SURFACE of
he fleeting ta leaux that ca ture ove ent in stillness
A JOURNAL FOR THE DISCERNING
Drift /drift/ noun
1. the act of driving something along
2. the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream
verb
1. to become driven or carried along, as by a current of water, wind, or air
2. to move or float smoothly and effortlessly
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A JOURNAL FOR THE DISCERNING
On the cover
Orange Hat by hil ard as featured from age . cornwall-art.co.uk
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ISSN 2632-9891
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Foreword
rench lmma er obert resson stri ed everything back until only the gesture remained. A hand pauses on a don ey s flan , a ro e goes taut then slac , a face gives away nothing while a whole life passes behind it. Bresson called his actors “models” precisely because he didn’t want performance; he wanted presence. Bodies caught in the act of being rather than showing. ere, nothing much ha ens and everything does. he surface, flat, unadorned, almost withheld, becomes the very thing that holds the depth. It is this same instinct that draws us to certain photographs and artworks: the ones that catch a moment already halfway into becoming another one. sherman ca tured ulling in his line, a cyclist riding past, light falling across a table set for a meal not yet begun. These are the tableaux worth chasing, the ones where stillness is not the absence of movement but its most eloquent form, the pause before the sentence continues.
A held breath photographs better than a shout as hotogra her i ie hurchill 1 demonstrates. er images know this instinctively, choosing the moment ust before or ust after the obvious one, trusting that what the eye almost catches will stay with us longer than what it sees outright. ac avis 2 says of his work that it is “about capturing an atmosphere, a memory, or a fleeting sensation and it is this that transports the viewer to a place in time. The same can be said of artist hil ard showing at the ustoms ouse allery. here is a de th of surface in his paintings that expertly captures the dichotomy of movement and stillness in their subjects. The same principle applies outside the art world: it might be a single memory of a journey taken, a view captured from a terrace, or the flavour of a meal. ver the coming ages we bring a varied tableau of experience, each one unique but all linked by the commonality of discerning taste.
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Kandahar Trevarrian
£850,000 Guide
Kandahar is an exceptional, architecturally striking four double bedroom home offering a superb standard of contemporary living, set within a private and secluded position within the pretty coastal hamlet of Trevarrian, between desirable Watergate Bay and highly sought after Mawgan Porth.
Hidden from public view and approached via a long driveway, the accommodation has been thoughtfully designed to maximise space and natural light. On the ground floor there are four well proportioned double bedrooms, including a luxurious principal bedroom with a stylish en-suite shower room alongside a beautifully appointed family bathroom. A stunning high-ceiling entrance hall creates an immediate sense of space and elegance on arrival.
Externally, the property continues to impress with a heated swimming pool with solar electric pool cover incorporating a built-in current for continuous swimming, surrounded by a Millboard terrace and mature planted borders providing both privacy and a refined setting. Further benefits include ample driveway parking, bike storage, an attached garage with a section retained for storage and the remainder converted into a home office and an overall sense of privacy that makes Kandahar a truly special and secluded home.
01841 532555
sales@jackie-stanley.co.uk
Jackie-stanley.co.uk
1 North Quay | Padstow | Cornwall | PL28 8AF
KING ARTHUR | NEWQUAY | Guide Price £950,000
A LANDMARK COASTAL RESIDENCE ON CORNWALL’S MOST DRAMATIC COASTLINE, OWNING PART OF THE CORNISH COAST AND BENEFITING FROM ITS OWN PRIVATE SEA POOL.
Occupying one of the most breathtaking coastal positions in the United Kingdom, King Arthur forms part of an iconic Art Deco residence standing proudly on the unspoilt East Pentire Headland in Newquay. Originally constructed in 1927 as an exclusive private home, the building was later sympathetically converted into just four individual apartments, creating an exceptionally rare opportunity to own a piece of Cornwall’s coastal heritage. Perched between the world famous surfing beach at Fistral and the sweeping sands of Crantock, the apartment enjoys uninterrupted panoramic views across the Atlantic Ocean, rugged coastline and surrounding headland.
THE PINES | SEATON, EAST CORNWALL | OIEO £900,000
A STRIKING ARCHITECT-DESIGNED COASTAL HOME WITH PANORAMIC SEA AND COUNTRY PARK VIEWS, BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED GARDENS AND EXCEPTIONAL SPLIT-LEVEL ACCOMMODATION.
A truly distinctive architect-designed contemporary residence, beautifully integrated into the surrounding hillside and enjoying far-reaching views across the wooded valley of Seaton Country Park towards the beach and sea beyond. Occupying an exceptional position with direct access into the country park, this remarkable home o ers a rare combination of striking modern design, privacy, natural light and a wonderfully productive garden setting. Over the past decade, the current owners have undertaken a significant programme of improvements, carefully enhancing both the presentation and functionality of the property while remaining sympathetic to its original architectural vision.
Awaiting the instant where time and subject come together in the perfect frame
Finding a renewed sense of connection to self, memory and emotional response through the work of Jack Davis
Taking the all-new Porsche Cayenne Electric through its paces
A welcoming gallery, whose commitment to presenting high-quality art is evident now, more than ever
s t oug set into t e cli ace, e ookout draws you out into an endless seascape
A practice shaping homes and businesses with sustainability and circular economy practices stitched into every layer
A grand homestay just a few miles from Padstow, yet a world away
Science writer Sophie Pavelle reveals nature’s tangled symbioses
An septet of Cornish retreats proving that a holiday by the sea can still feel like discovery
n invitation to oray into t e avours o Topsham’s rich seafood history
Visual INSTINCT
WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING
Awaiting the instant where time and subject come together in the perfect frame.
Photographer Lizzie Churchill’s images ca ture a fleeting tableau that is often un lanned. ometimes there are moments where the light and the com osition of the frame sim ly ust wor , she says, describing a ind of visual instinct that reads a scene the way others might read weather, sensing what is about to ha en before it does. t is a sensitivity she traces bac to her grandmother, the erson that ca tured our childhood on camera, and one that has since matured into something closer to a disci line than a habit.
hat distinguishes i ie s wor is a atience and a willingness to withhold the shutter until a scene com letes itself. his is de nitely something want to ca ture more of, that feeling of lacing yourself in the icture, she says, and it is recisely such submersion, the sense of a hotogra her dissolved into her surroundings rather than directing them, that gives her images their unforced intimacy. t might be a surfer unaware he has been caught mid wave at sunset, a cyclist arriving at e actly the right second on a o enhagen street all oblivious to
the lens, and roof of a hiloso hy built on restraint rather than staging, on waiting rather than arranging.
hat same restraint governs a growing devotion to lm. don t li e to touch or edit a lm really at all, she says, treating the medium s limitations, its nite frames, its refusal of instant correction, as a ind of ethical stance. olidays now yield a single olaroid a day, an image diary assembled one deliberate e osure at a time here s no reta ing it, you re not worried about it, it s ust no fuss, she says, and the resulting grain and im erfection have become the most honest register available to a photographer wor ing against a culture of in nite, dis osable digital images.
cross fashion, lifestyle and wedding hotogra hy, wor ing for brands, ublishers and creative agencies across the , this same sensibility holds an eye trained not on what a lace loo s li e, but on what it feels li e to stand inside it, briefly, before the moment closes. hat follows is a small selection of that world.
lizziechurchill.com
ABOVE athers in arseille
ABOVE ocals in allorca
Fine Jewellers Since 1988
Lovingly made for
ABOVE Helen and Edd’s wedding
ABOVE
Oblivious lemons in Zante
ABOVE
Vintage car and cyclist in Copenhagen
ABOVE LEFT
Loungers, Hotel Victoria Gran Meliá, Mallorca
ABOVE RIGHT
Tablescapes, Helen & Edd’s wedding, Roscarrock Manor Farm
TOP LEFT
Harriet at her wedding, Pennard Hill Farm
TOP RIGHT Lisbon tram
The Persistence
OF LIGHT
WORDS BY MERCEDES SMITH
Finding a renewed sense of connection to self, memory and emotional response through the work of Jack Davis.
