Best of Cornwall Living 2017

The Ultimate Lifestyle By The Sea

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H O M E S • I N T E R I O R S • G A R D E N S • T R AV E L • F O O D • H E A LT H & B E A U T Y

Contemporary Designs for Comfortable Living www.iroka.com

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The Ultimate Lifestyle By The Sea

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FROM THE EDITOR

Production Editor Hannah Tapping hannah.tapping@enginehousemedia.co.uk Editorial Manager Felix Rowe editor@enginehousemedia.co.uk Design Manager Chloe Searle Design Jamie Crocker – Spencer Hawes Media & Marketing Assistants Dan Warden – Jason Fletcher – Megan Searle production@enginehousemedia.co.uk

For all editorial, production, marketing or design enquiries: 01326 574842 Credit Control Tracy Dart – 01326 574842 tracy.dart@enginehousemedia.co.uk Accounts Manager Charlotte Forster – 07714 718471 charlotte.forster@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Business Development Managers Sam Roberts – 07946 491358 sam.roberts@enginehousemedia.co.uk Geoff Pullin – 07535 585613 geoff.pullin@enginehousemedia.co.uk Ian Grant – 07504 007941 ian.grant@enginehousemedia.co.uk Ashley Hosking – 01326 369433 ashley.hosking@enginehousemedia.co.uk Media Sales Executives Niamh Thomas – 01326 369430 niamh.thomas@enginehousemedia.co.uk Ben Wormington – 01326 369432 ben.wormington@enginehousemedia.co.uk Sales Support Assistant Adam Parrott Operations Manager Miguel Belert

Welcome

to our collection of highlights from 2017.

H

ere at Cornwall Living we are taking a look back over what has been a fantastic year for our publications. To celebrate, we have put together a collection of our favourite articles for you to read and enjoy, all over again. We had great fun researching our drinks feature (page 40) where we visited (and sampled!) a range of delicious tipples from some of Cornwall’s finest artisan drinks producers. We uncovered the very best of Cornish couture (page 46) to ensure we ended the year in style and went on an inspiring literary tour of the county for our feature on writers from around, and inspired by, Cornwall (page 94).

This year the pages of Cornwall Living have been packed full of interiors inspiration and we have selected some of our favourites for you to enjoy. Add to that great ideas for where to stay for your next Cornish holiday, a selection of exquisite art, brilliant days out and tasty treats and you have the very best of Cornwall Living 2017!

Happy reading,

Hannah

P.S. As this is a round-up of the year gone by please note that all competitions are now closed and any reference to events may be out of date.

Commercial Director Jonathan Perkins – 07587 072706 jonathan.perkins@enginehousemedia.co.uk Managing Director Ben Pratchett – 01326 574842 ben.pratchett@enginehousemedia.co.uk Group Director Andy Forster – 07711 160590 andy.forster@enginehousemedia.co.uk

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ON THE COVER Some of our favourite covers from 2017, celebrating the ultimate lifestyle by the sea.

Cornwall Living is published by: ENGINE HOUSE MEDIA LTD Holbrook, The Moors, Porthleven, Cornwall TR13 9JX www.enginehousemedia.co.uk www.levenmediagroup.co.uk Engine House Media Ltd is a multi-platform media business with a passion for everything Cornish. Visit www.enginehousemedia.co.uk to find out more. Our mission is to create READ-WATCH-EXPERIENCE media opportunities marrying together consumers with the fabulous businesses across Cornwall. Our publishing and marketing teams are specialists in creating print and on-line communications, devised to achieve a range of marketing objectives. With over 20 years of marketing, brand management and magazine experience we develop effective communications that deliver your message in a credible and creative way. We operate across all media channels, including: print, online and video.

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© All rights reserved. Material may not be re-produced without the permission of Engine House Media Ltd. While Cornwall Living will take every care to help readers with reports on properties and features, neither Engine House Media Ltd nor its contributors can accept any liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from editorial features, editorial or advertising featured in these pages. Engine House Media Ltd strongly advise viewing any property prior to purchasing or considerations over any financial decisions. Engine House Media reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit such material prior to publication. Engine House Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for loss or damage of supplied materials. The opinions expressed or advice given in the publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Engine House Media Ltd. It is suggested that further advice is taken over any actions resulting from reading any part of this magazine.

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4 CORNWALL LIVING

Got to experience...

A STEP INTO THE NEW YEAR Kick-start your New Year by heading out onto the dunes with your four-legged friends, it’s the perfect post-Christmas cure! Sand dunes are an ideal place for your dogs as they are filled with new sights, smells and plenty of sand for digging. So lace up those walking boots, grab the woolly hat and scarf you got for Christmas and get walking!

TOM YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY www.tomyoungphotography.co.uk Find out more online: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

Year o the New Looking int Scrambling over rocks

CORNWALL LIVING 5

Contents

Cover feature

10

BEST OF 2017 Cover

Some of our favourites from 2017

Regulars 16

Rohrs & Rowe

Luxury estate agents celebrate an award-winning year

18

Hot property

54

Discovering more about the state of the Cornish property market

19

A world away

20

Quality as standard

23

Treat your home

58

Stay in your dream holiday home earning more about 10 year old L Dawes and Windows

A peek into a fabulous Cornish emporium

25

Built to last family-run Cornish business A with heart

26

20 years young

28

A recipe for success

30

A warm feeling inside

32

A floor to adore

hat makes H Everett Interiors such W a roaring success?

The perfect flooring solution Improving the heating in your house

Transform your home with First For Floors

33

34

Feel good flooring antastic flooring from a family-run F business

A modernised tradition

Bringing traditional windows into the 21st century

6 | CORNWALL LIVING

36

Winter warmer

38

A light touch

39

Polished and pristine

54

Escape to the coast

94

Getting your home ready for winter

Perfect your living space with exclusive designer pieces

Using only the best materials

The ultimate coastal retreat in stunning St. Ives

56

58

Got to experience

Your very own holiday home at White Acres

Kernow calling

Discovering why to buy a holiday home in Cornwall

60

A rural retreat

Relax and unwind in the great Cornish countryside

20

88

76

46 72 Making minerals and memories

Making memories in a county steeped in mining history

74

Fired and fine

We’re introduced to some talented local ceramicists

76

33

From mere grains of sand

Celebrating two decades of gorgeous, coastal inspired glass

78

Unleash your imagination

Your chance to become a fused glass artist

80

Rescue and release

Tamara’s story of 16 years at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary

86

A green vision

A fantastic addition to Padstow’s

86 63

Paws in St. Mawes

Take the dog with you on

18

64

90 A true taste of Cornwall Living

Celebrate in style

91

A labour of love

Newquay rediscovered

Introducing award-winning artisan food producer, Tregida

93 A Cornish Christmas alternative

and families

Enjoy a Cornish alternative to the

Inspired by the sea

101 Forever changing

Stunning new collections, created with the ocean in mind

72

Fiona Rick

Gold for Boscastle Farm Shop!

The popular resort for foodies

70

The perfect pasty

We catch up award-winning

breathtaking countryside

69

88

a luxury stay

Celebrate your commitment in the

66

happening foodie scene

Electric dreams

Explore the reaches of Cornwall in luxury

Christmas dinner

he landscapes of ever-evolving T artist, Steve Slimm

108 A friendly face

Cornwall Hospice Care launches new Neighbourhood Hubs

CORNWALL LIVING | 7

HOMES IN VOGUE We look ahead to 2018 to see if Cornwall intends to ‘toe the line’ when it comes to global interior design trends.

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DAN WARDEN

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The recent trend for grey is gently being nudged into a more colourful phase

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n Cotton Mills

8 | CORNWALL LIVING

| COVER FEATURE

F

or some, home décor is a matter of function, for others a reflection of personality. For all of us, however, there comes a time when it’s time to oust the old and update the space in which we live. But how to keep it on trend?

Instead of resting on our laurels, we thought we’d get ahead of the game and see what lies in store for Cornwall’s interior design scene as we approach the new year, all in the hope that we can help you make those all-important decisions to keep your home current.

HOW CORNWALL VIEWS GLOBAL TRENDS

çMAIN

Our interiors should be inspired, something we get to enjoy every time we come home ê BELOW

Camellia Interiors making a space warm through rich, dark colours

Since 2000, the Pantone Color Institute has declared a ‘Colour of the Year’, something that’s been taken to the bank every year since by design companies across the globe. This year, the colour was announced as greenery.

Symbolic of new beginnings, according to the Pantone website, greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring. As you can imagine, it has featured prominently in Cornwall, perfectly complementing the stunning stretches of countryside that abound this part of the world. While we eagerly await the announcement of 2018’s official ‘Colour of the Year’, one trend that’s set to continue is an infatuation with iridescence.

However, being so close to the coast, Cornish designers tend to do things a little differently. For instance, Elaine Skinner, owner of Camellia & Co tells us: “The trend for rich dark colours is still very relevant and can really make a small coastal space feel special. Inky-blue teal and Ochre continue to be key colours for us. Both are refined and warm, working well in period spaces as well as contemporary coastal settings.” For Elaine’s interior design tips, turn to page 29. www.camelliainteriors.co.uk

n Camellia Interiors

We also catch up with Isabel, owner of interior design firm Coastal Scandi. At a time when hectic lifestyles are increasingly becoming the norm, Pantone’s prediction of a continued obsession with iridescence, while pertinent, isn’t necessarily true of homes here in Cornwall. In fact, Isabel explains: “As our lives become more hectic and reliant on technology, our desire to reconnect with nature and a simpler way of life can be reflected in the design and style of our homes.

Here at Coastal Scandi, we love the timeless Scandi minimalistic look, combined with the simplicity of Japanese aesthetics – also known as ‘Japandi’ – as both cultures have similar design philosophies.” Essentially, it’s all about creating a feeling of calm, tranquillity and wellbeing. The use of plants can really help achieve this, especially when you choose sleek elegant plants rather than those from the jungle, with simple pots.

Fancy adding some Scandi Christmas style to your home? Turn to page 26 to find out how! www.coastalscandi.com

é RIGHT Another stunning interior, courtesy of Camellia Interiors ê BELOW Why not add a vintage touch to your new decor?

n Any Old Lights

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n Camellia Interiors

CORNWALL LIVING | 9

COVER FEATURE | n xxxxxxx

n Arnold’s Kitchens

n JT The Tile Collection

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K I T C H E N S A N D B AT H R O O M S

We’ll be using burnt black oak, which can be used for worktops and shelves

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Burnt black oak kitchens are set to feature heavily at Arnold’s Kitchens é ABOVE

Minimalistic scandi style can work wonders in any room

n Interiora

10 | CORNWALL LIVING

Our kitchens and bathrooms are areas that, with the right touch, can be the difference between a good interior design scheme and a great one. However, as predicted, it would seem that the jury is divided when it comes to what will be hot next year.

Megan at Newlyn-based Interiora informs us that as heating and sustainable living become more of a priority, and as underfloor heating becomes more affordable and readily available, there has been an upsurge in the use of porcelain tiles due to their ability to retain and conduct warmth. Such materials have allowed timber effect and natural stone effect tiles to become much more realistic. “The marble effect is currently very popular,” Megan explains, “and we’ve found that white modern marble effect tiles work especially well with the recent development of gold taps and brassware.” www.interiora.co.uk In contrast, Leigh at Arnold’s Kitchens, although agreeing with the prominence of brass and copper, tells us: “Black taps, sinks and appliances will begin to feature more in our kitchens. We’ll be using burnt black oak, which can be used for worktops and shelves. In terms of texture and colour, natural textures will begin to feature strongly in the coming year, including rough planed timber and stained dark colours such as charcoal grey, navy and dark moss green.” www.arnoldskitchens.co.uk And then there’s Kettle Co., with its team that holds design perfection, craftsmanship

n Kettle Co.

and sustainable practice at the core of its work. Sophie explains that a lot of rose gold and brass accents can be found in their kitchens. “Gold finishes have been around for eons – they’re classic, beautiful and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon!” She continues, and this is where it gets interesting: “Metal interiors have been trending, however undoubtedly the biggest colour trend is the desire to have blue in the kitchen. This trend is set to really take off next year and will certainly be popular with those looking to make a statement in their home!” Find out more about Kettle Co. on page 29. www.kettleco.co.uk Whatever your chosen kitchen or bathroom style, you’ll want to choose the right tiles. Tamsyn Rowe, owner of JT The Tile Collection visited Cersaie 2017, the world’s largest annual tile exhibition in Bolgna. There, she unearthed the upcoming trend of large format tiles, particularly for floors and walls, where a seamless, contemporary look is the aim. Offering muted colours, these tiles have a very ‘time-worn’ charm about them – the result of graphic details such as stones and cracks.

Some ranges have a strong urban appeal, working especially well in contemporary coastal homes. www.jt-thetilecollection.co.uk

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| COVER FEATURE

n JT The Tile Collection

CORNWALL LIVING | 15

COVER FEATURE |

n Merchants and Makers

Designer’s Guild

FURNITURE AND SOFT FURNISHINGS

DISCOVER MORE Don’t forget the flooring! To see how Endurance Flooring can help finish your new design scheme, turn to page 52.

Getting your soft furnishings right can really bring out the best in your home décor, making it that much more enjoyable to spend time in.

Acknowledging the continuation of Scandinavian style, furniture specialist Julian Foye suggests the Scandi movement is indeed set to continue but with less structure, with a stronger inclination towards lighter wooden tones. “Layering with different textures will be the key. Beds can be layered with a combination of crisp white bedding, over which can now be thrown chunky wool knits, soft linen throws, cosy fake fur blankets and cushions.” For Julian Foye’s complete vision for 2018, turn to page 42. www.julianfoye.co.uk When it comes to the significance of Scandi style, Cotton Mills is in full agreement. The team insists that while some trends peak and then disappear entirely, there are those that develop and mature. For instance, while the cool greys, sheepskins and light wood tones of simple Scandinavian styling have featured heavily of late, Scandi is steadily moving more towards Nordic. This is where the Cotton Mills team differs in approach. “The shift into what is being termed Nordic style sees the wood tones darkening to walnut and mango with deerskins, introducing more warmth.” To find out more, turn to page 29. www.cotton-mills.co.uk Weighing into the discussion, Penny from Merchants and Makers tells us: “The recent trend for grey is gently being nudged into a more colourful phase. Fortunately, as grey is such a wonderful foyle for colour, there’s no need to have a complete refurb!” www.merchantsandmakers.co.uk

Of course, there are those who will always prefer a traditional approach to interior design. Fortunately, against the backdrop of an increasingly throwaway society, several companies have embraced a resurgence of traditional craftsmanship here in the Duchy. Take Kador Upholstery.

Set up with the desire to help keep the craft of traditional upholstery alive, Steve of Kador explains: “There’s been quite an upsurge in upcycling old furniture. People buy an old piece and want it restored to its former glory. Stripping back a chair is like stripping back history, and we want to make sure we’re true to the heritage of each piece we work on.” Kador Upholstery is supported by business start-up experts, Outset Cornwall. To find out more about Outset, turn to page 25. www.kadorupholsery.co.uk On the contrary, for those who really want to bring their home into the 21st century, a visit to Westcountry Blinds would certainly be worthwhile. An expert in window shading solutions, Westcounty Blinds is a pioneer when it comes to dressing our windows, with technological innovation at its heart. A range of innovations, including SmartCord, TrueFit and LiteRise are all designed to make the use of blinds sleeker, ê BELOW easier and more stylish. And the addition of Darker tones of PowerRise has successfully placed homewood, part of technology worthy of James Bond within Scandi style’s move easy reach of those living in Cornwall. towards Nordic Utilising powered motors and remoteè RIGHT control, these blinds are great for homes Metallic-finished with lots of big windows. lighting from www.westcountryblinds.co.uk Stylehome

n Julian Foye

n Cotton Mills

12 | CORNWALL LIVING

n Cotton Mills

| COVER FEATURE

ç LEFT Modern, hectic lifestyles are set to match well with vibrant hues at home n Any Old Lights

n Any Old Lights n Cotton Mills

LIGHTING On those darker evenings and greyer days there’s a need for functional and equally stylish solutions to bring light into our homes. According to Mark at Stylehome, 2017 has seen some fabulous lighting trends, the most notable being the popularity of copper as a finish and the continuation of the vintage style into the domestic kitchen.

He predicts that, in 2018, “The desire for metallic finishes will continue to grow, and we may see more Corten lamps – a fantastic stable rusting effect – along with other rich brown anodised options.”

Geometric patterns are also set to make a strong comeback, so be prepared for some fabulous pendant and wall lamps based around these themes. www.stylehome.co.uk Emily from Rustic House tells us: “Lighting is the perfect way to update a room. For a more coastal feel, using driftwood inspired pieces and rustic wooden elements can help, as can combining these with distressed metals, ceramics and linens in neutral colours.” Indeed, lighting can change how you use the space, and Emily suggests adding a floor lamp next to a favourite chair to create a cosy corner in a living or bedroom to retreat to. To discover more about Rustic House, turn to page 46. www.rustichouse.co.uk

n Style Home

n Rustic House

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CORNWALL LIVING | 13

frame your space with a timber structure We live and work in Cornwall and combine innovative design with skilled craftsmen to create contemporary spaces using traditional methods.

Specialising in remodelling and extending existing buildings, new build homes and public spaces, each one is designed from scratch, around what our clients need - meaning no project is ever the same and each finished building is truly unique.

Contact us to find out what’s possible.

01326 336 554

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cornwall@carpenteroak.com

carpenteroakcornwall.com

16/10/2017 14:42

READ All this is but a snapshot of what Cornwall’s interior design scene has to offer and there are plenty of other local companies that can bring something special to your home. Any Old Lights (www.anyoldlights.co.uk), for instance, are fantastic if you’re looking for a vintage alternative to lighting your home, while Jo & Co Home (www.joandcohome.com) offers a wealth of inspirational homewares that have been handpicked with you in mind.

For those of you looking to update your kitchen or bathroom, perhaps Helston-based Now Kitchens can help (www.now-kitchens. co.uk)? Or, if you require a fully personalised design service that’s always in touch with your individual needs, Eve Hughes Interior Design (www.evehughesinteriors.co.uk) comes highly recommended, specialising in bespoke curtains, blinds, soft furnishings and wall coverings.

Whatever part of your home you have in mind, it seems that Cornwall’s interior design has its own ideas of what we can expect in the New Year, and it’s a good thing too, because it means there are plenty of options and ways for you to keep your home on trend. There is, however, one quote that we’d like to leave you with, which comes from Camellia & Co’s Elaine Skinner: “While it’s useful to seek inspiration from interior design trends, it’s important not to copycat. Your home should reflect you, your personality and your style.”

For all that’s featured in this month’s Cornwall Living and more, head to our website. Fancy being the first to receive updates? Well, you can by subscribing to our newsletter at... www.cornwall-living.co.uk

WATCH

Head over to our Vimeo page to see some fabulous interior design in one of Latitude50’s fabulous Polzeath properties. www.vimeo.com/cornwallliving

Every month, Cornwall Living offers a range of wonderful prizes to be won, from luxury spa breaks and weekend escapes, to gift vouchers to spend in one of your favourite Cornish shops. So, for a chance to win one of the latest prizes, head over to our competitions page online.

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Courtesy of Anna Photography www.anna-photography.co.uk

EXPERIENCE

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www.cornwall- living.co.uk n Cotton Mills

CORNWALL LIVING | 15

HOME | LIFESTYLE |

ANOTHER WAY R Specialist estate agents Rohrs & Rowe celebrate an amazing, award-winning first year of business.

16 | CORNWALL LIVING

ohrs & Rowe is an estate agency that seems to be doing everything right.

Despite only being in its second year of trading, the business has combined the extensive experience of Martyn Rohrs and Matthew Rowe in selling high-end property, with innovative and contemporary marketing to make a real mark on the Cornish property scene. We’ve been following their progress closely since first speaking to them back in the spring of last year, so it’s heartwarming to see their approach and hard work paying off.

A successful first year was capped off at the highly prestigious UK Property Awards held in partnership with the iconic Bentley Motor Company at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park, London, when Rohrs & Rowe were awarded the ‘Best Estate Agents in Cornwall 2017/18’ and given their five-star rating – an amazing feat to pull off in such a short space of time. Upon winning the award, Martyn and Matthew said: “We are absolutely over the moon to have received this accolade from such highly respected and established awards and also within just 12 months of opening.

| LIFESTYLE

é ABOVE Martyn Rohrs and Matthew Rowe pick up the ‘Best Estate Agents in Cornwall 2017/18’ award at the UK Property Awards ì ABOVE

RIGHT

è MIDDLE

Just a couple of the stunning properties marketed by Rohrs & Rowe ç MAIN Rohrs & Rowe put lifestyle at the heart of all they do, highlighting the experiences that can be enjoyed in Cornwall, such as sailing the coast

“It was our vision and passion to create a new style of agency that would really make our work stand out from the crowd and offer clients an exciting and innovative alternative to the traditional high street agents or the faceless online only companies.”

