Sea View
4526Portscatho / Sleeps 6 + cot
7 Nights from £568
The location of attractions is intended only as a guide. Distances are 'as the crow flies'.
Nearest pub
The Harbour Club (100 yards)
A small joining fee of £5 is required but this is well worth it for the superb views and great all round family entertainment; cinema films, magicians and entertainers, a gym and a good bar. A new balcony over looking Gerrans Bay provides the ideal place to eat your pizza from Tatams next door.
July 2021
Pizza on the deck.
Order your pizza from Tatums Taverna, collect at their hatch, then nip round the corner and into the Harbour Club to eat it. 50p per visit for non-members, and the view from the deck over Gerrans Bay is to die for.
August 2020
Guests not welcome due to Covid-19 restrictions
Weren’t able to use this whilst staying in Portscatho, as they are not open to guests during the current virus restrictions.
August 2016
Great Staff, and good drinks
The staff were exceedingly friendly, serving a great range of local drinks. Wonderful place to sit on the new large balcony and take in the views. You can even buy food from Tatams cafe and eat it in there!
Nearest beach
Portscatho Beach (100 yards)
Portscatho Beach may look small and humble at high tide but at low tide it reaches as far as Porthcurnick Beach. Sit on the beach and drink in the pretty surrounds, before visiting Portscatho village for refreshments and facilities. There is no lifeguard service and the beach operates a seasonal dog ban.
October 2021
Seals
Two seals could be seen most days close to the beach. Tide comes right in. During low tide rock pools to the side of the beach.
Beach good for swimming.
October 2017
Portscatho Beach
A nice wide beach at low tide but no sand at all at high tide.
Fine for families but closed to dogs during the summer until 30th September.
Nearest walk
Portscatho to Pendower Beach Walk (150 yards)
Park in Porthcurnick car park and follow the path through the gate and turn left downhill to meet the coastal path. With the sea on your righthand side follow the coastal path past the beaches of Porthcurnick, Pendower and Carne. The path is clearly marked but has stiles and access is limited for wheelchair users and pushchairs. When you reach Pendower you can take an alternative path inland and then onto a lane to return to Porthcurnick. The distance is approximately 4 miles and all areas are dog friendly.
March 2022
south coast path at Portcurnick.
Clear, but muddy in places. Not accessible to all. You can shorten the walk via the path alongside the Driftwood Hotel. Very up and down but the beaches and rock pools are worth it (we saw a large star fish). Very quiet in March. Great for dogs. The Hidden Hut at Portcurnick beach is a bonus.
Nearest town
Portscatho (150 yards)
Found within the Roseland Peninsula, not too far from the popular St Mawes and Falmouth, Portscatho is a typically quaint Cornish village. With a gentle hill sloping down towards the sea, Portscatho is famous for its incredible views, reaping the benefits of this beautiful stretch of coast. Porthcurnic beach, Carne beach (Gerrans Bay) and Portloe beach are all but on Portscatho’s doorstep, and there is great access to the South West Coast Path for any hiking enthusiasts, dog walkers and those looking to just leisurely amble along and enjoy the surrounds. Just a short drive away and guests to the area will find lots of cool and quirky places to eat, like The Hidden Hut at Porthcurnick, and nearby Truro offers loads of restaurants, shops and boutiques for those searching for a bit of city flair.
October 2020
Quaint
Lovely little village in a stunning setting harbour and beach .
Like time had stood still .
Very friendly and welcoming.
Public footpaths lead you to gorgeous views from the headlands .
September 2020
Village store
You would have to go a long way to find a better, well stocked village store
Also nearby
The Hidden Hut (¼ mile)
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.
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/
The Plume of Feathers (200 yards)
A traditional pub in the heart of the village with a real fire. Under new ownership, pay them a call and say hello. Limited parking is available nearby and additional spaces can be found in nearby car parks.
June 2022
Lovely, welcoming pub
We’ve had several meals here, plus visits just for a pint. All the staff are very welcoming and friendly! Very dog friendly, just a very lovely, traditional pub, well worth a visit, or two.
December 2021
Everyone should visit
We enjoyed a lovely evening and the food was wonderfull, it was so good we went back for a seconded evening on a sunday and can only highly recommend there sunday roast.