My rst thought on viewing ac avis s wor is that it has something of the late 1 th century about it. am thin ing articularly of t ves artist ulius lsson 1 1 2 , who ainted marine wor s that ca tured the mirrored energy of sea and s y, em hasised by com ositions that s lit the canvas cleanly in two at the hori on line. here are no shi s or eo le in lsson s aintings. i e ac s, they are seasca es for the solitary viewer alone with the ower of the elements. cale, too, is used by both artists to give a thrilling sense of our smallness before the ower of the ocean. cale changes the way a viewer e eriences a ainting hysically, says ac . arge wor s create a sense of immersion, encouraging eo le to feel as though they are within the landsca e itself, on the edge of a cliff erha s, or lacing sun en footste s in the sand.
hile see lsson, ac describes a more 2 th century influence on his wor . am dee ly aware of the rich artistic history of ornwall and the generations of ainters who have res onded to its landsca e before me, he says. have always admired artists such as eter anyon and ryan ynter, whose wor ca tured not only the a earance of the landsca e but also its energy and s irit. hat interests me most is their willingness to move beyond straightforward re resentation and to develo a ersonal visual language rooted in lace. hat s something continually as ire to in my own wor . ac is right. here lsson was gurative, ac em loys a more e ressive use of form and alette, citing urner, histler and olour ield ainter oth o as influences, all of whom came to est ornwall in their time. olour is one of the most e ressive tools available to a ainter, he says.
TOP ull orce tlantic ABOVE ncandescent y
lthough my wor begins with observation, don t feel bound to re roduce colour e actly as see it. nstead, use colour to evo e mood and atmos here. ometimes that means ushing a alette towards heightened intensity at other times it means reducing it to a limited range of tones. am interested in how colours interact and create emotional res onses, and often a ainting evolves through discovering une ected relationshi s between different hues.
ac lives and wor s in elant on the fringes of t ves, and li e anyon and ynter before him, his own aintings res ond to the landsca e of enwith. ts coastline, which is sub ect to heavy s ies and sudden storms, is a meta hor for human e erience in his wor , which e lores ideas of emotional weight, intros ection and the ossibility of clarity and renewal. is latest e hibition, ehind ar louds, on show at ew raftsman allery this ugust, follows an underlying thread that runs throughout his ainting the ersistence of light beyond obscurity. ight and dar are fundamental to how construct a ainting, says ac . am fascinated by contrast not ust visually, but emotionally. ight can suggest ho e, distance or revelation, while dar er assages can introduce mystery,
uncertainty or de th. ften the ainting emerges through a rocess of balancing those o osing forces. ornwall s weather is constantly changing, and that creates dramatic shifts in tone and atmos here that try to translate into aint. hat tension between illumination and shadow hel s create a sense of emotional resonance. he e hibition centres on his ongoing relationshi with the ornish coast, and moments of inner reflection. y aintings are not intended as literal records of articular laces, says ac . hey are about ca turing an atmos here, a memory, or a fleeting sensation of being on the coast and ga ing into the hori on.
any of the wor s e lore the meeting oint between sea and s y, and the way these elements shift and transform through changing weather and light. est ornwall, of course, with its owerful tlantic weather fronts and tem eramental seas, rovides endless ins iration for ac . am most ins ired by transitional weather, he says, by moody sunsets and dar storm clouds rolling in from the tlantic, by those moments when conditions are changing and the sea and s y feel un redictable. torm fronts moving across the ocean, or sudden shafts of sunlight brea ing through heavy cloud, all create a sense of drama and ossibility.
ABOVE etchboo studies
ac s focus on the ower and drama of his sub ect is another lin , in my mind, to historic landsca e ainting, with its focus on de ning the sublime from the aro ue eriod onwards, artists have sought to share their sense of awe before the grandeur of nature, and ac s wor s have that same emotional ower.
ornwall offers an e traordinary combination of hysical beauty and elemental forces, he says. his landsca e is remote, rugged, and infused with an ancient rimal ma esty. hen aint, harness the im ulsive energy of my sub ect matter and create order out of chaos, mirroring the landsca e inhabit. hat ac oetically describes as the ulse and flu of vacillating weather, and the luminosity of o eratic light has drawn e ce tional ainters to ornwall for centuries, so the bar for emerging young artists is a high one. ornwall has ins ired generations of remar able ainters, so there is always a danger of sim ly re eating what has come before, says ac . he challenge is nding a voice that feels authentic while ac nowledging the weight of that history. he ornish landsca e may be the same, but every generation brings a different ers ective, sha ed by contem orary concerns and ways of seeing. y mission is to create authentic, owerful e ressions that celebrate the elemental nature of ornwall.
n terms of talent and credibility, ac is well laced to ta e on that cultural res onsibility. ith a degree in ine rt from almouth niversity and re resentation at t ves most historic gallery, he has already been selected for the hreadneedle igurative rt oday ri e and he ryant eeling ainting ow ri e, and he has been awarded the uture ow 1 ontem orary rtists esthetica ri e and the ee e lobal rt om etition ri e. hat, as him, would he li e this latest show at ew raftsman to achieve ho e eo le come away from this e hibition with a renewed sense of connection to themselves, to memory, and erha s to their own emotional res onses, he says. don t e ect viewers to inter ret the aintings in a articular way. nstead, would li e the wor to create s ace for contem lation and ersonal reflection. f someone leaves feeling they have e erienced a moment of stillness, wonder or recognition, then the aintings have done their ob. y wor is about nding the light even in the dar est times, so would li e my show to offer ho e and create a sense of inner strength.
See Jack Davis, Behind Dark Clouds from 8th August to 4th September 2026 at New raftsman allery, ore t, t ves and at newcraftsmanstives.com.
newcraftsmanstives.com
Silent THUNDER
WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING
Taking the all-new Porsche Cayenne Electric through its paces.
Porsche has taken the car that built its SUV empire and unplugged it from petrol entirely. The result, the new Cayenne Electric and its swaggering Turbo sibling have taken the electric market by storm. As something of a petrol head and driving purist, I have to admit that the lack of pistons and any form of combustion was making me furrow my brow… So, I drove from the Lizard to and s nd to nd out whether a battery can still make a Cornish B-road feel exciting.
Beginning my journey early, before the gulls have got their voices going and the car ar s ll with eo le in the wrong shoes, the silence is made of wind and gorse and a distant thrum from the Atlantic waves. I mention this because I drive away with 1,156 horsepower and none of it is disturbed. The Cayenne Turbo Electric is, on paper, the most powerful production
Porsche the company has ever built. By that, I mean not the most powerful electric Porsche, not even the most powerful SUV… but the most powerful Porsche, full stop, in 100 years of building the things. Zero to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds. A top speed of 260 m/h, not that you will nd anywhere on the A3083 to try it. When you do plant your foot, the numbers stop mattering and something more primal takes over, because 1,500 Nm of torque arriving with no fuss whatsoever is not an experience you can graph, rather one you feel down the back of your neck.