So what exactly is this approach that makes R&R stand out from the crowd? Well, firstly, while the company itself maybe new, it is built on almost four decades of collective experience working for the some of the most respected agents in the industry.

Martyn and Matthew have used their insights to take the best bits of traditional estate agency – reliable and frank, local knowledge, an acute understanding of the property market and friendly faces on the ground – then harnessed technology, social media and bespoke visual marketing techniques to garner the greatest response.

But perhaps the most significant element of their approach is also the simplest: putting lifestyle at the forefront of their entire ethos. They recognise that Cornwall is a unique place, both geographically and culturally – people choose to live here for the incredible lifestyle it offers, from its abundance of beaches and coastal activities to its burgeoning foodie scene. They know that a home isn’t just the bricks and materials used in its construction; it’s a personal sanctuary, the place to enjoy one of Cornwall’s inimitable sunsets, and the start and end point of adventures yet to come.

The marketing is extremely visually enticing, enhanced by eye-catching aerial

photography placing a home within its wider context, highlighting the landmarks, attractions and facilities all within reach.

Even just flicking through Rohrs & Rowe’s website feels like reading a high-end lifestyle magazine, rather than the typical static property search.

This approach is so fundamental because, crucially, it enables the company to present every property in a way that creates an emotional connection for the buyer.

Rohrs & Rowe sum up this philosophy as ‘Aspirational Living’.

The results speak for themselves, with many properties being snapped up swiftly.

One client, for example, sees their approach and attitude as a real ‘game changer’.

“After 18 months of no success, I decided to try something new and was recommended to Rohrs & Rowe. They really understood what was special about and the quality of the house from the start. They quickly had viewings and then swiftly found us a good buyer. They then drove the sale process along to a successful outcome, whilst remaining keen and helpful throughout.”

So, if you are thinking of putting your house on the market, or are looking to start enjoying all that the Cornish lifestyle has to offer, perhaps you should speak to R&R now.

ROHRS & ROWE

The results speak for themselves, with many properties being snapped up swiftly

01872 306360 info@rohrsandrowe.co.uk www.rohrsandrowe.co.uk Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 17

| HOME

y t r e p o r Hot p We catch up with Sean Johnston, Partner at Philip Martin, to discover more about the state of the Cornish property market.

é MAIN St Mawes ì INSET Falmouth Road, Truro é ABOVE The Boathouse, Lizard peninsula ì RIGHT Melynoweth, Ladock

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t’s fair to say we’ve had a tumultuous few years, both on the national and global stage, with a fair degree of uncertainty, not least with the on-going Brexit negotiations. Keen to discover what this might mean for the Cornish property market, local expert Sean Johnston of Philip Martin Estate Agents, suggests there are good reasons to be postive.

“18 months on from the referendum the fundamentals of the market remain strong,” says Sean. “Low unemployment, low interest rates, strong demand and historic undersupply of homes are mitigating any wobbles in confidence and as a result nearly half the properties on the market have sold signs across them.” In the past year, house prices in Cornwall were 3% up on the year before and 8% up on 2007 when they averaged at £231,285. House prices increased by 5% between August 2016 and August 2017 with an increase of 0.4% between July and August 2017 and in the south west 0.8% between September and October 2017. “It is important to emphasise that everything is relative when it comes to house prices,” adds Sean. “If the value of your house goes up, so does the property you want to buy.”

According to Sean, property in Cornwall remains in demand. “We continue to see thousands of people registering with us every year, actively looking to buy. The county is no longer considered just a place for a weekend retreat, it’s a lifestyle change people seek and there is a choice. Quality of life is what living in Cornwall is all about and with one of the most advanced broadband infrastructures in Britain, working from home is now a real possibility.

“Why choose chaos in the city when you can run your business here with the sea as your setting. Cornwall offers the opportunity to address the work-life balance which makes living in the county such an attractive prospect and it’s one of the reasons why the Cornish property market continues to thrive.

Despite the uncertainty over Brexit we have no reason to predict that the market is likely to change for the foreseeable future.”

PHILIP MARTIN

9 Cathedral Lane, Truro TR1 2QS 01872 242244 sales@philip-martin.co.uk www.philip-martin.co.uk

n Sean Johnston, Partner at

Philip Martin

DISCOVER MORE Average sold prices in Cornwall (October 2017) Detached properties: £340,351 Terraced properties: £192,713 Semi-detached properties: £210,166 Overall average price: £250,349 Most expensive area: Rock, £974,215 Cheapest area: Camborne, £161,688

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 18

| STAY n Sandrock

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A WORLD

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Discover the stunning north coast in 2018 and stay in the holiday home of your dreams with John Bray Cornish Holidays.

W

hether it’s a beachfront pad, a cosy cottage just for two, a countryside retreat where the kids can really run free, or a spacious character property with jaw-dropping sea views, you can bet that John Bray Cornish Holidays has the house of your dreams among its portfolio of selfcatering holiday homes.

A specialist north Cornwall holiday letting agency, John Bray has been holiday letting and managing properties in Rock, Daymer Bay, Polzeath and Port Isaac since 1971.

Since each holiday home is privately owned, there is a fantastic choice of interiors, facilities and experiences to be had in these premium locations.

These stunning holiday hotspots offer a plethora of activities for visitors of all ages, so it’s no surprise that holidaymakers flock to this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for their downtime of choice. Everything’s on offer from swimming and surfing, sailing and waterskiing, cycling and golf to peaceful and scenic coastal walks, golden sandy beaches and clear turquoise seas.

And once you’ve had your fill of fresh Cornish air, rinsed your sandy toes and sunkissed shoulders, there’s the food to try! With more Michelin stars than you can shake a stick at, foodies are more than

catered for in this unique corner of north Cornwall. Top chefs like Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth, Nathan Outlaw and James Nathan have all adopted the area, inspired by the natural bounty. For a budget friendly option, cool cafes and beach bars abound, and there’s always a beach barbeque or salty fish and chips.

A holiday in north Cornwall demands a slower pace of life, where the morning commute is a gentle stroll across the beach with your beloved pooch, or a short water taxi ride to Port Isaac for a mooch around the galleries and shops. It’s a chance to recapture that elusive family getaway and wind back the clock of time.

If you’re looking for a short break or a family holiday that’s more than memorable, try John Bray Cornish Holidays.

JOHN BRAY CORNISH HOLIDAYS 01208 863206 lettings@johnbray.co.uk www.johnbraycornishholidays.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

n Creel Cottage

é ABOVE Soak in the rugged north Cornish coast from the comfort of your own decking é INSETS Stylish yet comfortable interiors are great for winding down

EXPERIENCE GET IN QUICK! Book your 2018 Cornish Holiday online.

CORNWALL LIVING | 19

| HOME

Quality as standard

We catch up with Alison Dawe to learn more about ten years in the trade for Dawes and Windows.

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éì ABOVE The Dawes and Windows team will ensure you get the perfect finish for your home

awes and Windows is an independent, family-run Cornish business that delivers way beyond its size, helping to improve people’s homes across the south west, with a focus on only using the highest quality products.

As well as beautiful bespoke windows and doors, its service extends to fascias, guttering, roofline, conservatories and porches. So, with the company recently celebrating the milestone of 10 years in business, owner Alison Dawe tells us the key to success.

“My husband Phil and I decided that we could provide a really honest, consumer-based service,” explains Alison. “We wanted to be different; to offer the best quality products on the market without gimmicks, spending the money where it matters on superior materials to create the best possible outcome.” Alison and Phil pride themselves on delivering extremely well designed and professionally installed products, an approach which is justified by the sheer amount of recommends they receive.

“A job will never be rushed,” continues Alison. “Regardless of how big or small, every installation is completed to the same standard.

While we’ve grown to also employ two of our children, Alick and Georgia, keeping the business small and family-run means that we can continue to offer our high standards.

Word gets around and we’ve found that often

customers would rather wait for us to become available than go elsewhere, which is a great compliment! We’re very fortunate to have lovely clients, who understand how we work.”

As Alison tells us, Phil is an absolute perfectionist when it comes to installation.

“He wants to be able to walk away from every customer’s house knowing that he is totally happy with the end result, providing a product that looks as great as it performs. Value for money and a personal service is key; each job is made to measure and individual to the client’s needs.”

As an added reassurance of its commitment to the highest quality, Dawes and Windows offers a full ten-year guarantee on all full installation retail jobs with an insurance backed guarantee, which also covers the initial deposit. So whether upgrading your home with energy efficient A-rated double-glazing, or giving it a face lift with a beautiful new front door, make Dawes and Windows your first port of call.

We’re very fortunate to have lovely clients, who understand how we work

DAWES & WINDOWS LTD

Unit 1 Highlands, Blowinghouse Hill, Redruth TR15 3AG 01209 315700 sales@dawesandwindows.co.uk www.dawesandwindows.co.uk Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 20

WINTER

SALE STARTS

10am Wednesday 3rd January BESPOKE FIRE PLACES

MULTIFUELSTOVES FROM £399

FROM £699 GAS FIRES

FROM £299 25% OFF ACCESSORIES

SALE ENDS

31st

JANUARY

Call: 01872 572 303 Online: www.fireplacecornwall.com Visit: Goonhaven Garden Centre, Newquay Road, Goonhaven, Truro TR4 9QQ

HOME |

your home

TREAT

Rustic House, a fabulous Cornish emporium that’s brimming with homewares, furniture and accessories for all tastes and budgets.

W

ith more than 15 years’ experience in the garden furniture industry, a couple of years ago father and daughter team, Graham and Emily, decided to take a leap into the unknown and begin importing their own range of unique, hand-crafted, rustic indoor furniture. Having converted an old factory building into a new warehouse and showroom space, they opened the doors of Rustic House in July 2015 and since the business has gone from strength to strength.

From small beginnings, Rustic House has listened to its customers’ feedback and continued to adapt and expand its range, which now includes a broad spectrum of reclaimed wood furniture, as well as sofas, rustic wood lighting and unique home accessories.

Emily, who left her career as a coffee buyer only last year, moved back home to Cornwall to help her father grow the business. Her sister Amy also has her own home and garden furniture company, and is about to open a new showroom near Reading, which will feature many of the Rustic House products.

Recently, this family-run operation announced plans to partner with local artists and craftspeople, introducing a Cornish coastal influence to its range, including glassware, ceramics and other accessories.

Graham and Emily will also continue to build relationships with suppliers overseas, who create exclusive furniture pieces just for Rustic House!

Emily insists: “Our focus remains on handmade products with a rustic feel, drawing on the trend for soft, neutral colour schemes with a combination of natural elements and contrasting textures, helping you to create a relaxed, timeless look. We’re constantly updating our display, ensuring there’s something new to see on every visit and helping you find something that’s truly one of a kind for your home. Why not visit our showroom and coffee shop and see for yourself?”

RUSTIC HOUSE

Par Moor Road, Par PL24 2SQ 01726 817567 www.rustichouse.co.uk Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

23 | CORNWALL LIVING

ë ABOVE A fabulous example of Rustic House’s rustic indoor furniture ç LEFT Introduce a natural element to your home’s interior

SECRET SALE For VIP access join our mailing list at iroka.com Subscribe to our mailing list by the 22nd December and you will be emailed the Secret Sale information. No products will be marked in store, so unless you receive the invite, you may miss out!

The Secret Sale is on the 2nd - 13th January 2018

www.iroka.com

01736 757 333

Visit our huge contemporary living showroom in Hayle, Cornwall TR27 5JR

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HOME |

| HOME

t l i u B

TO LAST We visit Three Rivers Furniture, an independent, family-run Cornish business with heart.

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et in the heart of Truro is Three Rivers Furniture – an independent, family owned furniture store displaying a vast range of home furnishing products. On top of supplying quality oak furniture from around the world, as well as other exotic woods such as mango and acacia, the store specialises in English-made pine furniture and mattresses.

In fact, as a result of working closely with its suppliers, more than half the store’s furniture is made in Britain, mostly in the West Country, enabling it to offer multiple-paint finishes, semi-bespoke sizes and a wide range of items that are simply unbeatable in quality. What’s more, the team can deliver locally to the room of your choice, assemble your new purchase and recycle all packaging for you.

Store manager Matthew has been involved in furniture retail for over 30 years and is responsible for sourcing the store’s vast range of products. He explains: “We believe in old-fashioned quality; dovetail drawers, solid drawer bottoms and full assembly.

From modern dining tables to reclaimed pine chests, our furniture is built to last.

“While every item in our showroom can be sold off the floor, we stock many pieces and always have quality mattresses available for quick delivery.”

Matthew is a great advocate of face-to-face advice and, while the website offers a taste of what’s on offer, he encourages clients to visit the store in person to discuss their requirements, adding: “We have customer parking outside, so it couldn’t be easier.”

So, if you’re looking for a new piece of furniture that’s well built, made in Britain and quality checked by a team that knows its trade, pay a visit to the Three Rivers Furniture showroom.

TOP é Three Rivers is truly a family affair RIGHTè The quality of the furniture on offer in the Three Rivers showroom is second to none

THREE RIVERS FURNITURE

96-97 Kenwyn Street, Truro TR1 3BA 01872 271535 www.threeriversfurniture.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

12 | CORNWALL LIVING

WORDS BY

DAN WARDEN

CORNWALL LIVING | 25

Home

20 years T young é ABOVE Perfect your kitchen’s style ê BELOW The beautiful look of Lyndon Oak

As the team over at H Everett Interiors celebrate their 20th anniversary we take a look at what has made them such a roaring success.

26 CORNWALL LIVING

wo decades is an impressive amount of time in any situation, but for a company to say that it has been providing a fantastic service for 20 years with no signs of slowing down; now that is a true achievement! Founded in 1997 by Heath Everett, H Everett Interiors is a company worthy of a china anniversary as the dedication to improving homes at an exceptional level of quality is apparent throughout every installation.

Indeed, the team of professionals, both in the office and the on-site fitters, boast incredible skill and attention to detail and are there to ensure your new kitchen or bedroom is fitted without you having to lift a finger – except maybe to point where you want things!

Of course, pointing might well be a thing of the past when it comes to installing your kitchen. With the use of computer-aided design and drafting (CAD), you can see what your kitchen will look like before making any decisions. This is ideal for those who aren’t sure of what they are after in terms of design as you are able to play around until you discover the combination that works for you.

It is always nice to see products in person though and the team at H Everett Interiors know this. The showroom in St Austell boasts a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and holds a fantastic collection of the latest products from Bosch and Neff, which includes the instantly recognisable slide and hide oven, as featured in The Great British Bake Off. A lot of these displays are full demonstration models

so you can get a real sense of how it will look and feel in your kitchen.

Once you have picked out your fabulous new kitchen you can sit back and relax as the hard part is over – for you at least! The team are on-hand for not only planning and design but also full project management. This means they will take care of small building works, plastering, plumbing, electrical, and even the decorating! Who knew redoing your kitchen could be so hassle-free?

Once your beautiful kitchen is installed you can keep it looking as shiny and new as the first day by going onto the H Everett Interiors website, where you’ll find a comprehensive list of tips and tricks to keep every aspect of your kitchen looking its best.

It isn’t just the 20th anniversary that shows H Everett Interiors to be exceptional, Which? has reapproved its endorsement of this fabulous Cornish company showing its readers that this is a company capable of creating and installing your perfect kitchen.

To celebrate an amazing 20 years, H Everett Interiors has teamed up with some of its suppliers to provide you with 20% off all kitchen and bedroom furniture, including all Bosch and Neff appliances, throughout May. If ever there was a time to create your dream kitchen it would be now! Just get in touch with the friendly team at H Everett Interiors and begin your journey to a stunning new kitchen or bedroom.

H EVERETT INTERIORS

Bucklers Lane, Holmbush, St Austell PL25 3JN 01726 70910 www.heverettinteriors.co.uk Find out more online: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

é INSET It’s not all about the kitchen; the range of bedrooms is equally impressive

“Once your beautiful kitchen is installed you can keep it looking as shiny and new as the first day”

CORNWALL LIVING 27

LIFESTYLE |

success A RECIPE FOR

The perfect flooring solution used by Cornwall’s finest chefs in the county’s top professional kitchens.

W

e’ve long been fans of the amazing resin-bound drives from Oltco, which not only look fantastic but are incredibly low-maintenance too – a guaranteed way to become the envy of all your neighbours. What I didn’t know much about, however, until recently, was how this technology is being applied in some of the top kitchens, not just throughout Cornwall but worldwide. In fact, it turns out that in the professional catering industry, resin is the fastest growing industrial product on the market, a craze imported from the US, where it has already taken the nation by storm.

The traditional system used on professional kitchen floors is vinyl, which will easily split or warp, for example, if a knife or hot pan is

28 | CORNWALL LIVING

dropped – something that happens a lot in some kitchens! – which then allows water to get underneath the flooring and lift it up.

Equally, vinyl is much more susceptible to changes in temperature, causing cracking and stretching – again, not ideal in a kitchen environment. By its nature, it also has seams which – you’ve guessed it – are another potential source of weakness.

Resin flooring, on the contrary, is much more practical, easy to clean and hygienic, with a surface that helps to repel bacteria.

What’s more it’s seamless and anti-slip, making it perfect for the commercial kitchen. Indeed, it’s so good that it caught the eye of acclaimed chef Paul Ainsworth, who has utilised it in the kitchen of his celebrated No 6 restaurant in Padstow.

ì MAIN è RIGHT

Paul Ainsworth chose an Oltco floor for his state-of-the-art kitchen at No 6 in Padstow ë INSET

Artisan bakery Pavilion recently opened its doors in Newquay

WORDS BY

FELIX ROWE

Chris Hewitt

| LIFESTYLE

ì INSET

Two of Newquay’s best spots for admiring the ocean get the Oltco treatment: the balcony at Hotel California, and the terrace of Lewinnick Lodge

Being well-respected for using the finest, locally-sourced ingredients in his cooking, and being meticulous in his preparation, it’s only logical that Paul would apply the same ethos to his kitchen and tools – a state-of-the-art setup, befitting his Michelin star, in which to cook up his latest culinary masterpieces.

Sure, choice of flooring is not exactly the most exciting part of a chef’s job, but as with all things you start with the foundations and then build upwards!

We caught up with Paul, to get his thoughts.

“A kitchen is a high-pressure environment, a constant hive of activity – everything needs to perform at its very best, from the chefs themselves to the floor they walk on. Our sleek new resin flooring from Oltco is the ultimate finishing touch.”

Paul is not the only star in catering to fall for Oltco’s charms. Pavilion, an artisan

bakery that has already proved a roaring success across London, is bringing its delicious Sri Lankan-inspired sourdough breads and fresh coffee to Newquay.

Look out for the fantastic new bakery, the entrance of which features Oltco’s stunning resin polyurethane screed flooring.

So, here’s some food for thought: the next time you head to your favourite restaurant or café, tucking into the catch of the day, just remember that the quality local produce and Cornish craftsmanship behind the experience may not be exclusively limited to what is served on your plate.

OLTCO LTD

64 Tower Road, Newquay TR7 1LY 01637 839000 info@oltco.co.uk www.oltco.co.uk

DISCOVER MORE Do you have a project that could benefit from the Oltco treatment? Whether for the home, a holiday let, café or other business, see how the team can transform any space.

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 29

HOME |

g n i l ee f m r A wa INSIDE If you’ve a burning desire to improve the way you heat your home, Eden Hearth and Home has the solution for you.

H

ere in Cornwall, where many properties are ‘off the grid’, choosing a heating system for your home can be a difficult decision, with many factors to consider. I speak with the team at Eden Hearth and Home, who make it immediately clear that, when it comes to heating your home, electricity is the fuel of the future.

Walking around the showroom in Goonhavern, there’s a huge range of electric heating solutions to choose from – so many, I don’t know where to start – from those ideal for a conservatory, right the way through to smart systems that, once connected to your WiFi, allow you to control your heating remotely. This means that if you’re at work and the temperature’s set to drop, you can be sure that the house is nice and cosy before you even cross the threshold!

This sounds great, so I ask the team what the real benefits of electric heating are.

They explain that, firstly, it’s quick and easy to install, with minimal disruption and no

30 | CORNWALL LIVING

ë MAIN The chic and subtle Vanguard electric radiator ç LEFT Add some hearth to your home

WORDS BY

DAN WARDEN

| HOME

unsightly pipe work. Secondly, they tell me, many people automatically think of inefficient storage or convection heaters, which they assure me, the range available at Eden is streets ahead of. Sounds good to me!

