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Sunny delightDenise Barkley heads west and samples thebest of what this historic Cornish port has to offer

Ican’t say I have ever metanyone who doesn’t loveCornwall – for me, it’s themagnificently wild and diversecoastline where the sun, sea

and sky collide in such splendour thatfloats my boat.

Every time I go there, and whateverthe weather, the sheer beauty of thiswestern peninsula tumbling into the vastAtlantic ocean takes my breath away.

In May, I had the chance tobase myself in the historic port ofPenzance on the south-facing shoresof Mount’s Bay – and it has so muchto offer the visitor, as I found duringmy four-night stay when I sampledthree of the town’s finest guestaccommodation options.

Penzance may be famous for itsoperatic pirates but one of the biggestlures is its mild climate. Palm treesand sub-tropical trees thrive here anda leisurely stroll along the promenade– one of the longest in Britain – is a

must. Look out across the bayto St Michael’s Mount and, ifyou have never visited, walkacross the granite causeway atlow tide, or take a boat to enjoythis fairytale island castle.

On your promenade walk youare likely to pass the refurbishedand reopened Jubilee Pool, avast open-air lido constructedin the 1930s and just the placefor a bracing dip. The harbour is theplace to book a boat or fishing trip, orto board the ferry to the Scilly Isles, thepeaceful and unspoiled archipelago 35miles off the Cornish coast.

Just a short distance from the seafrontseek out Morrab gardens, landscapedin Victorian times and turned into amunicipal park in 1889. It’s the perfectplace to relax and watch the world go by.

With its art galleries, booksellers andnew age shops, Penzance town centrehas a pleasant Bohemian vibe. ChapelStreet, lined with gracious 18th-century

houses, is particularly full of characterwith ancient pubs like the AdmiralBenbow, which features in the firstfew pages of Robert Louis Stevenson’sTreasure Island, and the home of MariaBranwell, mother of the Bronte sisters.

An impressive statue bears tributeto Penzance’s greatest son, the reveredscientist Sir Humphry Davy – inventorof the Davy lamp, a revolution in themining industry which vastly reducedthe number of underground explosions.

Just around the corner, and instark contrast, you will find the ultra-

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Chapel House - the elegant lounge

Chapel House fuufunky bath withretractable glass roof above

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contemporary Exchange Gallery whereexhibitions feature international worksalongside those from the thriving localart scene.

You don’t have to go far fromPenzance to find fantastic beaches– Perranuthnoe, Lamorna Cove,Kenneggey and Praa Sands are lovely.

Penzance is a foodies’ paradise, withlots of choice. The fish restaurants weremy favourite and I sampled a couple.At The Bakehouse on Chapel Streetthe tempura soft-shell crab and Helfordmussels were tasty choices, while at TheShore, a contemporary new restaurantwith a seafood menu based on the bestfish available that day, renowned chefBruce Rennie wowed me with mackereland monkfish.

Fortunately, I had a couple of days’warm weather so took the opportunityget out and about. This was onesection of the Cornish coastline I hadnever visited, and it is staggeringlybeautiful. The highlight was the rugged,breathtakingly wild coastline of the StJust region – the Cornish Mining WorldHeritage site. It’s featured in the remakeof the blockbuster TV series Poldark andyou can pick up and follow a guide to thelocations that “star” in the series.

I wandered along the cliffs, strewnwith the remains of tin mines bearinglasting testament to those who labouredin them. A must-see are the enginehouses of Botallack Mine clingingprecariously to the rocks above thecrashing waves, and at Levant minethere is a restored steam winding enginein the care of the National Trust.

I drove leisurely towards Land’sEnd, stopping at some of the fabulouscoves and bays dotted along this sceniccoastline. Stand-outs for me werePorthgwarra beach, a rocky cove witha spooky man-made tunnel, and thesweeping surfing beaches at Sennen, themost westerly village in Britain.

And I dropped in at Cornwall’sworld-famous open-air Minack Theatre,

clinging spectacularly to a tiered granitecliff overlooking the golden beach andblue seas of Porthcurno Bay. Thistheatre is quite something, and I havevowed to book tickets to see a productionthere next time I’m in these parts.

Just outside Penance, at Gulval, isTremenheere Sculpture Gardens –hidden among the plants in this exoticvalley are some magnificent sculpturesand it’s definitely worth a visit.

So where did I rest my head duringour Cornish sojourn? Well I enjoyedthe best of what Penzance has tooffer, starting with a couple of nightsat Chapel House, a fairly new (it hasbeen open for just over a year) additionto the visitor accommodation scene.And it made an auspicious start, beingnamed best B&B in the Sunday Times’“Ultimate 100 British Hotels 2015”,which was quite a jolt – pleasant, ofcourse – for owner Susan Stuart, whohas quite obviously poured her heart andsoul into creating this chic six-bedroomguest house. I was struck by the light-filled and sublimely relaxing interior,where ultra-modern furnishings tonewith Susan’s carefully selected antiques– many passed down her family.