I will admit, I approached this test with the same scepticism I bring to most things that claim to have reinvented an icon. The Cayenne is not just any Porsche. It is the car that, back in 2002, took a company famous for small, glorious sports cars and taught it how to sell SUVs to the sort of people who summer in Rock and winter
in the l s. t saved orsche nancially and ossibly from itself. essing with that formula seemed, from a distance, li e the sort of decision made by someone who has never had to e lain themselves to a room full of urists. owever, u close, on the road, my sce ticism didn t survive the rst roundabout.
oth the entry ayenne lectric and the range to ing urbo ride on ada tive air sus ension as standard, and the urbo had, came tted with orsche ctive ide, a system borrowed from the brand s s orts saloons that does something close to witchcraft to body control. ornish roads do not do you many favours as they heave and camber and throw in the odd unmar ed di s eci cally designed, am convinced, to catch out anyone driving anything with a soft, wallowing chassis. he ayenne sim ly refused to wallow. hrough the tighter sections near ullion, where the hedgerows close in and you are essentially threading a needle at s eed, the car stayed flat and lanted in a way that a two and a half tonne has no business managing. ome of that is the air sus ension, while on the urbo, some comes from rear a le steering nudging the bac end round corners li e it is reading your mind slightly before you have nished thin ing the thought.
he bra es deserve a mention too, mostly because you barely use them. orsche has built in recu eration gures that borrow directly from its ormula rogramme, u to of it, and the com any rec ons around of everyday bra ing is handled by the electric motors alone. ifting off the accelerator a roaching the hair in above hurch ove and the car sim ly slows, no drama, no edal re uired if you do not want one. t ta es an afternoon of driving to trust it. y the second afternoon, had sto ed touching the middle edal almost entirely, which felt li e cheating until remembered that was rather the oint.
ange and charging are, of course, the uestions everyone actually wants answered, because a orsche that can t get you from he i ard to a meeting in eter without an an ious diversion via a service station is not much of a orsche. he gures here are genuinely startling. to 2 m of range from the , and the newly revealed ou version ushes that to m than s to a sli erier body and a drag coe cient of ust .2 . ind a suitable charger, admittedly not something littering every ornish lay by ust yet, and you can ta e the battery from 1 to in under 1 minutes. en minutes on the right charger buys you over ilometres of range. lugged in at a service station e ecting to ma e a hone
TORQUE
call and a coffee last the whole session barely nished the coffee.
nside, orsche has clearly decided that if the drivetrain is going to be silent, the cabin had better wor harder to earn its ee . he centre iece is the low is lay, a curved unit that slides into the centre console li e something from a much more e ensive s aceshi , oined by a 1 .2 inch instrument cluster and, in my test car, an o tional assenger screen streaming something studiously ignored while driving. here is a head u dis lay too, using augmented reality to ro ect what amounts to an inch image ten metres down the road ahead, layering navigation directly onto the tarmac in front of you. t sounds li e a gimmic , but on the switchbac down towards orthcurno, with the light dro ing and the road doing something un ind and unmar ed, it sto ed being a gimmic and became genuinely useful.
hat im ressed me more than the screens, oddly, were the buttons orsche has refused to get rid of. olume, air conditioning, the lights, all still analogue dials and switches within reach of the wrist rest, because somebody in eissach understood that fumbling through a touchscreen menu at m h to turn the heating down is a ha ard as o osed to a lu ury. he voice assistant, meanwhile, has had a ro er brain trans lant, running on large language models that let you as something genuinely
conversational, along the lines of where to get a decent asty near t ust, and get bac something resembling an actual answer rather than a ba ed silence.
one of which answers the only uestion that matters for a car wearing this badge does it still feel li e a orsche, or does it merely loo li e one wearing a battery for a heart aving s ent two days throwing it at ornwall s least forgiving roads, can re ort that the steering still tal s to you, the chassis still wants to be driven ro erly rather than merely iloted and the whole thing carries that unmista able sense of a car built by eo le who care more about the drive than the s ec sheet. ven though the s ec sheet, in this case, ha ens to be e traordinary.
he ayenne built orsche s second act two decades ago. n this evidence, electri cation has not diluted it. f anything, freed from the engine note that used to do a lot of the emotional heavy lifting, the chassis and the software have had to rove themselves ro erly, and out here, on roads that unish anything built to a s readsheet rather than a ur ose, they have. n the words of oel he s electric, can be electric too
The all-electric Cayenne family now includes SUV and Coupé body styles across Cayenne, S and Turbo variants.
porscheexeter.co.uk
The art CURATION of
WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING
A welcoming gallery, whose commitment to presenting high-quality art is evident now, more than ever.
The Customs House Gallery, on the working harbourside at Porthleven is run by Louise and John Winterton, part of a small and committed team of three along with Debbie, who carefully curate this unique gallery space. It has occupied its position on the water’s edge for over 30 years, long enough to have witnessed the fashions of the art world come and go and secure enough in its own vision to have let them pass.
Porthleven itself is part of the offer. esser known than many Cornish destinations, it remains a place of community, unhurried in the best sense and rooted in its own identity rather than performing for visitors. The gallery takes something of the same character. t is welcoming without being effortful and is the kind of space in which you might linger longer than you intended, drawn back to a work you thought you had already understood.
What the Customs House Gallery shows has always resisted easy categorisation. easca es, yes this is ornwall after all – but also still life and landscapes that move inland, nd the moors and valleys and that particular quality of light that belongs to the far South West. Alongside the paintings sits an exceptional range of sculpture, among them work by Peter Boex and, more recently, Robin Fox, whose pieces have joined the gallery family and are shown nowhere else in the South West. There is a distinctiveness to Fox’s work that sits well within these walls: it asks something of the viewer and the gallery gives it room to do so.
The past year has brought a considered expansion of works, adding to an already strong stable of artists. Emma Perring, Vicky Prince and Belinda Millar have each arrived with something new to offer, from energy, colour, an eye sha ed by different landscapes and varied ways of working.
ABOVE RIGHT
Belinda Millar –Picnic On The Beach, Porthmeor
ABOVE LEFT
Emma Perring –Path To The Sea, Cadgwith
Julian Mason – Sea Pickings
TOP RIGHT
Robin Fox – Illuminated Little Green Owl
TOP LEFT
Robin Fox –Courtship Curlews
Andrew Barrowman –Morning Sunshine, Porthleven Harbour
ABOVE RIGHT
Andrew Barrowman –y ld tudio, reageside etloft
ABOVE LEFT
Andrew Barrowman –fternoon oon, orthleven each
ABOVE RIGHT
Andrew Barrowman –y ld tudio, reageside etloft
Old Lanwarnick Cottages
Escape • Unwind • Reconnect.
Nestled in the Cornish countryside, Old Lanwarnick o ers luxury self-catering cottages and glamping pods within 34 acres of peaceful private grounds.
Blending historic charm with modern comfort, it’s a tranquil retreat surrounded by nature, friendly alpacas and woodland walks — with beautiful beaches just 15 minutes away.
That all three live and work outside Cornwall is not coincidental. Louise and John made a deliberate decision to cast the net further, to bring in work that diverges from what can be found elsewhere in the county and to ensure that what hangs on these walls remains genuinely varied. Diversity of perspective, they have found, deepens rather than dilutes a collection.
he flow of wor across the year is carefully managed, planned in advance with the gallery’s artists so that the collection is always moving, constantly offering something new to those who return.
A fresh body of work from Andrew Barrowman has recently arrived, bringing with it the pleasure of seeing an artist’s thinking evolve and of understanding a practice not through a single piece but through a body of work given proper space and attention.
