views of Bodmin Moor. Follow the directions on the Web site but remember to arrange return transport unless you are planning to walk back.
Nearby town
Callington is nowadays a small market town, although it once was the gateway to one of the richest copper mining districts in the world. Behind the town is the 1000ft high Kit Hill, crowned by an 80ft stack built in 1858 for the winding and stamping engine of the Kit Hill Consols mine.
June 2011
A curious little town with a mixture of shops. The arrival of Tesco's might have killed off the centre a little, but there's certainly no absence of hairdressers! The Trewartha's hardware store is an experience to say the least - prepare to step back in time thirty years! There is little remarkable and would choose to visit Launceston wherever possible.
Also nearby
A medieval house in amazing condition, with fabulous collections of armour, textiles and furniture from the period. The estate is open daily from dawn to dusk throughout the year, dogs are welcome in the grounds and there's miles of woodland paths and countryside to explore.
May 2013
Cotehele
This is one of the most beautiful houses in UK. Well worth a visit.
June 2012
Stoic British carried on in AWFUL weather!
Wonderful House, Gardens, grounds and shops..AWFUL half term weather, but we braved it all! NB the house has NO electric lights so visibility in the house is limited on dull days!. Mill lovely and the walk down from the house through the gardens and past the chapel to the quay side and then the mill was lovely....a little slippery in places as it a little steep in parts and was SO wet..but we all remained upright! Lovely Cornish ice creams at the Quay and great bread flour can be bought at the mill shop. Hurrah for the VERY helpful and lovely mini bus driver who can ferry any less able bodies around the 3 sites...
April 2009
Cotehele is a beautiful National Trust property - I recommend walking the wider estate, including the folly behind the property which gives you a bird's eye view for miles! The walk down through the quay to the mill is stunning, and the waterwheel and mill race is currently being renovated, which is an interesting project. You can even buy flour that has been milled on site.
January 2009
Cotehele
A medieval gem with a magical garden sloping down to the Tamar. Plenty of walks on the Estate. Highly recommended are the scones at the restaurant on Cotehele Quay - just the thing at the end of a stroll along the river.
Dine on exquisite traditional English food in the former home of the Duke of Bedford. The gardens are open to the public.
May 2012
Expensive but worth it!
Wonderful setting, beautiful house. It's expensive luxury for dinner but afternoon tea is well worth it. Be sure to book ahead.
A beach cafe in the most rustic sense - a beachside shed with some outdoor seating. It is a National Trust-owned hut, but run by a local couple who provide 'Feast Nights' - now made famous by their appearance on ITV's 'Cornwall with Caroline Quentin'. You need to buy tickets, but the hut is generally open to everyone, except during the winter, so check times on their Web site.
May 2026
Lovely walk and hidden hut fab
A lovely wander down the field from portscatho to porthcurnick beach and Hidden Hut. Fantastic daily specials soups etc eaten on the hillside make this very special
October 2025
Expensive now
Very expensive now and girls serving weren't very friendly.
July 2025
The Hidden Hut
Busy on the hot day . Queing to order. Recipes sounded better than the dishes and pricey. Fun experience though.
July 2025
Walk up an Appetite
Legendary Hidden Hut - we coastal walked to eat a lunch there. No bookings taken just queue. Fresh food cooked daily in a relaxed clifftop setting eating outdoors. We chose chicken tagine and a flatbread - from the options. Lovely stuff! Check them out online.
June 2025
Lunch
With great views overlooking the beach, the small but ever changing menu was perfect for a lunch time. Well worth a visit!
October 2024
Stunning in every way
Wonderful outdoor dining overlooking the beach. Unmissable. An easy walk over uneven paths.
June 2024
What a gem
Found this on our 2nd visit to the beach as so well hidden. Great quality interesting food and drink. A proper oasis
June 2024
Hidden Hut
This truly is a hidden gem
October 2023
Hidden hut
After a short walk along the coast, perfect place to eat overlooking the sea, great food choices and they're delicious.
October 2023
Pasties!
Walked the short distance from Gerrans to here and enjoyed a pasty in the sun looking out to sea. Yummy!
