The Rame Peninsula Micro Climate

Christmas at Blue Monkey is truly relaxing.  The twin fishing villages of Kingsand and Cawsand seem undisturbed by the chaos of modern life and even have their own mild micro climate, making it the perfect place to relax and unwind by the sea.  Here is how I would spend a seaside Christmas on the Rame Peninsula…

The Coastal Path to Mount Edgcumbe

A magical walk along the West Coastal Path, with strange shaped trees and fabulous views.  You and your dog will feel very well exercised by the end of this 5 mile walk, so make sure you take a bottle of water with you.  Along the walk you will come across eighteenth century follies, seats and fountains to lead you to the fabulous Mount Edgcumbe House and Gardens where you can collapse in the cafe and have a cup of tea.  You will go back home feeling that you have captured the very essence of Christmas on the Rame Peninsula.

Beautiful Local Beaches

Beaches-Rame-Peninsula

There are many beaches within a stone’s throw from Blue Monkey and you only need to step outside the house to hear the sea, and walk a few yards to the end of Garrett Street to see it.  There are many more secret beaches like this one, along the shoreline of the Plymouth Sound.  Dogs are allowed to run around off their leads on the beaches from the beginning of October – that’s why dogs love to spend Christmas on the Rame Peninsula!

Watching the Boats

Situated just across the water from the naval base at Plymouth, there are always lots of fascinating boats to watch sailing around the peninsula.  If you’re feeling brave and the water is warm enough, we have 2 paddle boards and 2 kayaks FREE for our guests to use.

 

 

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Easter Fun!

The Rame Peninsula is the perfect place to spend an Easter Break in Cornwall.  There are beaches, coastal walks with breath-taking views and lots of family entertainments planned.  Here are three of our favourites right on Blue Monkey’s doorstep:

Easter at Eden

From the 6^th to 25^th of April the Eden Project is running a very special Easter event.  There are indoor and outdoor games and activities for families to try (phew no need to worry about the rain!).  Have fun herding farmyard animals into their pens, win some golden eggs and learn about growing crops with the Eden farmers.

Top Tip: Free with Eden Admission

Plymouth Easter Egg Hunt

Plymouth is full of exciting things to see and do and there’s always something happening to entertain all ages.  If you are planning an Easter break in Cornwall, your children will be delighted to hear that they can join the free chocolate mini egg hunt in Plymouth City Centre.  Follow a map to find the giant eggs and claim your eggs!

Top Tip: The best way to get to Plymouth is to take the ferry from Cawsand Beach to Barbican Landing Stage and spot dolphins on the way.

Mount Edgcumbe House

Five minutes from Blue Monkey is the ancestral home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe.  Full of history, art and three 16^th century tapestries, the house is well worth a visit and opens for the season from 1^st April to the end of September, Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 4.30pm.

If you don’t want to visit the house, the country park is free of charge and open every day from 8am to 8pm. This is a fun day out for the family, with Adventure Segway, Golf, cycles, archery and many more things to do and explore.

Top Tip: Dogs on leads are welcome.  Family Ticket price: £12.50

April Offer

6th to 13th April is still available and we are offering 15% off listed Price
Please enter code APR at checkout on our secure online payment page here.

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Summer’s over – hooray!  That means it’s time to take an Autumn break in Cornwall.  No crowds, lower prices, and still plenty to do and see.  Dogs are delighted – they’re allowed off lead from the 1^st October on the beaches around Blue Monkey, so you can all go for a bracing coastal walk, followed by supper in one of the many fabulous dog friendly pubs or restaurants.  As Halloween and Bonfire night approach the events calendar hots up with a fortnight of magical activities at The Eden Project.  Here are three recommendations for an unmissable Autumn Break in Cornwall:

POLPERRO

A day trip to Polperro, 30 minutes down the coast from Blue Monkey, is a must for the creative soul.  Situated in an area of ‘outstanding natural beauty’, the unspoilt harbour, is brimming with artists and you can admire their work in the many local galleries and browse through quirky independent shops.  Polperro is famous for its seafood restaurants serving fresh fish caught by the local fishermen.

This is the perfect place for a romantic walk as the coast either side of the harbour will blow both your mind and the cobwebs away.   If you’re feeling energetic, take the 5-mile path from Polperro to Looe – the spectacular views along this coast will be a highlight of your Autumn break in Cornwall.

THE LOOE VALLEY LINE

Talking of Looe… if you’re feeling less like walking but you’d still like to admire the views then catching a train along the Looe Valley Line may suit you better.  See the final stretch here.

If you’re taking an Autumn break in Cornwall then this is not to be missed.  Along the route from Liskeard to Looe you will travel through woodland valleys opening up to the estuary where the river meets the sea.  At low tide you’ll see all sorts of beautiful birds wading through the water: Herons, Oystercatchers and Curlews.

Top Tips: The train runs regularly throughout the day, dogs are welcome and a ticket costs just £4.60.

THE EDEN PROJECT

The Eden Project at St Austell is Cornwall’s most famous landmark, built to study the environment and conservation to find new ways to provide a cleaner and greener future for the world.  The bubble shaped biomes are the world’s largest greenhouses, each housing a miniature ecosystem that supports the appropriate climate for the wildlife living within it.  Younger children will be excited to explore a steamy rainforest biome with a tree top walkway winding through a jungle canopy.  Over the half term fortnight there will also be strange Halloween creatures wandering the biomes, pumpkin displays, and ice skating at the Little Monsters Halloween Ball.

