Here's Port Gaverne. The Pink Cottage is by the arrow, right by the beach.
Your perfect base for a fantastic self-catering holiday in North Cornwall
The Pink Cottage sleeps up to 8. With beautiful sea, beach and valley views, the cottage sits facing South and West in a secluded cove ideal for swimming and rock pooling, with a family-friendly pub and restaurant next door. Port Gaverne is in an ideal position from which to explore North Cornwall's magnificent scenery. Within minutes you can be surfing, walking along coastal paths or in wooded valleys, swimming, sailing, playing golf, windsurfing, riding, mackerel fishing from Port Isaac, or just lazing on a beach or in a pub garden.
The Pink Cottage is perfect for families, groups of friends or anyone who wants their own slice of Cornish seaside living for a week. We're a proudly dog-friendly self-catering cottage, so no-one gets left behind.
“I would like to thank you as my family and had a lovely time in the Pink Cottage, it was lovely and homely and suited us perfectly . The whole family voted it as the favourite house we have stayed in”
Visitors returning 2022/2023/2024: making memories with their son
“Homely, comfortable, unpretentious, The Pink Cottage is an idyllic, picturesque holiday cottage in a beautiful, elevated position overlooking the cove in Port Gaverne.
Safe for children and dogs, having an enclosed garden, we have stayed here during a stormy autumn, relaxing by the log fire in the evenings and in the summer when we have spent most evenings eating outside. The accommodation which is adequately equipped and ideal for small groups, is also perfectly located for foodies, with good restaurants a stone’s throw, or a bracing walk away at Port Isaac.
Pilchards Beach Bar and Restaurant is perfectly placed across the lane, for lunch, evening meal or drinks and we spent several evenings there watching the sun disappear over the cove’s horizon. Next door is the Port Gaverne Hotel serving very good food, ideal for a slightly more formal meal. The South West coastal path which is accessible across the lane from the cottage, or a stroll around Port Isaac to collect fresh croissants or the catch of the day from “Fresh from The Sea” in the harbour, provide activity and interest. To say nothing of the fascinating meander around the tiny streets or up on to the coastal path out of Port Isaac to experience the view of the harbour and the coastal coves from a different vantage point.
We can’t recommend The Pink Cottage highly enough….form a queue behind us to book!! ”
“Another super week in this lovely family home. You can feel that generations have grown up happily in this home. For me it is like going to my mum’s house for a rest, and I cannot wait to go back!”
“This was our third visit to Pink Cottage, the time using it as a base for walking the SWCP from Bude to Newquay. It was perfect. Comfortable, homely, and with wonderful views - and sounds - of the sea. I will bring my swimming costume next time as people were ‘wild swimming’ from the port every day”
“We have recently had a week at the very lovely Pink Cottage in Port Gaverne. The cottage is small but sleeps 8 and has everything you need. It is delightfully furnished, and the kitchen is well equipped and perfect for holiday cooking. You are next door to the renowned Port Gaverne Hotel which has recently opened a second restaurant, Pilchards, partly outdoors but also under cover. Really good quality ‘small plates’ (+ big ones too) here. On the grassy bank/lawn which is part of Pink Cottage’s garden you can people-watch and observe the world go by in this tiny (ex) fishing village. We took great pleasure in this over glasses of wine during warm and sunny evenings. Pink Cottage is 50 metres from Port Gaverne beach where we swam on a regular basis. Coasteering, kayaking and paddleboarding activities are available from Cornish Rock Tors based in the old Fish Cellars across the road from the cottage. Hugely popular with the younger members of our party. I am sure you will love this place as much as we did. I have been coming to this part of North Cornwall for over 65 years and Pink Cottage is one of the most delightful places that we have ever stayed in”
“The Pink Cottage is set in the perfect location overlooking the pretty harbour of Port Gaverne. The cottage is quaint and we felt at home immediately. We would highly recommend.”
“We had a magical April week at The Pink Cottage, just 4 miles from home but felt like 000s! The Port Gaverne hotel looked after us with its delicious menu, the sun shone down and roaring fires were lit for chilly evenings. Quaint and timeless, completely in keeping with the character of unspoilt, pretty Port Gaverne. Thank you to the Marnan/Russell family for letting us stay....we’ll be back!”
“We absolutely loved it - the house has a great family feeling and the location is top - we barely moved and cannot wait to be back”
“A delightful June 2019 stay at The Pink Cottage with our family. The location of the cottage would be hard to beat. Excellent food on the doorstep. Homely charms very much in keeping with the age of the cottage”
“We’ve had a fabulous week in the cottage…. It’s always a shame to leave... Many thanks again, it’s a truly wonderful place…. It’s like having Cornwall packaged up in four, thick pink walls!!”
“We had a wonderful week’s holiday. We all loved the history and quirkiness of the cottage and it was just perfect, inside and out! The dogs were very reluctant to leave”
“Beautiful cottage, stunning location - we’ve stayed in many places but The Pink Cottage cannot be bettered”
A few things we love...
BEACHES:
Port Gaverne beach is right across the road, a literal stone’s throw from the front door of the cottage. At low tide it’s fantastic for exploring caves and rockpooling. It’s also an excellent safe swimming beach, sandy at low tide, and dogs are allowed all year round.
Daymer Bay beach is about 20-25 minutes' drive from the cottage, just beyond Polzeath. It’s a dog-friendly beach with a huge flat expanse of sand at low tide – great for playing games. Round to the North side of the bay the rocks and coves are great for beachcombers.
