We all know the best quality of life in the UK is right here in Cornwall. With glorious white sand beaches, turquoise waters and dramatic coastal walks, what more could you want from life?
And it appears that word is getting around, as recently there's been an influx of articles about our fair county - documenting our foodie hotspots, our Bali-like beaches, and our 'must visit' bakeries.
And now Fiona Whitty, writing for the Mirror, has visited one of our "friendliest" and "coolest" places and has documented her travels. You can read her review of Falmouth below.
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"Just look straight ahead and jump." Taking a deep breath I followed Jacob's instructions, leaping off the rocks and plunging into the twinkling sea below.
Jacob whooped, the kids clapped, I spluttered. As the chilly water seeped inside my wetsuit, I clambered back towards the rocks and did the same again and again and again, each time leaping from a little higher up.
When you're in a place so centred around the sea as Falmouth in Cornwall you've really got to take a dip. Coasteering seemed like the ideal way to do it. To whip our confidence up our instructor Jacob, from water sports experts Elemental UK based on Swanpool Beach, started us off with mini leaps around three foot high.
Husband Tim and I ducked out once our fear levels outweighed our newfound bravado but the thrill-seeking kids my son Freddie and his friend Krithik, both 15 progressed to 20ft plunges.
In between we swam to different cliffs and into a long, narrow cave. The boys even found themselves a hot tub - a large shallow rockpool heated by the sun. It was super fun for all of us.
Situated on the pretty south coast, Falmouth is a busy yet friendly town with a string of superb beaches and a laid-back vibe. It was recently voted the friendliest UK seaside town and one of the country's best places to live. Falmouth was described as being Cornwall's "cooler town" by TimeOut, which ranked it ninth on its 15th best places to visit in the UK. Our base was the superb St Michaels Resort.
From our seafront balcony we could watch the world go by below on Gyllyngvase Beach known locally as Gylly Beach and popular with SUP boarders, wild swimmers, sandcastle-building families and groups of friends alike.
We were staying in a stunning apartment in The Liner, a separate block to the main hotel that combined the convenience of self-catering with its plush amenities on the doorstep.
Three bedrooms gave us ample room to spread out while patio doors from the ensuite master bedroom and huge kitchen-diner gave us those jaw-dropping views. On our foodie wish-list was INDIdog, a cool place on Falmouth's Grade II-listed harbour wall overlooking the River Fal that's run by husband and wife team Simon and Vanessa Clark.
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Head chef Alfie Hazlitt's mouthwatering menu centres around local produce and seafood caught on the doorstep as fresh and seasonal as can be. The langoustine, brushed with garlic butter, proved to be a real treat. They'd just been caught off the Isles of Scilly by Scottish trawlermen who traditionally only head down there once a year for just two or three weeks.
As we watched boats bobbing in the quay we also tucked into plump scallops, silky plaice in a chorizo and bouillabaisse sauce and a roasted cod special slow cooked in blackgarlic. The boys went for burgers - one for a gourmet, the other a chicken - washed down with movie star mocktinis, a fun alcohol-free take on the classic.
Tim and I meanwhile stayed local with a couple of Cornish gins including Tinkture made with organic roses and crisp sparkling wine from Cornish vineyard Camel Valley. All the food and drink was superb a bundle of freshness, flavour and finesse.
We'd avoided a tedious car journey by arriving in Falmouth on the overnight sleeper train. Great WesternRailway's Night Riviera leaves London Paddington at 11.45pm but to make the most of the novel experience we'd enjoyed a hot drink in the first-class lounge beforehand, a perk that's included in the cabin cost.
As we chugged out of the station playing cards in the comfy on-board lounge bar, we felt very Agatha Christie-esque. For sleeping you can stick with a reclining chair or pay extra for a snug cabin, which sleeps up to two in bunk beds and also contains a small washbasin.
We went for the upgrade and after a good night's sleep we woke to a light breakfast delivered to our door, ready for our 7am stop at Truro. It certainly beat driving. Half-hourly local train services link Truro to Falmouth and as St Michaels was only a short walk away we had dropped our bags and were ready to start exploring by 8am.
There's plenty to do in Falmouth such as Pendennis Castle, a grand fortress built by Henry VIII to protect the River Fal. Nowadays you can climb the original winding stone staircase to the keep for a stunning 360 degree panorama or visit the Battery Observation Point, used as a Second World War lookout for enemy ships (adult from £14.50, child from £8.60, english-heritage.org.uk).
Later we hopped on a passenger ferry across the estuary to St Mawes, a pretty village with smart, pastel-coloured houses lining the seafront and a smattering of cafes (adult £13.05 return, child £8.10return, when booked at falriver.co.uk.)
It's also home to another of Henry VIII's coastal fortresses, St Mawes Castle noted for its elaborate etchings of the Tudor royal arms and Latin inscriptions designed to flatter Henry and his son Edward (adult from £8.50, child from £4.50, english-heritage.org.uk).
Back at the hotel we discovered a fantastic health club with an indoor pool, a fantastically equipped gym and a ream of fitness classes. The 7am beach yoga was tempting but to save our beauty sleep we instead tried out a mid-morning circuits class in the outdoor gym area, where instructor Laurel put us all through a series of challenges that kept the boys quiet for 45 minutes (and me in pain for much longer).
To soothe those tired muscles Tim and I dived into the hotel's beautiful spa for a two-hour hydrothermal experience (from £50pp). Indoors we lazed in the 35C pool with power jets and massage nozzles, detoxed in the Cornish sea salt steam room - the only one in the world, no less - and dozed on heated loungers. Then in the outdoor spa garden we basked in the hot tub, cooled off in the cold plunge pool and re-heated in a quirky wooden barrel sauna.
As a further relaxing treat I also had a luxurious facial with therapist Sarah, who soothed my stressed-out skin with Elemis' nutrient-packed Superfood products. After all that pampering I felt utterly chilled.
Before we left St Michaels we had dinner in its lovely Brasserie on the Bay, where we enjoyed uber-fresh scallops, grilled mackerel, wild sea bass and Cornish fish stew. Our Falmouth break had given us a true taste of the sea.
Book the holiday
- Great Western Railways offers fixed-price family tickets for two adults and four children up to 15 between London Paddington and Truro, Cornwall, for £99.50 each way in standard, £139 in first class. Add on a sleeper berth on the Night Riviera train from £45pp. gwr.com
- A three-night stay in a beachside apartment in The Liner at St Michaels Resort in Falmouth, Cornwall, costs from £550. Breakfast in the Brasserie on the Bay is £18pp. Hotel rooms also available. stmichaelsresort.com
- More info at visitcornwall.com
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