Winter Breaks Don’t Have To Be Overseas

I’ve found the perfect place for a cosy winter holiday…

The Mr and I had just enough holiday allowance from work to fit in another quick mini break and we wanted somewhere we could drive to and cosy up for a few days. I’ve never been to Cornwall – shocker I know. So we picked a lovely little cabin in a quiet town called Dobwalls with a hot tub and views of rolling hills.

Travel and Check In

   

The easiest way to get to Dobwalls is by car. You could get a train but you would then need to get a taxi from the station to wherever you are staying. Our little cabin had a parking space which was super convienent. I think you can fly to Cornwall as well if that takes your fancy but again you would need to taxi from the airport. We booked our holiday through a company called Sykes Cottages and the actual cabins as on a ‘holiday site’ called Southern Halt. I say ‘cabins’ they are gorgeous properties with amazing views, all the amenities you could need and a hot tub with stunning views. I would highly recommend them price wise and we are already trying to work out when we can go back next year.

Journey Detours and Rainy Walks

   

Despite the rain we decided to stop off on the way to make sure we really made the most of our trip. This stop off was almost at the end of our journey in a little village called Minions. With no sign of any yellow creatures we headed for a neolithic ceremony site called The Hurlers Circle it’s only a short walk from the car park. We love a bit of history and if the rain hadn’t been so heavy we would have done a longer walk up to the Cheesewring but we settled for the amazing stone circles and made friends with the cows instead. Noses getting rosier by the minute we hopped back into the car and set off for Dobwalls.

Rainforest Views

   

   

The Eden Project has been on my radar for a long long time so I was very excited to finally get to visit and as a botanical garden lover this was on another level. I particular loved the Rainforest Biodome – although had made the mistake of wearing a thermal top so was a little over heated at some points but it was worth it! They even have the opportunity to go up 30m to the top of the biodome to look down. It’s not for the faint hearted and I almost backed out half way up the swaying staircase but the views were amazing once you get up there.

It’s like being in another world in each biodome but there are also some gorgeous outdoor gardens as well which we managed to wander around in rain free. I love a gift shop and the one at the Eden Project is on another level because everything is fairly traded, ethical and sustainable. So make sure to take some spending money because it’s full to the brim with gorgeous gifts.

Craft Beer & Fish Suppers

   

We ate in most of the time as we doing self catering however we did drive into Falmouth to check out the Seafood Bar which is linked to Verdant Brewery – one of the Mr’s favourite breweries. We actually managed to visit the brewery as well so he could pick up some cans to enjoy in the hot tub however I was more interested in the delicious goodies I could eat.

   

It’s a small menu which means every dish is perfectly thought out. We shared a few bits and pieces including the fish taco, haddock scotch egg, crab rarebit – could have eaten this about five times it was so good. We finished it up with a gooey brownie to share and sipped on tasty beers that perfectly paired with the saltiness of the fish dishes. If we hadn’t been driving I would imagine we would have sunk quite a few drinks trying out all the ones on offer. Even if you’re not a big beer drinker I would recommend it just for the food.

A Blast From The Past

   

The Mr went to university in Plymouth so I asked if he would show me around where he used to study and then stayed and worked for a few years before moving back to London – I met him about a month or two after he moved back. So although it meant going back on ourselves a little bit on our journey home we said goodbye to our lovely cabin and set off to have a little trip down memory lane. To be fair even if you don’t have any affiliation with the place it’s a great day trip from Cornwall as it’s packed full of things to do including a fantastic aquarium which we thoroughly enjoyed and you can’t help but fall over cream tea places. It’s also an antiques haven if that’s your thing. We are planning to come back next year and watch the amazing fireworks display they have as we just missed it on this visit. With the rain starting to drizzle down again we hopped back in the car and set off for London.

Although it wasn’t jam packed full of activities it was the perfect relaxation break we needed, with evenings spent star gazing in the hot tub and mornings snuggled up in bed with coffee looking out on the views from our cabin. I would have stayed a whole week if we could but the 4 days we were away were perfect. If you are looking for an inexpensive winter break and don’t want to catch a plane somewhere I would highly recommend Cornwall.