The Customs House Gallery has marked its three decades by being intentional and curious and with John and Louise at the helm for the last 13 years, they have steered a course to excellence.
cornwall-art.co.uk
Andrew Barrowman –St Anthony And The Sea
PRESENCE Woodland
An historic farmhouse embracing family life, enveloped by woodland and the Cornish countryside.
East Penhill carries the nurtured selfpossession of a home shaped by a succession of caring generations. It’s a Grade II-listed farmhouse that relies upon its historic character while remaining at ease with updates for contemporary family life. Exposed beams, stone re laces and generous rece tion rooms retain their original disposition, while a welcoming kitchen forms the natural centre of daily living and generous shared occasions.
A substantial extension provides ample space for entertaining and family gatherings, with a large games room below a vaulted double bedroom where exposed oak beams create a striking sense of volume. ive further bedrooms offer fle ibility, many enjoying far-reaching views across the surrounding countryside.
Outside, gardens and terraces lead to a covered dining area made for long afternoons. substantial two-storey garage, open barn, adjoining paddock and eight acres of private woodland complete an estate that feels rooted in the Cornish landscape.
EAST PENHILL
Offers in excess of: £1.15M
JACKSON-STOPS 01872 261160
cornwall@jackson-stops.co.uk
jackson-stops.co.uk
CHARM Hidden
A
family home set in lush grounds, overlooking the Camel Estuary.
Enjoying the most sublime views out across its extensive grounds to the estuary beyond, ron offers a uni ue sense of rivacy. et in ust over two acres of lush gardens, with expansive lawns and mature woodland, this four bedroom family home neighbours the t nodoc olf ourse and is ust a short stroll from oc ailing lub, oc beach and the outh est oast ath.
n o en lan living room ca tures those impressive views through a large picture window, while two south facing terraces afford the erfect s ot for rela ing with a drin in hand. roached from the rear via a generous shared driveway, there is am le ar ing for multiple vehicles and/or boat storage, alongside a single garage.
here is clear otential here for a thoughtful modernisation or redevelopment (subject to the necessary consents). This is an increasingly rare o ortunity to ac uire an e traordinary iece of the oc landsca e.
Beautifully
APPOINTED
Five-bedroom coastal home with sea views and exceptional living space.
Samphire makes an immediate impression. Elevated above Trevone Bay and only moments from the beach, this contemporary ve bedroom home brings together generous ro ortions, thoughtful design and a setting that draws the eye towards sea and sky.
he house has been arranged with modern family life rmly in mind. he o en lan itchen, dining and sitting room forms its centre iece, where dee navy cabinetry, stone surfaces and wide gla ed doors create a s ace that is both ractical and inviting. atural light moves freely through the interior, while a wood burning stove adds character during the cooler months. ive bedrooms rovide fle ibility for family, guests and home wor ing, including two en suite rooms and a rinci al suite com lete with a wal in wardrobe and ocean views.
utside, landsca ed gardens, a sun dec and outdoor shower enhance life by the coast, while the garage, car ort and e tensive ar ing com lete a highly accom lished home. am hire resents an e ce tional o ortunity in one of orth ornwall s most sought after seaside villages.
SAMPHIRE Guide price: £1M
JACKIE STANLEY 01841 532555
sales@jackie-stanley.co.uk
jackie-stanley.co.uk
Drink the WILD AIR
WORDS BY ROSIE CATTRELL
s t oug set into t e cli ace itsel ,
The Lookout draws you out into the endless seascape that wraps itself around this unique self-catering residence.
As Jacques Cousteau so beautifully put in his 1971 book Life and Death in a Coral Sea, “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Lingering barefooted in the sunlit warmth of The Lookout’s decked balcony, it certainly feels that way. There is a certain pull that draws your gaze along Newquay’s beachspeckled north coast and out across an endless expanse of ocean. With the day s rst coffee held in both hands, elbows resting on the glass balustrade, a hypnotic calm seems to descend, seasoned with sea salt air.
The latest addition to The Cornwall Hotel Collection, The Atlantic in Newquay joined an established group of historic luxury hotels across the Duchy this March to sit alongside The Greenbank, The Falmouth
and The Alverton. While enhancements are expected to be introduced gradually to bring it up to scratch with its thriving sister hotels, The Lookout stands apart as a jewel in the collection’s ever-expanding crown. rst for the ornish hotelier group, the recently completed residence represents an unusual opportunity for guests to relish the freedom that comes with a self-catering property, with the added comfort of The Atlantic’s leisure facilities and warm hospitality.
Set only steps from the hotel’s grand entrance, an unassuming white door gives no hint as to the diamond within. A turn of the key and a small flight of stairs invite curious guests to round the corner and discover for themselves what it truly means to fall under the spell of Cornwall’s wild north coast. At
rst, the a artment s carefully curated interiors may go unnoticed. Caught in the pull of the panoramic seascape framed in floor to ceiling glass, suitcases have a habit of sli ing from loosening ngers to be momentarily forgotten. A cream grand piano stands patiently to the side, and brand-new furnishings await appreciation as the rst few minutes are lost to the quiet comprehension of the view. Vast, all-encompassing and inescapable, this is the draw of The Lookout.
To the right, the sweep of beaches that edge Newquay’s border, each beckoning sea swimmers and sunbathers alike. To the left, a vast hori on that begs exploration with a set of binoculars as gulls drift in the warm air overhead.
nce the rst glance begins to digest, the enchanting interiors can no longer be ignored. Thoughtfully designed by a local designer, the living area centres around the breathtaking vista that surrounds it on three sides. A luxurious sink-into sofa made for friends and families to gather together at the day’s beginning and end needs no other focus than the scene outside, although a midsi ed television means cosy lm nights are always on the cards.
Cool creams and blues set a tranquil tone, with luxurious cushions and textiles inviting a moment of calm with a glass of something chilled in hand. A large contemporary dining table with comfortable navy blue chairs caters for evenings spent setting the world to rights, and the welcome hamper waiting on the itchen counter offers a bottle or two to pop in the fridge and some local treats to try.
ownstairs, a soft cream carpet leads you into the impressive master suite, where a comfortable super king bed is positioned to ma e you feel set adrift out on the tides, lulled to sleep before waking again to endless sparkling seas. A cosy sofa bed makes room for two more guests in a more intimate sitting area, warmed with burnt orange furnishings.
Through a set of double doors, another bedroom houses twin beds and a set of bunk beds, made for hushed, conspirative conversations of memories already made and adventures ahead. A spacious, modern bathroom with a walk-in waterfall shower means sandy toes can be rinsed in comfort, while walk-in wardrobes suggest there’s no need to live out of the suitcase.
Ahead of its o cial o ening in une, he Lookout welcomed actress Helen Flanagan and her family as its rst guests. e ve had the loveliest stay in Cornwall at the brand-new luxury residence, The Lookout at The Atlantic Hotel in Newquay,” she admitted on Instagram. “It’s such a stunning family space and the perfect little escape together. The Lookout opens soon and honestly... it’s so special.”
Wandering from room to room, it’s easy to imagine little ones claiming preferred bunk beds, gazing out across the water to pick the beach of the day, or wrapping up warm in one of the Atlantic blankets from the basket by the balcony for a night of stargazing on one of the sun loungers. And yet the apartment also paints a picture of friends gathering for endless days and sun-soaked evenings in each other s com any, raising a glass to fleeting moments together.
setting of our hotels and The Lookout does exactly that – showcasing one of the most spectacular coastal locations in Cornwall while creating a beautiful space for families and friends to come together.