Polzeath beach is a blue flag beach 20 minutes' drive away. It's the surfer’s choice, but also a great family beach with shops, cafés and surf hire shops. In peak season flags mark a separate area for bodyboarders and swimmers. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach from Easter day to October 1st.
New Polzeath beach is a lovely sandy cove surrounded by steep cliffs. It’s a good secluded spot for families. On a low tide you can walk between this beach and Polzeath. No dogs from Easter day to October 1st.
Lundy Bay beach is a stunning secluded beach between Port Quin and Polzeath. The car park is found on the New Polzeath Road, and then the beach is a short walk away. Only visit at low tide (and ideally on a long tide). The beach is accessible by climbing over boulders.
Trebarwith Strand beach is a breathtaking spot around 20 minutes' drive away. Plan to go on a falling tide as there’s no beach at all at high tide. As the beach becomes accessible it opens up into a massive, rugged and beautiful sandy bay with steep slate cliffs, rock pools you can swim in and giant rock formations that are great for exploring. The beach has lifeguard cover during peak season. There are cafés and beach shops, and dogs are welcome all year round.
WALKING:
It doesn’t come much better for walkers. A beautiful coastal path runs all the way from Daymer Bay to Tintagel. Look at http://www.iwalkcornwall.co.uk/walks/near/port_isaac for some excellent suggestions for breaking up the stretch of coast into sections. There are a couple of inland circuits on the site too.
If you want a day’s walk from the cottage, try heading up the coast path out of Port Isaac to Port Quin. Be prepared for it to take a while! Once you reach the hamlet there’s a path that takes you cross-country to return to Port Isaac. Another shorter and highly recommended walk is the circuit around the headland starting at Pentireglaze farm (access from the New Polzeath road) and taking in New Polzeath beach.
Port Gaverne to Port Quin. It's not flat, but it's worth the effort...
TOWNS AND VILLAGES NEARBY:
Port Isaac village is just up the hill to the South. There are numerous ways to get down to the harbour including a coast path starting from the car park you come across as you walk up. Why not pick a road or path winding down into the village and explore?
Rock is a popular small estuary village a short drive away. If you’re thinking of driving over for a visit, we recommend parking near the ferry and taking a trip across to Padstow. The bustle of the town is fun, and it’s a great place for lunch (either fish and chips, or something pre-booked at one of Rick Stein’s empire of restaurants). We like The Old Ship Inn for its sheltered forecourt, and Embers is a good option if you fancy wood-fired pizza. When you want to escape, it’s a short walk from the harbour out along the peninsula to some incredible and pristine beaches.
Padstow Harbour
SURFING:
On a rising tide, Polzeath is a first-class surfing beach. It's safe for all the family, and on a good day you can get long sets of waves. Wetsuit and board hire is available from several points on the beach front - we recommend Ann’s Cottage but all the hire shops have a good selection of boards for different ages and abilities. While it’s possible to surf at Trebarwith, this is usually an experts-only beach as the undertow can be strong and the waves very powerful.
TINTAGEL:
About a 25-minute drive from the cottage (or a much longer, breath-taking coastal walk for the fit and ambitious) is the village of Tintagel. It’s well worth the trip to visit Tintagel Castle, a medieval fortification on its own peninsula, said to be the seat of the legendary King Arthur. It’s a beautiful spot and a great option if you're looking for a change from the beach.
THE EDEN PROJECT:
Around an hour’s drive away, closer to the more sheltered South East coast of Cornwall, The Eden Project is a fascinating day out for anyone interested in nature. Featuring the world’s largest rainforest ‘in captivity’ and numerous other gardens, it also hosts numerous arts and music events. There are play areas and trails for younger children too. Check www.edenproject.com to see what’s on.
EATING OUT:
There are a number of excellent options for eating out nearby. At the top-end, restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Port Isaac was awarded the number 1 spot in the Good Food Guide 2018, with a perfect score of 10. Rick Stein’s Padstow restaurants get rave reviews, and Paul Ainsworth’s Number 6 restaurant (also in Padstow) is another very highly-rated option with a Michelin star. For nice meals on a slightly lower budget, The Port Gaverne Hotel’s restaurant is well worth a try, as is The Old School Hotel and Restaurant in Port Isaac (although be careful at off-peak times of the year as they can stop serving food early). The Mill House Inn just up the valley from Trebarwith Strand beach is another really strong option for pub grub. Just over the road from the cottage, beach café Pilchards is open from Easter until the Autumn
Pilchards is just a few metres from the gate
PUBS:
There are many fantastic pubs within reach of the cottage, but here are a couple of our favourites:
- Right next door, the Port Gaverne Hotel has been a finalist in the Great British Pub Awards 2016 and 2017, and County winner in the National Pub And Bar Awards 3 years in a row (2016-2018). It's a really friendly local with low-beamed ceilings and excellent local ales. Tucked away at the back, the restaurant is outstanding if you fancy a treat.
- The St Kew Inn (in the small village of St Kew) is a beautiful 15th Century pub with excellent food and a great beer garden. Ideal for lunch inside on a cold day or outside when it’s warmer.
- The Golden Lion in Port Isaac is a nice friendly pub looking out over the harbour.
TAKE AWAY:
Take away options are available in season. The Golden Lion does an excellent fish and chips and the Angry Anchovy at the top of the hill from Port Gaverne into Port Isaac offers take away pizza.