Company owners Tracy and Tony tell me how they’ve seen a huge rise in demand for electric heating systems, to replace out-dated and inefficient storage heaters, over the last two decades. Indeed, there isn’t a question about electric heating that they can’t answer, a statement that also goes for their team of installers.

Made up of industry professionals who know their trade inside out, the Eden team begin by carrying out a full survey of your property, identifying which solution is best suited to your unique requirements.

Once that’s out the way and you’ve settled on which new system to go for, they can even offer a full fitting service, meaning that every step of the process is neatly and efficiently taken care of for you. The best part is it’s all fully backed by their warranty and product

guarantee! It’s clear then that Eden Hearth and Home is a one-stop shop for all your modern heating needs; but it’s so much more than that. Perhaps, for example, you fancy something a little more traditional. If so, the team specialises in bespoke natural stone and marble fire surrounds, cutting and crafting them to your exact specification.

They’ll also carry out any building work required, from plastering and electrics, to gas fitting and chimney sweeping, going the extra mile to ensure that both you and your home are left feeling warm inside. So, get yourself to Goonhavern and take a look – you never know, it may spark your next home project!

ë ABOVE

Eden Hearth and Home offers a wide range of heating solutions, from open fires and log burners to gas fires and electric radiators

EDEN HEARTH AND HOME Goonhavern Garden Centre, Newquay Road TR4 9QQ 01872 572303 www.fireplacecornwall.com edenhearthandhome

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 31

HOME |

A FLOOR

e r o d a to Transform your home with help from St Austell’s First For Floors.

H "

Customer satisfaction is our number one priority

"

STUART DAWES

32 | CORNWALL LIVING

ere at Cornwall Living, we’re forever noting how a new floor can completely transform a living space, perhaps giving a once tired area a new lease of life. Over the last decade, the flooring industry has innovated hugely, with ever more choices now available, each providing its own unique benefits, depending on the required use and amount of traffic it’s likely to encounter. Whether, a holiday let, the family sitting room, a bedroom or a chic new kitchen – and whatever your budget – there is the perfect option there for you.

The problem, then, is how you make sense of all the options available. This is where the experts come in. First For Floors is an independent, family-run company based in St Austell, established in 2013 with over a decade’s worth of experience in selecting and fitting flooring. We catch up with Stuart Dawes, General Manager of this young, enthusiastic, growing business, who tells us: “Our aim is to offer a first class service at the best possible price while maintaining the quality you would expect. We cover the whole of Cornwall with a wide range of domestic and commercial products all of which can be viewed in our new showroom.

From bedrooms to boardrooms, lounges to lawns, we’ll leave you with a floor your sure to adore.”

First For Floors supplies all the respected brands such as Karndean, Amtico, Polyflor, Altro, Kersaint Cobb, Lifestyle, Quick-Step and Woodpecker. What’s more there’s a huge range of products including wool carpets, sisal, LVT, engineered wood, laminate, vinyls, resin and 3D floors. Stuart and the team are on-hand to advise you on the options and arrange the fitting.

To ensure the perfect fit and quality, the company only uses its own trusted fitters and all work is guaranteed. “Customer satisfaction is our number one priority,” continues Stuart, “If there’s a problem, just let us know and we’ll do whatever we can to fix it.” So if it’s time to give your home’s flooring a refresh, it might be wise to pop over to the First For Floors showroom.

FIRST FOR FLOORS

82 Stennack Road, Holmbush Industrial Estate, St Austell PL25 3JQ 01726 829836 info@firstforfloors.com www.firstforfloors.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

ë ABOVE é INSET

It’s not just a floor, it’s a style statement ê BELOW First For Floors has an extensive range of flooring to choose from

HOME |

Feel good

FLOORING Alfords Carpets & Flooring offers a fantastic array of flooring as well as the comfort of a family-run business.

ABOVE é RIGHT ì Recent years have seen the return of bold statement patterns on floors

33 | CORNWALL LIVING

S

omething that’s often overlooked when it comes to home interior projects is the flooring, yet it really can make or break your dream home. Enter Alfords Carpets & Flooring in Helston, run by husband and wife team Mark and Melanie Alford. Melanie explains how exactly this local company has become synonymous with top-quality floors: “Being run by a carpet and flooring installer, we have the ability to guarantee that our flooring will last, as well as assess and solve any potential subfloor works at the time of measuring.”

This is crucial – through years of experience in the industry, Mark understands that even the highest-quality flooring simply won’t last for long if you don’t have the correct subfloor preparation and installation. It’s this level of understanding that makes the all-inclusive Alfords service one that customers return for, time and time again.

Inside the store, there’s a fantastic range of flooring to peruse, including a whole host of top brands. Two that particularly stand out are recent additions to the showroom – Amtico and Harvey Maria. Options from these ranges are absolutely stunning – so much so that, with the right care and attention, they could easily become a central design feature to any home project. We ask Melanie how they tackle the competition of other floor providers.

“We may not have the largest showroom, but it’s the most comprehensive and full of brands you can trust. We specialise in bringing flooring and carpets to our clients that are different, new and exciting.

Simply put, we are flooring specialists who offer a complete package; everything is available under one roof, with no subcontracting.”

On modern trends and keeping a finger on the pulse, she informs us that flooring is no longer limited to beige carpets and vinyl. Instead, she says, “flooring tastes are becoming more vibrant and people are willing to take the plunge with exciting textures, patterns and materials. We’re here to guide them through these decisions – it can often be tempting to play it super safe, but with a little guidance and instilment of confidence, we’ve seen some astounding home projects come to life.”

So, if you want to realise your dream interior from the floor up, perhaps the Alfords Carpets & Flooring showroom would be a good place to start.

ALFORDS CARPETS & FLOORING

Unit A, St Johns Business Park, Penzance Road, Helston TR13 8HN 01326 564860 www.alfordsflooring.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

| HOME

d e s i n r e d o m A TRADITION Bringing traditional sash windows into the 21st century is the Bygone range, at Helston-based Collington and Co.

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ased on Water-Ma-Trout industrial estate in Helston, Collington & Co operate in Cornwall, installing a whole range of conservatories including Georgian and Victorian, as well as double glazing and replacement windows and doors in all different styles.

Recently, the team proudly announced the inclusion of the Bygone range – a collection of high end, timber effect, sliding sash windows.

Bygone windows are the ideal replacement for your original box sash windows. They combine the low-maintenance and energy efficiency of modern materials with the classic aesthetics and traditional design features of timber.

But what makes Bygone stand out from other ranges? Firstly, the attention to detail in this collection is truly exceptional and what’s more, they are so authentic that the windows have been specified and approved in conservation areas nationwide, where maintaining traditional aesthetics is crucial.

For hundreds of years, traditional sliding sash windows have been a feature of period properties, but they can be high maintenance, draughty, difficult to clean and very inefficient. The Bygone Collection – designed to create an authentic reproduction of the traditional sash window, but made with modern materials – is perfect for proud owners of period properties, enabling them to retain their home’s special charm while bypassing many of the previous challenges.

Collington and Co are exclusive stockists of the Bygone Collections in Cornwall, joining the national network of premier partners, a partnership based on shared values; quality, honesty and products that are built to last.

Every window is made bespoke for individual clients, ensuring the windows are a perfect fit and suited to each customer’s personal preferences. The Bygone range includes the Symphony, Harmony and Melody collection, each offering a huge variety of features, including: wood foil finish, bespoke furniture in a wide range of colour and timber style butt joints, as well as displaying modern performance, being energy efficient and

Secured by Design approved. They’re also incredibly low maintenance, with a tilt-in facility that allows for easy cleaning.

Indeed, what the team says is true: You won’t believe it’s not timber!

COLLINGTON AND CO

16 Water-Ma-Trout, Helston TR13 0LW 01326 572599 www.collingtons.com

é ABOVE

Traditional sash windows beautifully complement a modern interior ë INSET

No longer do you need to worry about draughty, difficult-tomaintain windows!

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 34

New range of hardwood shutters for 2018.

More colours, great prices measured & fitted by our skilled craftsmen.

01736 752397 SHOWROOM 13 -14 Marsh Lane Retail Park Marsh Lane, Hayle Cornwall, TR27 5JR www.westcountryblinds.co.uk info@westcountryblinds.co.uk

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HOME |

warmer WINTER

Get your house ready for winter with the perfect heating solution from Eden Hearth & Home.

W

ith winter fast approaching, your thoughts have likely turned to making your home nice and cosy for the coming season. With so many heating solutions to choose from, it’s important to get it right the first time and a focal point in your living area is a great place to start. There are plenty of different products to choose from, but when all this information is placed in front of your eyes like a kaleidoscope, it can be confusing trying to figure out the best option for you.

The team at Eden Hearth & Home recommends starting with a few basics. If your home is well insulated, you may only need a focal point in the room to make it feel cosy. In this case, electric heating is fantastic and now that most electric fires have highenergy ratings, it’s not as costly as you might think. It’s also a wonderful solution for homes that don’t have a gas supply. At Eden Hearth & Home, there’s a wide range of electric fires on display, so there’s no need for you to feel limited or compromised when it comes to style or design. Perhaps you prefer the cosy feel of a gas fire? If so, there are plenty of options, with Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) models available for homes without a natural gas supply. There are even gas fires suitable for homes without a chimney! The beauty of a living flame gas fire is that it’s an instant heat

36 | CORNWALL LIVING

ë MAIN ç LEFT

Get your home ready for winter with a cosy woodburning stove

WORDS BY

DAN WARDEN

| HOME

source, with a realistic flame effect giving a cosy feeling to any room in the house.

If you’re still unsure, why not ask the experts at Eden Hearth & Home? Both Tony and Tracy have years of experience in the heating and fireplace industry, and they’re always happy to give you as much information as you need to make the right decision. They offer a complete service, from survey to installation, and have qualified tradesmen ready to carry out a whole range of work, from relining your chimney and plastering, to electrics and chimney sweeping.

Eden also creates bespoke fireplaces so, if you’re looking for something that’s unique and tailor made to you, you’re well set. The company specialises in handmade fireplaces, with an array of materials to choose from.

They use natural products such as limestone, travertine, riven slate and, of course, granite to produce a truly bespoke fireplace, as

well as over 16 colours of marble, enough to suit any décor! Tracy tells me they have more than 50 designs to choose from! She says: “Each can be tailor-made to suit each customer, so if you need a special size or don’t want to replace your existing carpet, it can be sized to your exact requirements.

Plus, all the fireplaces in our range can be made to suit any type of fire, be it gas, electric or solid fuel.”

Got your own design? If so, take your measurements to the showroom and, if the team can make it, they will!

Whether you’re already set on getting your home winter-ready or are still in two minds, Eden Hearth & Home’s large showroom in Goonhavern has such a comprehensive range of fireplaces on display – including electric, gas and solid fuel fires – that you’re bound to find the inspiration you’re looking for. Every aspect of home heating is covered here, so be sure to pop in and have a look at what the team can offer you.

ë ABOVE

Eden Hearth & Home offers a wide range of heating solutions, from open fires and log burners to gas fires and electric radiators

EDEN HEARTH AND HOME Goonhavern Garden Centre, Newquay Road TR4 9QQ 01872 572003 info@fireplacecornwall.com www.fireplacecornwall.com

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 37

| HOME

A

light

TOUCH

Perfect your living space with exclusive designer lighting and furniture from Stylehome.

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ABOVE ì RIGHT è BELOW î Stylehome stocks an impressive range of contemporary designer lighting, including many that you won’t find anywhere else in Cornwall

ike all aspects of great interior design, lighting has two key functions – first and foremost, it has to perform.

Secondly, and equally importantly, it acts to inject style into your home.

Getting the lighting right is crucial in any project, no matter how big or small the space – it plays a fundamental role in creating atmosphere and ambience; in shaping our moods and how we feel. While natural light is great, it can sometime be in short supply or at the liberty of the weather. So, achieving the right balance of light, with the right fittings to enhance the design scheme, can make or break a room.

As the team at Truro’s interior design service and showroom, Stylehome, realise, there is a real knack to it. That is why they have worked tirelessly to bring together a range that combines style and function, as Managing Director Mark Mitchell explains.

“We have ranges that you cannot find anywhere else in Cornwall,” says Mark, “and we only deal with quality manufacturers.”

Stylehome can give invaluable advice on lighting layouts and planning for all eventualities and requirements, including those that may not become apparent until later in the project.

“Come and see the large display in our showroom in situ, to complement the thousands of additional models available to order on quick lead times. We have studio displays showcasing dedicated ranges of locally designed and manufactured lighting, including those of Tom Raffield, handcrafted right here in Cornwall.” Discover lighting trends which reflect your style and enhance every aspect of your home décor. From contemporary light-fittings to eye-catching lampshades, the Stylehome studio features a wide range of high quality lighting solutions to illuminate your home.

As well as lighting, Stylehome also offers exclusive ranges of quality furniture, flooring, fabrics and window dressings, all supplied with the highest level of service and expertise. So whether you are looking for a single statement piece, or an entire project design, the team at Stylehome can help you realise your dream.

STYLEHOME

Unit 14, Threemilestone Industrial Estate, Threemilestone, Truro TR4 9LD 01872 560550 info@stylehome.co.uk www.stylehome.co.uk Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 38

All images courtesy of: DeeGee Photography

Home Show Guide

Polished and

pristine

Using only the best materials and focussing on one job at a time, Duke Stone always delivers a service that’s second to none. éMAIN Add a touch of class with beautiful, polished marble floors è RIGHT Ideal for any room and any style

D

uke Stone of Cornwall, the small, professional and friendly team based on the Lizard peninsula, is made up of experienced stonemasons, specialising in the design and manufacture of natural stone products for any domestic or commercial setting. The team takes pride in its work, paying meticulous attention to detail and displaying great skill in meeting each customer’s individual requirements, however large or small.

In Cornwall, there’s a great demand for work surfaces made of granite and other hardwearing materials. Fortunately, Duke Stone has built a reputation for working with an extensive range of colours and finishes in granite, marble, limestone and quartz, always getting the results you want in a cost effective way.

Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just worktops that Duke Stone of Cornwall supplies. Recently, the team completed a luxuriously high-end Crema Marfil tile project for a local customer.

Duke Stone specially sourced and checked the Crema Marfil marble block in Spain to ensure it was first quality material, before it was manufactured into tiles and shipped direct to Cornwall. The tiles were then fitted

by their experienced tile fitting team.The result is a floor that’s both well polished and premium, oozing quality and seamlessness from every inch.

What we love about Duke Stone is the team don’t spread their resources; rather they only ever undertake one tiling project at a time, using a small and very experienced team to ensure that the highest standards are met and a first class service is given.

What’s more, the Duke Stone workshop is always ready to respond quickly to the team working on site, producing radius cuts and polished edges, meaning each project is finished with only the finest looking tiles and with no unsightly beading.

So, if you’re looking to change the way your floor makes your home feel, or you’d like to upgrade your kitchen with only the finest materials and service, get in touch with the Duke Stone team.

DUKE STONE OF CORNWALL

Units 7a and 19, Rural Workshops, Higher Bochym, Cury Cross Lanes, Helston TR12 7AZ 01326 241111 www.dukestoneofcornwall.co.uk Find out more online: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING 39

COVER FEATURE |

Paola Leather

David Griffen

n Skinner’s Head Brewer,

n Wine tasting

at Polgoon

40 | CORNWALL LIVING

"

a glass RAISE

Celebrating the thirst quenching drink producers across Cornwall, from distilleries and breweries, to vineyards and orchards.

C

ornwall is a cup-half-full type of place.

We love the idea of inspiring, creative individuals, independently tinkering away across the Duchy, from artists and writers to technology entrepreneurs. To this list we can add drinks producers – alchemists, expertly honing their craft to produce liquid gold. Delve a little deeper, you discover a refreshingly wide range of producers, from one-man-in-a-shed homebrews to internationally acclaimed ciders, and wines with the royal seal of approval. In fact Cornwall has the largest amount of breweries per capita in the country. Or, in other words, you’re never too far from a decent, local brew!

One thread that seems to run throughout is a genuine passion for their craft, coupled with a desire to promote the south west’s phenomenal produce – proof that Cornwall can compete very confidently on the world stage. Another key focus is family, with skills, secret recipes and knowledge passing down from one generation to the next.

Now, all in the name of authenticity – in order to fully translate the sensory experience to the page – it was deemed necessary to carry out some primary research for this article at various breweries, vineyards, distilleries and cider orchards across Cornwall. As usual, we must stress that with so many wonderful producers out there, we couldn’t possibly cover them all… despite our best efforts! So we’ve just given a flavour of the immense offering. We implore you to embark on an adventure of your own.

CORNWALL LIVING | 41

ç LEFT

Polgoon’s special edition 2016 Bacchus, with label painted by artist Paul Lewin

Vineyards

We’re ever lauding Cornwall’s unique microclimate, but the proof really is in the produce. Our milder climate makes Cornwall one of the best places in the UK for growing grapes. A perfect example of this is POLGOON VINEYARD & ORCHARD set in a beautiful position in a sheltered bowl on the outskirts of Penzance, protected from the prevailing winds (www.polgoon.com). Polgoon is a producer of award-winning artisan wines, ciders and juices, with family at its heart.

Indeed take a tour around the vineyard and you’re bound to bump into at least one family member somewhere! Mandy Milano visits the onsite café, The Vine House Kitchen, to meet owner Kim Coulson and her daughter, Emma, for a chat, over an exquisite crab sandwich (served by another daughter Millie).

“We have six children,” explains Kim, “who have all worked there in various jobs over the years. Everyone gets stuck in! We started with just the sticks in the ground, learning along the way and gradually growing the vineyard and business to where it is now, with 13 permanent staff throughout year rising to 19 in summer and picking season. Bob Lindo of Camel Valley was very generous and helpful when we were starting out.”

42 | CORNWALL LIVING

The family and their team will be picking and making wine over the next few months.

Polgoon is just releasing its 2016 Bacchus now, along with its 2014 sparklings. Mandy is keen to discover Kim’s favourite bottle.

“The Pinot noir sparkling rosé. Everyone loves a pink sparkly, it’s delicious!” Emma’s favourite wine, meanwhile is the Seyval blanc sparkling white. “Pink is a more traditional style bubbly,” explains Emma, “but the Seyval is unique and more contemporary.”

“It’s dry and delicious!” adds Mandy.

As well as traditional wines, Polgoon produces sparkling elderflower and raspberry wines, ciders, and non-alcoholic juices, presses and fizzy soft drinks.

Another to put on your list is the familyrun BOSUE VINEYARD in St Ewe in south Cornwall, near the Lost Gardens of Heligan (www.bosuevineyard.co.uk). Owner Paul Sibley tells us: “We produce an award-winning

é ABOVE

A vineyard tour at Polgoon, on the outskirts of Penzance

David Griffen

David Griffen

| COVER FEATURE

é ABOVE

Bosue Vineyard in St Ewe, near St Austell

range of still and sparkling wines, all made with our own grapes. We are tending to focus on the sparkling wines as the Cornish climate seems to impart a special flavour to the grapes which is reflected in the wine. These sparkling white and rosé wines are fantastic for a Cornish wedding, celebration or that special Cornish Christmas.”

Paul’s favourite? “It has to be the white sparkling as I have fond memories of serving this at our daughter’s wedding. She had been closely involved in planting and looking after the vines, as well as picking the grapes and making the wine.”

If venturing to the Isles of Scilly, there’s plenty more to enjoy, including HOLY VALE WINES on St Mary’s (www.holyvalewines.co.uk). Originally wine merchants, stocking wines from across the globe, from 2009 the team managed to acquire (in their own words “beg, steal or borrow”) pockets of land across the island to grow their own grapes and produce their own wine. Its very first vintage for sale is a 2014.

Another to note is ST MARTIN’S VINEYARD, lovingly run by Val and Graham Thomas (www.stmartinsvineyard.co.uk). This vineyard began in 1996 with the planting of just 30 vines, growing to over 2000 vines of 11 different varieties, across four acres.

Production is at the liberty of the elements, with 2014 being a particularly good year. We recommend a tour on your next visit.

é TOP RIGHT

Distilleries

é INSET

Curio’s Rock Samphire Gin

Curio’s Cornish Cup

In more recent years, Cornwall’s profile has been rising dramatically as a producer of spirits, with several key players reaching a larger national and international audience.

CURIO SPIRITS COMPANY is one of the main trailblazers in this field (www.curiospiritscompany.co.uk). Based near Mullion on the Lizard, this company uses Cornish spring water, and fragrant botanicals to create thirst-quenching gin, distilled four times, and infused with rock samphire, foraged by hand on the surrounding cliffs.

It also produces two vodkas – one infused with cardamom, the other with Peruvian cocoa nibs – and its very own ‘Cornish Cup’, a blend of Curio gin and botanicals, including tea blends, to create a refreshing drink to go with lemonade or ginger beer.