November 2021
The best food locally
Cosy country pub. Warm welcome. Absolutely fantastic food. Think of pub fayre but cooked to perfection and upgraded to 5 star
July 2021
The Plume
Love this pub. Due to restrictions this year, we could only have takeaways, but great choice and service.
October 2020
Plume
Gorgeous inn , very friendly and efficient staff . We ate here Dinner 3 nights and had one breakfast excellent food . Would certainly return .
September 2020
A good experience
Well organised for Covid times.
Drinkers outside, enjoying the good weather.
Tables for meals well arranged inside.
September 2019
The Plume of Feathers
A lovely welcoming pub serving delicious food. We were made to feel very welcome by the landlord, and although busy, managed to find us a table on both occasions we ate there.
September 2019
Fish n chips supper
Warm welcome and delicious fish and chips.
July 2018
Great pub
Friendly staff
Sweets machine kept children happy
Dog friendly
Great food, (though expensive)
Outdoor and indoor seating
Right in the centre of village
August 2014
Proper Pub!
Great old school pub, with a good atmosphere, food and beer. They way pubs used to be.
Trebah Garden (8 ½ miles)
Family and dog-friendly, Trebah covers 26 acres, converting a small corner of Cornwall into a sub-tropical paradise. Located above the Helford River, every inch of Trebah is covered by lush vegetation, with 100-year old rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias kicking off the season with an explosion of colour.
June 2022
Just wonderful
See above
April 2022
Lovely day out
We had a lovely day at Trebah in March. There were lots of colourful Spring plants including all the rhododendrons, camelias and magnolias, and a sea of fascinating gunneras that were starting to come out. When they are fully grown, the leaves can reach 2.5m across and there is a gunnera passage where you could walk underneath them. There’s also some giant bamboo and many interesting paths up and and down to the beach. We had a lovely lunch in the cafe and all in all, a great day out. Check the website and make sure you book in advance as they were only accepting pre-booked visitors. Also check the cafe closing time on the beach (ice creams etc) as it closed at 3pm when we were there.
March 2022
Wonderful exotic gardens
We visited in February and were surprised by how warm and mild the atmosphere was in the gardens. What a wonderful variety of plants, shrubs and trees! well laid out paths allow the visitor to wander around the grounds to access different view points. The beach at the bottom of the valley was a lovely surprise. We particularly liked the water feature cascading down the valley.
Excellent cafe in a delightful light and airy modern building. The entry fee is reasonable and good value for money.
September 2021
An enjoyable afternoon out
Thoroughly enjoyed our time at Trebah, September was a good time to visit as the hydrangeas were flowering beautifully. The beach was lovely as was the delicious ice cream!
September 2020
A disabled persons opinion
I was really looking forward to visiting Trebah but was really disappointed, I was only able to go out of the reception building in my wheelchair when I was faced with the most sever decline and was told that it was like that all the way. It was very unsafe for me to go any further, so had to turn round and go out of the gardens
August 2020
Beautiful gardens and beach
Well worth a visit. Really incredibly, calming gardens with excellent covid measures in place to feel safe. The private beach is just lovely, worth the short queue to get in (controlled by a traffic light system to ensure not too many people are on it are time). Nice cafe with gluten free options. A very good day out, would highly recommend.
May 2020
Best gardens to visit in the area
If you like to visit gardens then this is one of the very best in the area. We prefer it to the nearby Glendurgan gardens, though Glendurgan is run by the National Trust so you can get in for free if you are a member.
November 2019
LES CALDER
Excellent lovely gardens which as NT members (although Trebah is privately owned)
out of high season, can be viewed for very reasonable cost.
Best more natural gardens in the area in my view.
September 2019
Wonderful Gardens leading down to a lovely beach.
These gardens are truly fascinating and beautiful. We loved that the dog was welcome even in the cafe and the food and drink were all really good, healthy, well prepared and delicious.
September 2019
Impressive gardens and picturesque beach
Beautiful gardens. Very pleasant staff and good food. The private beach was very picturesque. Would recommend.
September 2015
You won't be disappointed
What a wonderful place to lose yourself in nature discovering plants I had never seen before and some looked like they stepped out of Jurassic Park! We stayed into the evening for a fantastic Miracle Theatre production in the Amphitheatre called The Magnificent Three which was absolutely brilliant, great story, great cast and highly recommended, I will be looking out for their next production. Overall a very pleasing day with ice cream on the beach too, what more could you want!