The rooms are artistically stylish andbeautifully co-ordinated, with quirky

touches such as the feature bath in oneof the rooms under the eaves wherethe glass roof slides back to allowthe bather to wallow under the stars.Absolutely delightful.

My room was elegant andcomfortable with views across the bayto St Michael’s Mount, and a simplyhuge bath which took up the majorityof the bathroom!

Guests take breakfast together,informally, around tables in Susan’sgorgeous kitchen. She and her staffprepare your bacon and eggs, omelette orwhatever your desire, in front of you, andit makes for a convivial start to the day.

Day three and I moved onto my nextstop – a very short hop just acrossChapel Street to Artist Residence, a funboutique retreat run by a young and

THE ESSENTIALSChapel House, Chapel Street, Penzance,call 0781 0020 617, chapelhousepz.co.ukArtist Residence, Chapel Street,Penzance, call 01736 365664,artistresidencecornwall.co.ukBlue Seas B&B, Regent Terrace,Penzance, call 0173 6364 744,blueseashotel-penzance.co.ukFor more information about holidaying inCornwall visit the website: visitcornwall.com

Artist’s Residence,Penzance- a comfy room

Penzance lidoPicture: Mike Newma

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friendly team. This had a very differentvibe to the genteel Chapel House, butif you thrive on excellent hospitalityserved up in informal style then this isthe place for you. The Cornish Barn isthe hotel restaurant, which I thoughtwas trying a bit too hard to be hip andtrendy – okay if the food lives up to thehype, but the “tasting plates” left mecold. I thought Artist Residence couldup their game on the food front.

I spent my last night in Penzance at astand-out B&B on Regent Terrace, withsplendid views of the harbour. Run byArnaud and Fiona Ruetsch, Blue Seas iseverything a good seaside B&B shouldbe, and much more. My hosts could nothave been more welcoming, friendly orhelpful, and my room with supremelycomfy bed and top-notch bathroom,complete with toiletries, was so muchmore than the average guest house. I

could easily see why Blue Seas is sopopular, with guests from home andaway returning year-in and year-out.

Arnaud reigns supreme in the kitchenand breakfast was simply stupendous– quite the best I’ve had in a longtime, and in hearty portions that areenough to satiate the biggest appetite. Idined that evening in a nearby Indianrestaurant, Taj Mahal. It was peltingwith rain, so I was grateful it wasbut a short sprint from my B&B. TheTaj Mahal deserves special mentionbecause it is the best Indian restaurantI’ve ever visited – and, believe me, Ihave visited a great deal. The food wasexceptional, so make sure you eat therewhen you visit Penzance.

There’s nowhere better than Cornwallfor a summer break, and Penzancemakes a perfect base for your Cornishtravels. Enjoy!

I have the perfect antidote to the strains ofeveryday life – a relaxing sojourn at The Scarletin Cornwall. We were only there for one night,but the peace and solitude left me totally chilled.

I was blown away by the loveliness of thelocation, overlooking Mawgan Porth beach nearNewquay. Apparently, actress Dawn French wasmarried here, second time around, a few yearsago, writes Denise Barkley.

All the rooms have breathtaking sea viewsand it was so nice to sit on our own private patioand watch the sun set slowly over the waves.We were there in mid-May and the weather waswarm and sunny – what a treat.

The Scarlet is a child-free zone, sotranquility is guaranteed. Those withyoungsters can stay at the nearby BedruthanSteps hotel, owned and run in similar style bythe same family.

There’s nothing stuffy about The Scarlet andif you like your hotels hip and trendy, then thisone ticks the box. Its proud of its eco-friendlycredentials, but doesn’t stint on great designand contemporary décor. Supreme comfort isguaranteed and a friendly bunch of staff providegreat laidback service.

We were warmly greeted in the trendy desk-free reception and shown to our room – a trayof tea and homemade biscuits arrived swiftly.Freshly brewed tea and coffee is delivered whenyou want it, at no extra cost.

Our room had all the trappings a discerningguest requires, from comfy beds with luxurylinen to tasteful blonde wood furnishings andmonsoon shower.

We went for a walk along the clifftop, notingthe reed-fringed outdoor pool, wood-deckedsunbed areas, and two wood-fired hot tubsoverlooking the sea. I just wish they hadmentioned you had to book and pay to use them– that would have avoided an embarrassingmoment when a staff member mentioned weshouldn’t be in them.

Instead, we swam in the indoor pool, followedby a gentle steam and rather more fierce sauna.The spa here is renowned and specialises inAyurvedic “journeys”, with tented treatmentrooms and pods suspended in the dark for“deep relaxation” and a glass sea-facing roof for“light relaxation”.

We really enjoyed our stay – from cocktails inthe bar to a delicious dinner in the scarlet-huedrestaurant with its quirky knitted lampshades. Myscallop starter and sea bass with violet potatoesand potted shrimps was scrumptious.The Scarlet Hotel, Mawgan Porth,near Newquay, call 01637 861 800,scarlethotel.co.uk.

Seafood reigns supreme at TheShore restaurant in Penzancephoto by Nick Hook

The Scarlet - room with a view

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