During summer, the county becomes well-known for its crowds, but during the off-season, it truly shines as the roads become quieter and the waves crash onto its deserted beaches.
Before us, the unoccupied stretches of Sennen Cove beckon invitingly – a spotless beach sheltered by a stunning promontory at the southwestern edge of England. It’s a stunning location to spend a day by the sea. As the sun appears, the sounds of children rejoicing while surfing in the waves contribute to the ambiance. However, the only individuals visible are the resilient family in wetsuits, as the temperature stubbornly remains near zero, accompanied by a biting windchill.
We have chosen to take a vacation during the initial week of January, exploring the untamed coastline of Cornwall. You might wonder why. This region isn’t typically renowned for wintertime getaways, as the majority of visitors and vacation property owners flock in droves during the summer, filling up all available cottages and campgrounds. Nonetheless, vacationing during this season provides the tranquility that we crave following the extravagance of December.
That’s the mentality we adopt as we journey, bringing along sufficient Christmas toys, games, and books to make the most of any unplanned idle time, while also packing the usual beach equipment, wellies, and a passion for brisk walks to guarantee we don’t squander our time on the breathtaking coastline.
During the first few days, we reserve a room at The Old Coastguard, a beautifully restored Victorian hotel perched on the rocks of the Mousehole fishing village. We opt for the family room located at the top of the building, which is painted in a cheerful yellow shade and adorned with Aztec-style carpet runners and blue-toned furnishings. Although the room’s bright decoration stands in contrast to the stormy weather outside, we don’t allow a rainy day to ruin our plans, unlike during the summer months. Instead, we embrace the hotel’s coziness, entertain ourselves at the local arcade, and let the children take turns playing with their remote-controlled cars on the deserted beaches or transform their adjacent bedroom into a dance club with the bedside radio.
We have ample opportunities to appreciate the scenery from the window seat in peace. As the daylight starts to fade into a bleak and tempestuous expanse outside, we descend to the hotel’s dining area, where the crackling fire greets us, ushering us into the lengthy and dark evening ahead.
Several guests have opted to prolong their New Year’s Eve vacation, creating a delightful ambiance without the frenzied competition for space that can sometimes prevail during evening meals in busy summer holiday spots. We indulge in generous servings of fresh hake and bavette tartare before bundling up and venturing out into the evening to observe the festive harbor lights. Other visitors are doing the same, pausing to admire the giant cat or sea monster peering out of the water before ascending the steep paths to complete the tour of the village.
Following that, we take a leisurely drive on serene roads to Cove Cottage, which boasts a picturesque view of the soft, sandy shoreline of Sennen Cove. It’s during this section of our holiday, with what appears to be one of the finest beaches in the UK all to ourselves, that we can completely immerse ourselves in the crisp and cloudless days, particularly when the rain subsides.
We participate in an arranged beach cleanup activity, with all four of us being taught how to identify and extract microplastics in the delightful company of Emily Stevenson and her father, Rob, who established Beach Guardian together. Although it seems unlikely, as we gaze across the pristine Sennen beach, that we will discover any debris, we astound the children by gathering numerous multi-hued treasures in our buckets.
We take pleasure in admiring the stunning native artwork and sculptures and spend a few hours leisurely exploring galleries in St Just, free from the usual summertime rush. Instead of jostling through the crowded shops of St Ives on a humid July day, we amble through the Tate Gallery and the Barbara Hepworth Museum. As we leave the Tate, we observe a line of surfers silently bobbing up and down, unaffected by the drizzle.
Throughout our winter break, we often discuss the importance of supporting local businesses and hospitality during the off-season and how it can contribute to their year-round viability. As part of this, on our last Friday evening before our long journey back north, we return to Mousehole and dine at the seafood restaurant 2 Fore Street. The knowledgeable and friendly staff guide us through an exquisite menu, including shell-roasted scallops thermidor with pangrattato and crab soup with parmesan toast and rouille, paired with appropriate wines. By the time we finish our first course, the restaurant is bustling with customers despite the early hour and dark, wet and quiet streets outside. The lively weekend chatter and atmosphere make it feel like an August bank holiday.
We had come to appreciate bundling up in cozy hats and scarves and venturing out into the invigorating weather. Instead of feeling deprived of warmth, there was something satisfying about embracing the elements and experiencing a different aspect of a coastal town during the off-season.
