A pair of unique millstones stand by the doorway to this luxury cottage that sits inland from the North Cornwall coast, west of Padstow and east of Newquay. But it’s a mere five-minute stroll, via a meadow designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to a browsing seashore. Appropriately, it’s a canine pleasant seashore for a canine pleasant cottage.

Those millstones are proof of a water mill whose historical past, to date, has been traced again to 1242. Then, it was given romantically as a part of a wedding contract to one among Cornwall’s nice households.

Just past the cottage’s current boundary lies a slender packhorse bridge that will have taken milled corn on the primary stage of its journey to the previous coastal highway. An historic leat, the watercourse that fed the mill via Tudor days, Stuart days and past, runs via the cottage backyard, crossed by a slender bridge. Inside, amongst the timbered beams and white-washed stone partitions, darkish wooden vintage furnishings provides a nod to the cottage’s historic heritage.
The welcome
Although we’re nonetheless over 100 miles away, a textual content tells us that the cleaners have departed and that the cottage awaits us, a few hours forward of schedule. Arrival directions give us the code for a key field.
The cottage
Porch pegs for coats and drying cabinets for boots sign that that is prime strolling territory.

Then it’s right into a lounge with deep welcoming sofas, a wooden burner, cabinets of books and DVDs. The cottage is distant however a cell sign may be accessed by tapping into the WiFi and a big tv offers digital entry to leisure. A hefty, steady door separates the lounge from the kitchen.

An open plan twin side eating space can be lit by two skylights. The giant desk comfortably seats eight for leisurely lunches and lingering dinners. Porthcothan Mill Cottage invitations visitors to calm down, to decelerate.

Adjacent is a mid-Twentieth century metal-finish retro kitchen. According to a framed advert of an endorsement from Gone with the Wind star Vivien Leigh, a WH Paul fitted kitchen was the factor to have. Obviously, amongst the cabinets of recipe books, there may be Rick Stein’s information to seafood. Championing Cornwall’s native meals heroes, Stein is seen as a culinary saint round these components.

A twisting staircase leads upstairs to 3 bedrooms: two doubles and a twin. Driftwood, shell and wicker themed decor reminds us that the ocean is a brief stroll away.
Although the cottage is serenely snoozing via its fifth century, the toilet with separate bathtub and bathe is distinctly twenty first century.
The location
Tucked away on the finish of a lane, there’s a far-from-the-madding-crowd really feel to the cottage. You could hear owls tooting and maybe see deer operating via the valley: regardless that Padstow is only a 15-minute drive away.

Padstow is a foodies’ mecca with the chance to purchase the freshest of fish, lobster and oysters.

Seafood bought by these fishmongers, together with bakeries and deli, invite you to self-cater in Porthcothan Mill Cottage’s beautifully geared up kitchen. For the best of self-catering choices, choose up some World Championship successful pasties. A dollop of clotted cream is a key ingredient in some pasties.
Of course, Padstow is Rick Stein land and his Sea Food Restaurant, is only one of Padstow’s many eateries. And with Indian and Thai choices round too, there’s extra to this beautiful port than fish and chips.

North from Padstow, Martin Clunes’ portrayal of supremely grumpy Doc Martin has introduced fame to Port Issac. Nor does Cornwall swap off its allure on the final day of August. In Spring and Autumn, when seagulls outnumber guests on quiet seashores, when roads are quieter and parking areas extra plentiful, the county is usually at its greatest. Those biking the Camel Trail or strolling coastal paths additionally admire the cooler temperatures.

From fifth to eighth December 2024, Padstow will host a Christmas Festival. Although the programme is but to be finalised the emphasis is all the time on nice meals, nice music and buying on the Christmas market.
Other good touches
An outhouse, with washer, has been transformed right into a helpful facility for storing surfboards and cleansing up mucky canines after cliff-top walks. The bathe is the place to scrub down salty, sandy moist fits.

When serving up the scones, that make up a part of the welcome pack, keep in mind that that is Cornwall: strawberry jam first, topped by thick luscious clotted cream.
Through the five-barred gate there’s loads of parking for 3 or 4 vehicles, for mates or household assembly at Porthcothan for a coastal getaway.
The price
Porthcothan Mill Cottage’s on-line reserving calendar for 2025 is now out there. Accommodation for six begins from £800 per week. Away from excessive season minimal stays of two nights are attainable.
The greatest bit
Porthcothan Mill Cottage, and significantly its backyard with apple and ash bushes, is as a lot a dreamy mind-set as an expensive sanctuary.

Throughout the day blue tits, robins, pheasants, purple kites, butteries and a woodpecker household present nature’s soundtrack while you calm down on a sunny-lounger, take pleasure in an al fresco lunch on the picnic desk or sit on the backyard seat taking within the bucolic splendour.
The closing verdict
Merely minutes from Padstow, the cottage is supremely properly situated for dipping into the numerous faces of Cornwall.

This is a spot for letting go of the world and greedy what Porthcothan has to supply: strolling, lastly taking that surf lesson, biking the Camel Trail, foraging for samphire to go along with the hake you purchased, catching up with household and mates for a brief break or just catching up with sleep below Porthcothan’s darkish skies.
Disclosure: Our keep was sponsored by Porthcothan Mill Cottage.
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