The bottles themselves are things of real beauty, as warm and welcoming as the contents they hold.

p

DISCOVER MORE Why not try out a delicious gin tasting experience at An Mor, a delightful boutique hotel in Bude? For all the details visit www.anmorhotel.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 43

Breweries

Win!

For a chance to win a mixed crate of Skinner’s ale and a special beer tasting kit, turn to page 69.

é TOP

Penny Come Quick, a surprisingly light and drinkable milk stout é ABOVE

Verdant Brewing Co. in Falmouth ç LEFT

Association India Pale Ale from Ales of Scilly

44 | CORNWALL LIVING

Craft beer has a real depth of flavour that you won’t find in typical, mass-produced beers and lagers. As we discover on a visit to SKINNER’S BREWERY, there’s a lot to brewing beer... a bit of chemistry and art, skilfully blended together (www.skinnerbrewery.com).

Steve Skinner and his family were lured to Cornwall, largely by the surf (son Ben is a pro-surfer and they named their recent pale ale Porthleven after the iconic surf break). A genuine trailblazer, Steve was ahead of the curve, foreseeing the rise of craft beers and, in particular, modern pale and golden ales. 20 years on, business is booming, achieving both national and international acclaim.

Yet it remains a real family business to this day. Daughter Louise is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the beer, brewing process, and ingredients used – how different variations of hops and grain create unique flavours and intensities. For many a brewery (much like bakers), its yeast is a key part of its identity, integral in maintaining consistency of taste, character and quality.

Like his beers, Steve is larger than life, and his mischievous touch runs through Skinner’s entire ethos. But when it comes to beer, it’s serious business and they are clearly devoted to their craft. The walls, laden with certificates and awards, are testament to this.

They are proud to stick largely to traditional, ages-old methods and equipment, and this heritage makes its way into the beer. As Steve tells me, while the demand is there, he’s keen not to lose what made Skinner’s so special in the first place. “It’s important never to forget where we came from.”

Steve’s favourite tipple? “I’ll always have a soft spot for Cornish Knocker, being our first – at the time a very modern beer. But it has to be Lushingtons. It’s slightly drier, and my palate is moving towards drier and hoppier beers.

Hoppy beers are the growing trend.”

Steve praises the talents of the wider Cornish brewing community. “We’re naturally creative down here. There are lots of great brewers in Cornwall.” And Skinner’s Head Brewer, Paola Leather, is proof that beer production needn’t be restricted by out-moded gender stereotypes. Another brewery with a strong female lead is ALES OF SCILLY on St Mary’s, now led by Head Brewer Jen Trevithick (www.alesofscilly.co.uk). This fine microbrewery has been servicing the West Country with quality craft ales for over 15 years.

If you really like your beer to pack a punch, you have to sample the output of Falmouth’s Verdant Brewing, producer of Americanstyle hazy, hoppy beers with a powerful fruity kick (www.verdantbrewing.co). Making waves across the country, Verdant recently won an international ‘Best New Brewer’ award from the American website RateBeer.com, an incredible feat for this pioneering brewery.

p

roaming cider press

n The distinctive Devon Crimson Queen apple

Orchards and cider makers

The West Country has a strong and widely recognised heritage of cider making. But as we discovered from Barrie Gibson at Fowey Valley Cider, ‘Champagne’ style sparkling wine (and cider) actually has its origins in the West Country, in the early 17th century, long before a certain Dom Pérignon came on the scene.

Bottled wine, imported from France, would continue fermenting in the bottle back in England, creating a fizz when opened. While this fizz was temperamental, it was discovered (on this side of the channel) that adding a little sugar helped the second fermentation, ensuring a consistent fizz.

From 1615, burning coal to produce glass instead of charcoal (when oak was required by James I for building warships), enabled stronger, thicker bottles, less prone to exploding under pressure – tellingly known as the ‘Verre Anglais’. This glass production was patented by Sir Robert Mansell, one-time MP for Lostwithiel. Fowey Valley Cider is famed for its Champagne style sparkling ciders (www.foweyvalleycider.co.uk). As Barrie tells us, the Fowey valley was once laden with orchards and he is proud to continue the tradition of cider making in this beautiful part of the world, gaining acclaim for his deliciously crisp ciders and cider products, including vinegar.

Run by David and Kate Berwick, ST IVES CIDER is a small company that packs a huge flavour (www.stivescider.co.uk). In fact, hot off the press, we’re delighted to learn that St Ives Cider has just won an extremely prestigious international award for its ground-breaking cider at the recent World Cider Awards. Congratulations to David and Kate for this phenomenal achievement – we’ll certainly drink to that!

n David Berwick of St Ives Cider

www.cornwall-living.co.uk/subscribe

Head over to our Vimeo page now for a fascinating video from Fowey Valley Cider. www.vimeo.com/cornwallliving

Situated in the scenic Allen valley, near St Mabyn on the outskirts of Wadebridge, you’ll find HAYWOOD FARM CIDER, the creation of Tom Bray (www.haywoodfarmcider.co.uk). Cider making is truly in Tom’s blood, as is clear from the ancient granite cider press on the grounds.

Westnorth Manor Farm, on the south coast, is home to CORNISH ORCHARDS, a venture started by Andy Atkinson, keen to restore traditional orchards and create an environment for wildlife to thrive (www.cornishorchards.co.uk).

As well as ciders, they produce tasty ginger beer, juices and softdrinks.

We really have only just scratched the surface of the staggeringly vast array of drinks producers here in Cornwall. In shining a spotlight on just a few of them, we hope to inspire you to make a few discoveries of your own – cheers!

DISCOVER MORE

n Barrie Gibson of Fowey Valley Cider

For all that’s featured in this month’s Cornwall Living and more, head to our website. Fancy being one of the first to receive updates? Well, you can by subscribing to our newsletter at...

Stock up your drinks cabinet at Mr Small’s Cornish Taphouse, Par, stocking an impressive range of Cornish ales, lagers, ciders and wines.

For more details visit www.mrsmalls.co.uk

Every month, Cornwall Living offers a range of wonderful prizes to be won, from luxury spa breaks and weekend escapes, to gift vouchers to spend in one of your favourite Cornish shops. So, for a chance to win one of the latest prizes, head over to our competitions page online.

Enter now at www.cornwall-living.co.uk terms & conditions apply

Courtesy of Anna Photography www.anna-photography.co.uk

n St Ives Cider’s

Enter now at

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CORNWALL LIVING | 45 CORNWALL LIVING | 45

COVER FEATURE |

Coastal

COUTURE

We explore the fashion revolution that is happening right here in Cornwall.

Y n Hooded

Toscana Coat with Fair Isle Funnel Neck Jumper

ou don’t have to peruse the trendy boutiques of Carnaby Street or follow the catwalks of Milan to experience the latest trends in fashion. Deep in the heart of the south west, there’s a silent revolution going on, with a string of top brands cropping up over the last generation that have well and truly put Cornwall on the map. For the clothing companies that have made Cornwall their home, the county has become ingrained

46 | CORNWALL LIVING

in their very fabric. Whether designed or manufactured here in Cornwall, their Autumn Winter 2017 collections are inspired by coastal and country living.

Many have built an ethos and identity born from their waterside locations and Cornwall’s unique climate; whether that be its warm summers, wild and wet winters or cold water surf. All have produced collections that are ultimately wearable, durable and stylish.

| COVER FEATURE CELTIC & CO

It’s clear that Cornwall not only has its own climate but also its own wardrobe. Many of us are shedding the Monday to Friday suit in favour of clothes that are more relaxed and this is being reflected by many of the clothing brands in Cornwall, not least at Celtic & Co in Newquay. Steering away from the corporate, city feel is a key aim for the company that makes fabulous boots and clothing in the north coast surf town. The company was originally called UGG, which the owner Nick Whitworth sold to the Australian UGG boot company in a savvy move. Nick says that the footwear and clothes they make reflect the relaxed lifestyle. “It’s about making clothes that you can take the kids for a walk on the beach or Bodmin Moor in.” Their range is all about statement pieces that can be accessorised in different ways to be worn year after year.

Their orginal, iconic, British-made boots and slippers, which are still handcrafted in the factory in Newquay from finest British sheepskin, have been joined by a range of knitwear, luxurious outerwear and soft home furnishings. The new season’s range, inspired by the Cornish landscape, has a colour palette of neutral, wearable tones and includes gorgeous, chunky and fine knit jumpers that will envelope you in extra fine baby-merino wool. Team one of these with a pair of their stretch leather leggings and a to-die-for sheepskin coat and you have an outfit that’s both stylish and practical.

Celtic fans include Pippa Middleton and Kate Humble and myself – my own boots, proudly bearing the original UGG label, are still going strong some 25 years on, testament to the quality of the sheepskin and the workmanship of Celtic and Co’s talented manufacturing team.

WWW.CELTICANDCO.COM

ç MAIN

Yeti Gilet with Merino Roll Neck í BELOW

Toscana Gilet, Slouchy Fine Knit Roll Neck Jumper and Toscana Boots

It’s about making clothes that you can take the kids for a walk on the beach or Bodmin Moor in

CORNWALL LIVING | 47

COVER FEATURE | SEASALT

ì RIGHT

Stylish separates in earthy colours ê BELOW

One of the new prints for autumn

From humble beginnings this iconic Cornish brand has become a staple when it comes to coastal fashion. Don Chadwick and his family used to come to Cornwall in the 1970s on holiday, staying in a local bed and breakfast next to the St Ives School of Painting. One wet August day in 1981 the Chadwick family were shopping for waterproof jackets at a little shop in Adelaide Street, Penzance, and ended up buying the business from the owner, Mrs Strutt! I can remember as a child, long before outdoor clothes became trendy on the high street, that this was the go to shop for warm clothes and woolly socks.

The company has come a long way from just selling waterproofs but the family is still very much a part of the everyday running of the business. Seasalt now creates beautiful and useful women’s clothing, footwear and accessories that reflect a life by the sea. Their clothes speak of their landscape, people and heritage of Cornwall; it’s what makes them different. Seasalt’s design studio, led by Sophie Chadwick, overlooks Falmouth bay and St Anthony's lighthouse and their small design team delight us each season with an array of beautiful new prints inspired

by Cornwall.

Each Seasalt print is unique: “Living in Cornwall, we’re inspired every day. The flora and fauna found all around Cornwall provide a constant source of inspiration – you’ll often find pretty foliage, anemones, leaves and seed heads within our prints.

With our design studio overlooking the bay, we also find ourselves constantly sketching the sailing boats, and the Falmouth Working Boats racing, with their distinctive, brightly coloured topsails, are a wonderful sight,” explains Sophie. The new collection is awash with bold print dresses for autumn, nautical Breton stripes and stylish waterproof coats.

Always stylish and infinitely practical, Seasalt clothing has long since been a staple of my own wardrobe.

WWW.SEASALTCORNWALL.CO.UK

48 | CORNWALL LIVING

n Millpool Tunic

| COVER FEATURE

FINISTERRE

Rooted in the coastal village of St Agnes, with offices overlooking the ocean, Finisterre’s clothing range has a real focus on lifestyle, sustainability and a respect for environment.

Born from a love of cold-water surfing, the Finisterre brand has grown a huge reputation for the quality and style of its product as well being an ethical and sustainable brand that researches its fabrics and supply chains, only working with suppliers who share the same beliefs. Founder, Tom Kay is passionate about the beliefs that make the Finisterre brand so special. It all began in Tom’s bedroom in St Agnes developing product that suited the reality of cold-water surfing. Anyone who surfs Cornwall all year round knows the commitment needed to brave the elements, waiting for conditions to change on windy, wet clifftops, and so Tom set about creating a range of wind and waterproof jackets, insulation layers and chunky knits.

With retail outlets in both St Agnes and Falmouth, a store in Bristol and a flagship store in London, Finisterre has become an essential part of the wardrobe of lovers of the outdoors, style seekers and those who want their clothing to be both practical yet stylish.

The autumn collection includes the softest knits in autumnal colours, a new and

improved Nimbus jacket made from recycled fabric alongside some great merino wool base layers. Finisterre also launched a collection in collaboration with the RNLI. Combining the company’s three commitments to product, environment and people the clothes are designed to take on the elements while supporting the work of the RNLI – of which Tom has been a part for 15 years.

WWW.FINISTERRE.COM

é MAIN

The Nimbus jacket is a must-have addition to any Cornish wardrobe ê BELOW

Part of the new RNLI collection from Finisterre

CORNWALL LIVING | 49

COVER FEATURE | FLYING DODO

é ABOVE The iconic Flying Dodo brand is back

ê BELOW

Fun clothes for bright young things î RIGHT Frugi’s nursing collection

50 | CORNWALL LIVING

FRUGI

They say that ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow’ and this couldn’t be more true of Cornwall’s very successful organic children’s brand. After the birth of their first son Tom, Lucy and Kurt searched in vain for baby clothing that would fit over Tom’s cloth nappies – somewhat bigger than the disposable kind! Trying to strike a work-life balance with a young baby, and being of an entrepreneurial nature, they decided to design their own range, so Cut4Cloth was born. Four years, another son, and a rebrand later, the range now included children’s clothing and a breastfeeding range – and so Frugi was born.

Lucy and Kurt’s ethical standards have always been at the forefront and their children’s clothes are made from the softest organic cotton, sustainably farmed and free from harmful chemicals. They also donate 1% of their turnover to three environmental charities every year so you know that buying Frugi clothing for your children is not just benefiting your own child but helping others too. However, it’s not just the ethical production that puts the feel good factor into Frugi clothing. From babygrows and rompers to jeans and hoodies Frugi clothes are vibrant and fun, as well as being very durable.

Quirky characters and brightly coloured patterns adorn gorgeous girls’ wear while the boys get bombproof jeans in the softest denim to team with cool hoodies, sporting bold graphics. Mums aren’t left out either, with a breastfeeding range that is practical yet stylish, a combination that’s often hard to find in the world of nursing clothing.

WWW.WELOVEFRUGI.COM

A recently revived Cornish brand is back with some great casual wear perfect for relaxing on the beach or warming up post surf. Familyowned since 1992, daughter Leah has now re-launched the business that her parents started from a small-holding on Bodmin Moor.

The funky brand became known across the county for its vibrantly dyed and printed sweats and snug fleeces.

Leah is now bringing the Dodo back from extinction adding to their current collection and manufacturing more products locally. “The ethos behind the Cornish Flying Dodo brand is to create clothes for people to love, wear and keep – no throwaway fashion here! The new range includes hard-wearing, organic tees, beach-styled sweatshirts and hoodies in fresh colours with a fun range of kids’ tops that are perfect for both rest and play. Perhaps the most exciting news is that they will be bringing out a new line of women’s clothing that will be made to order, using sustainable fabrics, by Leah and a small team of talented seamstresses.

The team always pair comfort with style when designing, while at the same time considering sustainability. Re-connecting with their customers from when they were in business before has been a real highlight: “We love the brand and so it’s great to hear people saying they love it too. The night the new website launched was overwhelming, with many more sales and hits than we had ever imagined!” enthuses Leah.

WWW.FLYINGDODOCLOTHING.COM

| COVER FEATURE READ

For all that’s featured in this month’s Cornwall Living and more, head to our website. Fancy being the first to receive updates? Well, you can by subscribing to our newsletter at... www.cornwall-living.co.uk

WATCH

Style and comfort go hand in hand è RIGHT

EKO pieces are great for layering

EARTH KIND ORIGINALS

The lure of the Cornish lifestyle proved too much for EKO founder, Helen Davies, who left a successful London career as a fashion designer for the sound of the surf. Originally from St Just, Helen wanted to create clothes that reflected her passion and interests as well as promoting wellbeing and natural living.

Helen is a keen surfer and loves to do yoga.

As a result the EKO collection includes clothes you can throw on after surfing or a workout, and they are all made from organic material.

For commuters, Helen also ensures that the clothes are great for travelling in.

If you have an active lifestyle and love a capsule wardrobe that takes the effort out of looking good then the 2017 EKO collection is ideal. Cosy, everyday styles combine with effortless organic basics and winter essentials.

A personal favourite is their weekend style bundle – a combination of perfect fit leggings with a cotton dress that drapes beautifully.

EKO clothing is a reminder that style doesn’t need to be complicated.

They also have a uniform range, produced here in Cornwall, with clients including the The Scarlet Spa and Naturally Learning, all companies pushing the boundaries to natural wellbeing. The collection is available to buy in ULA shops in St Ives, Hayle and Truro.

WWW.EARTHKINDORIGINALS.CO.UK

Head over to our Vimeo page to find out more more about the designers and clothes in this month’s feature. www.vimeo.com/cornwallliving

EXPERIENCE

Every month, Cornwall Living offers a range of wonderful prizes to be won, from luxury spa breaks and weekend escapes, to gift vouchers to spend in one of your favourite Cornish shops. So, for a chance to win one of the latest prizes, head over to our competitions page online.

Enter now at www.cornwall-living.co.uk Terms & conditions apply

Courtesy of Anna Photography www.anna-photography.co.uk

é ABOVE

Enter now at

www.cornwall- living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 51

VISIT |

G OT TO

•VISIT• H O LY W E L L B AY With a long, golden sandy beach that’s obscured by rolling sand dunes, Holywell Bay offers dreamy sunset walks and long days on the beach, with plenty of facilities on hand as well as an 18-hole golf course nearby.

A fantastic spot for both surfers and those who enjoy a bit of spectator sport, Holywell Bay is also an incredibly diverse wildlife habitat, with exposed rocky headlands, dunes, common land, mudflats and beaches, as well as a patch of woodland, all offering sanctuary to a plethora of different species.

This stunning image of the bay was captured

by Darren Blight.

52 | CORNWALL LIVING

| VISIT

| STAY

Escape

TO THE COAST

é MAIN

The fresh and immaculately presented rooms are the perfect setting for your coastal escape ì INSET

Make the most of the fabulous indoor pool è INSET RIGHT

Porthminster beach provides the ultimate backdrop to your meal

St Ives, a stunning harbourside town on Cornwall’s west coast, is the ultimate coastal retreat for your next Cornish getaway, and we’ve found a winning way to make the most of it.

S

ometimes the best way to enjoy Cornwall is from the comfort of an outstanding hotel in one of Cornwall’s most beautiful and charming harbourside towns. Perfectly positioned overlooking Porthminster Beach, St Ives Harbour Hotel & Spa offers a fantastic coastal escape all year round. With spectacular views across the water, the hotel makes the most of one of Cornwall’s most iconic and breathtaking locations, letting you soak up your surroundings in complete style and comfort.

From your boutique room you can fall asleep to the sound of lapping waves and wake up to exceptional views – the ultimate start to any day. Once the views from your room beckon you out, you can head down and enjoy a wintry walk along golden sand before exploring the local harbour as you meander round the cobbled streets.

Drift away into seaside serenity at the hotel’s Harbour Spa as you indulge in a relaxing treatment before unwinding by the pool and gazing out to sea. Of course, you can always indulge a little further and treat yourself to a relaxing message, a luxury facial or a full spa day.

For those wanting something a little more exhilarating you can explore the beautiful Cornish coastline from a different perspective and embark on a paddle boarding or sea

kayaking tour. Alternatively, you could get the blood pumping by hitting the local waves – a brilliant way to make the most of the Cornish coast, just be sure to wear a warm wetsuit!

After a day in the waves it’s time to head back to the hotel and relax on the sun terrace before enjoying the ever-popular ‘fizz and chips’!

Indeed, serving fresh, local and seasonal food, The Terrace Bar & Restaurant celebrates the very best of local flavours, suppliers and producers; with menus that reflect the changing moods and climates, fish landed daily at the ancient fishing harbour and a local larder filled with mouth-watering Cornish produce. Whether it’s a burst of flavour to start your day, lunch overlooking the water or a sparkling dinner for two, The Terrace is there to provide you with a delicious meal and a view.

Whether you are in the mood for a pampered escape with relaxing sea views, an exciting coastal adventure filled with sand and surf or an unforgettable combination of the two, St Ives Harbour Hotel & Spa has all the ingredients for a perfect coastal holiday in St Ives.

ST IVES HARBOUR HOTEL & SPA The Terrace, St Ives TR26 2BN 01736 795221 www.stives-harbour-hotel.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

EXPERIENCE

STAY Enjoy a two-night escape with dinner on arrival night and breakfast each morning, from £225 per couple, per stay.

Valid until 21st December.

Just call the team and quote ‘Cornwall Living’ to redeem this incredible offer!

CORNWALL LIVING | 54

Stunning Hardwood Floors TreConcepts creates high quality flooring designs tailored to your requirements.

