Daphne du Maurier’s Cornwall
ITV have announced that a classic novel by Cornish author Daphne du Maurier is to be turned into a new drama.
The Scapegoat is to be made by a production company run by Dominic Minghella, who created Doc Martin – itself set in Cornwall fishing village Port Isaac.
The adaptation is set to renew attention on Daphne du Maurier, who spent much of her life in Cornwall. The county and the area around Fowey in particular was the setting for some of her most famous books including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn and Frenchman’s Creek. Visitors flock to Cornwall each May for the annual festival celebrating the author’s life and work.
The Scapegoat is to be adapted by ITV1
The Scapegoat, originally adapted for cinema starring Alec Guinness, is a thriller telling the story of two men with identical appearances. They meet by chance and swap lives after a boozy night, with dark consequences. The new version will star Eileen Atkins (currently appearing in Doc Martin) and Matthew Rhys.
Fans of du Maurier may also be interested in visiting the real Jamaica Inn coaching house, which has stood high on Bodmin Moor for four centuries. It’s worth a stop on your way to our self-catering holiday cottages in Padstow, for lunch or a trip around the museum which houses a collection of smuggling artefacts. You may even see a ghost or two!
Celebrity Cornwall, News and FAQ, Our Cottages, People and places
October 27, 2011 at 10:43 am | No comment
The joy of wetsuits
Now that the weather is turning decidedly autumnal, the idea of going in the Cornish sea on our October half term break is a little less appealing.
Poppies' courtyard is ideal for drying wetsuits
However, gone are the days when you would almost feel your blood freeze as you took to the waves dressed only in a swimming costume. Nowadays, the Cornwall beaches are awash with people dressed head to foot in black neoprene!
Yes, the wetsuit has transformed a trip to the seaside for many families, ours included. Of course serious surfers have long since worn all the layers and even headgear but now we’ve all got them, long-leg or short-leg and even boots and gloves.
Trying to squeeze yourself, and the children, into the black synthetic rubber outfits is never a joyful experience, and walking across Constantine Bay or the beach at Harlyn fully clad in neoprene is hardly a fashion statement, but it’s all worthwhile when you take to the water in October or even February.
Around Padstow and the seven bays there are lots of places to hire or buy wetsuits and we have holiday cottages with gardens where you can hang them to dry after a day out.
We’ll never be competing at Fistral Beach but at least we keep warm!
Our Cottages, Poppies, Padstow, Sorrel Cottage, Padstow, West Creek Cottage, Little Petherick
October 24, 2011 at 11:41 am | No comment
West Creek – the movie
Take a minute to go on a virtual tour of West Creek Cottage, our cosy holiday cottage near Padstow. Look out for more videos coming soon on our YouTube channel.
News and FAQ, Other, Our Cottages, West Creek Cottage, Little Petherick
October 21, 2011 at 9:50 am | No comment
Christmas comes early
Visitors to Padstow in early December might be surprised to find the town overrun (literally) with Santas.
The Padstow Fun Run on Saturday 3 December will see runners of all ages and levels of fitness putting on their santa suits and taking part in a one or two mile dash to raise money for Cornwall Hospice Care.
The run starts from the bandstand at 1pm and is open to men, women, boys and girls. There will be festive music at the start, and mince pies and a warm drink to greet runners when they finish. Organisers are hoping to attract 1000 ‘Santas’ at their three locations across the county.
Even if you don’t want to run, this weekend is a great time to visit Padstow because it’s also the 4th Christmas Festival when the harbour town comes alive with celebrity chefs, traditional markets and festive fun. More details to follow soon on the blog.
There’s still availability at our holiday cottages to enjoy this pre-Christmas celebration and see the harbour town full of festive cheer. For great accommodation in Padstow contact us now. You’d be mad to miss it.
Food and Drink, News and FAQ, Our Cottages
October 19, 2011 at 12:45 pm | No comment
Coast path gets an App
Cornwall walks into the 21st century as maps and guides of the county’s beautiful coastal path are being made available for download on mobile phones.
A £2 million campaign has been launched to offer walkers the opportunity to obtain detailed route information by scanning a QR barcode from a coast path map board.
Praa Sands near Penzance is the first area to benefit from the new app
The new technology is said to be totally mobile phone friendly – the app will know where you are when you log on and will be able to bring up information on walks close to you.