July 2014
A mini paradise
This was such a wonderful find. A complete tropical paradise hidden away down the creek. You really feel like you have disappeared to a magical world here and it's a great place to escape. Beautiful water gardens and walks through the woods, which eventually lead down to a private secluded beach. Would happily come here time and again. Lovely cafe as well and there's also a cafe on the beach.
July 2014
Nice family day out
We visited the gardens on Father's Day (three generations of us!) and it was a lovely day out. It was interesting seeing all the exotic plants and following the path through the gardens to the private beach at the end where an ice cream sat on the beach is a must! The adventure play areas within the gardens were great for the kids.
June 2014
We hadn't heard about Trebah before we arrived but it proved to be a fabulous day out and the gardens were very special. Better than Eden in some ways and the weather on the day was perfect.
The walk down to the bay was superb. Also enjoyed the shop, cafe and garden centre.
May 2013
We have been to Trebah several times in the past, but the garden was at it's loveliest this time, with loads of spring flowers as well as the rhododendrons etc.
December 2012
I love trebah
Trebah is a brilliant day out, and the beach is gorgeous!!
September 2012
Trebah Garden
A really delightful garden with much to see. Although steep in places, there are plenty of benches to rest before venturing further.
The glimpse of the sea as you wend your way through the garden is really beautiful and really well worth the trip down to the bottom.
Well worth a visit time and time again.
June 2012
Gets better every time
We love Trebah Gardens, they are also dog friendly, though unfortunately we did see evidence that some dog owners were not respecting the fact that clearing up is a must if this is to continue. We really enjoy walking around the gardens and always spend at least three hours doing so. Always something different to see. Already looking forward to our next visit.
May 2012
We enjoyed that they are clearly continuing to develop and work on the garden in the 5 years since we last visited. Cafe very good and plenty of sheltered outdoor space. Plenty to see in May and an icecream on the beach was a great treat.
May 2012
Trebah Garden
Wonderful garden especially in May when we were there. A beach with a cafe half way round and the ubiquitous crab sandwiches in the cafe near the entrance. We could have spent a whole day here.
September 2011
A great place to visit. Even on a dull day this provided some great views and a fascinating range of plants. The beach was an added bonus. The restaurant provided a good range of dishes, including some gluten free choices.
September 2011
I can only endorse all that has been said before - the gardens are magical and inspirational, with a wonderful collection of hydrangeas as well as a magnificent bamboo thicket. The beach is a dear, with lovely views across the water.
September 2011
I can only endorse all that has been said before - the gardens are magical and inspirational, with a wonderful collection of hydrangeas as well as a magnificent bamboo thicket. The beach is a dear, with lovely views across the water.
July 2011
Worth a visit, even on a wet day. The cream tea in the cafe was so good there is no chance it could ever be matched anywhere else. Enjoyed the shop too. We spent 2 hours in the property although it's not all that large, including time at the cafe. It's advisable to go early when it's really quiet.
August 2008
Suitable for young and old
I would recommend this garden for anyone. The walks around the garden can be taken at any pace and are endlessly fascinating for young children as well as older relatives. Even those who may not be as agile as they once were will be able to manage a good deal of the garden and there are plenty of places to stop, admire the view and rest. The staff are very helpful, always ready to discuss an unusual plant and the cafe is run by a group of very cheerful women, who provide simple but delicious food.
August 2008
A beautiful place, starting with formal gardens at the top, winding down through subtropical exotica to a small beach. We once went there on a winter's day where there was snow at the top of the garden and brilliant sunshine once you went through the doorway onto the beach; my children said it was like going into Narnia!
August 2008
July 2008
July 2008
Walking
Trebah Gardens are excellent for all the family - there is also a beach below for children to explore. Kids can take part in the quiz as they walk around the gardens which makes for a more peaceful time for the parents!
Falmouth (4 ¾ miles)
When booking a Falmouth holiday cottage you won’t be disappointed with this maritime treat. The location is stunning, with winding streets and terraced roads of shops, cafes, bars and cottages - all snuggled between the palm fronted beaches along Falmouth bay and its famous harbour, overlooked and protected by Pendennis Castle and its sister castle on the opposite side of the river at St Mawes. You can leave your car at the holiday cottage as everything is on your doorstep. Or, take the river taxis up to Truro or across to St Mawes and spend time exploring another part of the Cornwall. Falmouth is well placed for discovering all of west Cornwall.
