Following the lure of the ocean, we wound our way through the quaint streets of Mousehole before reaching our sanctuary for the weekend, a Grade II listed cottage for four, set right on the waterfront with views across Mount’s Bay.
A rarity for Mousehole, Rocksalt has its own parking space, perfectly positioned a few minutes’ walk from the retreat. After parking up for the weekend, we ventured the short distance to the ocean front, where our charming cottage greeted us, softly lit for the warmest welcome.
After dropping off our luggage, we made the most of the evening and went for a walk through the village, spotting a resident seal in the harbour, dipping and diving between the moored boats. As dusk set in, we stumbled across the inviting entrance of The Old Coastguard, tempting us to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. Opting for a glass of full-bodied red, we settled in the lounge, illuminated by flickering candles to create a calm ambience. There was also a selection of board games, perfect for whiling away the evening in unhurried bliss.
Before retreating to our cosy cottage, we visited nearby Polgoon Vineyard, a family-run winery and orchard in West Cornwall, which produces a range of award-winning wines, ciders, and soft drinks. In search of the perfect accompanying drink for our evening meal, we opted for a bottle of Pinot Noir, before returning to beautiful Rocksalt for an indulgent cheese board.
Wanting to fully embrace our coastal setting, we wrapped up warm and settled on the outdoor terrace, gazing up at the stars in awe. Located within the West Penwith International Dark Sky Park, it was breathtaking to see so many stars, and we even saw a shooting star soar across the inky night sky. After our magical first evening, we retired to our charming bedroom spaces, where the sound of the ocean lulled us to sleep, cocooned in the softest linens for the most restful slumber.
As day broke on Saturday morning, we awoke to the sound of the rippling ocean and opened the shutters to the sight of the inviting bay, golden with the first morning light. With a freshly brewed coffee in hand, accompanied by warm, buttery pastries, we sat in the window seat and observed the fishing boats head out to sea, passing the cottage one by one in search of their catch of the day.
After a slow morning at Rocksalt, we ventured into the village in search of a café with a view to admire our beautiful setting. We sipped creamy lattes at the Rock Pool Café, aptly named after the shallow tidal pool before it.
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Just two miles from Mousehole, we strolled into the neighbouring town of Newlyn, a vibrant fishing hub, with a host of independent restaurants, art galleries and cafes. There’s also a wonderful cinema and arts venue, the Newlyn Filmhouse. A local delicacy, we visited Jelbert’s, a traditional Cornish ice cream shop known for its single flavour option, clotted cream, which is freshly made daily in the town. Open from Easter to the start of November, we were lucky enough to visit before they closed for the season, and enjoyed our indulgent flake-topped treats on our walk back to Mousehole along the picturesque coast path.
We returned to our home for the weekend just in time to enjoy dusk from our oceanfront sanctuary, cocooned in warm blankets, watching the gentle waves beyond the sea terrace until darkness encroached the skies. After a delicious meal beside the warmth of the cosy wood burner, we watched a classic romcom before our inviting beds seduced us to enjoy another night of blissful slumber.
After another restful sleep, we woke early to enjoy breakfast on the terrace, spotting the Scillonian pass beyond St Clements Isle on its morning voyage from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly.
We hopped in the car, driving through sleepy country lanes before reaching the quaint Cornish village of Treen, ambling along the rugged coast path, with rolling ocean tides in the distance. We reached Pedn Vounder, spellbound by its immense beauty, with the granite cliffs of Logan Rock sheltering the picturesque bay. Even on a cloudy day, the water was akin to a tropical paradise, with turquoise waters lapping the shore. A lone walker strolled across the untouched sand, leaving a solitary set of footsteps in their wake.
As the access to the beach was a little more challenging, we gazed from the viewpoint at the top of the cliff before continuing our stroll along the South West Coast Path to Porthcurno, just a short distance from Pedn Vounder. Equally as beautiful, we were met with fine white sand, blended with fragments of porcelain seashells. We combed the shores in search for treasures washed up with the ebb and flow of the tide, finding sea glass in a colour palette of ocean tones.
After our refreshing morning walk, we returned to charming Mousehole for a well-deserved Sunday lunch at The Ship Inn. In preparation for the Mousehole Harbour Lights display, as we walked through the village, we noticed volunteers putting up the coloured lanterns that adorn the streets for the festive period. We savoured mouth-watering dishes of roast chicken with fresh, seasonal veg, accompanied by a hearty glass of red and a beautiful backdrop of the harbour, lined with fishing boats resting on the sand.
We gently strolled back to our quaint Cornish cottage for a relaxed afternoon of ocean gazing from the window seats, followed by a soothing soak in the darling slipper bath, filled high with lavender-scented bubbles. We whiled away the remainder of the day fully embracing our beautiful hideout, listening to a calming soundtrack on the Sonos speaker. As evening set in, we soaked up the final few hours at our darling home for the weekend, reminiscing about our favourite moments of our relaxing few days by the coast.
After the most magical weekend, we packed up our bags and bid farewell to our cosy waterside retreat, leaving with fond memories, feeling relaxed and recharged.
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