As custodians of some of Cornwall’s most loved historic hotels, we take great pride in investing thoughtfully and sensitively, ensuring these special places continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. The Lookout is a wonderful example of that approach and a glimpse of the exciting future ahead.”
“The Lookout represents an exciting new chapter for The Atlantic and we’re delighted to have welcomed so many guests through the door,” says Ben Young, Managing Director of The Cornwall Hotel Collection. “We’ve always believed in celebrating the unique character and
With The Atlantic’s spa facilities on hand, a spell in the sauna and steam rooms or a dip in the indoor heated pool come free of charge and a seat in Silk’s Bar and Restaurant is always available for those who’d like to book in advance. hen the rst cu of coffee is drun and the day is laid out ahead from the balcony’s rare vantage point, there’s no end to the possibilities that a stay at he oo out offers, each day full of romise. fter all, in laces li e this, where the natural world invites the kind of quiet immersion Ralph Waldo Emerson so admired, it’s easy to “live in the sunshine, swim the sea and drink the wild air.”
atlantichotelnewquay.co.uk
DesignedINTENT with
WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING
A practice shaping homes and businesses with sustainability and circular economy practices stitched into every layer.
Boaz Studio’s founder, Stephen Tozer, took a sideways step into interior design aged 40. Leaving a career in marketing to retrain, he opened Boaz in 2018, inspired by his award winning nal ro ect at almouth niversity. raduating alongside te hen, lice ightingale oined soon after, recognising a similar instinct in each other s designs. sustainable ethos ran through all of our ro ects and it was this commonality that brought us together to form the practice,” e lains te hen. his instinct has become the studio s s ine, formalised in or certi cation, a process that has very much broadened what sustainability means to them both.
lays out differently de ending on the brief. n commercial ro ects, regulations can leave little room for manoeuvre, te hen e lains e might be re uired to use a cladding that is itself a ind of lastic, so we com ensate then wherever we can recyclable flooring throughout, recyclable fabrics on every piece of seating.”
arly on, the focus sat s uarely on material s ecifying nishes that were circular, ensuring nothing from a site ended up in land ll. ince or , the lens has widened from carbon footprint and where they bank, to the systems behind the studio as much as the products within it. That thinking
lice adds a second layer to the same rinci le, one rooted closer to home sourcing as locally as ossible, building relationshi s with makers rather than sim ly lacing orders from online catalogues, because proximity cuts mileage and ee s a ro ect connected to the lace it serves. es o e furniture and lighting now all come from a small, trusted networ within roughly 2 miles of the studio. hat refusal to default to a catalogue is, in many ways, the whole hiloso hy. oa roudly has no house style , so motifs are not re eated from ro ect to ro ect. nstead, each scheme is drawn out from its site and its occu ants. f the ro ect is very
historical, then we loo for influences there, lice e lains. e loo at the location and draw ins iration from that, as well as trying to combine beauty and aesthetics with well being and sustainability, giving both the ro ect and the client a strong connection to its location. te hen refers to this a roach as giving a ro ect a sense of lace, grounding it rather than im osing on it.
his tailoring stretches across two very different worlds. n the residential side, the studio designs around how a family actually wants to live, wor ing closely enough that the relationshi becomes, in Stephen’s words, “a genuine working artnershi built on trust. ommercial wor as s something else entirely. esigning a remium retail s ace for a golf resort meant thin ing in terms of a s eci c demographic; turning to a paediatric emergency de artment for ve to fteen year olds meant thin ing instead about engagement, colour and neurodivergence, balancing s aces that needed stimulation against those that needed calm. ltimately, it comes down to nowing the user, te hen says sim ly. he studio s current ro ect, a conference centre, coffee shop and co-working draws on every part of that thin ing at once healthy building rinci les, bio hilic design and materials chosen as carefully as if the building were a home.
he rocess behind each ro ect is unusually disci lined for two designers who clearly relish variety. or follows de ned stages, from initial brief and on site visit through concept design, where mood boards and s etches hel clients visualise their ro ect. rom there, designs develo into s eci ed aint colours, fabrics
and furniture, then into full technical drawings oinery details, reflective ceiling and lighting lans, wall elevations and e haustive furniture and ttings schedules record not ust dimensions but the sustainable credentials behind every item s eci ed. hese schedules double as a long term record for the client, e lains lice, something to return to years later if ieces need re lacing or a buybac scheme comes into lay.
he studio sees ro ects through to t out and snagging too, often on site themselves, staging nished s aces for hotogra hy and chasing down anything that has arrived damaged or incom lete. ore recently, that remit has stretched further still, into bes o e wall a ers, large scale murals and branding wor for clients, designed always in service of the interior rather than as a se arate disci line.
Asked what design means to them ersonally, both answers carry more weight than the uestion erha s intended. or te hen, it is the creative restlessness a cor orate career never gave him my brain never switches off from creativity now, which wasn t getting before in cor orate obs. or lice, it is closer to care, the chance to sha e how eo le feel inside a s ace, whether that is hel ing someone fall in love with their own home or ma ing an o ce wor harder for the eo le who s end their days in it. f it s good for the eo le and good for the environment, it’s good for everyone s future, she says. t is, in the end, a studio built on e actly that combination beauty held to account by sustainability and design ulled as close to its lace and its eo le as it can ossibly get.
boazstudio.co.uk
TOP
o e residential design
ABOVE Scatho’s, Portscatho
ABOVE LEFT rinity af , t ustell
Image © Evie Johnstone Image © Ayr Studio
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A wider PERSPECTIVE
WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING
A grand homestay just a few miles from Padstow, yet a world away.
I’ve driven the Atlantic Highway more times than I care to remember. From the much-anticipated yearly foray to The Royal Cornwall Show and day trips to Padstow and Rock, to latter years simply for Finisterre outlet bargains, Jo and o treasures and coffee and ca e at Strong Adolfos... Because why wouldn’t you? While the north coast’s waterfront hot spots get all the press, it turns out that there’s a very special place tucked just in behind aw s eld that never new existed and I’ve been driving just yards from its driveway all these years. Let me introduce you to Trevear Farm.
There are times as a writer that I’m reluctant to put pen to paper, such is the magic of the experience. Will it break the spell if I tell the world? But tell, I must. So, enough of my journalistic angst, we need to get bac to the . s you turn off onto the B road that leads to Trevear Farm, the noise of the main road drifts off into the distance. As we approach the drive, we wind down our windows and the heady smell of hot tarmac mixes with newly combined hay from surrounding elds. t may only be early June in Cornwall, but it feels more like Provence.
As we turn into the concrete drive, testament to this being a working farm, the view across the elds beyond sto s us in our tracks. The vista is wide and lush and green, edged with a line of wind turbines on its further edge, standing sentinel and silently harvesting the breeze. There are sheep gra ing in the middle distance and elds roll away in every direction, cut only by the cluster of stone barns before us. This sense of arrival becomes, gradually and then all at once, the whole point of the journey. By the time we descend the drive and turn up towards Broadview, we have already slowed down without quite noticing.