Falmouth’s maritime history is unique. Having the third deepest natural harbour in the world, it became the centre of the postal network to the British Empire and the first place news was landed before spreading across the land. It is now often the start or finish point of various ‘round the world’ record breaking voyages and the Tall Ship’s race, one not to be missed. Today Falmouth is home to the National Maritime Museum, which is well worth a visit, as well as a plethora of watersport facilities. Holidays can easily be spent sailing, fishing or diving in the bay or up the river.
A Falmouth holiday could not be complete without visiting at least one of the many galleries. Falmouth Art School was founded there in 1902 and many of the students have never left, resulting in a vibrant art scene. Much of it is inspired by the locale, the scenery is inspirational and the way of life allows for many a story to be told through creative means. Pick up a Cornish memento to take back with you and provoke happy memories for years to come.
Being on the coast, there is a family friendly shoreline to enjoy. All four beaches; Castle, Gyllyngvase, Swanpool and Maenporth, are sandy and sheltered from the swells and prevailing wind, perfect for a family holiday in Falmouth. They also have rock pools at low tide for the kids (and dads) to explore to their heart’s content when they’ve finished building sandcastles and eating icecreams.
If you’re staying in one of our dog friendly Falmouth cottages you will be spoilt for choice as you are never too far from a rural walk. From the coast path with its panoramic sea views to the many footpaths criss-crossing the surrounding countryside… take your pick!
July 2020
Ian McGrath
Liked the idea of shutting down the High Street to traffic between 10.00-16.00, which gave more space for pedestrians still nervous following lockdown. Recommend Harbour Lights Fish
March 2015
falmouth to st mawes
Would recommend the boat trip across to lovely St Mawes, pretty harbour town, great pub lunch in the Rising Sun conservatory....
January 2015
Winter break
Falmouth is good to visit any time of year and we have been in all seasons. Our recent visit in January was excellent. We found plenty to do despite some very mixed weather. As oldies we went to Rick Stein of or a vintage lunch served on Tuesday's until March very busy and cheap. We also visited Pendennis Castle and the Maritime Museum for another oldies lunch (Wednesday's) which included admission to the museum. The view on the Fal is lovely and we visited Newquay and Perranporth which out of season have beautiful deserted beaches to walk on.
February 2013
Falmouth and surrounding area
Falmouth has something for everyone ~ great beaches, great boating, good choice of restaurants and great accommodation. Easy access to other villages and lots going on ~ one great high street with everything you can imagine. ~Would recommend Amanzi restaurant ~ great place to eat with a South African twist.
Try visiting Mylor Harbour just a couple of miles away, great for walking and eating too. Dogs are welcome at many places in the area which is a bonus......having just spent a few days there in February will be returning again in June.
July 2012
Something for Everyone
Falmouth really does have something for everyone. Having just spent a recent week of mixed weather we were never stuck for something to do, even if it was just wandering and enjoying the bustle of local life. Everyone working in the shops, cafes, restaurants and local attractions were friendly and clearly enjoyed their work, which in turn made us feel welcomed.
Trips to St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula via the chainlink ferry or by boat make for enjoyable days out.
We also enjoyed dinner and a concert at the Princess Pavillion, with its beautiful gardens that lead down to the seafront.
Hope to visit again soon.
July 2012
The National Maritime Museum is a superb informative way to spend best part of a wet day, as the number of families and school parties evidenced. As re-entry is free for a year after the initial entry fee we decided to browse the exhibitions for part of the morning, exited for lunch at nearby Rick Stein's Fish and Chip restaurant, which was delicious if a little expensive, then re-entered the Museum to finalize our tour. The Spring/Summer Search and Rescue exhibition was of particular interest as we support the RNLI.
November 2011
Best town in Cornwall
Falmouth is a very honest town, un-spoilt and un-commercialised, and as such I would rate it as one of the best towns in Cornwall. We have stayed here on holiday many times in various properties, and there is always plenty to do here, which is especially important with 3 young children in tow!
The maritime museum is definitely worth a visit if you are here, this is a high quality attraction which puts some of the other so-called landmark attractions in the county to shame (Land's End to name one). You could easily spend a whole week in the town itself without venturing further afield.
