Kernow calling: A swimming holiday in Cornwall

Cornwall (Kernow) has the longest coastline in Britain and is famed for warmer, sunnier weather than the rest of the UK because of its south west location. It attracts more than five million visitors a year and for good reason – for swimmers it offers multiple places to stay and play.

We are blessed in the UK with beautiful coastlines and stretches of long sandy beaches as well as little coves, rugged rocks, white cliffs and red sands.

Ask anyone in the UK and they will have a favourite part of the coastline. They might be drawn to the east coast with sand dunes, dramatic castles and wide open beaches. Or perhaps their heart is held by the English Channel, pebbled beaches and the bright white cliffs?

Imagine a paradise and you might think of turquoise water and white sands, which can be found in west Scotland and south Cornwall. When it comes to the sea, I am not that fussy, I can find joy and peace in any salted land but living in the south I am often drawn to Cornwall.

At the height of the season, for locals and holiday makers, Cornwall can feel chaotic and packed with people. If you can only take time out when the kids are out of school, you roll with it, but if you can find time to visit during warm seasons that bookend the heat of the summer holidays, you can find escape and peace.

Maybe you can’t beat the Cornish rush, but you could also retreat to treasured places that give room to breathe. If you invest some time and effort you can find plenty of little places out of the way or in-between more popular destinations that offer all the jewels of the county but with the space to enjoy them.

Pengelly Retreat

One of the best things about Cornwall is its coastline. Multiple beaches with plenty of sand and sea to swim in, or secret coves and pirate stories. There are harbour towns and villages with local food and fayre, but no matter how much I love and enjoy those things, I often find myself yearning for freshwater springs and lush inland water.

Pengelly Retreat, nestled inland between Hayle and Helston, offers a spring-fed bathing lake and waterside accommodation. As well as being ideal for anyone wishing for a peaceful escape, it is perfect for swimmers and a brilliant location to explore both the north and south coasts of Cornwall.

Owners Ruth, Jim and daughter Aggie live onsite in the Mill House, which is adjacent to five acres of gardens, lakes and land beside a freshwater stream.

Unique, beautiful and inspiring, the location has a Boat House log cabin and Sail House luxury yurt where you can stay.

Ideal for solo travellers, couples or friends, you can escape here for much needed rest and reflection. I stayed in the Boat House log cabin, which first appears as you walk the gravel path from the main house.

After filling a wheelbarrow with your bags, you wind your way through Ruth and Jim’s beautiful garden with thoughtfully placed plants, past the tipi and Japanese water garden to the wooden cabin waterside. A small rowing boat is tethered to a wooden deck with steps down to the water. You can’t help but pause to take it all in. The only sounds you can hear are birdsong and the constant trickling, flowing stream of clear water behind your home for the night.

The Boat House is a purpose made, award-winning, architect-designed cabin. Fully insulated with underfloor heating and log burner, it is cosy, stylish and practical. It sleeps two people in a double bed and has a kitchen and living area with everything you need to prepare meals and relax. As well as a lovely ensuite shower room there is an outdoor bathtub too.

As soon as you open the heavy wooden door you are welcomed by spectacular light from the floor to ceiling windows and white wooden floor. You immediately feel at home and an instant relief from tension.

As soon as the bags were stowed, I was stripping off to wash away the long-drive.

Cleverly the surroundings have been landscaped to offer privacy so you are not overlooked, so I confidently slipped into the water naked with joy.

The land with the series of lakes, ponds and stream was once part of a working mill but now it’s part of a rich and thriving ecosystem. Since Ruth and Jim moved to Pengelly from Oxfordshire, they have worked hard to develop the land, to support and sustain native Cornish species and to encourage wildlife.

Last year Pengelly Retreat was awarded gold in the Wildlife Friendly category at the Cornwall Tourism Awards. The water flows between the lakes and ponds by gravity so there is no need for electric pumps and, being stream fed, the Boat House pond is clean and beautiful for swimming.