Broadview is the largest of the homestays on the Trevear estate, which amounts to some 75 acres of countryside and working farm land. Family run, this collection of restored farmhouses, barns and cottages oozes generations of heritage from their stone walls. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Rachel and Sam Bishop, who took the helm in 2018 following the passing of Rachel’s father, Robert, who bought the dilapidated estate in 2011. What followed was a meticulous restoration project using local stone, repurposed roof tiles, and Cornish slate from Delabole, England’s
ABOVE oo ing out across the elds to the valley beyond
oldest working quarry, to pay homage to the original farm buildings, dating back to 1669, that once graced the landscape. Following an 18-month transformation, Barn Owl Roost debuted in 2013 as a twobedroom cottage, marking the beginning of Trevear’s evolution into luxury, self-catered stays.
A collection of eight individually designed ro erties, from one to ve bedroom, each retains traces of its agricultural past – exposed stone walls, timber beams and original features softened with natural materials and a tonal palette that blends into its rural setting. Broadview was the last of the ro erties to be nished and the most poignant. It was a true labour of love for achel s father as the nal iece of the estate came together. Sadly, he was unable to nish the renovation himself and so along with her sister-in-law, Rachel completed Broadview as testament to his vision for Trevear.
Broadview is a family homestay built for gathering and it announces itself with the kind of proportions that make you stop at the top of the drive and simply look. The elevated plot looks out across the other properties below and as we sit for a moment admiring the view, a gentle breeze nods the heads of the sympathetic planting. The landscaping has been carefully considered, with structural planting that holds its shape whatever the weather. Perfectly manicured hedges and expansive lawns surround Broadview, so there is a place to relax at all times.
Inside, the sense of proportion continues. Each room has been so perfectly thought
through, generous without ever tipping into excess. The open plan living space downstairs is lled with hand crafted furniture, a wood burner at its centre and light that pours through bi-folding doors onto the lawns beyond. A beautiful display of fresh flowers, grown by achel s mum, nod their heads towards the Cornishware that adorns the shelves. The bespoke itchen, all soft blue cabinetry with a vast Lacanche range, is my idea of heaven. As a foodie, having a space larger than most commercial kitchens in which to prepare dinner is heaven. While I’m in my happy place chopping, stirring and sipping a glass of Camel Valley, everyone has a place to relax without being removed. Number one son plays some chill tunes through the ceiling speakers, and all feels right with the world.
Broadview earns its reputation as a house for family entertaining. The ample dining table seats twelve, built for the long Sunday lunches and the slow unwinding of an evening that this kind of house exists for. The corner sofa is enormous, built to seat the whole party and it becomes the natural gravity of the evening once the day’s exploring is done. There is a garden room with a pool table and dartboard that keeps the younger guests happily occupied for hours and outside, a table looks out over the lawns towards the hills, the obvious spot for private dining that needs no restaurant booking and no watching the clock.
here are ve bedrooms across the ground and rst floors, four of them en suite, and a family bathroom with a walk-in shower. The bedrooms are enormous without losing any comfort, dressed with Egyptian cotton
RETREAT
sheets, robes laid out and each one styled with its own distinct personality: a pink room, a sunny yellow one, the master suite upstairs with its private balcony and, on a clear day, a glimpse of the sea somewhere beyond the hills. othing has been left wanting. Details have been considered with the kind of hospitality that anticipates a need before a guest has thought to voice it.
Rachel’s father was a very passionate art collector and so there is a Jethro Jackson painting hung in every property, even in the swimming pool. The seascapes were painted especially for Trevear, each one different to the ne t but all celebrating the beauty of the Cornish coast in a way only Jethro can.
Jethro’s father, Paul Jackson, was also commissioned to create some of the ceramics, their abstract colours giving each room a sense of place and personality that feels s eci c to Trevear. I feel privileged that the Bishop family are happy to share their art collection with guests. I shouldn’t be surprised though, as it’s this sense of wanting eo le to ersonally e erience the whole of Trevear that runs through the entire stay.
surroundings. As the blackbirds sing their last songs as dusk falls, the two mature trees that flan the driveway light u , entwined with lights the length of their long trunks. It all starts to feel a little magical and is a reminder that the best moments in a house this considered are often the sim lest ones, made possible rather than replaced by all that comfort.
For anyone wanting to move rather than only lounge, the estate offers an indoor heated swimming pool with a steam room and decking that looks out over the countryside, along with a proper gym: running machines, rowing machines, a Peloton, a Smith machine, dumbbells and kettlebells, and a sound system to see you through a session. Newly added paddle courts sit alongside and there is a treatment room for those who would rather be pampered than perspire. Outside, the hot tub bubbles away within a fully enclosed lawn, dog friendly and child friendly in equal measure, so a glass of wine at dusk can be taken without a single eye needing to stray from the view to the gate.
fter a long day on the beach, one night we o t for handcrafted ative burgers from their o u te ee in the to eld. hey arrive melting in the mouth, made with local ingredients and had a tasty e ican edge. They are devoured with delight and then we ta e a moment to rela and soa u the
Staying at Broadview, you sense you are a guest, not only in a beautifully nished house, but in somebody’s ongoing act of remembering and that is a rare thing to be invited into. With a working farm at its centre, a coastline at its edge and a family’s memory woven throughout, these are days that we will remember forever.
trevearfarm.co.uk
by Paul Jackson
Trevear Farm’s swimming pool and wellness space
Nothing exists ISOLATION in
WORDS BY JAMIE CROCKER
Science writer Sophie Pavelle reveals nature’s tangled symbioses.
It begins, weirdly enough, with a worm no longer than a grain of rice. Few people would pick such a creature as the starting point for a conversation about climate change, biodiversity or the future of the natural world. Yet this tiny marine animal, capable of stealing the machinery of photosynthesis from the algae it consumes, embodies exactly the kind of story that fascinates Sophie Pavelle. She is building a position by persuading people to look beyond the obvious, discovering that the greatest sur rises often lie beneath a rockpool, inside a fungus or hidden within relationships between species that have unfolded over millions of years.
She has become one of Britain’s most distinctive science communicators, one of a growing cohort of young people who understand that facts alone are not enough to change minds and knock eo le out of their com lacency. cienti c evidence remains the foundation of everything she writes, yet it is the stories and the way they are told and
wrap around those facts that will lead to lasting impact. Her books and articles invite readers into a living world that is intricate, unpredictable, sometimes cruel, replacing familiar wildlife stereotypes with encounters that feel fresh and real.
Born in the United States before moving with her family to Devon as a child, she grew up beside the Exe Estuary. The change from suburban America to a landscape shaped by tides proved formative. rabs, mudflats and salt marshes became her playground along with her brother’s, although she laughs at how little she understood about the extraordinary micro-dramas unfolding around her. Years later, researching one of her books, she discovered the astonishing life cycle of a parasitic barnacle that invades a crab’s body, altering its behaviour for its own survival. Revelations such as these did not diminish childhood memories; they enriched them, marking a necessary evolution in the way she perceived the natural world.
© Joya Berrow
LITERARY
The idea that nature collaborates at all, Sophie points out, fell out of fashion for reasons that had little to do with evidence. Mutualism and parasitism sat awkwardly alongside the mid-century language of com etition and survival of the ttest to ada t, while a scienti c culture invested in neat, binary explanations found cooperative relationships – especially those that were unequal or brutal – harder to accommodate. That thinking is beginning to shift, and it sha ed her a roach to To Have or to Hold. Rather than following the chapter-by-chapter structure she had used for individual species in Forget Me Not, she spent her research period reading novelists and poets, searching for the language used to describe complex human relationships on the basis that nature’s own entanglements deserved the same nuance. The result is a book with greater emotional and intellectual weight than its predecessor, while retaining the warmth and accessibility that made her debut so engaging.
work within, choosing interventions with caution and judging each on its own merits. Small, well-targeted local projects matter more to her than grand national gestures.