Avoid restaurants such as Stein's fish & chips, and venture into the heart of town for more authentic and better value food. Short ferry rides to St. Mawes and Flushing are great fun, you can even take a ferry to Truro on the high tides.
If beaches are your thing, then Gyllngvase beach is an un-spoilt beauty and is wonderful at any time of the year.
If you like pubs (and who doesn't) then go to the Chain Locker, this is one of my all-time favourite pubs and must surely be one of the best in the country. The quayside location, and the quite excellent beer, rate it very highly. The Boathouse at the top of the High Street at the entrance to the town is also excellent.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan (11 miles)
A true secret garden nearly lost to the ravages of time, the Lost Gardens of Heligan open a door to a magical world. Stroll underneath towering green canopies, past pretty pools surrounded by flowers and view all manner of weird and wonderful plants and shrubs. There's no time for dithering; visit the gardens and see what beauty awaits.
June 2022
The Lost Garden of Heligan
A lovely day out, lot’s of walking.
June 2022
Mrs French
Beautiful place to visit
October 2021
Lost Gardens of Heligan
One of the highlights of our holiday. Well worth visiting and excellent signage. Refreshments were delicious.
September 2021
The best garden visit
Wonderfully well cared for and presented, with a great environmental ethos carried across all specs of your visit, this is one of the very best things to do in Cornwall (even without a sea view!!)
August 2021
Gardens lost in a sea of people
Looked forward to exploring these gardens but there were so many people there that it was difficult to appreciate it. Expected long queues for rope walk and eventually gave up waiting as movement of queue so slow.
October 2020
Don't miss this.
This is a must for anyone who loves flora and fauna, plus a bit of the exotic and adventure! Have been here at least twice and intend to revisit when able to do so.
September 2020
Well worth a visit
A lovely morning out in the gardens. Nice for young children. Good Barbecue food in the gardens.
August 2019
Gardens
Lovely place spent a few hours here took some great snaps
September 2016
Great day out
We had a super day here- wonderful for kids,which was a surprise,they had a marvellous time...rope bridge...building a tee-pee and picnicing in it,5 adults and 5 little ones 1,4,5,5, 8.,great open areas a loads of trees and climbing fun.We too liked the greenery and open areas...good, reasonable food on offer...was expecting National Trust like 'keep off grass time etc'...our day was dull and windy but warm and would recommend and return....and guess would be even better on a sunny day!
August 2015
Beautiful gardens and there is something for all the family to enjoy. Great day out!
August 2015
Beautiful place, good picnic area
August 2015
This is a lovely place to explore, with lots of hidden bits to discover. We were there in early August and it didn't feel particularly busy, so there must be lots of room for everyone. Even our teenager enjoyed it.
October 2014
Knight party
It seemed every corner we turned there was something wonderful to look at. There has been a lot of thought put into this and we felt it was excellent value for money, great day out.
April 2014
Magical
A fabulous walk around the gardens, lovely cafe/restaurant and super farm shop, both of which you can visit without paying to go into the gardens. A great day out.
August 2011
A wonderful place to visit, even at the height of summer when there are many visitors. Magical gardens, wildlife and even chickens. Well managed, great cafe.
August 2011
A hit with all the family!
A great day out! The gardens, shop and tearooms had a really upmarket feel about it. Every aspect of the gardens has been put together with real love and devotion. My 3 year old daughter's favourite bit was the Jungle - she loved running down all the boardwalks. It really felt like something from Jurassic Park. A hard walk back up the hill though - especially carrying our 1 year old toddler! My husband's favourite part was the ice cream at the teashop, and mine was the impressive vegetable garden. (Forgot to mention that my daughter cried when she discovered there were no melons growing at this particular time of the year - So that for her was a real show-stopper!!) Would recommend although with caution to wheelchair users - Some of the terrain is quite tricky.
July 2011
Really Lovely Place
Spent all day here and even though it rained a little it really was a lovely day with lots of very special gardens to walk through.
February 2009
Lovely, magical 'secret' garden. The local, homemade refreshments in the tea rooms are delicious too.
Articles | From around the area
Things to do
Everyman at Miracle Theatre
Places to Go
Castles in Cornwall
Things to do
Things to do in St Mawes
Places to Go