In total, the south west coast path stretches 630 miles and includes a National Park and five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – including Little Petherick where our self-catering holiday home West Creek Cottage is located.
It’s another great way of telling visitors about our beautiful Cornish countryside and encourage them them to get out and enjoy our fantastic coastline.
News and FAQ, Our Cottages, West Creek Cottage, Little Petherick
October 16, 2011 at 11:33 am | No comment
Eden does Halloweden
Why not celebrate Halloween in Padstow this October half-term with a visit to the Eden Project? There are some great spooky activities and even a wintry ice rink to add to the fun.
Enjoy a day trip to Eden during Halloween
From 22-30 October, you can explore the wishcraft tent where you’ll find lots of magical things to make and do, including pumpkin carving demonstrations, wand making and potion mixing.
I can recommend the ice rink, which has a new design for 2011, as a high spot in the day, and then you can warm up afterwards by a visit to the rainforest biome!
And if you fancy Eden after dark, put on your scary costumes for the Little Monsters’ Ball Halloween Disco on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 October. Organisers promise an evening of fang-tastic fun…
Tickets can be purchased online and via Eden’s box office and some activities are included in the general admission price.
Our cottages are just 20 minutes from Eden – get in touch if you fancy spending half term in Padstow!
News and FAQ, Our Cottages, Our favourites, People and places
October 13, 2011 at 10:30 am | No comment
Coffee break with a difference
Down at Constantine Bay, there’s a coffee shop with a difference – the wonderful Coastal Coffee. This fantastic little van will brew you up a delicious latte, cappucino or hot chocolate to warm you after a bracing walk or dip in the sea. In my opinion, it’s almost worth the trip on its own – just sit, enjoy your coffee and take in the sweeping views of this fabulous beach!
If it's your lucky day, you'll find Coastal Coffee at Constantine Bay
Food and Drink, Hidden Gems, Our favourites
October 10, 2011 at 12:21 pm | No comment
Great Days Out – the Camel Trail
No holiday in Padstow is complete without a journey along the Camel Trail. Whether you want to cycle, run, walk or even go on horseback, this is something not to be missed.
This disused railway bridge forms part of the Camel Trail between Padstow and Wadebridge
The path runs for over 17 miles from Padstow to Wenford Bridge, via Wadebridge and Bodmin, but its most popular section is the 5 miles between Padstow and Wadebridge. The path skirts along the edge of the Camel Estuary, offering fantastic views across the water, back to Padstow, down the creek to Little Petherick and out to sea.
Built as a railway line in the mid 19th Century, the Camel Trail was originally used to transport fertiliser, slate, china clay and fish between Cornwall and the rest of the UK and abroad. It closed to passengers in 1967 and the freight service stopped in 1983.
However, because it is so level and has no sharp bends, it is an ideal cycle track, being mostly traffic-free. There’s a good choice of bike hire companies if you don’t have your own, with tandems, tag-along bikes for children or buggies for infants too. Just a few rules – walkers, pushchairs and wheelchairs have right of way.
If you don’t fancy going all the way to Bodmin, you can have a great day out just cycling to Wadebridge, having an ice cream or coffee and cycling back. The 10 mile round trip will burn off a few calories and might even justify indulging in a Cornish pasty at Padstow before heading home to your holiday cottage!
Our favourites, People and places
October 7, 2011 at 11:54 am | No comment
From food to films
Cornwall is becoming well established as the home of events celebrating its great food and drink, but if you’re looking for something different during your holiday in Padstow then what about a film festival?
The Cornwall Film Festival will take place at Newquay’s brand new Lighthouse Cinema from November 4-6. There’s a variety of highly acclaimed British and international feature films, many of them Cornwall or South West premieres.
Actor Danny Webb will be coming along to support his new film The Arbor, while fans of Cornish culture can soak up Cornishcopia – an expanded programme of dramas and documentaries made in the county. There’s even a screening of the first-ever Cornish language musical Skynt!
Workshops, talks and events for all ages complement the screenings, and tickets go on sale on 10 October. Why not make a weekend of it and stay at our self-catering holiday cottages in Padstow?
News and FAQ, Our Cottages, People and places
October 4, 2011 at 11:33 am | No comment