British summer time is officially here and what better way to celebrate than spending a weekend exploring our gorgeous British coastline in Cornwall! We were invited to stay at the beautiful Fallen Angel – a luxurious and modern holiday cottage in the pretty village of Mousehole. Our stay was kindly gifted by the lovely owner Jane but of course all of the following opinions are my own – however I’m not sure I can bestow enough superlatives to describe this delightful, romantic bolthole!
Having never visited Mousehole before we were both excited to be staying in such a quaint and typical small coastal town in Cornwall. You may be aware that my husband (The Canadian) isn’t from the UK and so I really do relish the chance to show him the most picturesque parts of this country that we call home. You can’t get much further from the huge, rolling Canadian mountains that these adorable little harbour towns!
Fallen Angel is situated up a winding path next to the cutest of holiday cottages. Whilst there’s no parking at the cottage (and driving through Mousehole’s tiny streets is an experience in itself!) there’s plenty of space at the harbourside which is just a 5 minute walk away and costs only £3 for a 24 hour stay. Entering through a large wooden gate into a gorgeous, almost tropical garden it’s clear to see that design was at the forefront when this holiday home was created.
The interiors were no different and Jane definitely has an eye for design. There’s a cool Moroccan style as the cottage is adorned with lanterns, vases and decorative art along with colourful pottery. A large wood-burner gave the lounge a cosy feel (we couldn’t resist lighting it when the evenings became a little chilly!), whilst the tv snug was the perfect little nook for relaxing in after a long day exploring. The balcony overlooking the picturesque harbour is the perfect spot to enjoy a tea or coffee each morning.
After the three and a half hour drive from Bristol to Cornwall we arrived on Friday evening just in time for dinner. Husband and wife chef team Rebecca and Robin from Indulgence Catering were on hand to prepare a delicious three course meal for us – what an absolute treat! We had made our meal choices prior to arrival from a mouth-watering menu of locally sourced dishes such as freshly caught fish and meat from a nearby farm. Each dish was just a scrumptious as it looks and it was so lovely to be able to arrive and not have to worry about finding a spot for dinner. Everything was washed down with a local River Cottage Elderflower Sparkling Wine (I’ll definitely be finding this again – I do love a spot of elderflower!) and accompanied by tips from Rebecca and Robin about sights to see and restaurants to visit. The perfect way to spend a Friday evening!
The next morning we chose a long, lazy lie-in followed by a soak in the tub with the dreamiest vista. Breakfast was again all Cornwall inspired from Cornish tea and butter to a crusty loaf from the local bakery, which filled us up ready to head out exploring. We made the short walk along the coast from Mousehole to Penzance (around 3.5 miles) and stopped off for the obligatory Cornish pasty followed by fish and chips later in the afternoon. Luckily the rain just about held off for us to enjoy the views across the bay to see St Micheal’s Mount in the distance and we decided to pay it a visit the next day. After a quick dip in the water at Porthcurno Beach we spent the evening curled up in-front of the fire with a glass of wine – bliss!
Sunday started with a quick shower (even here you have a view over the harbour!) before we packed up and got ready to leave. Check out was 10am – plenty of time to again enjoy breakfast and a cuppa on the balcony before heading back to the real world later that day. We drove over to Penzance and took the boat to St Michael’s Mount (there’s a small car parking fee of £5 and the castle itself is a National Trust site – we’re members and I cannot recommend it enough, it’s really got us out and a bout this year!). If you arrive early enough you can walk over to the castle at low tide – some people were even risking it with the waves crashing around their waists! We decided for the drier option and waited in line for around 20 minutes or so before paying £2 per adult for the journey across.
I’d recommend a trip to the castle if you’re in the area – it’s certainly unique and hard to believe that a family actually live there! The walk up to the castle from the harbour is steep and cobbled so do just bear that in mind – however the views from the top are spectacular. One of the guides told us sometimes you can even see dolphins swimming near the coastline (sadly not whilst we were there!).
On the journey home we stopped off at Kynance Cove – a real must when you’re travelling along the southern tip of Cornwall, it is a stunningly beautiful piece of coastline. By the time we arrived it was high-tide so there was only a small part of the beach visible, this didn’t stop groups of families from sunbathing and splashing in the waves though! There’s a small cafe perched on the edge of the cliff and beautiful walks along the coast to be found here – we vowed to return to this spot next time and spend a few hours exploring.
We had just the most wonderful weekend away in Cornwall at Fallen Angel. The cottage itself is absolutely amazing – modern yet cosy with little luxury you would wish for, and a distinctive Cornish vibe. It’s the perfect little honeymoon pad, weekend bolthole or a little hide-away to escape from the outside world. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing weekend or a longer stay it’s a fabulous romantic retreat for exploring the stunning coastline.
You can find more information about Fallen Angel including prices and availability at their website here or by contacting the lovely owner Jane.
Have you ever visited Cornwall? What are your top tips for a trip to the coast? I’d love to hear your recommendations for our next weekend away – let me know in the comments! If you fancy a little more wanderlust inspiration check out my Top Five Tips for Santorini!
The Blonde x
*This is a collaborative post with the lovely Jane at Fallen Angel but as always all opinions are my own and I only feature products or events that are fitting and in keeping with the tone and content of my blog or Instagram page.