Call. 01872 492 029 ¡ www.treconcepts.co.uk Showroom open Monday to Friday at Mount Pleasant Eco Park, Chapel Hill, Porthtowan, Cornwall TR4 8HL

1.00 Template.indd 1 Untitled-7 1

19/09/2017 11:31 27/04/2017 16:33

LIFESTYLE |

G OT TO

•EXPERIENCE• YO U R V E RY O W N H O L I DAY H O M E AT W H I T E AC R E S H O L I DAY PA R K White Acres is surrounded by fantastic scenery and finds itself situated within 184 acres of rolling Cornish countryside. It’s also an ideal location to own your very own holiday home. where you can spend your days relaxing by the sea, with many beaches nearby to choose from.

If you’re feeling adventurous, why not rent a board and try your hand at surfing? White Acres has a brand new 11-lodge development, as well as some wonderful facilities, including a heated indoor pool, kids club and some stunning and tranquil fishing lakes, so however you and your family like to spend your time away, your needs are well catered for.

WHITE ACRES HOLIDAY PARK

Newquay TR8 4LW 01726 213840 www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/own-whiteacres Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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| LIFESTYLE

CORNWALL LIVING | 57

STAY |

KERNOW

Calling Y

We speak to the team at Cornish Traditional Cottages to discover the top reasons to buy a holiday home in Cornwall.

ou may have already made up your mind. You may not need us to reiterate why this glorious county of Kernow is a great investment option. But if you’re still pondering the benefits of property investment in Cornwall, we catch up with George Edward-Collins of Cornish Traditional Cottages to help answer your questions.

“Kernow’s climate, geography, coastline and rich panoply of attractions cumulate to make the Duchy Britain’s number one holiday destination,” explains George. “Once you’ve been, it’s likely you’ll return again and again. The idea of owning your very own home here tends to come from a longing to linger.

Equally, the demand for staying in a Cornish holiday home continues to grow.

As more visitors descend on the county, more accommodation is required.” As George tells us, whether you buy property to create a home away from home in Cornwall or to provide just that for paying guests, it’s typically a sound investment.

“There is certainly no lack of demand for holiday homes and the many attractions that Kernow has to offer. The Cornish

58 | CORNWALL LIVING

economy thrives on tourism, and visitor attractions large and small continue to grow across the county. With that, access to all parts of our diverse region is being improved all the time, making it ever easier to reach the lesser known and often more sought-after spots.”

Location, location, location. That’s what they say. But in reality, location is just one of three main factors that must be scrutinised to ensure the financial success of a holiday home venture. “The honeypot locations like St Ives, Bude, Newquay or Padstow attract more visitors and command higher prices, but there are obvious pros and cons to buying there. Demand for housing and investment properties will likely reflect demand from holidaymakers therefore house prices will be higher in popular holiday spots.” Just because a location isn’t teeming with tourists today doesn’t make it an unviable investment opportunity, says George. “Consider its proximity to attractions – the quality of road and public transport access – as well as ease of access to amenities, beaches and the coastal path. Something as simple as being along the Camel Trail will increase

| STAY

ë MAIN

Country holiday homes are in demand ì ABOVE

Cornwall offers a wide range of attractions to holidaymakers from exploring the harbour towns to watersports and dog-friendly locations ç LEFT

It’s the attention to detail that can make all the difference in a successful holiday cottage

the accessibility and appeal of a property to guests, because getting out and about will be easy.” While coastal towns attract more visitors in the height of summer than more rural localities, for shoulder and low seasons rentals, rural retreats carry huge appeal, especially with walkers, ramblers, cyclists and the second largest audience of guests: dog owners. Consider whether or not you want to offer dog-friendly accommodation.

Pet owners are a good source of bookings, outside of prime season – when Cornwall beaches are more likely to be open to dogs.

It’s also a bit of a no-brainer for rural properties or those close to the coast path.

“Cumulatively, these factors will contribute to helping you decide which property you buy, how you decorate and furnish it, what you create as your unique selling points for marketing purposes, what you’re able to charge for it throughout the year and what occupancy rate you can expect.”

Cornish Traditional Cottages offers holiday homeowners support throughout the holiday letting process. The team often attend viewings to offer a perspective on the rental potential of a property and can hold the hand of holiday homeowners as much

or as little as they need. “From simply marketing and managing bookings through to full service property management and maintenance,” says George, “we bring out over 50 years of cottage holiday experience to the table. For new clients, we offer a five-year investment plan that creates a low entry point for your marketing budget, which increases slowly as your business grows.”

If you are considering holiday home ownership in Cornwall, now or in the future, why not get in touch with the team at Cornish Traditional Cottages? If you are looking to book your Cornish holiday guests benefit from low despoits, flexible payments, a single booking fee for multiple bookings and a 5% loyalty discount for returning guestes at selected properties. For advice, tips or bookings call, email or pop in to see the team.

CORNISH TRADITIONAL COTTAGES 3 Eddystone Court, Eddystone Road, Wadebridge PL27 7FH 01208 893980 property@corncott.com www.corncott.com

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 59

GETAWAYS

A RURAL

t a e r t e r

Relax and unwind at White Acres Holiday Park in the great Cornish countryside, a stone’s throw from the coast.

S

heltered within 184 acres of rolling countryside just outside Newquay, you’ll find White Acres Holiday Park, surrounded by luscious scenery. White Acres has an abundance of wonderful facilities to keep all the family entertained including a heated indoor pool, kids’ clubs and well-stocked fishing lakes. What’s more, being just a short journey to the Atlantic, it’s an ideal base for experiencing all that the coast has to offer, whether relaxing on the golden sands, or taking to the waves for a surf.

If this sounds tempting, then you’ll be pleased to discover that White Acres Holiday Park has recently launched a brand new lodge development, perfect for becoming a holiday homeowner to enjoy family breaks time and time again. “We’d love for you to come visit,” says David Quinn, from the holiday park, who explains just some of the many benefits of ownership at White Acres.

“Our 30-day money back guarantee (for new customers and first time buyers) gives comforting peace of mind, while we have a fantastic range of new models and many payment options to find the solution that suits you.”

These fabulous holiday homes, one of which could be yours, include the new 2017 Pinehurst Lodge, a superb example of a modern and luxurious lodge. Enter the Pinehurst via a generous hallway, then be wowed by the stylish lounge and feature fireplace, through to the contemporary cream and walnut kitchen. Enjoy the view through the many windows and large patio doors whilst you cook up a storm in the gorgeous kitchen. With storage space and an openplan layout at the forefront of the design, this really is an ideal family holiday home.

The new 2017 Glass House by Prestige is a thing of beauty, a luxurious lodge that’s designed with relaxation in mind. With its sharp exterior and unique elevated roof, skylights and natural wood panelling, the Glass House impresses at first glance.

So if you’ve been thinking about investing in a lifetime of priceless memories, why not start to make the dream a reality?

ëé ABOVE Luxurious lodges at White Acres Holiday Park

WHITE ACRES HOLIDAY PARK Near Newquay TR8 4LW 01726 213842 www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 60

10% OFF FOREST HOLIDAYS DEERPARK CORNWALL

Escape to luxury self-catering woodland cabins, many with private hot tubs exclusively on Forestry Commission land.

The perfect getaway for families, couples, groups of friends and even your dog with our specific petfriendly cabins.

Simply enter CORNLIVING18 in the promotional code box at www.forestholidays.co.uk or call 03330 110 495 to book quoting the code.

Terms and conditions: The code must be entered at the time of booking and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers.

The offer is valid for 10% off the price of cabins at Deerpark in Cornwall only. Offer expires 31/12/2018, holidays to be taken by 31/12/2019. Forest Holidays reserve the right to withdraw or amend this code at any time.

Good Times

Handpicked properties across the UK

#DiscoverGoodTimes

Cornwall Living full page 264 x 197mm.indd 1

06/12/2017 17:01

PAWS IN ST MAWES Take the dog with you on a luxurious stay on the Roseland peninsula with Portscatho Holidays.

O

n the Roseland, you can always be sure of a fantastic Cornish welcome and a fantastic holiday experience. The peninsula offers a great selection of restaurants and eateries, glorious uncrowded beaches, tidal creeks and hidden coves, pretty villages, subtropical gardens and superb accommodation. It’s the perfect place to explore and while away the days, making this secluded corner of Cornwall an incredibly popular visitor destination.

With lots of dog-friendly beaches on the Roseland, including the National Trust beaches at Porthcurnick, home of the Hidden Hut (the UK’s most popular beach café for the last two years), Carne and Pendower, there is always a beautiful expanse of coast nearby for the dog to stretch its legs.

The South West Coast Path provides miles of coastal footpaths with both short circular loops such as around St Antony’s Head with its panoramic views out to Falmouth and longer walks such as St Mawes up to Portloe or St Mawes to St Just in Roseland to see the fabulous village Church and Mrs V’s Teashop.

As well as the beaches, the National Trust has several properties in the area such as

Trelissick Gardens. Another fascinating visit is the Caerhays Estate in Gorran. Cornwall has a wonderful array of dog-friendly attractions such as the Eden Project, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Tintagel Castle among many others.

Portscatho Holidays has a large selection of pet-friendly properties to suit all budgets.

If it’s luxury you are after, then book a stay at Tregwylan, Sunny Banks or Spindrift; for couples there’s Penvar Cottage, The Old Forge and The Stables; and for families Charlies, The Old Bakehouse and Rosemary Cottage. Outside the main holiday weeks many of Portscatho Holidays’ pet-friendly properties are available for a long weekend or mid-week breaks, with flexible change over days.

The Roseland is a fabulous place to visit if you’ve got four legs and a wet nose! So don’t let the availability of kennels dictate when you can have your holiday – bring your best friend on holiday to Cornwall with you.

é ABOVE

Imagine relaxing to a view as stunning as this! ë TOP LEFT

Enjoy walkies across the many miles of the Roseland on the South West Coast Path

PORTSCATHO HOLIDAYS 01326 270900 info@portscathoholidays.co.uk www.portscathoholidays.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 63

STAY |

e l y t s n i e C eleb rat Getting engaged this Christmas? Celebrate your commitment in style at Kilminorth Cottages. é ABOVE A truly picturesque setting in which to tie the knot î BELOW

Forge the happiest memories in a truly Cornish location

C

hristmas is a time for enjoying the company of our closest friends and family, which makes it the perfect time to get engaged and celebrate with the ones you love. And, once you’ve said ‘yes’, you’ll need to begin looking forward to your engagement party and, of course, the big day itself!

Surrounded by breathtaking countryside, the 32-acre estate that is Kilminorth is the perfect venue for both engagement parties and weddings. Indeed, whether you see yourselves as traditional or alternative, elegant or extravagant, Kilminorth gives you the scope to create a wholly original engagement party or wedding, one that you and your guests will never forget.

The best part is you can be as hands-on or hands-off as you like, and the team will give you the flexibility to put as much of ‘you’ into your day as you want. As Jayne Longrigg tells us: “There are no prepackaged weddings here!”

Choose between indoor and outdoor venues; from contemporary cottages and The Farmhouse, which seat up to 30, or if you’re inviting up to 40, The Old Store might just be perfect. Outside, during the warmer months, a choice of venues can accommodate up to 200 people, so you don’t need to fuss over who does and doesn’t get a seat at the table!

As you’d expect from a venue that promises ‘your day, your way’, how you feed yourselves and your guests is entirely your choice. The team can supply a bar and you can choose anything from a hog roast to the finest of dining.

Finally, as is the nature of these events, many of your guests will want to toast the happy couple. Fortunately, Kilminorth has a cluster of luxury cottages, sleeping up to 57, meaning you and the guests of honour can enjoy a flute or two in the evening without having to call a taxi!

All of these options are available for engagement parties and weddings alike, so if you’re making a commitment to one another this Christmas and you’d like to celebrate in style, why not give the Kilminorth team a call see how they can make your day that extra bit special?

KILMINORTH COTTAGES Looe PL13 2NE 01503 262832 07850 553280 info@kilminorthcottages.co.uk Kilminorth Cottages www.kilminorthcottages.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

64 | CORNWALL LIVING

VISITING CORNWALL WITH YOUR DOG?

We are delighted to offer a wide selection of dog friendly holiday cottages in Cornwall on the Roseland Peninsula.

With miles of coastaland, country walks and dog friendly beaches, the Roseland is the perfect destination for a holiday with your dog.

All our holiday properties are available to view on our website: portscathoholidays.co.uk

PORTSCATHOHOLIDAYS.CO.UK 01326 270900 / info@portscathoholidays.co.uk

| STAY

NEWQUAY

d e r e v o c s i d re

We take another look at this popular resort to see why it’s becoming a top year-round destination for foodies and families.

ì ABOVE One of the many unique retreats in Newquay that you could stay in with Forever Cornwall ì INSET A classic dish at The Fish House, Fistral î BELOW Newquay is home to several award-winning beaches

N

ewquay has been a popular destination for generations, and with seven miles of beaches, stunning clifftops and a laid back pace it’s not hard to see why. And over recent years this iconic seaside town has undergone a quiet transformation, shrugging off its old stag-party image and both rediscovering its roots as a wholesome family destination and adding more sophisticated credentials into the mix. Now it’s easy to see why foodies and coastal path walkers, as well as surf aficionados are rediscovering Newquay as a year-round destination of choice.

Starting with the beaches, Newquay has some of Europe's best – and they can prove it.

Crantock beach was voted the UK’s best beach by BBC Coast in 2013, Lusty Glaze is Sunday Times’ 2017 beach of the year, and Fistral Beach has come in second place in the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2017.

An added bonus for dog-lovers is that many of Newquay’s best beaches are dog-friendly all year round.

The nice thing for grown-up travellers is that some of Cornwall’s best eateries are in and around Newquay – and many are right by the beach! Choose from the big names

– Rick Stein’s fish and chips at Fistral or Jamie Oliver’s 15 Cornwall at Watergate Bay, or go for one of the excellent independent restaurants. We particularly rate The Fish House at Fistral (winner of Best Restaurant Gold Award in the 2017 Cornwall Tourism Awards) and Bush Pepper (an unexpectedly brilliant Australian Cornish fusion!).

You’ll need the perfect base for your perfect escape to Newquay and Forever Cornwall Unique Retreats has some lovely hand-picked apartments, any of which make an ideal base for a break for two – or for discerning families. Forever Cornwall’s apartments are all in Newquay’s quietest areas. Most have sea views and some are dog-friendly too.

And at just under three hours by car from Bristol, getting to Newquay is easy so it makes a great short-break option. What’s more it’s on the rail network too with a station near the town centre so you can plan a car-free break for a really stress-free Cornish experience.

FORVER CORNWALL 01326 567838 info@forevercornwall.co.uk www.forevercornwall.co.uk Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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23/11/2017 10:00

Carla Regler

Local Independent Flooring Specialists

PHOTOGRAPHY

57 Church St, Falmouth TR11 3DS

New gallery now open Wednesday - Saturday just around the corner from the Seadrift Kitchen CafĂŠ in Porthleven, Cornwall.

Images are available in the restaurant.

Half day photographic workshops with Carla, 1-2-1 or small groups, please contact us for more details

Tel: 01326 313352 www.westwood-frame.co.uk

www.carlaregler.com | carla@carlaregler.com

01326 354171 | 07971 951698

Cover image: Tom Young

N E W P U B L I C AT I O N COMI N G S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

C O R N WA L L T H E U LT I M AT E L I F E S T Y L E B Y T H E S E A Volume 1

T R AV E L | A R T | P H O T O G R A P H Y | S T O R I E S | F O O D | L I F E S T Y L E

Special Editions

A limited edition hardback Pre - order your copy for Spring 2018 now at www.enginehousemedia.co.uk/shop

ÂŁ47

inc p&p

HOME |

Inspired sea

BY THE

Jo Downs’ stunning new collections are created with the ocean in mind, letting us fill our homes with a little bit of coastal charm.

T

he coast is an ever-changing yet constant delight. Made up of incredible colours, from the blues of the water to the hues of granite and rock, it’s a sight we never tire of seeing. Indeed, it’s such an iconic theme that we constantly seek ways to include these stunning styles in our homes, so that even when we are away from the sea we can benefit from its calming and beautiful presence. We were, therefore, delighted to see that Cornish artist Jo Downs has been hard at work creating some amazing new collections that help us bring the coast home.

Following on from her celebratory 20th year in business, Jo Downs has launched into her third decade with a string of stunning, handcrafted new interior collections for 2017. First to launch in her home county of Cornwall, and now available online and at her gallery in Ripley, Woking, is the new Celtic Coast collection.

This stunning collection includes decorative bowls, candle stands, mirrors and luxury grand-scale feature pieces, all inspired by the beautiful British shoreline and cut, crafted, fired and finished at her Cornwall studio in clear glass and dazzling copper finish. Priced from just £11 to £695, the range has pieces for everyone with a passion for stylish design and contemporary British craft.

Celtic Coast is available alongside sister collections including Jo’s romantic Celtic Hearts collection, and the geometrically inspired Morwenna collection in warm tones of copper, gold and russet. New oceaninspired collections in deep blue and dazzling turquoise include Jo’s new Azul, Porthcurno, Samphire and Trebarwith designs, meaning a visit to Jo Downs this summer promises a wealth of stunning new glass-work you won’t be able to resist.

If you’ve ever fancied trying your hand at glass fusion yourself, throughout the year Jo Downs Handmade Glass, Ripley, is continuing the ever popular, ‘anytime’

69 | CORNWALL LIVING

family-friendly workshops, which are available to all ages and don’t require any prior experience. You can also try the more in-depth one-day ‘fusing for fun’ glass-making courses for adults, which are available for beginners to advanced.

DISCOVER MORE Jo Downs, Ripley, is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, including late night opening on Wednesdays until 7pm. Sundays are open 11am to 4pm.

JO DOWNS

Teulon House, 128 High Street, Ripley, Woking GU23 6AY 01483 225742 ripley@jodowns.com www.jodowns.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

é ABOVE

Celtic Coast extra large feature bowl ê BELOW

Celtic Coast limited edition platter and mirror

Out & about

c i r t c Ele dreams

Explore the reaches of Cornwall in luxury with Cornish chauffeur firm, Duchy Cars.

C

ornwall has a lot to offer those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Whether your interest is simply lying on the beach and soaking up the Cornish sun, exploring beautiful subtropical gardens or throwing yourself into the wealth of activities from watersports to cycling, it’s sure to be well catered for. The kickback lifestyle of seaside living, on its own, tends to bring visitors back time and time again!

In fact, it’s quite possible that the only thing stopping you from visiting this gorgeous county and exploring the reaches of our coasts is the drive. Not only can it take an age to wade your way through the busy motorways of high season; when you arrive, the roads can be frighteningly unfamiliar.

Fortunately, the team at Duchy Cars understands all of this and appreciates the difference it makes – being able to get around in comfort. What’s more, with a transfer service that can get you to airports, marinas and stations all over the UK, you can take the

70 | CORNWALL LIVING

stress out of the worst part of your trip with just one phone call! So, rather than drive all the way, why not hop on a quick flight to Newquay airport, from selected cities, and let them do the rest? If travelling down from Bath or Bristol, simply let your personal chauffeur pick you up and drive you door to door!

Specialising in business chauffeuring and long distance luxury travel, particularly for those wanting to make the most of a coastal retreat to Cornwall, this impressive, local business has been driving clients to and from their holiday air and seaports since 1995.

Having previously employed cars from BMW, Lexus and Audi, when we spoke to owner, Steve, he was delighted to announced the most recent addition to the Duchy Cars fleet – a Tesla Model S, the futuristic looking, electric car from SpaceX entrepreneur, Elon Musk. Being the first business in Cornwall to register a Tesla as a private hire vehicle, this new addition is a massive step towards lowering Duchy Cars’ carbon footprint.

Steve explained: “A few taxi companies

é MAIN Travel in automotive luxury to your coastal retreat

in Cornwall already use pure electric or hybrid vehicles. The problem is many require charging more than once a day and their range, even with a full battery, can be as little as 20 miles. This, of course, is not what you want when you’re looking to explore Cornwall, from coast to coast, with only a limited amount of time at your disposal. The Tesla does away with such issues which is why, for many reasons, it is absolutely top of its class!”

Whether you’re a couple wanting to get around in luxury and style, or a group looking to get from A to B in as organised a fashion as possible, Duchy Cars will see to it that every mile is made as easy as can be. Now, they can do it at as little cost to the environment as possible. What’s more, at the heart of the

professional chauffeur service lies an ethos of discretion and courtesy, with plenty of combined experience working with a variety of clients, from senior managers and directors to VIPs and celebrities!

So, if you want to avoid the stress of being behind the wheel in Cornwall but don’t want to compromise on comfort, style and punctuality, give the Duchy Cars team a call!

é ABOVE ë INSET From airport to hotel, Duchy Cars can transport you and your luggage in comfort

DUCHY CARS

11A Trescobeas Road, Falmouth TR11 2JB 01326 318399 info@duchycars.co.uk www.duchycars.co.uk Find out more online: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 71

OUT & ABOUT |

MAKING MINERALS

s e i r o m and me

While Cornwall is steeped in mining history, we now make our memories with time spent together in the sun.

