A visit to Falmouth for a day out from Boscrowan. The lure was the Annual Spring Flower Show in the Princess Pavilion Falmouth
Daffodils, camellias, rhododendrons, cacti and succulents – you name it – it was there and it’s still only March.
The exterior of the Princess Pavilion is also very beautiful, with pretty sub tropical Gyllingdune gardens to walk through if you approach from the beach road. The temperate climate of Falmouth is very obvious with many interesting plants in flower. A pair of shell seats where one can view from above, protected from the wind and rain.
Then a meander along the coast road overlooking the beaches below . There were agaves in full bloom reaching up to the sky.
And other plants that you just wouldn’t see in other parts of the country outdoors in flower in March and swathes of daffodils to remind us it is Springtime.
Plenty more to see too. Pendennis Castle, the docks, interesting shops crammed into quaint little streets steeped in history of smuggling and contraband and plenty of great eateries too. A great day out!
When we think of Cornwall it’s the sea and beaches that probably first spring to mind, yet here in this area in the Far West we have some beautiful moorland and in some higher places you can view both the North and the South coast from the same spot! It’s magical! An interesting mining landscape too.
The moors of West Penwith with Greenburrow Mine on the horizonGreenburrow Mine
Walk along the cinder track admiring the views of St Michaels Mount in the distance to the right and the sea at Morvah and towards Zennor on the left. Turning left onto the moors a bit further on and we come across Nine Maidens – an ancient stone circle dating back to the 17th century.
Further on is Four Parishes stone where as the name suggests the four local parishes meet. A little beyond is Men Scryfa – a standing stone in the middle of a field dating back to medieval times.
The ancient Men Scryfa stone
Definitely worth the stop, then back onto the track abut half a mile further on is Men an Tol a Bronze Age holed stone with two uprights – iconic stones featuring on many a postcard in the past.
Men an Tol – an iconic Cornish landmark dating back to the Bronze AgeDeserted West Penwith farm above Morvah
Opposite the stile to Men an Tol is a wonderful derelict farmstead – agriculture of the past and a family and an existence we never knew. Then back to Four Parishes Stone and up over Can Galver to gaze down onto Rosemergy Mine and Bosigran Cliff and the vast Atlantic Ocean below. A perfect spot to pull the thermos out of the rucksack and savour that view. It’s one of my absolute favourites!
The path winds its way down to the road where you can pick up the odd passing bus – well maybe but a better chance in the Summer or more dependable would be prior organisation of a car parked by the mine buildings below. We took that option and then carried on the coast road to Geevor Mine and rewarded ourselves with an all day cooked breakfast!
Enjoying the all day breakfast at Geevor Mine Cafe
Cornwall has so much more to offer than at first glance!
It’s that time of year again. Christmas is over, the weather is a bit wet and windy and needing something to look forward to, we all start looking at holidays and places to stay for 2024.
Where to start? There is now an absolute plethora of paces to stay and especially in hotspots like Cornwall, thanks (or not thanks to) airbnb and developers building huge resorts. All singing all dancing websites try and lure you in with the promise of five star luxury, eco credentials and photos photo shopped to show brilliant wall to wall sunshine. Of course we can get plenty of sunshine all year round here though – the photo below is Trebah garden near Falmouth in November.
On the other hand we can get some grim days out of season, so If you are booking a holiday in the winter months though, it’s a good idea to book a property with a woodburner in case you need extra cheer!
Enjoy a roaring fire and comfy armchairs
Surely you want the accommodation to be at least as good as, if not better than you have at home? If not, why waste your hard earned savings?!! So check out those reviews on websites before you book.
We realise that if you are looking for a swimming pool and a hot tub then Boscrowan maybe isn’t the place for you although we do have plenty of ocean and the iconic Jubilee Pool with its geothermal area as nearby options.
We wonder why some guests return year after year to us instead of seeking pastures new. It seems that they have confidence in our cottages and know that they will always be to the same standard as the last time and the time before – because we run them ourselves and live on site – if there are any issues they can be dealt with immediately. I admit it does help that I also run a Soft Furnishing business here so interiors is a bit of ‘my thing’. Any excuse for new curtains! It’s Ring and Thimble’s bedroom that is on for the changes on Jan 7th when guests leave.
Check out the location – is there plenty to do in the area that’s close by? Yes Boscrowan is a bit of a journey down (and the major roadworks on the A30 should be finished soon thank goodness) but once you are here you have plenty to fill a week or two or three even!
A great base for exploring
What are ‘eco holidays’ ? – a description often used in marketing! Sustainability is important to us and we realise that that is an underlying feature of how we live our own lives here. I love growing all the flowers for the cottages (admission – there was a childhood of horticulture!) and veg for our guests to wander out and pick their own.
Tomato princess
We have solar panels generating electricity and two ground source heat pumps, although we still do use oil for some heating where it isn’t feasible to do otherwise. We encourage guests to recycle and compost and use local transport and support local businesses – just some ways to have a sustainable holiday.
We like to make everyones’ stay at Boscrowan a special stay and one to remember. If guests choose to return it’s a bonus. If they tell their friends and family it’s also a bonus. A stay here won’t be the cheapest around nor the most expensive either but we aim to give good value. It’s the detail and extra touches which receive most comments – cream tea on arrival with homemade jams, fresh flowers in every room, a bottle of apple juice made from our orchard, crisp white tablecloths and napkins, The White Company bedlinen and towels, Villeroy and Boch china, Robert Welch cutlery. No we’re not name dropping – we’re just saying that we like to provide quality. So my advice would be – do check out smaller owner run businesses such as ours. They are run with a passion rather than just for profit.
If you would like to come and stay or find out more about us, then please do check out the Boscrowan website, or send us an e mail or give us a call. 01736 332396/07833304899 We would love to see you in 2024.
Latest guest comment:
“15 years of visiting Boscrowan and we never tire of it. This is not just down to the luxury of the cottages but also in large due to the warm hospitality of Liz and David”
Peace and Plenty (sleeps 4) available for short breaks 3 nights + over Christmas from £850 – that’s only £71 per night for 4 sharing! Decorated real Christmas tree, mince pies and basketfuls of logs for the woodburner. Escape to the country this year!
