Evaluation: Porthcothan Mill Cottage, Close to Padstow, Cornwall, UK

A pair of unique millstones stand by the doorway to this luxury cottage that sits inland from the North Cornwall coast, west of Padstow and east of Newquay. However it’s a mere five-minute stroll, by a meadow designated as an Space of Excellent Pure Magnificence, to a browsing seashore. Appropriately, it’s a canine pleasant seashore for a canine pleasant cottage.

These millstones are proof of a water mill whose historical past, to date, has been traced again to 1242. Then, it was given romantically as a part of a wedding contract to one in every of Cornwall’s nice households.

Simply past the cottage’s present boundary lies a slim packhorse bridge that may have taken milled corn on the primary stage of its journey to the previous coastal street. An historical leat, the watercourse that fed the mill by Tudor days, Stuart days and past, runs by the cottage backyard, crossed by a slim bridge. Inside, amongst the timbered beams and white-washed stone partitions, darkish wooden vintage furnishings provides a nod to the cottage’s historic heritage.

The welcome

Though we’re nonetheless over 100 miles away, a textual content tells us that the cleaners have departed and that the cottage awaits us, a few hours forward of schedule. Arrival directions give us the code for a key field.

The cottage

Porch pegs for coats and drying cabinets for boots sign that that is prime strolling territory.

Then it’s right into a lounge with deep welcoming sofas, a wooden burner, cabinets of books and DVDs. The cottage is distant however a cell sign might be accessed by tapping into the WiFi and a big tv supplies digital entry to leisure. A hefty, secure door separates the lounge from the kitchen.

An open plan twin facet eating space can be lit by two skylights. The massive desk comfortably seats eight for leisurely lunches and lingering dinners. Porthcothan Mill Cottage invitations visitors to calm down, to decelerate.

Adjoining is a mid-Twentieth century metal-finish retro kitchen. In accordance with a framed advert of an endorsement from Gone with the Wind star Vivien Leigh, a WH Paul fitted kitchen was the factor to have. Clearly, amongst the cabinets of recipe books, there may be Rick Stein’s information to seafood. Championing Cornwall’s native meals heroes, Stein is seen as a culinary saint round these components.

A twisting staircase leads upstairs to a few bedrooms: two doubles and a twin. Driftwood, shell and wicker themed decor reminds us that the ocean is a brief stroll away.

Though the cottage is serenely snoozing by its fifth century, the toilet with separate bathtub and bathe is distinctly twenty first century.

The situation

Tucked away on the finish of a lane, there’s a far-from-the-madding-crowd really feel to the cottage. You might hear owls tooting and maybe see deer working by the valley: regardless that Padstow is only a 15-minute drive away.

Padstow is a foodies’ mecca with the chance to purchase the freshest of fish, lobster and oysters.

Seafood offered by these fishmongers, together with bakeries and deli, invite you to self-cater in Porthcothan Mill Cottage’s fantastically geared up kitchen. For the best of self-catering choices, decide up some World Championship successful pasties. A dollop of clotted cream is a key ingredient in some pasties.

In fact, Padstow is Rick Stein land and his Sea Meals Restaurant, is only one of Padstow’s many eateries. And with Indian and Thai choices round too, there’s extra to this beautiful port than fish and chips.

North from Padstow, Martin Clunes’ portrayal of supremely grumpy Doc Martin has introduced fame to Port Issac. Nor does Cornwall change off its attraction on the final day of August. In Spring and Autumn, when seagulls outnumber guests on quiet seashores, when roads are quieter and parking areas extra plentiful, the county is commonly at its greatest. These biking the Camel Path or strolling coastal paths additionally recognize the cooler temperatures.

From fifth to eighth December 2024, Padstow will host a Christmas Pageant. Though the programme is but to be finalised the emphasis is all the time on nice meals, nice music and purchasing on the Christmas market.

Different good touches

An outhouse, with washer, has been transformed right into a helpful facility for storing surfboards and cleansing up mucky canines after cliff-top walks. The bathe is the place to scrub down salty, sandy moist fits.

When serving up the scones, that make up a part of the welcome pack, keep in mind that that is Cornwall: strawberry jam first, topped by thick luscious clotted cream.

Via the five-barred gate there’s loads of parking for 3 or 4 vehicles, for associates or household assembly at Porthcothan for a coastal getaway.

The fee

Porthcothan Mill Cottage’s on-line reserving calendar for 2025 is now obtainable. Lodging for six begins from £800 per week. Away from excessive season minimal stays of two nights are doable.

The very best bit

Porthcothan Mill Cottage, and notably its backyard with apple and ash bushes, is as a lot a dreamy way of thinking as an expensive sanctuary.

All through the day blue tits, robins, pheasants, pink kites, butteries and a woodpecker household present nature’s soundtrack while you calm down on a sunny-lounger, get pleasure from an al fresco lunch on the picnic desk or sit on the backyard seat taking within the bucolic splendour.

The ultimate verdict

Merely minutes from Padstow, the cottage is supremely properly situated for dipping into the numerous faces of Cornwall.

This can be a place for letting go of the world and greedy what Porthcothan has to supply: strolling, lastly taking that surf lesson, biking the Camel Path, foraging for samphire to go together with the hake you got, catching up with household and associates for a brief break or just catching up with sleep below Porthcothan’s darkish skies.

Disclosure: Our keep was sponsored by Porthcothan Mill Cottage.

Michael Edwards

Michael Edwards is a journey author from Oxfordshire, UK. Though Michael had his first journey items revealed practically 4 a long time in the past, he’s nonetheless discovering new luxurious locations to go to and write on.