In the shallows behind the wooden steps there is an abundance of tadpoles wiggling around as I gently get in and join them. The water is still cool but has been warmed enough for me to enjoy a decent swim. It is deep and brilliant for a quick dip or longer swim.

There is a three-night minimum stay in peak times but look out for offers in cooler months. I could have easily stayed for longer than we had booked.

Each morning I swam while coffee brewed inside and every evening I dipped before making dinner and warming by the wood burner.

Of course, Cornwall in spring is often wet but even when I woke to pouring rain, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I would rather be. The sounds of the rain on the water outside and the unwavering light despite grey clouds was every bit as soothing as the sunnier days.

Take books, a notepad and pencils as you may be inspired to create something even if it isn’t in your nature. But if you long for digital take a laptop with some downloaded content and watch it on the projector supplied.

During the day you can wander around the gardens and discover secret paths and places created by Ruth and Jim, or you can travel to nearby coastal towns, beaches and villages. For a swimmer it is ideal – book now before everyone else does, you won’t regret it.

Carbis Bay

If it wasn’t for this next booking, I may have never left Pengelly Retreat. A short distance away, tucked between the harbour town of Hayle and more popular St Ives, is Carbis Bay Estate. Family owned and run, Carbis Bay Hotel has a 125 year history. More recently it was in the limelight as the venue for the 2021 G7 Summit when it welcomed prime ministers and presidents from the world’s major democracies.

Today it is a luxury, five-star resort with a 38-room hotel and 125-acre estate with coastal properties, restaurants and spa. The main hotel building was built in 1894 and over the years has evolved into the estate you see today. It draws guests who have visited annually for decades as well as those wanting a special place to stay.

This isn’t a cheap and cheerful place to stay. It is luxurious and special. It’s the kind of place you save for or plan for an occasion. But you don’t have to stay to enjoy the location or soak up the lavish lifestyle. You could enjoy the beach and sea with a picnic and then dine in one of the brilliant restaurants before heading home. Or you can purchase a guest pass for the award-winning spa, with views across St Ives Bay.

If you do stay you can choose from deluxe rooms in the main hotel or a range of accommodation sleeping more. A group of you and your swimming pals could book a beach lodge, which is where I stayed. Located below the main hotel and just above the white sands, the lodges sleep six to eight people, which means you can split the cost!

Each beach lodge comes with its own sea front garden and rooftop terrace with private hot tub. They have all the frills and richness of the rest of the estate but with the freedom and privacy to move between the sea, the spa and your own space. There is a kitchen and large living space where you can make your own food or even more special, where you can enjoy your freshly made and delivered breakfast each morning.

The lodges are ideal for families or friends, enabling you to transition from the beach to bedtime with ease. On arrival you are welcomed by the concierge team and then thoughtfully looked after for the remainder of your stay. There is nothing they wouldn’t do to help or make the stay more comfortable or enjoyable. The relaxed style and approach felt friendly, rather than stuffy and I enjoyed getting to know the team.

Once you arrive at Carbis Bay the team offer everything you might need for an exceptional holiday or short break. You can swim lengths of the bay, which us just under a kilometre or plan a longer, more adventurous swim around to St Ives when tides allow. There is also a local train that can take you to Hayle or St Ives, but when the latter is just a 30-minute walk away, it’s tempting to go on foot.

An abundance of wildlife, including visiting seals, will entertain while the sheltered bay means you are protected mostly from onshore winds. The spa has an excellent swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi as well as a gym and range of treatments. If you have a special birthday or an occasion to mark, this is the place to celebrate.

There are plenty of ways to make the experience affordable and enjoyable while also ensuring you swim as much as possible while away.

Find out more about Pengelly Retreat at pengellyretreat.co.uk, and Carbis Bay at carbisbayhotel.co.uk

With thanks to Ruth, Jim and Aggie at Pengelly and Lesley Pope at Carbis Bay. Special thanks to Diana at Massey Travel.