72 | CORNWALL LIVING

S

et in 18 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, Cornwall Gold has been busy producing jewellery for almost 30 years, with one simple aim: making memories with jewellery that reflects Cornwall’s proud mining heritage, outstanding natural beauty and unique way of life.

Pay a visit and you can indulge in some much needed retail therapy in the amazing showroom, before visiting the Cornish Pantry Restaurant. All ingredients used are sourced locally – from within a 20-mile radius of the kitchen, in fact – making any meal here a real local affair. The breakfast menu, which features all your early morning favourites, includes bubble and squeak and even an award-winning Cornish breakfast served on a tinner’s shovel!

But don’t let the novel presentation fool you. Drawing on the site’s rich heritage, Cornwall Gold deserves recognition for being home to the last remaining tin mill in Europe. Tolgus Tin Mill is rich with history, providing the tin that features so beautifully in the site’s Tolgus collection – a bespoke range of jewellery forged from tin, combined with silver and gold.

For those of you who’ve ever wondered what it was like to work in the Cornish mining industry at its peak, guided tours through Tolgus Mill come highly recommended, offering a wonderful insight into the lives of the men and children who once worked there. You can also see a working set of Cornish stamps, thought to be the last in existence at over 150 years old! While Tolgus was undoubtedly safer than many of Cornwall’s underground mines, the tour tells the story of many of the working individuals once employed there, reminding you of how dangerous the work could still be.

Conditions were noisy and wet; children were expected to follow the footsteps of their fathers and grandfathers before them, being placed on duty in the slime

| OUT & ABOUT

ç MAIN

ç LEFT

í BOTTOM LEFT

êBELOW

Get a feel for the mining industry with a visit to Cornwall Gold

Stunning attention to detail, typical of the Tolgus collection

pits or under the shaking tables – a form of labour that would, quite simply, be unthinkable today.

Proceeds from the jewellery made on site allow the restoration of Tolgus Mill to continue, ensuring that this unique piece of Cornwall’s heritage is preserved for future generations and it’s with preserving memories in mind that the team is delighted to present the new Tolgus Bridal collection, a legacy that will not only help safeguard the mill’s future, but signify the start of your married lives together, too.

Lovingly handcrafted to your exact specifications, each bespoke piece contains Tolgus Tin – extracted and processed on site – combined with nine-carat gold. Indeed, for those who live in Cornwall or hold it close to their hearts, Cornwall Gold offers the perfect collection of jewellery with which you can express your love. What’s more, a friendly and experienced team are ready to guide you through the selection process, so you can relax in the knowledge that everything is taken care of.

It may well be the case that you have a family heirloom that you’d like to incorporate into your special day. If so, the onsite

goldsmiths not only offer a cleaning and repair service; they can transform your existing jewellery, as well. This means that by commissioning a redesign, you can make that special piece of sentimental value just that little bit more extraordinary.

Summed up, a visit to Cornwall Gold is more than just a uniquely Cornish experience. Whether you stop for an authentic miner’s breakfast or to find the perfect wedding ring, you’ll find that the wonderfully attentive service far surpasses your expectations, going above and beyond to ensure your experience is one you’ll always remember.

CORNWALL GOLD

Tolgus Mill, New Portreath Road, Redruth TR16 4HN 01209 203280 www.cornwall-gold.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

Get the perfect gift, courtesy of the expert Cornwall Gold jewellers

Fantastic presentation and delicious, locally sourced produce

OPENING TIMES Cornwall Gold is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5.30pm and on Sundays from 10am to 4.30pm.

TAKE THE TOUR Tours run daily, with prices from just £4 per person!

CORNWALL LIVING | 73

ART |

FIRED

and fine

We catch up with John and Louise Winterton at the Customs House Gallery, who introduce us to some talented local ceramicists.

WORDS BY

Dan Warden

A

few issues back, we visited the Customs House Gallery, admiring the wealth of local artistic talent on display on the quayside in Porthleven.

Nearly five years have gone by since John and Louise Winterton took over the gallery and, as we discovered, the gallery has come a long way since and it only continues to evolve.

What’s more, the Customs House Gallery has become synonymous on the local art scene with work in the form of paintings, however we recently learned that the husband and wife team also displays a strong collection of ceramic works from artists in Cornwall and further afield. We spoke to the pair, who were happy to talk us through a little bit about these fabulous artists and the wonderful work they do.

Hugh West Principally a studio potter making individual pieces, often to commission, Hugh finds it exciting to design and make for specific purposes of presentation and function. While still a student in the ‘60s, he cycled daily to Porthleven to work for John Cheney in his quayside pottery, opposite the Customs House Gallery. Cheney was an excellent craftsman who produced tableware and from him, Hugh learned a great deal.

Since the age of 21, Hugh has established workshops of his own in the West Country, and

74 | CORNWALL LIVING

twice in the pottery village of La Borne, Central France. After 14 years there, Hugh returned to Cornwall and now has a small studio in a former tollhouse in Perranwell Station, near Truro. He works exclusively in Porcelain and his work can be seen in a few exclusive Cornish galleries, including the Customs House Gallery.

Gordon Whittle Creating beautiful ceramics from his studio in Wiltshire, Gordon’s quirky touches make each piece individual, turning kitchenware into real pieces of art. He hand mixes his own glazes, which adds to his work’s uniqueness. Gordon’s work is certainly one to look out for next time you visit the Customs House Gallery.

ë MAIN í LEFT

Hugh West porcelain é INSET ‘Starfall’ by Gordon Whittle

| ART

ì ABOVE

Cornish Swallows, by Penn Boylan î BELOW

Dogs by Demelza Whitley

è RIGHT î INSET

Raku by Catherine Lucktaylor

Demelza Whitley Born and raised in west Penwith and surrounded by the sea, boats often feature in Demelza’s work, with the quirkiness of added wheels. As far as dogs go, she has a keen interest in the historic relationship between humans and man’s best friend, with her own two serving as models, even if they won’t stand still and pose!

Having earned a degree in contemporary crafts at Falmouth University College in 2008, Demelza first developed her own paperclay during her studies, which she makes using a white stoneware clay from St Agnes. She then Raku fires her work in her garden, where her studio is situated. Demelza enjoys working with the elements and environment around her, from the clay and water that make the body of her work, to the fire that makes it permanent.

Penn Boylan Although Penn studied ceramics as a student, it wasn’t until her move to the beautiful St Michael’s Mount in 1994 that she was inspired to follow her dream of designing and making her own pottery.

Encouraged by both family and the closeknit community on the mount, Penn went back to college, refreshing her skills in throwing and modern kiln management.

Over the following few years, she drew inspiration from things she encountered in daily life, from cheerful fishing boats adorning the coastline to the swallows arriving and heralding the start of summer,

all of which feature in her work.

Penn works from her studio in Marazion, where her pottery studio is now firmly established, enjoying views of the mount that helped shape her career.

Catherine Lucktaylor Moving to Cornwall in 2009 had a profound impact on Catherine’s ceramics, leading to the creation of the Landscape Series, which draws inspiration from the stunning land and seascapes of west Cornwall. Her signature turquoise glaze reflects the vibrant colour of the sea, while the smoked crackle pattern is reminiscent of the rugged cliffs.

In her studio near St Buryan, Catherine uses ancient hand building techniques such as pinching, coiling and, more recently, Raku – an ancient Japanese firing technique.

Impressively, a piece from Catherine’s Wild Cornwall collection featured recently on the BBC’s The Great Pottery Throwdown, referred to as a ‘perfect example of Raku’.

Varied in technique, style and inspiration, the works of each of these artists needs seeing to be believed, so next time you’re visiting the harbourside of Porthleven, be sure to pop into the Customs House Gallery.

THE CUSTOMS HOUSE GALLERY Porthleven, Helston TR13 9JD 01326 569365 hello@thecustomshousegallery.co.uk www.cornwall-art.co.uk

Nearly five years have gone by since John and Louise Winterton took over the gallery and, as we discovered, it has come a long way since...

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 75

| ART

grains of sand

FROM MERE

I

Jo Downs celebrates two decades of gorgeous, coastal inspired glass by launching the new Celtic Coast collection.

n celebration of her 21st year in business, Jo Downs has launched into her third decade with a string of stunning, handcrafted new interior collections for 2017. é ABOVE First to launch exclusively at her Launceston An extra large studio gallery, and now available online feature bowl from and across her Cornwall galleries as well as the new Celtic in Ripley, Surrey, is the all-new Celtic Coast Coast collection collection. Featuring decorative bowls, candle è RIGHT stands, mirrors and luxury grand-scale The limited edition feature pieces – all inspired by the beautiful platter, and wall British shoreline – this wonderful collection is mirror cut, crafted, fired and finished at her Cornwall studio in clear glass and dazzling copper fish.

With prices ranging from £11 to £695, the range has pieces for anyone who has a passion for stylish design and contemporary British craft. Celtic Coast is available alongside sister collections, including Jo’s romantic Celtic Hearts collection and the geometrically inspired Morwenna collection, with its warm tones of copper, gold and russet. New ocean inspired collections in deep blue and dazzling turquoise feature Jo’s new Azul, Porthcurno, Samphire and Trebarwith designs, meaning a visit to Jo Downs this summer promises a wealth of stunning new glass work that you simply won’t be able to resist.

So, pop into one of Jo’s galleries or, alternatively, take a look online. After all, what better time to inspire your inner interior designer than summer time?

JO DOWNS

St Ives, Padstow, Fowey, Launceston, Tintagel 01566 779779 sales@jodowns.com www.jodowns.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 76

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HOME |

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UNLEASH YOUR Ever dreamed of becoming a fused glass artist? Well, now’s your chance with Jo Downs Handmade Glass.

ABOVE é Detail from Jo’s Cornish Pilchards mirror RIGHT è A selection from the Celtic Coast collection

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F

used glass designer Jo Downs regularly creates stunning, custom made pieces for her clients, but imagine being able to design your own unique piece, and having it made especially for you by Jo herself! Well now’s your chance, as Jo launches a new online competition to give one lucky person the chance to design and win their own, unique piece of Jo Downs Handmade Glass.

Open to everyone of any age and any creative ability, you can create your own wonderful wall panel, beautiful bowl or magical mirror by simply picking up the design templates at one of Jo Down’s galleries, or downloading the design templates from her website. Fill in your design using art software, or print the templates out and draw and colour in your design ideas. You and your kids can even get messy and cut out and stick on your fabulous creations.

Then simply send your design to competitions@jodowns.com so Jo can post it on her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and tag you. You will need to share the link of your design – the more likes and shares you get, the better your chance of winning. Jo and her small team of glassmakers will select the winning design from the top 20 most liked and shared entries, and the chosen design will be created in fused glass by Jo Downs herself.

So, if you have ever dreamed of becoming a fused glass artist, get inspired with Jo Downs’ summer design competition and create that special piece you’ve always wanted.

And from 24th July to 31st August, you could win £400 worth of Jo Downs vouchers when you buy anything online or

at her galleries in St Ives, Padstow, Fowey, Tintagel and Launceston. This summer, Jo’s galleries feature her new, handcrafted interior collections for 2017, including the Celtic Coast collection of decorative bowls, mirrors and luxury grand-scale feature pieces, all inspired by the beautiful Cornish Coast. Celtic Coast is available alongside sister collections including Jo’s romantic Celtic Hearts collection, and the geometrically inspired Morwenna collection in warm tones of copper, gold and russet. New ocean inspired collections in deep blue and dazzling turquoise include her new Azul, Porthcurno, Samphire and Trebarwith designs, meaning a visit to Jo Downs this summer promises a wealth of stunning new glass work you won’t be able to resist.

JO DOWNS

St Ives, Padstow, Fowey, Launceston, Tintagel 01566 779779 sales@jodowns.com www.jodowns.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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14/11/2017 17:20

OUT & ABOUT |

RESCUE AND

release

I

We learn the story of Tamara Cooper, a rescue and release veteran of 16 years at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.

t’s been a busy start to the rescue season for the team at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, and it all kicked off in September with the Sanctuary’s first rescue pup ‘Morwenna’. With up to 60 pups expected each year, the team like to plan ahead with the names of their rescued pups.

This year, the chosen theme is characters from popular BBC historical drama, Poldark.

According to Tamara Cooper, curator at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, once the team meets the new arrivals, it doesn’t take long to know which name belongs to which pup!

A seal pup may need rescuing for one of many reasons, whether it’s due to malnourishment after being separated from its mum, or extensive injuries that require medical attention. Pup season for grey seals is usually from September to February.

Usually, once a pup has reached 40kg and has received a clean bill of health, it’s released straight back into the wild.

For all the pups that come into the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, while their reasons for being there vary, one thing remains the same: the dedication from the animal care team.

80 | CORNWALL LIVING

Tamara, who recently celebrated her 16th anniversary of seal rescues at the Sanctuary, has helped care for more than 700 rescued grey seal pups in her time, with well over 90% being successfully returned to the wild.

With a background that includes attending Brackenhurst Agricultural College as well as completing an HND course in animal science at the Notts Trent University, Tamara tells us: “I loved working with farm animals, especially horses. But even at that early stage I knew it was a career with wild animals that I really wanted.”

It wasn’t long before she was posted for two weeks’ work experience at the Seal Sanctuary, before gaining a BSc in animal science at Sparsholt Agricultural College in Hampshire, earning a prestigious award for her dissertation.

Next, she enjoyed a year’s travelling in Australia and New Zealand, during which time she enjoyed some fascinating wildlife watching excursions. It wasn’t until a close encounter with a leopard seal that she was thrown back to the fond memories at the Seal Sanctuary. After returning to the UK,

| OUT & ABOUT

ë MAIN ç LEFT é ABOVE ì ABOVE

Just some of the residents at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, which takes in around 60 rescued pups every season

you guessed it, she applied for a job at the Sanctuary and the rest, as they say, is history!

“There have been so many highlights and memorable experiences,” says Tamara, “but one that stands out was the rescue of hooded seal Sahara.”

Sahara was rescued in 2006 from the coast of Morocco, more than 1,000 miles south of his natural home on the Arctic ice-pack. He was flown to the Sanctuary, where a mission was organised to transport him all the way up to the Orkney Islands for release.

While it was hoped he would make his way back from there, he instead turned around and swam all the way back to southern Spain, where he was again picked up but this time given permanent residence in Gweek here in Cornwall.

“I’ll never forget Sahara, but what I’m most proud of is the way the Sanctuary’s reputation as a world authority on seal rescue and care has continued to grow. The Sanctuary is not only regularly consulted by other wildlife attractions around the world, it has become known as a leader

in pioneering surgery – performed by our very own local vet and experts from the International Zoo Veterinary Group.”

Tamara explains how the team is now frequently asked by other facilities if they can send their own seals and sea lions to Gweek for lifesaving operations – an impressive situation!

“With the Sanctuary about to celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, I’m looking forward to exciting times ahead and to rescuing and rehabilitating hundreds more sick, orphaned or injured seal pups in the future.”

In her own time, Tamara can often be found enjoying a spot of paddle boarding and is also gradually trying to walk the whole length of the Cornish coastline, meaning she’s seldom without seals for company, somewhere close by.

THE CORNISH SEAL SANCTUARY Gweek TR12 6UG 01326 221361 www.visitsealife.com/gweek

WATCH

Head to the Cornwall Living Vimeo page to watch a video of the animal care team in action, from rescue to release! www.vimeo.com/cornwallliving

DID YOU KNOW? The Sanctuary recently underwent an exciting refurbishment, spending in the region of £50,000 on the seal hospital, which has given shelter to 864 seal pups since its last refurbishment in 1998!

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 81

Cover feature

DANCING

words by:

Mandy Milano

WITH WAVES

Image courtesy of: Jack Johns & Finisterre

Surrounded by the sea, with nearly 200 beaches, little wonder surfing is a huge part of life in Cornwall.

82 CORNWALL LIVING

W

hether you have been a water baby since birth, you’re looking for something new to take over your life, or it’s something to try on a short break, going surfing, or, more precisely, not going surfing, is like a visit to Cornwall without biting into a pasty or licking an ice cream. It just shouldn’t be allowed! In many coastal towns and harbours you will find young, and not so young, men and women donning wetsuits grabbing their boards and jumping in ‘for a cheeky one’ (surf) during their lunch break and after work. Indeed, many of the companies we talk to here, from Finisterre to Oltco, will head off to the beach for a surf during the working day and make up the time later.

So what is the pull of surfing? We talk to four very different surfers to find out: professional Sam Bleakley, who has been surfing almost since he could walk; model and surfer Corinne Evans, who didn’t start until she was about 15; Tass Swallow, who runs Tassy’s Surf Ratz, coaching girls in St Ives; and ex-Army veteran Martin Pollock, who only took up surfing after loosing both legs and an arm to an IED (improvised explosive device) in Afghanistan.

ê BELOW With Lola, Sam’s daughter

r Image courtesy of: Liam Arthu

Don’t be fooled by old-fashioned ideas of surfers.

Like many today, Sam is a hard-working family man who, when I meet up with him, is on his way to pick up his finished and bound thesis for his PhD, in geography, travel writing and… surf. “I grew up near Gwenver and went surfing from an early age with my dad. Now I can carry on the tradition by Image courtesy of: Liam Arthur getting my own young children started.”

Sam has been an international professional surfer and amongst other things is a travel writer, an Ambassador for Finisterre and a commentator at International Surf events. “I’ll be in Papua New Guinea for the next event… it’s a wonderful job… washed-up old surfers just chewing the fat!” He has travelled to some extraordinary places to make documentaries about emerging surf cultures: places like Mauritania, Sierra Leone and Ghana, and still competes on the British Tour.

He is a longboarder from choice. “It’s more feminine and I love the dance on the board, on the wave. Shortboarding to me is more aggressive, more punk; while longboarding is more like jazz music.” He talks about the opportunities surfing has given him and its spiritual side. “When surfing you are totally engaged in the present and the environment.”

He’s written a rather beautiful book about it, Mindfulness and Surfing: Reflections for Saltwater Souls. It’s wonderful even for a non-surfer like me; the last words, and my favourite quote in the book, are from Sam’s daughter Lola: “Dad, I want to surf with you in places I’ve never heard of.”

p

“Dad, I want to surf with you in places I’ve never heard of”

Image courtesy of: Liam Arthur

é ABOVE At home

Sam Bleakley

CORNWALL LIVING 83

Image courtesy of: English Heritage

Image courtesy of: Peter Chamberlain

Image courtesy of: Jack Johns & Finisterre

ç MAIN Sam Bleakley

Cover feature Martin Pollock

“I feel connected to nature and the planet”

I meet Martin at the Sand Bar overlooking Praa Sands and his eyes keep wondering to check the waves below. He grew up in Mullion and joined the Army in 2008, was deployed to Afghanistan a year later where he was shot in the leg, but recovered and returned to the front line. Then in 2010 he lost both legs and an arm in an IED explosion.

As we drink coffee he quite naturally talks about “when I was blown-up.”

Apparently, other vets refer to their ‘being alive day’ as the day they got blown up and survived. But Martin tells me: “My ‘being alive day’ was the first day I surfed. It just felt so right. I don’t think I realised the impact until later, just how much it grabbed me. When I’m surfing I’m happy… it’s peaceful, it’s fun.”

In 2012 he got the chance to go to California to learn to surf with Operation Surf, and hasn’t looked back since. Now he has lessons from Dan Joel at Poldhu: “He’s been a big help, helping me and

ç LEFT Martin having fun!

coaching me… And I must mention Van Curaza who runs the surf charity in the States; he’s been my buddy since the beginning.” He grins: “Though his wife does all the work!” Martin spends a lot of his time inspiring other vets to take to the water and surf; he helps Operation Surf in the UK as well as returning every six months or so to the States to surf with them.

“There’s a number of things about surfing for me,” Martin explains. “I get real physical benefit and my mental state is better. When I’m in the water I’m freer; it’s easier to move on a surfboard.

I am really restricted on land; it’s still an effort on the water but not the same. Surfing has filled a part of me that was missing. I feel connected to nature and the planet. ” For more information about Operation Surf UK www.endeavourfund.co.uk

TASS SWALLOW

Image: Dominic Marley

“I started Tassy’s Surf Ratz five years ago, to help fund the competitive side of my surfing. It started out with just a handful of girls, but within a year I had to start another class for girls under ten!

That’s when my real passion for coaching started. It’s not all about surfing; it’s about developing self-confidence and helping girls to have a positive self-image. Surfing has proved to be the most amazing tool for building self-esteem in what is arguably the hardest time in these young girls’ lives.” Now she coaches around 25 girls between the ages of 6-16 years old.

