A relaxed seaside stay in Mousehole, Cornwall

The fishing village of Mousehole, just outside Penzance on the far western tip of Cornwall, is a place Chris and I return to again and again. We had our engagement shoot and minimoon there, and whenever we visit we fall in love with it all over again. So, when we found ourselves craving some downtime after a very stressful six months, we couldn’t resist heading back to our favourite Cornish spot for seven days of sea air, seafood and invigorating seaside walks.

I’ll update my top tips for this beautiful corner of the UK with some new discoveries from our latest trip soon, but first I want to share a peek at the gorgeous little cottage-for-two that we booked for the week.

We’ve stayed in several different places in Mousehole over the years – some good, some not so good. As this trip coincided with our fifth wedding anniversary, we wanted to find something extra-special this time around. And, as we’re both increasingly conscious of the mixed impact that second homes and holiday rentals can have in popular destinations such as Cornwall, we were keen to book a property that’s managed by a local company. Morvoren caught my eye as soon as I came across it, and the fact that it’s let and maintained by Truro-based Cornish Gems means at least some of the income it generates stays in the county.

One of several former fisherman’s cottages that form a private mews called Saltponds, Morvoren sits right on the water’s edge, with a sea-facing terrace gazing out over Mount’s Bay. It’s a stunning location and from the moment we arrived we were captivated by the view, which soars over the village harbour and the craggy islet of St Clement’s to the distant silhouette of St Michael’s Mount.

The interior of the cottage didn’t disappoint, either. Arranged over three levels, it has an open-plan living area and kitchen on the ground floor, a double bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, and a loft-like hideaway with a daybed and writing desk nestled under the eaves at the top. It’s definitely bijou, but it’s kitted out with everything you need, from pots and pans to binoculars, a bird-watching guide and a Bluetooth speaker. It’s also very cleverly laid out, with lots of storage for clothes, food and luggage, so you really don’t notice the compact dimensions.

The interior is decorated in a soothing palette of whites, greys and blues, with rustic wooden furniture, beamed ceilings overhead, and slate tiles or white-stained floorboards underfoot. It’s all very calming and pared-back, and the subtle coastal theme manages to be stylish rather than tacky or contrived. I loved the crooked stone walls, the wood-panelled dining nook and the soft linen cushions, as well as the patterned Mediterranean tiles in the kitchen and bathroom. There are also lots of thoughtful little details, including salvaged fishing buoys, wall hangings made from mussel shells, and black and white photos of famous writers enjoying the Cornish coast on the shelves above the desk. My favourite touch, though, was the tiny wooden mice hidden around the house in honour of the village’s name, and we had fun trying to find them all.

Our stay turned out to be just the break we needed, and we alternated between local adventures and lazy days at the cottage. When the sun shone, we made a beeline for the terrace and watched seals basking on the rocks opposite. When a storm arrived, we lounged in the window seats with books, board games and coffee as waves pounded the rocks below. There was something mesmerising about seeing the tide roll in and out, the clouds come and go, and we often slept with the window ajar so that we could drift off to the gentle swooshing of the sea.

Like many places along the narrow, winding streets of Mousehole, Morvoren has no allocated parking, but you can pull up nearby to unload and then leave your car in the public spaces on South Quay (a couple of minutes’ walk away) for £3 a day. It’s also worth noting that other Saltponds residents have right of access along the path that runs between the front door and the terrace, so don’t expect total privacy when you’re sitting outside. Little things like this are part and parcel of village life, though, and somehow just add to the cottage’s charm.

It’s no exaggeration to say that we loved every minute of our time at Morvoren, and by the look of the comments in the guest book we’re not the only ones to have fallen under its spell. Dragging ourselves away was no easy task, but we had one final treat in store before returning to real life in Bristol. More on that to come soon…

Find out more about Morvoren and book a stay here.

All photography by Abi Dare