September 2023
Madelaine
Amazing location!!
Even more amazing food… wow! The best Cornish pasty, and curry, with flat bread, all homemade!!!
Must make a visit
September 2023
Love it!
Great location, food excellent, friendly and welcoming.
April 2023
Lovely food.
Locally cooked food a must if you are visiting this beach.
September 2022
Beware under-cooked brownies
Stomach upset after a coffee and undercooked brownie at the Hidden Hut in June.
August 2022
Over priced
Expensive, long queues, not very friendly. take your own refreshments or buy from friendly shop in Portscatho
August 2022
Best Tomato soup ever tested
Wow what a place! Nestled behind the beach and within walking distance. Absolutely amazing food, the menu is mouthwatering! Don’t be put off by the queues, service is very quick. We had the tomato soup and it was ‘the best tomato’s soup ever tasted’ ! Such amazing flavours! Definitely worth a visit! Beautiful views too! Well done the hidden hut and keep up the good work!
June 2022
A lovely experience
We can now see why this place is so popular! The service is excellent very friendly staff who take a minute to ask you about your visit while serving you. The food is beautifly cooked all be it presented in a takeaway box or cup the taste is incredible. My husband opted for the smoked beef chilli I had the Dahl served with flat bread both delicious. It was towards the end of our holiday otherwise we would have had lunch there every day.
March 2022
visited in March
Windy, sunny and busyish. Interesting changing lunch menu which comes in cartons you can take away or eat on site. Also usual snacks and drinks. No need to book in March.
October 2021
Hidden Gem
Lovely little walk from the car park where you come across some steps, if you then take the steps immediately going up you then come across the stunning Hidden Hut, where the food is fantastic, may be a little pricey, but so worth it, especially sitting on the benches
October 2021
Amazing
We visited the Hidden Hut whilst on holiday last week. Gorgeous food. We had the watercress soup which was scrumptious. Really recommend a visit.
October 2020
Hidden
What a surprise . Very popular so be prepared to queue but you can enjoy the view of Porthcurnick beach and headland.
Excellent customer service.
September 2020
Very interesting
Worth a little walk.
Very enterprising!
November 2019
A little gem
What a wonderful beachside find. It is super popular now so expect to queue, but it's is completely worth it with exceptional food, and a great beachside location. You won't regret a day out here. Check the website for opening times/days.
September 2019
Great food overlooking the beach
Not just another beach front cafe. This place is possibly the best beach cafe/restaurant going. Great food and atmosphere. Really hits the spot. You will not be disappointed and worth the effort.
August 2019
Mrs Jarvis
Really fantastic food, great service (despite the length of the queue). You must visit!
June 2019
Perfect situation and great food
If you didn’t already know it, this a now a justly famous spit just above a lovely Cornish beach.
Splendid food - some fusion inspired and some more typical local Cornish. Great atmosphere. Also they have now a great Hidden Hut cookbook. Such a happy mix of photos and recipes!
April 2019
lush nosh
definitely recommend for a yummy beachside lunch
August 2017
Being relatively local to the area, we felt it was time to see if this often-mentioned beach cafe lived up to it's reputation....and it did! On a sunny August Sunday, the beach was busy and so was the Hidden Hut. Be prepared to queue - for quite a while - but once you've selected which of the mouthwatering options to go for, you've plenty of choice of places to sit and enjoy the really well cooked food and the amazing location. No doubt this will be the first of many visits to come!
November 2016
Wonderful location
Perfect for coffee and cake, overlooking Porthcurnick beach.
November 2016
Stunning place for a delicious lunch! Pricey but great quality. Locally sourced and freshly made. Busy on Bank holidays but worth the queue. Soups are always fabulous as are the pasties, pulled pork baps and sausage rolls. We were lucky enough to get tickets for a feast night once and it was a most memorable and special event. Check out their Facebook page https://en-gb.facebook.com/thehiddenhut/
Take a peek at the Tolkien Collection - 70 paintings and drawings commissioned by the original publishers of Tolkien’s books.
May 2012
A must for Tolkien fans
Amazing pictures from the Lord of the Rings.