In 2015, with a dream of creating a surf clubhouse for her Surf Ratz, Tass took on the challenge of a derelict but iconic building in the heart of St Ives, with the sea on three sides. She launched a successful Crowdfunder campaign to raise the funds and got the lease from the Council. Tass picks up the story: “After two years of more fundraising, planning and plain hard labour we are finally operational and so excited to be on the run up to ë LEFT Tassy surfing

Image: Aspect Holidays

ê BELOW Tassy’s Surf Ratz

84 CORNWALL LIVING

our first summer season as a Surf Education Centre & Community events hub here in St Ives.”

Events in for 2017 include: sea school workshops, rockpool and coastal foraging, more sea themed supper clubs, exhibitions, lifeguard and surf coaching courses and the launch of ‘Surf MumZ’ – a class for surfing mothers everywhere!

For more information SurfHouse St.Ives

p

è RIGHT Corinne Evans

For all that’s featured in this month’s Cornwall Living and more, head to our website. Fancy being one of the first to receive updates? Well, you can by subscribing to our newsletter at… www.cornwall-living.co.uk/subscribe

Image: Lizzie Churchill

Corinne Evans

Corinne is equally passionate about getting women into surfing and runs surf lessons, and surf and yoga days. She didn’t really start surfing until she was 15 and joined the local surf club. “There weren’t many other girls surfing, none of my friends did it… but I just loved it, really got bitten by the bug! I enjoyed the free surfing most; I tried a few competitions but didn’t like the pressure.”

Now she makes her living from surfing, modelling – she’s an Ambassador for Ann’s Cottage – writing for girls’ surf magazines and running her surf tours. She also manages the fundraising events for the Wave Project, which helps people with mental and physical disabilities get into surfing.

“But I still surf as much as I can. I love Fistral, especially in the winter.

“It’s such a funny feeling, the anticipation of not knowing whether you are about to catch the wave of your life or wipeout! There’s no consistency with surfing. You’re out in the wind, rain and sun… it changes every time you go out. The best surf is usually from autumn to spring… so you just have to embrace the cold, windy days and enjoy. It’s the best thing ever and I just want to encourage more women and girls to grab a board and get out there and have some fun!”

For more information www.corinnessurftour.com Image: Lizzie Churchill

Head over to our website for a range of videos giving you plenty of inspiration to explore the wonderful Cornish coastline, including a video of Tassy’s surf school and another showcasing the beautiful Isles of Scilly. www.cornwall-living.co.uk

Image: Mark Chrimes

è RIGHT Corinne free surfing

Some good surfing spots

Gwithian - slightly tamer than Godrevy Polzeath - on the north coast

Praa Sands - just up from Porthleven

Towan Beach - in Newquay and more sheltered than Fistral Perranporth - but take advice on any rips Bude - on north east coast

Sennen - at the opposite end of the coast near Land’s End

Every month, Cornwall Living offers a range of wonderful prizes to be won, from luxury spa breaks and weekend escapes, to gift vouchers to spend in one of your favourite Cornish shops.

So, for a chance to win one of the latest prizes, head over to our competitions page online.

Enter now at www.cornwall-living.co.uk Terms & conditions apply.

Watergate Bay - watch out for kite surfers

“The anticipation of not knowing whether you are about to catch the wave of your life or wipeout”

Church Cove and Kennack Sands - on the Lizard If new to a beach always check with a lifeguard or local surfer about any hazards or rips.

Enter now at

www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING 85

foodie |

A green vision

Greens of Padstow is a fantastic addition to the port’s happening foodie scene.

I

DISCOVER MORE With stuffed red peppers, Moroccan spiced bean burgers, delicious goats’ cheese tarts, as well as a whole host of sandwiches and ploughmans, vegetarian appetites are well taken care of.

n 2015, Greens of Padstow owners Ian and Sharon Whittock began piecing together their vision of a site in Padstow that would bring something new to its already vibrant foodie scene. Crucial to the plans was creating a ‘wow’ factor that offered outstanding views of the estuary while remaining sympathetic to the town, instead of sticking out like a sore thumb.

Launceston based architects Parkes Lees won the contract because of its innovative suggestion to incorporate an elevated walkway across the site, one that would serve as a viewing platform of the town.

While this element is yet to be realised due to a rock fall early on in the groundworks, the café building is now complete, offering fabulous views of the sea and life on the water.

What’s more, upon completion, it won’t just be a picturesque spot to stop for a cup; Greens of Padstow will represent a great day out for the family, with mini-golf on offer as well as a sumptuous lunch and dinner menu, perfect for sating that sea-air appetite.

For lunch, you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Seafood lovers will be in foodie heaven, with choices including grilled Cornish mackerel fillets with lemon and herb dressing and roasted new potatoes, and locally caught Porthilly mussels.

86 | CORNWALL LIVING | FOODIE

In the evening, you’ll find a very Cornish take on tapas where you and yours can choose from the Grazing at Greens menu, with options ranging from cheese and charcuterie to antipasti and local artisan bread. Afterwards, why not delight the kids with the mouth-watering dessert menu? I’ve got my eye on the vanilla panna cotta, but then that’s just one man’s opinion...

Ian and Sharon tell us: “We have one of the best views in Padstow, and want to provide an environment to enhance the experience – a haven in which to enjoy simple, wholesome food in a relaxed setting.”

Indeed, with work yet to be done, this is a space that’s certainly worth watching.

That said, if you’re out and about walking the north Cornish coast path or simply want to try something new on Padstow’s famed foodie scene, Greens has already established itself as a ‘must visit’, so why not add it to your itinerary?

é ABOVE

ë LEFT The exquisitely styled interior of Greens of Padstow is as mesmerising as the estuary views

GREENS OF PADSTOW North Quay, Padstow PL28 8AF 01841 532002 greenscafe@hotmail.co.uk www.greenspadstow.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

WORDS BY

Dan Warden

foodie

Winner of two gold awards at the Eden Project’s 2017 World Pasty Championships, we catch up with Fiona Rick of Cornish Premier Pasties.

To Win..

Pasties are marked on: • Crimp

• Pastry texture • Filling texture • Taste • Technical expertise • General appearance

words by:

Dan Warden

H

PASTY

aving been caught in traffic on the A30, Fiona is refreshingly unperturbed by a frustrating road trip as she steps out of the car. Indeed, she’s immediately keen to get stuck into a conversation about everything, from travelling and flavours around the world to the history and heritage of the pasty.

Her enthusiasm is infectious. It’s refreshing to speak to somebody who still cares about the little things – those that make the Cornish pasty special – despite working for a company that’s only getting bigger.

The business, which is only 55 strong, is keen to support local businesses. Indeed, while it sells wholesale, the pasties always end up in the ovens of local shops, bakeries and butchers around the country. What’s more, Fiona tells me that Cornish Premier Pasties (CPP) is a board member of the Cornish Pasty Association (CPA), always working hard to protect the status of Cornwall’s dearest foodie tradition. Fiona works closely with the CPA, which is especially important as Cornwall faces uncertainty with the looming of Brexit.

CPP, already occupying unit four at St Columb Major Business Park, expanded into unit 5 in 2011. This is where the company

88 CORNWALL LIVING | FOODIE

The perfect

holds its office, bakery and even its own butchery department, to which Fiona accredits the quality beef skirt that goes into all of their pasties. In fact, all of the ingredients that go into CPP’s products are fresh and locally sourced, meaning people all over the country can enjoy a true flavour of Cornwall which, in essence, is this company’s mission.

Fiona and her colleague Charlotte explain that many think their pasties are machine crimped. On the contrary: “Our crimpers hand crimp up to 170 pasties an hour! I think the confusion comes from the neatness of our pasties – we use a minimum of 22 crimps, which means a lot of people mistake our crimpers’ skill for machine precision!” I can understand why Fiona is a little taken aback by such a suggestion!

After filling me in on the background, Fiona moves onto the World Pasty Championships.

For the first three years, she tells me that because CPP supplied Eden with palm oil free pasties, they were unable to enter, which was frustrating to say the least! However, as the company became more involved with the CPA, they made their first entry into both company categories in 2016, scooping silver in both.

é ABOVE Fiona, proudly bearing CPP’s new accolades

“I’m so annoyed, we’ve just had another batch of posters made up celebrating last year’s silver and now we’ve won gold!”

This year’s event, which again took place at the Eden Project, saw workshops including children’s crimping classes, raising money for a children’s community charity.

“People love to learn how to crimp. If you’ve grown up in Cornwall, it’s likely that it’s been passed down. I don’t know anyone I went to school with, who is Cornish through and through, whose grandma or mum didn’t crimp!

“Unfortunately, tickets for these classes always run short, so next year we intend to do more. It’s amazing how many kids really want to give it a go!”

This year, Fiona proudly accepted the awards on behalf of CPP for first place in the Open Savoury category – for the sensational Red Thai Chicken Pasty, as well as gold in the Cornish Pasty – Company category. As you might expect, competition is fierce at such a prestigious event, yet I’m told there is a buzz in the air between those who hold the pasty and its Cornish roots close to their hearts.

Having won the awards, Fiona tells me: "My fellow board members and I are extremely

proud of our team. Without them, none this would have even been possible!"

I ask Fiona what inspired the team to enter the Red Thai Chicken Pasty. “We’ve been doing this one for a number of years – it’s a CPP staple. As people begin to travel more and get a feel for global flavours, they’re more and more interested in new twists on their native dishes. It’s proven really popular with our customers to date, so we thought we’d enter it this year! Last year, our chicken and mango went down well, but we knew we could do better!”

As the meeting winds down, Fiona finishes by adding, “Even though we produce many flavours like this, I must say that there is still only one true pasty and that’s a Cornish one!”

I couldn’t agree more.

CORNISH PREMIER PASTIES

Units 4 & 5 Hurling Way, St Columb Major Business Park 01637 889388 www.cornishpremierpasties.co.uk Find out more online: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

ë TOP LEFT All the ingredients that go into Cornish Premier Pasties’ products are as fresh as they come! é ABOVE The one that clinched it – the Red Thai Chicken Pasty ë INSET Fiona and Ruth Huxley – this year’s Cornish Pasty Ambassador

Did you know?

During the busy season, the CPP team is capable of handcrimping more than 22,000 pasties a day!

Cornish Premier Pasties provided each passenger on the inaugural flight between Frankfurt and Newquay Airport with a fresh Cornish pasty!

CORNWALL LIVING | FOODIE 89

foodie |

A true taste

OF CORNWALL Gold for Boscastle Farm Shop in this year’s Cornwall Tourism Awards!

EXPERIENCE

DISCOVER MORE Whether you’re feeling energetic, or would prefer a shorter amble, there are some stunning walks near Boscastle Farm Shop, and if you’re lucky you’ll see some spectacular wildlife on your route, such as grey seals in the cove below and peregrine falcons that roost in the cliffs.

H

aving enjoyed resounding success at their original store (a garden shed at Home Farm, Boscastle), Husband and wife team, Robin and Jackie Haddy decided to move premises next to Pentargon Falls, just 50 yards from the coast path, surrounded by National Trust farmland.

The shop’s ethos is centred on a passion for great quality, local produce, and a love of the natural beauty of the area. The shop and café both enjoy scintillating views of the Atlantic and offer visitors a true flavour of Cornwall, whether it’s to eat in or to takeaway. From the Red Ruby beef – from their own cattle at Home Farm – to a wide selection of Cornish fish, as well as Cornish drinks and other fantastic fare, there’s something for every taste.

It’s no wonder, then, that the team just won the Gold Cornwall Tourism Award (CTA) for Café Tearoom of the Year! Having already won a gold, silver and bronze in previous years, Robin and Jackie once again entered the competition for 2017. To judge the entrants, CTA judges arrive, unannounced, to scrutinise what the establishment has to offer, and this year, they were simply blown away.

On making the decision to move from Home

90 | CORNWALL LIVING | FOODIE

Farm nearly five years ago, Jackie tells us: “We knew there was a demand for what we were offering, as there aren’t many local butchers in the area, however since we made the move, our business of producing good-quality, homemade food has boomed on an unprecedented level!”

Supporting local businesses like Tregida Smokehouse and Cornish Orchards, and residing in what is an undeniably incredible location, Boscastle Farm Shop is is proud to make most of what it has to offer on site, meaning it truly is the epitome of a Cornish business. So this Christmas, if you’re looking for a gift for that special someone that holds Cornwall close to their hearts, why not pay a visit and see what the team can offer you?

Chances are, you’ll find something that tickles your fancy too, and it can’t hurt to treat yourself once in a while, can it?

BOSCASTLE FARM SHOP

Hillsborough Farm, Boscastle PL35 0HH 01840 250827 www.boscastlefarmshop.co.uk Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

ë ABOVE Enjoy delicious Cornish food, with wonderful views to match at Boscastle Farm Shop

foodie |

A labo ur

OF LOVE

Introducing Tregida, an award-winning artisan food producer on the north Cornish coast.

O READ

DISCOVER MORE Tregida regularly receives rave reviews for its delicious range of products. Al Cartwright says: “I love Tregida! Their products are always fresh, great value, and the service is amazing.”

ffering smoked fish, meat and cheese from its very own smokehouse, Tregida in north Cornwall is a family run business that delivers its most sumptuous smoked products and seafood all over the UK. We speak with owner Coralie, who tells us how it all began. “Jon and I met at university, where Jon was studying for a degree in Agriculture and I was working towards a degree in Business. When we graduated, we set up a smoker on my parents’ land in Trelash on the north Cornish coast with my brother, Yan.” She explains how Jon built the first smoker by hand and started producing products that had been traditionally smoked, including salmon and mackerel, in 2000. Since, they’ve taught themselves about the industry and have evolved from a small smokery to one of the most successful independent smokehouses in the UK! In 2010, Jon tells us how they opened their fresh fish-processing site, complementing the smokehouse with great success! “We buy the fish from two markets in Looe and Plymouth where possible, branching out to others if necessary. Looe is a lifeline for the small boats in Cornwall – boats which actually supply the freshest fish – so we do our best to support Looe’s market.” I ask Coralie what’s the best part of running a business in Cornwall.

91 | CORNWALL LIVING | FOODIE

She tells me: “We love how, despite there being very few smokehouses left in the south west, we’re still here after all these years! Cornwall has and continues to be a wonderful place in which to bring up our family, and it’s made even better by running a business that we love.”

Impressively, the company has won lots of Taste of the West Awards for all its products over the years. “We even won best fish for our kippers a few years ago! I think the difference is that we use the finest quality ingredients, and every product is hand processed and packed.”

With Christmas just around the corner, if you’re struggling to think of the perfect gift for that friend, family member or loved one who simply loves all things Cornwall, why not give them the gift of flavour with one of Tregida’s Christmas Hampers? The Tregida range can be easily adapted to suit all tastes and requirements, with orders carried out quickly and efficiently. With Christmas being a time for guilt-free indulgence, what better way to enjoy it than with the sumptuous produce of an artisanal Cornish smokehouse?

TREGIDA LTD

Trelash, Launceston PL15 8RL 01840 261785 www.tregida.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

é

ABOVE Tregida smokes the freshest West Country fish on site

1.00 Template.indd 1

02/11/2017 16:37

| foodie n Turbot roasted on the bone

A Cornish Christmas

A LT E R N AT I V E Looking to enjoy a Cornish alternative to Christmas dinner?

TURBOT ROASTED ON THE BONE, WITH SPROUTS, CHESTNUTS, PANCETTA, ROAST POTATOES AND HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS: 4x 200g turbot troncons 8 medium or large potatoes Approximately 100g duck or goose fat/dripping

O

ne of Cornwall’s best-known chefs, Ben Tunnicliffe boasts a string of accolades and has been an advocate of seasonal Cornish food for almost two decades, experimenting to create dishes that really pack a flavoursome punch! This recipe is an alternative to traditional Christmas lunch, but retains some festive ingredients.

Turbot, regarded as the king of fish, can be substituted for another species, but cooking times will vary, depending on the cut.

ave yourself some time by doing some prep the day S before: Peel, wash and cut the potatoes, storing in cold water; trim the sprouts and blanch in salted boiling water until tender. Refresh them in cold water, before draining and cutting into halves of quarters. You can also cut the pancetta into lardons and fry in a dry pan until golden brown, as well as cut or break the chestnuts in half. Set all aside until required.

METHOD 1

200g sprouts 100g pancetta A small bunch of parsley

TOP TIP

2

4 egg yolks 50ml white wine vinegar (reduced to 25ml with 2 peppercorns and a bay leaf) 250g butter Salt and pepper 3

o begin cooking preheat your oven to 180°C, T add the fat to a suitable roasting tray in the oven and melt, before adding and turning the pre-boiled potatoes to coat them. Season well and put back in the oven, turning them every 10 to 15 minutes until golden. o make the hollandaise sauce, whisk the T egg yolks together with salt, pepper and white wine vinegar, doing so over a pan of simmering water. When the mixture is at ribbon stage (a trail of the mixture will sit for approximately five seconds before merging back into the rest), remove from the heat and slowly add butter, whisking while you do so. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. eanwhile, heat a frying pan for the turbot.

M Season the fish well, add your chosen oil to the pan and when smoking, add the turbot, white skin side down. Cook until golden then turn onto the dark skin side.

Allow to seal, then place the pan in the oven or transfer to a baking tray, roasting it for approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

4

ow, place a frying pan on a moderate heat N and add the cooked pancetta lardons. When they start to sizzle, add the sprouts, allowing them to fry and brown. Next chop your parsley, and add it with the chestnuts when the sprouts are hot through.

5

o assemble the dish, carefully remove the T dark skin by simply peeling it off. Spoon the sprouts, nuts, pancetta and parsley onto four warm plates. Place the roast potatoes to the side and lay the fish on top, before spooning over the hollandaise sauce and serving.

BEN TUNNICLIFFE SENNEN COVE Sennen Cove TR19 7BT 01736 871191 www.benatsennen.com

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | FOODIE | 93

COVER FEATURE |

A writers’

paradise Author Rachel Hickman explores the rugged landscape and magical coastline that have inspired many of our literary greats.

WORDS BY

W

Rachel Hickman

hy is Cornwall a place of literary adventure? From its rugged moorland and ruined mining past to its high winding hedgerows and wreckers’ shores, Cornwall is so full of character as to be a character itself in the novels it inspires: contradictory and colourful – as well as mysterious and moody.

Perhaps it’s because as a reader you feel as if you’ve arrived at the furthest tip of possibility and that time somehow stops at Land’s End. That stories set in Cornwall somehow stretch along a coastline that runs on forever; secrets tangled in old rope and seaweed, and stashed in caves guarded by the tide; where the weather defines the twists and turns of a plot.

Literary Cornwall has a history that dates back to the myths of King Arthur and Tintagel. The story I love is Tristan and Iseult retold by Rosemary Sutcliffe and illustrated

by Victor Ambrus. How valiant Tristan is sent on a mission to find a queen for his uncle, the King of Cornwall, but falls in love instead with a flame-haired Irish princess, Iseult – with heartbreaking consequences.

If you go to Tintagel on the north coast and stand with your eyes closed to the Atlantic wind you can almost feel the presence of some mythical force.

My bookish Cornwall is as timeless and well-thumbed as the novels on a holiday cottage bookshelf. There’s a reason why Enid Blyton’s Famous Five are still sleuthing today, or The Island of Adventure works even now for children: its heroes Jack, Philip, Dinah and Lucy-Ann at Craggy-tops unearthing sinister goings-on on the mysterious Isle of Gloom when they stumble into an abandoned copper mine and tunnels under the sea. On a wet windy day stuck indoors, there’s nothing better than the page-turning excitement of imagining treacherous tides, coves and treasure.

Another beloved modern classic for children set in Cornwall is Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising sequence. An ancient manuscript is found in the cottage where the Drew children are staying that leads them into a battle between the Light and the Dark, and a quest for the Things of Power with all the danger, magic and mystery that goes with that.