She is just as wary of nostalgia when the conversation turns to rewilding. Her years at eaver rust left her sce tical of any project framed as restoring Britain to a prior state, since beavers have been absent from the landscape for roughly four hundred years, long enough that the country they return to bears little resemblance to the one they left. o ulation, agriculture and infrastructure have all changed beyond recognition in the interval, so Sophie treats the present landscape as a constraint to
Sophie’s path to this point has run mostly through conservation, with literature arriving second. She studied zoology, completed a master’s in science communication, and spent years working for Beaver Trust, helping lead communications around one of British rewilding’s genuine successes and presenting the documentary Beavers Without Borders. She has sat on the RSPB’s England Advisory Committee and served as an ambassador for the Wildlife Trusts, for whom she still works part time. Her journalism has appeared in The Guardian, National Geographic Traveller, New Scientist and The Independent, which puts her in an odd position: inside the conservation sector and tasked with explaining it to everyone outside it. he also wor s a wee ly shift at a friend s ba ery, hands in flour instead of at a eyboard, ta en on after she realised a solitary writing schedule had emptied her week of other people.
That position has sharpened her view of how nature gets talked about, and she is unsentimental about the sector’s habits. Conservation messaging, she argues, leans too readily on charisma. The beaver had everything going for it: rare, native, and almost absurdly endearing, which made her old job easier than most. Other
© sourcyfi lm.com
species are not so fortunate. In the new book, she devotes attention to the ocean sun sh, an animal she describes as loo ing li e an evolutionary afterthought, oddly proportioned and faintly ridiculous, and argues that its strangeness deserves celebration ahead of an apology. Parasites fare worse still in the public imagination, weighed down by a word that pop culture has turned almost wholly negative, even though humans carry them constantly and would not survive without them. Sophie wants science writing to make room for the unlovely alongside the loveable.
She is equally direct about the dangers of her own trade. Asked whether science communication risks becoming performance before it becomes communication, she says she has seen research suggesting that a majority of online content creators publish without checking their facts thoroughly enough, which she nds genuinely alarming when the subject is something as consequential as climate. Her own discipline runs the other way. She fact-checks with meticulous care, drawing on the expertise of more than seventy scientists and academics across her two books, and describes her own role as a wonky bridge between research and the public. The phrase she returns to most often is uality over uantity fewer claims, better sourced, more likely to land.
Much of To Have or to Hold was written on the move, mostly by bicycle, because she believes that travelling slowly changes what a writer notices. Trains were unreliable, journeys ran long, and almost every research trip coincided with a named storm, a pattern she found impossible to ignore given how central extreme weather
had become to her subject. Cycling into headwinds and freak rainfall gave her, she says, a sliver of the punishment that wild species absorb constantly and let her write about their resilience as something earned and physical, not romantic.
That same discipline carries into how she manages the rest of her working life. She trains seriously, racing competitively over long distances by bi e and treating tness as close to a professional requirement, because researching and writing two books in close succession is easier to sustain with a body that can absorb the stresses that this entails. Her underlying approach is slightly heretical in its sim licity loo ing after the natural world starts with loo ing after yourself so that what you put out there is informed by sharp and clear observation and presentation.
What Sophie returns to, both in conversation and on the page, is the idea that nature has always been collaborating, in ways far stranger, messier and more morally ambiguous than we often care to admit. er gift lies in ersuading readers to sit with that complexity rather than reaching for a more comforting interpretation. In that sense, she belongs to a tradition of literary writers such as George Eliot and E. M. Forster, whose work carried an unmistakable didactic purpose. Sophie’s writing does the same, inviting us not simply to admire the natural world, but to rethink our place and relationship within it.
To Have or to Hold is published in paperback on the 30th July by Bloomsbury, RRP £10.99.
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Places of TRANSITION
WORDS BY JAMIE CROCKER
An septet of Cornish retreats proving that a holiday by the sea can still feel like discovery.
Cornwall has always had a complicated relationship with its own beauty. The county doesn’t flinch at e alting in its cliffs and coves whilst ostcards have flattened its beaches and azure Mediterranean-like waters into cliché, yet anyone who has stood at the top of a coastal path at Sennen or awgan orth at rst light or as the sun descends into the ocean knows that the place still has the capacity to sur rise. e e lore this phenomenon with Beach Retreats, a company that has built an e clusive collection of self catering homes that capture this.
Their newest addition to the Iconic Set, Trenalt, which slee s eight, occu ies a osition at awgan orth where tur uoise water meets golden cliffs with an abruptness that visitors describe, almost without e ce tion, as startling. he house itself has been restored rather than rebuilt,
carrying with it the ro ortions and uir s of the original beach house, newly tted with an outdoor itchen and a hot tub ositioned for star watching. uests can feast outside, watch the sun fold itself into the sea through floor to ceiling glass, and slee within wal ing distance of sand that does not require a car to reach. It’s a cli o sanctuary that is craving attention.
e roft, also slee ing eight, on the i ard eninsula, ta es a different a roach to the same remit. Coverack is a shing village that has resisted most forms of major, modern intervention, and The roft sits within it like a piece of architectural memory ar uet floors, an oa staircase, a reclaimed marble floor in the conservatory. he effect recalls the ind of waterside ambience found along the rench iviera, though the climate and the light are unmista ably ornish.
RETREAT
A hot tub sits seconds from the water while most rooms offer a sea view, inducing so ori c contentment as the sound of waves cast their spell upon the most reluctant sleeper.
Further west, at Sennen, two properties demonstrate how differently a cli o can be read. Gwynver Beach House tilts in the direction of Scandinavian restraint: slee interiors, generous glass, and a ath o osite the front door that delivers guests onto wynver each within moments. ol hins are regularly s otted from this stretch of coast, and the wal along to ennen ove gives the day a sha e beyond sim ly lying on sand. t s a great sur ng s ot too. North Rocks, close by, takes its cue from a Mediterranean villa transplanted onto nglish cliff turf. t has a ool, a innish sauna with sea views, an ice bath, and stone
walls that suggest a country house rather than a beach hut. uests at orth oc s are encouraged to alternate between heat and cold, between the rugged coast ath at the end of the garden and the comfort of an interior built for slowing down. he two houses, separated by little more than a headland, offer entirely different registers of the same coastline.
Watergate Lodge, on the north coast, brings eco conscious architecture to the e uation. he house has been designed with a Scandinavian twist and built to draw the outside in ve en suite bedrooms o en via sliding doors onto a courtyard sha ed more like the Mediterranean than the Atlantic, framed by trees and surrounded by evergreen hills that roll down towards atergate ay. ire its and candlelit dinners are part of the proposition, as is the
ABOVE he each ouse
sense that the garden and the shoreline are barely separated.
The Beach House at Mawgan Porth, designed internally by Nicola O’Mara, pursues a related but distinct mood, drawing on Malibu rather than Scandinavia, with a surf-inspired feel and an outdoor dining area built for cooking up a feast within sight of the sea. Salt air reaches the terrace within seconds of stepping outside.
Gaia, at Widemouth Bay, may be the most deliberately restorative of the collection. A yoga studio, sauna and hot tub sit alongside floor-to-ceiling glass that frames a coastline known for dramatic sunsets and crashing waves. The house sits directly on the beach, close enough that checking the surf does not require leaving the bed, and close enough that a car becomes unnecessary for the length of a
stay. Booking within the Iconic Set carries a further incentive. Guests receive a £100 voucher to spend with Cornish Food Box ahead of arrival, filling the kitchen with local produce before the holiday even begins, alongside a set of full-sized bath and body products from land&water, made from natural, vegan ingredients drawn from the same elements the houses overlook.
