The Cowshed

The Cowshed has been expertly renovated from a 1930s farm outbuilding into an eco-conscious holiday retreat ideal for families, featuring artworks from celebrated Cornish en plein air painter, Andrew Tozer.

Step inside to the living, dining and kitchen area, cleverly designed to maximise the space afforded by the split-level floor and vaulted ceiling. You enter the holiday home to the light-filled living area, where you can laze on the deluxe L-shaped sofa with a roaring woodburner, perfect for those chilly autumn and winter days. The meticulously and considerately appointed kitchen and dining area is on the lower level; gather around the large dining table to plan the day’s adventures over breakfast prepared in the well-equipped kitchen.

The vaulted ceiling allows for a mezzanine bedroom in the eaves above the kitchen/dining area. This spacious and restful super-king bedroom overlooks the living space, though maintains privacy with a state-of-the-art glass screen that toggles between transparent and opaque. The further three bedrooms are found in a level-access hallway off the living space; a cosy twin room and two inviting king-sized bedrooms, both with thoughtfully styled ensuite shower rooms. The ample and refined family bathroom is also located in the hallway, the ideal place to sink into a hot bath after the day's escapade.

The Cowshed boasts plentiful outdoor space, with a well-considered private outdoor dining terrace, complete with barbeque, pergola and spectacular views across the fields, down to the river, away to St Mawes and beyond. A second furnished suntrap terrace is perfect for soaking up the rays during the day or for gathering around the firepit at night. The adjoining field is an ideal spot for picnicking and practising yoga, but also for kite flying and playing football with the goal supplied by the owners. There is also a garden to the rear of The Cowshed with a hammock and a shed containing outdoor games like jenga, badminton and tennis.

The Cowshed backs on to the owners’ private walled garden, where fruit for jam and cider making is grown, and where chickens are kept - it’s not unheard of that children staying in The Cowshed have been allowed in to collect fresh eggs for breakfast.

You can hike some of the most breathtaking stretches of the South West Coast Path and roam the creeks and inlets of the Percuil and Fal rivers with your dogs.

Visit the National Trusts’ St Anthony’s Head at the tip of the Roseland, home of historic military fortifications and commanding views across the Carrick Roads Estuary. Walk around the headland or take a perch in the bird-watching hide to observe the various birds of prey and coastal birds found in the area.

Skip across the River Fal on the famed King Harry Ferry to Trelissick, hugely popular with local families. Wander through the gardens’ exotic planting and herbaceous borders, stroll with your dogs along the woodland walk, or admire the views down the estuary from the house’s grand portico.

The Roseland’s coastal villages of St Mawes and Portscatho boast some of Cornwall’s most lauded eateries. Portscatho is a mile walk from The Cowshed and is home to The Standard Inn and its tantalising seasonal menus. The sublime Hidden Hut is set just above Porthcurnick Beach and less than a mile’s walk on from Portscatho. Only a 15-minute drive away, St Mawes’ Rising Sun designs its delicious seasonal menu to showcase the very best of local produce, and the locally renowned Seafood Bar takeaway, right on the quay, delivers delectable seafood with the freshest local catch. The award-winning Da Bara bakery also has one of their three Cornwall shops on the St Mawes quay, with a scrumptious selection of artisan breads and pastries perfect for taking back to your holiday home to savour. St Mawes, otherwise known as the 'St Tropez of England', comes highly praised, particularly by the Royal Family, who proclaim it as 'Britain’s loveliest seaside village'.

There are many serene, secluded beaches along the unspoilt headland, but perhaps the pick of the bunch for those staying at The Cowshed is the quiet Towan beach, only a short drive away. Set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and dog-friendly year-round, bring your family down to the vast shoreline to explore the rockpools and enjoy the calmer south coast waters.

For those seeking water-based adventure, the unique sheltered waterways of the Carrick Roads are a hive of activity for boat trips and water sports. Roseland Paddle & Sail is within easy walking distance of The Cowshed and offers taster sessions, courses and hire for kayaking, SUPboarding, sailing and windsurfing.

The springtime gardens at the Caerhays Estate - open to the public February to June - and the The Lost Gardens of Heligan, ideal for families to explore, are both only a 30-minute drive from The Cowshed. Truro, Cornwall’s only cathedral city, is also around a 30-minute drive away and the vibrant town of Falmouth is a 20-minute ferry ride from St Mawes.