Older children will enjoy England’s longest zip wire, a giant gravity swing, a 12m bungee drop and a 25m free-fall jump into an airbag (over 18s only).  Do something you’ll never forget on your Autumn break in Cornwall!

Top Tips: Dogs are allowed on the site but not inside the Biomes.

AUTUMN AVAILABILITY

We still have a few gaps to fill over the coming weeks:

29th September to 4th October
8th to 11th October

14th to 20th October
27th October to 1st November

Please email Annabel for a quote: enquiries@bluemonkeycornwall.com
Or book securely online here

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“KAYAKING is one of the biggest rushes you can have on the water, letting you play in lakes, river rapids, waterfalls and even the sea. It’s also a great way to get up close to nature and check out the world around you from a brand new point of view, paddling silently through remote areas that most people will never get to visit.

Kayaking in Cornwall should be on every adventurer’s bucket list. It’s one of the UK’s most beautiful counties, known for its craggy rugged coastline, crystal clear blue water and plenty of awesome wildlife to see. Dolphins and seals are commonly spotted all over Cornwall.

If you are a beginner kayaker, there are plenty of spots to visit. From the calm, placid waters of the south to the windswept north coast, you won’t struggle to find some of the best places to go kayaking in the UK.”

(Kayak blogger Mpora)

Cawsand Beach

Two minutes walk from Blue Monkey is Cawsand beach where Mat will give Kayak lessons to absolute beginners and you can also book him to guide you around the coast.

Top Tip: Kayaking will exhaust your children – ensuring parents of a good night’s rest!!!

Portwrinkle

For the more adventurous, this Cornish Angler likes to fish from his Kayak! He recommends Portwrinkle, a former fishing village and harbour at the centre of Whitsand Bay. You can kayak close in or explore the reefs further out. Launch your kayak from within the tiny harbour, or Hoodny Cove to the west of it or Finnygook Beach to the East when there is low swell. Beware the strong tides that can flow across Whitsand Bay on Spring Tides.

Top Tip: Many species of fish can be caught from your kayak including Makerel, Plaice and Bass when in season.

Millbrook

The River Tamar marks the border between Devon and Cornwall with green rolling hills on either side. Start your paddle at Cotehele Quay, part of a National Trust property and head up past the Cotehele estate, Danesfield House and underneath the famous Calstock viaduct. You’ll pass Okel Tor Quay and Gawton Quay which were once key parts of the copper mining industry. Keep your eyes peeled for deer, kingfishers and peregrine falcons.

Top Tip: Blue Monkey has 2 Kayaks for our guests to use, free of charge. We provide life jackets and ask that you take full responsibility for your party’s safety whilst using the kayaks.

Thanks to Mpora where you will find many other articles on Kayaking in Cornwall.

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Kingsand in Cornwall is a really special place. Here at Blue Monkey we just love our local area, and we wanted to tell you why! So here goes:

1: The Local Beaches

The small pebbly beaches of Kingsand and Cawsand are typical of an old fishing village.  Kingsand Beach has rock pools for your children to explore with their shrimping nets and Cawsand beach has canoes and kayaks for the more adventures to hire during the summer.  There are three pubs near the beaches:

• The Devenport on The Cleave,
• The Rising Sun on The Green; and
• The Halfway House Inn on Fore Street
• The Cross Keys Inn, The Square, Cawsand

…and three cafes within five minutes walk:

• the Old BoatStore cafe on the cleave
• The Old Bakery on Garrett street; and
• The Shop in the Square

Top Tip: You can supervise older children playing on Kingsand beach whilst you relax at The Devonport. 

The villages of Kingsand and Cawsand are typically Cornish but not commercialised. 

2: The Coastal Path

Turn right out of the front door of Blue Monkey and you can follow the coastal path along the Rame Peninsula all the way to Pen Leigh Point and beyond!  Penn Leigh is Cornish for stone-slab headland and the point is a coastal headland southeast of the village of Rame in Southeast Cornwall at the entrance to Plymouth Sound.  Rame Head is part of a small Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty known as the “Rame Head Heritage Coast” that also includes Cawsand Bay and the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. 

Top Tip: Pack yourself a picnic and enjoy the amazing views over lunch.

3. The Plymouth Ferry

After a lovely walk from Kingsand through Mount Edgecombe, across the ferry at Cremyll and a walk into the city centre via the lovely Barbican, it is an absolute treat to catch this long serving ferry service and cross Plymouth sound back to the beach at Cawsand, step off the boat and be back at your accommodation, or nearest pub in 2 minutes.

Top Tip: The fare is very reasonable for the half hour trip, the view superb and if you’re lucky you may encounter dolphins.  (NJC, Trip Advisor)

Are you visiting this area and looking for accommodation in Kingsand, Cornwall? Blue Monkey Cornwall is luxury self catering accommodation perfect for your families next holiday in Cornwall. Find out more about our Kingsand accommodation or check out our availability here.

The post Top Three Reasons We Love Kingsand first appeared on Blue Monkey Cornwall..