Holiday Life on the Lizard: A Glimpse into Col Ros from the Owners’ Perspective

Martin and Caroline both fell in love with Cornwall when they were children. Martin and Caroline’s families had many wonderful holidays there when they were young, staying in self-catering holiday cottages and often returning to the same cottage each year. They both have many happy memories of long lazy days spent on the beach, rockpooling and surfing for hours on end (long before the days of wetsuits!) Family holidays in Cornwall were special.

In time, they brought their own young family down to The Lizard Peninsula and, inspired by their own childhood memories, decided to buy Col Ros and endeavour to create the same magical holidays for their own children.

That was almost 28 years ago and since then, their children have grown up holidaying at Col Ros every year and have all fallen in love for this very special part of Cornwall.  They are now bringing their own children here and we love seeing the grandchildren getting just as much pleasure building sandcastles and surfing on the beach below Col Ros as their parents and grandparents have done before them.  In fact, Caroline’s mother and grandparents stayed at the Polurrian Hotel on the opposite side of Polurrian Bay in the 1940’s, so in fact there have been 5 generations that have swum in the sea at Polurrian.

“We hope that our guests will find that the peace and tranquillity of Col Ros, with it’s position above the beach, both as restorative and invigorating as we do. The house was built in the 1950’s as a dormer bungalow and has been extensively remodelled and updated to provide all the modern comforts and amenities that we have all come to expect from our holidays. 

“We try to provide that little extra touch to make Col Ros feel like home for every guest whether that is providing pre-loved toys for children, an extensive library of well-thumbed books to choose from, or jigsaw puzzles and games for when the Cornish weather is just not playing ball.

We love The Lizard Peninsula for its rugged coastline, glorious unspoilt sandy beaches and the feeling that you really are at the furthest tip of the country, being only 5 miles from the most southerly point.  The Lizard has something for everyone whether that is enjoying seal watching at Lizard Point as they bask on the rocks in the heat of the summer, walking the stunning coastal path along the cliff tops and across the beaches, visiting the world famous National Trust or privately owned gardens or enjoying the fabulous restaurants and shops in nearby Porthleven.

“However, we often find that often all anyone really wants to do is to laze in the garden, listening to the sound of the waves breaking on the beach below and watching the gulls and buzzards flying in blue skies above.

“Well-being is very important to us and we have tried to create a home that is restful and calming but also practical.  There is enough space for everyone to find a quiet area to read or enjoy the view of Mullion Island.  Being almost at the end of a half mile lane, there is no passing traffic and one can really switch off.  However, should you need to cast the occasional eye over an email there is Wi-Fi and good broadband speed.

“Col Ros is not just a summer holiday destination, the winter months can be equally restorative with huge seas and bracing walks or just sit in the sun room watching the waves crash over Mullion Island – truly awe-inspiring. Our recent re-fresh with Cornish Gems has been wonderfully helpful in creating a gentle, calm colour palatte which compliments the lovely garden and beautiful scenery beyond.  Tara and Phoebe had some fantastic ideas and were able bring a different perspective to the overall interior design concept.  

“Our ethos is all about sustainability and we up-cycle as much as possible. We have tried to create the feeling of a beach house, where people feel that they can kick off their shoes and relax. To continue with our sustainability ethos we installed an Ev charger for those who already opt to travel more sustainably, and we have upcycled some much loved furniture by repainting and reupholstering many pieces. Indeed, when recently recovering an armchair we discovered that it was filled with hay and horsehair – we have kept a record of this which is sewn into the new upholstery, ready for the next ‘refresh’ in perhaps another hundred years!

“Surf boards, children’s buckets and spades etc are provided. It saves that last minute panic when packing up the car for the journey home and you find that the surf board will just not fit in!  It also means less waste going to landfill.”

Book Col Ros for your family’s next Cornwall adventure like no other.