Weekend swim retreat: Budock Vean Hotel & Spa, Cornwall

Weekend escapes with a swimming opportunity – Ella Foote shares her experience of the Budock Vean Hotel and Spa on the Helford River, Cornwall

Finding a location that has several different swimming spots and experiences within easy reach of where you lay your head each night, is a very special place indeed. If your accommodation also provides an indoor pool, lush gardens and great food, it will be very hard to leave at the end of your stay. Budock Vean Hotel is one of those special places, tucked away from the popular beach destinations in South Cornwall but offering a wonderful escape in any season.

Sat on the Helford River where ancient woodlands line up along secret creeks rich in wildlife, history and myth, the hotel has hosted guests since 1933. The location has a long and wild history, long before it was a hotel, but more recently its ownership changed hands and with that the hotel is evolving too. Some parts of the hotel still hold historic charm and if walls could speak there would be stories to share, but what stood out was the homely feel and welcoming team. You could easily hide away here, immerse into the lush green landscape and quietly dip in the cool water off the private beach without ever needing to leave the 65 acres of surrounding land.

The accommodation

There are several ways to stay at Budock Vean – hotel rooms, self-catering contemporary lodges or traditional cottages, all with full access to the spa, golf course and restaurant included, making it easy to settle in at whatever pace suits you. We stayed in a Signature Suite, with a window seat that looked out across the garden and down the valley toward the river. Robes, slippers and GAIA toiletries are offered in all rooms and made the return from a cold water swim more civilised.

Virginia Woolf stayed here in May 1936, writing to her nephew about the unspoilt bays of the Helford and her longing to buy a cottage nearby. We know the feeling, Virginia! Something about this stretch of river has always had that effect on people and nearly a century on, very little seems to have changed. Everyone we encountered from locals to loyal regulars would gush about the location, the river, the nature or the sky; there is heart here, you can feel it.

For times when the tide was out, the spa offered a great alternative. There’s a 15-metre indoor pool, an outdoor hot tub with garden views, a sauna and a full menu of treatments, the kind of offer that makes it very easy to spend an entire afternoon doing absolutely nothing. After a bracing dip in the Helford, sliding into a warm outdoor hot tub while the Cornish trees sway overhead feels like a very reasonable reward. Beyond the spa, the 65-acre estate includes tennis courts and a nine-hole, 18-tee golf course set in parkland, while the gardens lead down to the private cove where kayaking and paddleboarding are on offer for those who can’t quite get enough of the water.

The restaurant, meanwhile, serves as a very good reason to eventually come inside with modern British cooking built around locally sourced Cornish produce, the sort of food that tastes even better when you’ve earned it with a swim.

The swimming

A short walk down through a wild Cornish garden displaying beautiful native plants blended with subtropical fauna often found in the area, you will find a private beach and cove on Port Navas Creek, one of seven creeks that flow into the Helford River. The Helford is the most southerly river in the UK and a large tidal estuary fed by around 30 little streams that feed into the seven creeks. At low tide there is a muddy foreshore, not great for swimming, but ideal for nature spotting and bird watching. At high tide the shoreline looks completely different and is ideal for swimming, paddle sports and boat trips.

The area is famous for its ancient woodland and ancient oaks that lick edges of the water. Ancient woodland is defined as an area of trees that is known to have existed since at least 1600 but much of it dates back to the Middle Ages, it is what makes the Helford so specially ecologically and historically. Swimming here is special. Despite a muddy riverbed, the water is gin-clear and full of sea-life. While it is possible to walk through some of the woodlands, much of the foreshore of the Helford is private, so the best way to see it is from the water. At high tide it is easy to swim from the beach at Budock Vean, but along the coast there are multiple places you can visit to swim by exploring on foot or by car. As well as swimming at Budock at high tide, we also enjoyed swims off Grebe and Durgan Beach further down the Helford. The water was cool, clear and full of life offering perfect conditions for long meandering swims or short dips and sun bathing.

We were also treated to a Helford River tour with Tom from Koru Kayaking who can guide you in sea kayaks or paddleboards. Tom, knowing our interest in swimming, took us downstream from Budock into the main river and pointed out significant buildings, the ancient woodlands, birdlife and beautiful swim spots. With the sunshine on our skin and salt on our lips, we loved paddling down the river with a guide who’s passionate and knowledgeable about this incredible place. If that all sounds like too much effort, Tom also offers river cruises on his boat determined by the tide.

If you are booked for a longer stay, Budock Vean is perfectly located for reaching other brilliant and beautiful beaches in Cornwall.

The food

Breakfasts are traditional and cooked to order, full English or smoked fish and eggs, it is all local produce and delicious. The hotel offers bar lunches and a generous afternoon tea. We invited friends to join us for afternoon tea, one who was lactose intolerant and she was impressed by the dietary alternative, one of the best she has had! In the evenings dinner is formal, guests are encouraged to dress for the occasion, no shorts or flip-flops! The menu changes daily and seasonally, showcasing the local produce and offering catches from the nearby sea. I enjoyed an incredible spring-lamb dish!

Along the coast and a short walk from the hotel, you can find the popular Ferry Boat Inn, which also has great food and waterside views.

Best of the rest

There is a lot on offer here and in high season even more. If you like golf and tennis you can blend your swimming with these. Walking from the hotel is also wonderful with incredible footpaths and routes to explore. If you are local, you can get a country club membership and the hotel is welcoming to families and those with dogs!

Our fave thing

The Helford River. We visited in springtime, but in warmer weather we would be looking at long swims down towards the sea!

With thanks to the team at Budock Vean Hotel & Spa. For more information and to book visit: budockvean.co.uk