The fictional village of Trewissick in the story is likely to have been inspired by Mevagissey, south of St Austell where the author used to stay. There’s a local headland to the north called Penare Point which sounds a little like Kemare, and another headland to the south, called Chapel Point.

| COVER FEATURE

Darkness and light pervade all Cornish stories and especially the novels of Daphne Du Maurier, bridging the gap between childhood and adult reading. I discovered Du Maurier’s novels as a teenager and then again in my twenties while on honeymoon touring Cornwall in an unreliable TR5. We arrived in St Mawes just as the afternoon light was fading and stumbled upon the Tresanton Hotel, long before it was transformed by the Polizzis. It was a time-travelling moment – the hotel had a dusty elegance with faded chintz bedrooms, including a small round box on the bedside tables that contained two digestive biscuits. It was April, cold and sunny, and in that moment I stepped into Daphne Du Maurier’s stout shoes and began dreaming of mysterious creeks, wreckers’ coves, bleak moors and gothic mansions. As a teen, I read Frenchman’s Creek first – a swashbuckling adventure with romanticised characters in which the writing is dreamy and languid. A fed-up and rebellious Lady Dona St Columb visits Navron, her husband’s remote estate, where she finds evidence that the property is being used by a notorious French pirate who has been prowling the coast. Exploring the sleepy, hidden creeks around Helford, she discovers that the Jean-Benoit Aubéry, is an altogether more exciting man than her husband.

n Now and then: Ferryside at Bodinnick

on the Fowey river, where Daphne Du Maurier wrote some of her novels including The Loving Spirit

n The Helford river, near Frenchman’s Creek

Geoff Squibb

p

CORNWALL LIVING | 95

COVER FEATURE |

n Frenchman’s

Creek by artist Kurt Jackson

96 | CORNWALL LIVING

its history back to the Normans. It played a significant role in the Civil War – as recounted in the book – and nowadays Boconnoc House and its surrounding estate is one of the most beautiful locations in Cornwall.

Other Cornish adventures later in my life have included reading all 12 Poldark novels

by Winston Graham in succession on a train while commuting from Winchester to work at Penguin Books, and then Harper Collins in London. The series is now immortalised for television, but nothing compares to the detail of the stories. Romance, intrigue, betrayal, and one of the most heart-breaking love triangles in modern fiction ensues as Ross falls in love with the high-spirited Demelza, and tries to build a better world while fighting his arch-enemy, the ruthless

The Jackson Foundation

But perhaps my favourite Du Maurier story is The King’s General; the first novel Du Maurier wrote while living at Menabilly, the real-life setting for her most famous novel, Rebecca, where it’s called ‘Manderley’. It tells of the enduring love between Honor Harris who is 18 when she first meets proud, reckless and captivating Richard Grenvile.

Following a riding accident, Honor is reconciled to a life of disability on her own.

As the English Civil war is waged, Richard rises through the ranks of the army. Years pass, until Sir Richard, now as a general serving King Charles I, finds her. Finally, they share their passion in the ruins of her family’s great estate on the storm-tossed Cornish coast. That estate exists: Boconnoc, which lies three miles east of Lostwithiel and can trace

ì ABOVE RIGHT The Helford river, near Frenchman’s Creek by photographer Geoff Squibb è RIGHT

Boconnoc House, an inspiration for the novel, The King’s General

financier, George Warleggan. The novels were set especially in and near Perranporth where Graham lived for more than three decades.

And now, 25 years on, my own recently published first novel, One Silver Summer, was inspired by long holidays with my husband and children in and around the Roseland. I wrote it over a two-year period – much of it at Kerbenetty Cottage in Portloe looking out over the harbour. The coastal paths that my hero and heroine tread are those between Portloe and Carne, and Pendower, beaches, with a sharp diversion up the wooded valley towards Melinsey Mill. Trist House, my grand estate, is a place of fiction, but I admit to borrowing the name from a beautiful old rectory in Veryan.

Much ‘essential’ writing time, and most of the edits, was spent ensconced by a fire or on the terraces of The Nare and Lugger hotels.

Thinking time was spent walking the dog on Towan beach in all weathers; watching horses being exercised close to the coast path near Rosteague House.

Geoff Squibb

| COVER FEATURE

Wherever we turn in Cornwall, we are fortunate to be surrounded by a hugely evocative landscape; one that has inspired many a great author and poet as the perfect setting to stage their adventures, immortalising it forever on the page. As we always say, nothing beats getting out to explore the magic of Cornwall firsthand, so we’ve suggested a few more locations to visit over the page. Who knows, you may even be inspired to put pen to paper yourself.

p

n Winston Graham

wrote the Poldark series while living in Perranporth

MEET RACHEL Rachel Hickman is founding Director of Chicken House Publishing Ltd. Having worked with some of the most famous names in children’s publishing, including Roald Dahl, she has put fingertips to the keyboard for the first time with One Silver Summer (Old Barn Books, £6.99) for teens about love, loss – and horses.

Visit www.cornwall-living.co.uk to read our interview with Rachel in last month’s issue. @hickman_rachel onesilversummer

CORNWALL LIVING | 97

Discover more

FOWEY HALL This grand country house by the sea stakes a good claim to the inspiration behind Toad Hall, when Kenneth Grahame stayed in the area with friend and fellow author, Arthur Quiller-Couch.

A few more literary connections to explore across Cornwall…

n Prideaux Place,

Padstow

JAMAICA INN An old coaching inn and reputed smugglers’ haunt on Bodmin Moor, inspiring Du Maurier’s classic novel.

p esso att J -M

s Vi

all nw or it C

Rosamunde Pilcher’s 1987 classic The Shell Seekers has sold over five million copies to date. Locations used in the 2006 TV adaptation include Port Isaac, St Michael’s Mount, Lamorna and Prideaux Place in Padstow.

Lisa Prout

THE SHELL SEEKERS’ TRAIL

OUT NOW MORGOWR AND THE LEATHERBACK TURTLE by Judy Scrimshaw Children will love this heartwarming tale, the latest Mogowr adventure from Granny Moff Books, featuring wonderful rhymes and beautifully vivid illustrations.

Carla Regler

www.grannymoff.com

98 | CORNWALL LIVING

ST ENODOC, DAYMER BAY This area is Betjeman country, inspiring several of his greatest works. Visit Betjeman’s final resting place, in the grounds of St Enodoc Church, a beautiful setting nestled in the dunes above the bay.

For all that’s featured in this month’s Cornwall Living and more, head to our website. Fancy being the first to receive updates? Well, you can by subscribing to our newsletter at...

Matthew Lemin

www.cornwall-living.co.uk

Author Patrick Gale lives near Land’s End on a cattle farm and many of his novels are set in the surrounding landscape.

Notes from an Exhibition follows the colourful life of an artist from Penzance, while The Cat Sanctuary places some of the action on Bodmin Moor.

Head over to our Vimeo page for a tour of Fowey Hall, supposedly the inspiration behind Toad Hall in The Wind in Willows.

www.galewarning.org

www.vimeo.com/cornwallliving

GODREVY LIGHTHOUSE The iconic Godrevy lighthouse (beautifully captured on the left by photographer Carla Regler) inspired Virginia Woolf’s modern classic, To the Lighthouse, frequently cited one of the greatest English-language novels of all time. Although inspired by her family’s visits to St Ives, the fictional lighthouse in Woolf’s story is relocated to the Isle of Skye, off the coast of Scotland.

Every month, Cornwall Living offers a range of wonderful prizes to be won, from luxury spa breaks and weekend escapes, to gift vouchers to spend in one of your favourite Cornish shops. So, for a chance to win one of the latest prizes, head over to our competitions page online.

Enter now at www.cornwall-living.co.uk Terms & conditions apply

Courtesy of Anna Photography www.anna-photography.co.uk

Visit Cornwall – Adam Gibbard

PATRICK GALE’S CORNWALL

Enter now at

www.cornwall- living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 99

ART |

FOREVER

g n i g n a h c

Artist Steve Slimm continues to evolve, whilst somehow remaining the same, just like the landscape he paints.

I have no wish to tell you what a place looks like, I want to tell you how I feel about what I see – what I experience STEVE SLIMM

101 | CORNWALL LIVING

T

he landscape expressionist painter Steve Slimm has been through some major life-changes these past 12 months, to say the least. Following the death of his long-term partner in August 2016, he has been blessed with a new relationship this year, which apparently threatens to take him away from Cornwall. His planned move to Devon will not, however, mean the end of his Cornish connection, with his studio near Praa Sands remaining active, and many galleries showcasing his acclaimed landscapes.

Over the past three decades the name ‘Steve Slimm’ has become synonymous with a deep connection to the natural environment. His paintings, although not instantly obvious, breathe the essence of archaic Cornwall – of the moors, the coast, of the ancient tracts of land before we arrived in force to both populate and, for better or worse, leave our footprint. “One thing is for sure”, Steve muses, “we have changed things; it’s what we do.

And yet the essence of the land remains the same – unchanged, and unchangeable. A bit like ourselves really.” It is of our human connection to our unchangeable planet, that

Steve’s work speaks. Through his artwork, Steve uses paint to tell of an ideal world of harmony. The horizon is rarely distinct, but rather a misty, even mystical, merging of land and sky. His work leads viewers toward feeling safe, with feet firmly on the ground, whilst at the same time soaring toward the light. In this way, his work has proved inspirational to many an aspiring artist through the years.

If you are looking for detailed topographical interest, though, in Steve’s own words: “I’m afraid you can forget it! I have no wish to tell you what a place looks like, I want to tell you how I feel about what I see – what I experience. By doing this, I somehow know I am reminding you, the viewer, of how you feel about it, about the unchangeable in all of us; and how our connection to the land is somehow part of this. That’s all I wish to say; and if this invokes connectedness – then I’m happy.”

STEVE SLIMM

www.steveslimm.com/cornwall-living Artist Steve Slimm Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

ABOVE ë The artist BELOW í Evening Arrives Peacefully BELOW ê Wild Sea of Blue

n Quality time at Budock Vean

n Relaxing at Merchants Manor

n Clifftop serenity at the Scarlet

n The summerhouse at Merchants

Manor

| COVER FEATURE

TIME TO

f l e s r u o treat y

Cornwall is the perfect place to experience a relaxing spa in an incredible location. From clifftop retreats to countryside wellbeing, we visit some of our favourite places to unwind and tune out.

WORDS BY

Hannah Tapping

W

e are so lucky, here in Cornwall, to have such a choice when it comes to spas and treatments venues. We have adult-only spas ideal for couples or if you want to indulge in some me-time away from the children.

Others cater for families so you can chill out while the children are happy playing in the pool. Many are part of luxury hotels so you can extend your experience from a relaxing day to a decadent weekend or combine with lunch or afternoon tea for a foodie treat.

More and more, Cornish spas are becoming the destination of choice for those wanting to switch off but still enjoy a spectacular location, and there is a significant amount of investment being made to ensure our spas are up there with the very best.

MERCHANTS MANOR in Falmouth has recently undergone a large refurbishment, including the addition of a new swimming pool, gym and wellbeing area. You can let all your cares slip away with a treatment in one of the Linen Rooms. Morocconinspired tiled floors cover underfloor heating and heated beds

radiate that ever-important warmth during your treatment while treatment products from local company Inlight fill the room with the heavenly scent of palmarosa and lavender. Treatments at Merchants are based on centuries-old techniques, drawn from the experience of their world-travelled therapists. For the more energetic, there is a brand new gym and a decent sized swimming pool. A charming barrel sauna sits outside in a pretty courtyard area with a menthol-infused steam room just off the pool. Children are allowed to use the pool during certain times, which means those who want a gentle swim can avoid any exuberant splashing, but families can enjoy themselves as well.

p

n Poolside paradise at Merchants Manor

CORNWALL LIVING | 103

COVER FEATURE | RURAL RELAXATION

ê BELOW

3deep Ariel

Relax in rural splendour at the Budock Vean

If a town location doesn’t appeal then Cornwall is home to some splendid countryside retreats – think lush green gardens, still lakes and tree canopies in which to lie back and relax.

Amongst our favourites is the BUDOCK VEAN, near Mawnan Smith. The swimming pool is housed in a cavernous conservatory with a large open fire at one end that gives a warming focal point on winter days as you rest back on one of the steamer loungers. For warmer days an outdoor hot tub means you can bask in blissful bubbles while watching the clouds scud by. The pamper day at Budock Vean is one of the best we have experienced. Envelope yourself in a sumptuous robe, experience a superb treatment and then sit down to a delicious lunch overlooking the 65-acre estate.

If you have enough energy you can even stroll through the grounds down to the Helford river.

Discover more on page 28.

Further along the south coast, you’ll find THE CORNWALL HOTEL AND CLEARING SPA. Set amongst natural parkland the infinity pool has a panoramic landscape that

changes from a palette of lush greens during the spring and summer months through to the gentle russets of autumn and winter. A fully equipped gym coupled with a dry sauna and a steam room, enriched with essential oils, means you can’t fail to leave here feeling relaxed. The Cornwall also offers a range of spa breaks so you can totally unwind, putting off returning to reality for that little bit longer.

To the north, in St Columb, RETALLACK RESORT AND SPA offers a unique experience.

Its luxury, self-catering lodges are a brilliant place to stay with family or friends and with an onsite Wake and Aqua Park, and a FlowRider, children can’t fail to be entertained. So, with the small ones happy, what more of an excuse do you need to pamper yourself? The ESYA spa includes a swimming pool, gym and even fitness classes – at Retallack you can work up a sweat before winding down with one of the transformative treatments. Turn to page 18 to find out more.

| COVER FEATURE n The infinity pool

at The Cornwall

n Bathing in bubbles

at Budock Vean

è RIGHT

Pampering at Retallack

BEAUTY AND THE BEACH If you’re looking for an adults-only spa then the ultra chic, purpose-built and environmentally conscious hotel and spa, perched on the cliff on Mawgan Porth, the SCARLET, should be your destination of choice. In this setting, you can’t help but unwind and forget about the rest of the world. The way the site interacts with the landscape it occupies is a master stroke.

Smooth curves and straight lines seamlessly blend inside and out, while an internal uncovered courtyard echoes a Roman villa from the future. The pool is chemical free,

cleaned by the reeds. The whole place has been perfectly realised with luxury and comfort in mind, down to the very last detail. Sat on the clifftop, a stay here feels almost like a spiritual experience, heightened by the array of treatments on offer. The spa focuses on holistic wellbeing and every person’s experience is unique.

Our favourite is the Hammam. If you’ve never tried this unique treatment then you should – an invigorating, rehydrating scrub is rinsed off in warm water leaving your skin soft and your muscles relaxed.

p

Clifftop nn The Greatindulgence Cornish at theTruro Scarlet Food Festival,

GET IN TOUCH! Whether you are looking for a weekend away, a day of relaxation or just to experience one of the amazing treatments on offer, there should always be some time for you.

Merchants Manor www.merchantsmanor.co.uk Budock Vean www.budockvean.co.uk The Cornwall Hotel and Spa www.thecornwall.com Retallack Resort and Spa www.retallackresort.co.uk The Scarlet www.scarlethotel.co.uk Polurrian Bay Hotel www.polurrianhotel.com St Michaels Hotel and Spa www.stmichaels.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 105

COVER FEATURE | n Beach running at St Michaels

n Coastal indulgence

at Polurrian Bay

è RIGHT Unwind in style at Polurrian Bay’s Purity Spa

For a family-friendly, coastal hotel and spa the POLURRIAN BAY HOTEL is hard to beat. The views from the hotel, which stands majestically on the clifftop in Mullion, are just breathtaking and you have the benefit here of both an indoor and outdoor pool (in summer months). The spa area is well thought out and the pool is surrounded by giant bean bags so you can relax with a book while older children swim, or indulge in the adjacent hot tub.

If you have smaller children then you can take advantage of the excellent childcare facilities on site, which include an Ofstedregistered crèche. So much easier to relax when you know your children are being well looked after close by.

From clifftop to beachside, the ST MICHAELS HOTEL AND SPA is truly stunning. You’re literally just a stone’s throw from the beach at Gyllyngvase for morning runs and a brand new spa and gym has opened as we go to print. The state-of-the-art gym has been designed with an industrial feel to reflect the nearby Falmouth Docks. Equipment here is all ‘best in class’ so if exercise is your relaxation then you’ll be in seventh heaven as Concept 2 rowing machines sit alongside Matrix treadmills and Keiser spin bikes.

A dedicated fitness suite, with on-demand classes, means you can workout whenever you want, a unique Gig Club room offers rowing programmes and there is also a spinning room – the choice is endless!

The pool area is liquid luxury at its best with a sauna and heated chill out area, Changing rooms (wet and dry) are vast and the new treatment area, complete with nail bar, exudes coastal elegance.

p

106 | CORNWALL LIVING

n The stunning new

pool area at St Michaels

TREAT YOURSELF! Now you can re-create that spa feel and smell at home as some of Cornwall’s finest organic skincare is available to order online.

Spiezia www.madeforlifeorganics.com Beyond Organics www.beyondorganicskincare.com (Find out more on page 8) Inlight www.inlightbeauty.co.uk

n Treat yourself with

Spiezia botanicals

MORE OF OUR FAVOURITES The Cowshed Spa Best for… countryside charm in a clifftop setting and part of a stunning ‘Art Deco’ style hotel. www.stmoritzhotel.couk Crantock Bay Spa Best for… a day spa using award-winning Spieizia Organics products, hand-blended in Cornwall, with views over Crantock Beach and the ocean beyond. www.crantockbayspa.co.uk Kernow Springs Sean Gee Best for… wild spa rentals. You can either hire one of the beautiful wooden hot tubs or rent a full Roaming Eco Spa Site, complete with hot tubs, showers, changing rooms and relaxation lounge. www.kernowsprings.co.uk

Read more online about our visit to Merchants Manor and the treatments available. Head to our website now for a full review… www.cornwall-living.co.uk

Sands Resort Hotel and Spa Best for… a new, Moorish spa experience. The Ocean Breeze spa is inspired by the scents and atmosphere of a Moroccan indoor garden, including a cedar hot tub and barrel heat room. www.sandsresort.co.uk St Ives Harbour Hotel and Spa Best for… amazing views across the crystal clear waters of St Ives bay to the town beyond. A spa break here includes dinner at The Terrace Bar and Restaurant making your stay as relaxing as possible. www.stives-harbour-hotel.co.uk The Walled Garden Spa Best for… an glorious, outdoor, heated ozone swimming pool surrounded by loungers. At the heart of the historic Trelowarren estate, the walled garden has an almost Mediterranean feel. www.trelowarren.com Holistic Health Best for… a range of stress management courses and therapies, including advice on lifestyle and wellbeing choices.

Read more on page 31. www.holistichealthcornwall.co.uk

Head over to our Vimeo page where you can take a virtual trip around the Linen Rooms and Spa at Merchants Manor. www.vimeo.com/cornwallliving

n Nature and the

Every month, Cornwall Living offers a range of wonderful prizes to be won, from luxury spa breaks and weekend escapes, to gift vouchers to spend in one of your favourite Cornish shops. So, for a chance to win one of the latest prizes, head over to our competitions page online.

Enter now at www.cornwall-living.co.uk Terms & conditions apply

Courtesy of Anna Photography www.anna-photography.co.uk

elements combine to create a unique spa experience at the Scarlet

Enter now at

www.cornwall- living.co.uk

CORNWALL LIVING | 107

CHARITY |

A FRIENDLY

face

Cornwall Hospice Care launches new Neighbourhood Hubs.

T

he clinical teams at Cornwall Hospice Care know only too well the issues around living with a terminal illness whether you’re a patient, carer, family member or friend. The Cornish charity is always talking with those who visit its hospices and as a result a new service is being launched this month aimed at helping all these people by offering support in their local communities.

The Neighbourhood Hubs will provide care, rehabilitation and support to patients and their carers earlier in their illnesses, help that has to date only been available in the hospices.

Dawn Tame-Battell, the charity’s Director of Patient Services, says: “At the hubs, people will be able to book an appointment to see a wide range of experts including physiotherapists, occupational and complementary therapists, Lymphoedema therapists, counsellors and specialist nurses.

A social worker will also be available to help and we can refer people on to our medical staff if necessary. It’ll be very informal, with tea and coffee and a chance to chat.”

Treatments will include management of breathlessness, pain, fatigue, reduced mobility, anxiety and emotional and spiritual issues. “We aim to build confidence, helping people to live as well as possible. We want to provide them with a chance to come and

108 | CORNWALL LIVING

talk and ask questions, to have both their physical and emotional issues addressed, including discussing ‘advanced care planning’ where they can detail how they want to be treated and cared for going forward.” GPs will be referring people to the Hubs, but patients and carers can also selfrefer as Dawn explains. “Come along to one of the Neighbourhood Hubs and see what’s on offer. We can then liaise with your GP to ensure we are offering what’s suitable to you.”

The first two Neighbourhood Hubs will be at the John Betjeman Centre in Wadebridge and Clarence House in Penzance, running every Thursday from 12th October onwards (1.30pm to 4.30pm). More Hubs will be announced in the coming months, along with new Open House sessions in smaller community settings where patients and carers can meet for company, support and advice.

The Neighbourhood Hubs, like all of the services provided to terminally ill patients

by Cornwall Hospice Care, will be free and funded thanks to the support of the people of Cornwall and those who have left the charity legacies in their wills.

CORNWALL HOSPICE CARE 01726 829874 www.cornwallhospicecare.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

é INSET

Jo Davis, Physiotherapist í BELOW Sarah Barrett, Occupational Therapist ê BELOW

Dawn Tame-Battell

We aim to build confidence, helping people to live as well as possible

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