Explore the magnificent Lanhydrock House. Steeped in history and encompassed by flowing grounds, the castle allows visitors a sneak peek into the lives of both the aristocracy and the servants who lived there. Bikes can be hired to explore the ancient woodlands and peaceful riverside paths, too.
October 2023
Lanhydrock
Very interesting Victorian house in lovely surroundings. The guides and volunteers were very knowledgeable and helpful. A very enjoyable visit.
September 2023
Amazing!
Beautiful preserved stately house and garden. Staff helpful and so well run by the National Trust. Well worth a visit.
August 2022
Excellent Dog Walks
The walk through the woods from The carpark at Respyn to Landhydrock house for a coffee is excellent. Our dog enjoyed the river and the shade of the woods.
June 2022
Mrs French
Fantastic place to spend a day
May 2022
Beautiful gardens
The guides in the house were very friendly and knowledgeable. The gardens in spring are beautiful with bluebells everywhere and the spring bushes in full bloom.
June 2021
Beautiful and interesting
Well worth a visit. The National Trust as usual have brought this lovely house and gardens to life making it an interesting place to visit
September 2020
Very interesting visit
Excellent for walks and bike trails .
Close to Bodmin but unless you like the steam railway nothing there.
September 2019
Great place, nice house
Top!!!!!
May 2019
A good day out
Lanhydrock House and Gardens are well worth a visit. The house is interesting and well presented and the gardens were a mass of colour when we visited. There are also plenty of woodland walks for those who like to be energetic
April 2016
So good we went twice :-)
We're NT members so usually visit nearby sites when on holiday. Highlight of this property was the amazing mountain bike trails. We'd brought bikes with us, but did hire mountain bikes for some. Friendly and helpful staff and well marked trails made it the highlight of my 7yo's holiday! We also enjoyed gardens (including Easter egg trail) and house
September 2015
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the historic Lanhydrock House. First we used the cycle paths which the children (aged 5 and 8) really enjoyed. We then visited the house and gardens and were taken back in time. The children loved following the trails and it kept them entertained. The staff were extremely helpful. A great place to visit.
November 2014
Well worth a visit
Lanhydrock has something for everyone. The house is really interesting and the friendly guides are knowledgeable about its history. Although I didn't visit the formal gardens on this occasion, I did join an organised estate walk, which was led by rangers who were most informative and, again, very friendly. We had lunch in the restaurant, which was tasty and fairly priced. We would certainly recommend a visit.
March 2013
Lanhydrock House and Estate is between Bodmin and Lostwithiel The National Trust House provides a wonderful insight into local history and you can also walk the estate, free of charge, by parking in the car park down by the river, close to Respryn. River side footpaths take you through wooded areas which are covered with wild flowers.
After a good walk you can drive towards Lostwithiel, on the back lanes, to the Duchy Nursery for lunch. Not only is it a pleasure to wander among the plants and trees but the shop and restaurant are designed to add ambience to the whole experience. 5 star
April 2012
The house and grounds are beautiful, quite a sight as you walk down the drive from the car park. The grounds themselves offer lots of different walks, but the one that goes down to the river then back through the woods is my favourite.
October 2008
Lanhydrock
Magnificent late Victorian country house with expensive servants' quarters, gardens and wooded estate near Bodmin.
Visiting this house entails a drive, but it will provide you with a full day out. The house itself is fascinating, mostly because it has been wonderfully Victorianised in every detail - the kitchens, dairy and pantries are extensive - and the history of house, as well as that of the last generation of Robartes to live at Lanhydrock, gradually unfolds as you move around the house (with, of course, the help of National Trust volunteers). There are various options for lunch (picnic, cafe, restaurants) and the grounds are a joy to wander around afterwards. There are quizzes for children and the option of driving right up to the gate if a member of your party can't manage the walk down the drive.
- J Wallwork
July 2008
Popular Lanhydrock
Well worth a visit for the grounds as well as the house. The kitchens are a real eye opener with all the old utensils. Walk down through the grounds to the River Fowey and the beautiful old Respryn Bridge. If you prefer you can drive down and park beside the bridge. Lovely walks beside the river.
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