Every property in the Iconic Set is united by the same raison d’être: beautiful design, generous space, and sea views you’ll find yourself returning to, day after day. United by an attentiveness to detail: to light, to material, to the precise relationship between a building and the water beside it, these retreats simply remove the obstacles between being able to forget about the usual grind and total relaxation.
beachretreats.co.uk/guides/the-iconic-set
AWARDS 2026
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT VOTING IS NOW OPEN FOR THE DRIFT AWARDS 2026, CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE SOUTH WEST
Nominations are open until the 31st July 2026. Visit levenmediagroup.co.uk/awards to nominate now, or scan the QR code.
The shortlists will be announced on 3rd August 2026. Voting will then commence, closing on the 30th September 2026. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter to receive regular updates – driftjournal.co.uk/e-newsletter
AWARD CATEGORIES
EPICURE
Celebrating exceptional culinary innovation and excellence.
Awarded to individuals or teams who demonstrate outstanding creativity, craftsmanship or impact in the realm of food, drink or hospitality.
RETREAT
Honouring spaces and experiences that offer rejuvenation, reflection and renewal.
Given to those who create environments –physical or experiential – that foster rest, mindfulness and well-being.
ABODE
Recognising excellence in the design, function and soul of living spaces.
Presented to those who elevate the concept of home through architecture and design.
CREATE
Acknowledging exceptional creativity across any medium.
Awarded to visionary thinkers, artists or makers who push boundaries and set new standards in creative expression.
SUSTAIN
Celebrating impactful contributions to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Given to individuals, projects or organisations leading the way in ethical, ecological and regenerative practices.
INSPIRATION
Individuals and businesses that continue to push the envelope in their chosen field.
Awarded to those that uplift, motivate, and empower through actions, stories or presence, leaving a lasting impact.
CUISINE
A culinary JOURNEY
WORDS BY JAMIE CROCKER
n invitation to oray into t e avours o ops am s ric sea ood istory.
I’ve tried. I really have. It’s been a lifetime spent trying to cure myself of an aversion that has left me feeling that I’m missing out on something special.
n oyan, a ali es ue latter of shell sh winked at me from the open window of a beachside restaurant like an edible sculpture. I admired it enormously, right up to the point where someone suggested we enter the establishment and try it for ourselves. In Cambrai, my eldest son, all of eleven years old, demolished a bucket of moules with the swagger of a Breton sherman, while sought refuge in the altogether less adventurous embrace of steak tartare. There is, it seems, something hardwired within me that simply refuses anything hauled ashore by net, line or lobster pot. I can admire seafood all day long ust don t a ear to ossess the nal, crucial ingredient required to eat it.
So, it was with a great deal of reluctance that I decided to order the Cornish market sh. s the waiter wal ed away after ta ing our order, my only thought was, ‘what have I done?!’ If only I’d had the courage to shout across the dining room to call
him back to say that it had been a terrible mistake and that what I really wanted was the Lashbrook Farm Crispy pork cho accom anied by sian salad, ic led Daikon, Goma dressing and a Japanese curry sauce. On this particular Saturday evening, at the Galley Restaurant in Topsham, courage was somewhere outside enjoying the harbourside view. Recognising my angst-contorted face, my wife reached for my hand under the table, looked into my eyes and said, ‘It’s going to be okay.’
han goodness for wine. glass of he Galley White from the Pays d’Oc region of France brought with its citrus notes and general lightness a refreshing sense of calm. Having proposed a toast, my wife was congratulating our decision to break the journey to Cornwall in this small harbour town. choice that does not come easily to those seeking sun, sea and surf in one of England’s top holiday counties. It’s usually a question of packing the car up the night before and setting off at some ungodly hour to avoid everyone else, who weirdly have also decided to do the same thing, so you still end up getting caught in the bottlenecks along the or as you ma e your way west. You just can’t win. Or can you?
© Nick Hook
© Charlotte Leclerc
In days of yore, when I was a child, travelling to Prussia Cove or Penzance meant a two-day journey in my father’s Morris Traveller, with a stop-over in the Cotswolds to break the journey and to let my mother recover from travelling at a mind numbing fty miles an hour all day. t was a civilised affair.
For our particular sojourn, we’d decided to heretically dip our wheels into those halcyon days of slower ourneying. Topsham seemed a logical place to break the ourney, affording us a leisurely start in the morning and the opportunity to appreciate some relaxed dining in the evening, after a stroll around what reads like one of the kingdom’s more appealing small towns – Dutch-inspired architecture, interesting maritime history and a stunning waterfront where my courage was still hanging out. o far so good if only hadn t ordered the sh dish.
earing off a chun of sourdough su lied by the local Hylsten Bakery I began to mull over my choice. t least the starter d o ted for would lug a hole until brea fast. frisson of e ectation suddenly ran around our quartet as the expression on my daughter’s face indicated that she’d intuitively spotted our order heading towards us. t was as if an invisible herald had silently announced its imminent arrival to her.
lates of t ustell mussels, grilled o tongue and Chew Valley burrata – two of each were soon laced before us. s it ha ened, the starters were magni cent, as one would expect from an awardwinning restaurant. ach dish bore the unmistakable touch of head chef Han ang, whose subtle astern influences elevated the familiar: a hint of coriander and lime here, an accompanying Thai salad there.
Buoyed by such an impressive opening, my earlier trepidation about ordering sh for the main course began to seem entirely mis laced.
hen we d nished and our em ty dishes were whis ed away with the con dent surety of a professional, we sat back and awaited the arrival of our main courses. wo lates of rosecco battered sh and chi s were delivered with the same aplomb, as well as the pork dish that looked incredible to my envious eyes. h, to have been my daughter at that moment. ine was last. f course, I was naturally wary of my rst im ression. t loo ed like art on a plate, as if prepared by a consummate practitioner who knows their gouache from their tem era. his was sh, though; a quick swig and I girded myself for the disa ointment.
h, my word. urely this couldn t be ha ening. here was no negative refle res onse that normally must endure when ta ing a rst mouthful of something that has lived in water. his was edible. ore than this to describe it as good, both in terms of taste and te ture, would be li e saying nthony o ins is a assable actor. hadn t been this overwhelmed since dining in Lyon bac in the early 2 s. was beginning to mentally picture myself walking to the kitchen to congratulate Han on this culinary achievement. he sh fla ed away, falling into the clam and white miso chowder that
it had previously been sitting on top of, the chilli ic le mussels and bonito fla es and herbs elevating the experience to something that can only really be expressed by tasting it for yourself. was converted at least on this evening at the alley.
We talked and laughed, enjoying what was put before us, including an array of desserts, that I unfortunately don’t have the s ace to wa lyrical about here. t some point in the evening, Patrick, the owner, came over to see if we were ha y. e fell into chatting about his passion for buying local and having retained the Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2 2 .
o, if you consider yourself a gastronaut who is compromised by an aversion to seafood, or someone who enjoys all that is put before them, if it’s prepared with care, then the Galley at Topsham is the place for you. nd if you re a ornwall addict into the bargain, who regularly travels there, then why not do what we did? Book a room for the night, wander around the harbour and dine at this wonderful little restaurant. r alternatively ma e it your lunch sto on the way home when you’ll be able to feast from the ri i e menu. t will rovide that added dimension that has been missing from your trips to the west country in the ast.
galleyrestaurant.co.uk
© Charlotte Leclerc
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