Portscatho Holidays Updates

Our lovely Roseland Peninsula is brilliant for birding and has plenty more wildlife too. Unusually for Cornwall we have sheltered countryside and woodland – which deer love - that even reaches the shore in places, especially around the Fal River.

Golfers staying in our Roseland holiday cottages have plenty of opportunities for a sporting day out. Whether you're with a couple of friends or a group, or grabbing a quiet golfing day to yourself – there's plenty here to occupy the rest of the family – you'll find a welcoming course with great views.

Although the Roseland Peninsula is naturally hilly, many older visitor attractions have tried hard to improve access while new ones have been custom designed.

Cornwall's clear light and beautiful seascapes have attracted artists for centuries. St Ives and Newlyn are especially renowned as places of inspiration, so it's no surprise to find major art galleries in both – and they're an easy day trip from your snug winter holiday cottage on the Roseland Peninsula. Alternatively, just hop on the St Mawes Ferry to Falmouth Art Gallery. I've picked five favourites artworks held in Cornwall – what's yours?

South Cornwall has opportunities for sea fishing all year round. With Atlantic currents, a rocky sea bed and lots of wrecks that fish love to inhabit, the sheltered waters of the Fal estuary have a good variety of fish for most of the year.

1. Go ice skating at the Eden Project – the rink's open till 24 February and it's easily accessible from your Roseland holiday cottage. It's traditional winter fun even if you're not seeking festive activities. There's always plenty going on at the Eden Project, from special exhibitions and adventures to Saturday park runs and visits from Santa (and Rick Astley's been telling everyone he wants to perform there so, you know...), plus you get to warm up in a tropical biome if it's chilly outside. Eco-fun!

South Cornwall is renowned for its mild climate. Here on the Roseland we enjoy a microclimate that's quite unusual for the British Isles. Thanks to the Gulf Stream we miss the worst winter weather and it's often much warmer here than in other parts of the country. I'm not promising sunbathing, but I think you'll love being out and about in Cornwall whatever the weather.

 If you’re thinking of staying in one of our dog-friendly Cornwall properties, take a look at our guide to our top ten dog friendly beaches in Cornwall that you and your dog will love.

Six of the best gluten free dining options on the Roseland Peninsula...

I love chatting with our clients, both holidaymakers and cottage-owners alike. Both groups are key to a great holiday experience, after all, and it's our pleasure here at Portscatho Holidays to hear your feedback and meet your requirements.

What do you look for in a holiday? Are you a fun-loving, sociable person or a quiet soul who wants to escape from it all?

August is bucket-and-spade month by the seaside. It's the prime-time summer vacation and while there's something, and somewhere, on the Roseland for everyone to enjoy, August is very much about family holidays. And there are plenty of good reasons why this area is called the Cornish Riviera.

The excitement's mounting, the atmosphere's electric, the sails are unfurling... yes, this month it's the 141st Portscatho Regatta. Be there or miss out! It's a real family fun day, and whether you're taking part or watching there's plenty to see and do. On the water you'll find sailing, kayak, raft and swimming races, while on the beach you can be part of the action – there'll be live music, sports and activities for children, lots of stalls, a big barbecue and loads more. The sailing takes place in Gerrans Bay and you'll have a great view from the shore, so no one need miss out.

Here's a secret: it's one of my favourite day trips in Cornwall. You'll be rewarded with a lovely walk and spectacular views. But it's also an adventure, with a brooding romance that's a complete contrast to the Roseland Peninsula's gentle beaches and wooded coves. Tempted?

Coming home from the Eden Sessions (why did Gary Barlow chuck plastic confetti around? Duh...) I was roundly ticked off by a friend for saying I would 'just' be spending my next holiday in South Cornwall. 'Why 'just''? she admonished. 'Cornwall is wonderful.' She's right, of course. The point was that I 'just' wouldn't be travelling far, which seems pretty sensible to me, but trying to justify it just felt like digging myself further into trouble, so I just kept quiet. [OK we've got the point. Ed]

Ah, the seaside: I'll share with you a few of my favourite things about it. Just looking at a sea view or wiggling my toes in the sand is enough to make me take a big, deep, oxygen-filled breath and relax. The Roseland Peninsula's clean, fresh air is a tonic for the soul.

How do you like your views in Cornwall? The Roseland Peninsula is full of gentle hills with gorgeous outlooks and one of the great attractions here is that you can see Cornwall on any scale, so your favourite view might just as easily be be green fields or wooded coves as a panoramic sea view.   

Here in Cornwall we are lucky to have fantastic, clear light during the day - hence it's beloved of so many artists - and very low levels of light pollution at night. That means wonderful opportunities for stargazing. Whether you're serious about stars or looking for a romantic retreat on a summer night, I'm pretty sure you'll love it.

How much food do you take on holiday? Self-catering breaks are the perfect chance to sample local produce - and what a choice the Roseland has. Its fabulous pubs, cafes and restaurants are legendary and all our Cornish holiday cottages have well-equipped kitchens. You could even take a short cookery course while you're here.

Poldark's returning! The new series is apparently scheduled for early summer so quiver in your cornfields, whatever the weather outside this county is getting hot, hot, hot! If you were in Cornwall last autumn you might even have spotted the film crews, but nothing ever looks the same on screen so here's our quick guide to Roseland locations you might just recognise.

A hidden gem If you're staying in one of our lovely cottages around Portloe or Veryan do make time for a stroll down to Kiberick Cove. This gorgeous spot is a real gem and one you could easily miss at high tide when there is no beach, just fabulous scenery.   

Have you found a bluebell walk in Cornwall? Bluebell season on the Roseland can be quite early due to our mild climate, though nature is capricious so I'm not making any guarantees (sorry!). Here you can mix bluebell woods with a coastal walk in spring - truly the best of everything.

Arriving at the Roseland Peninsular by road you'll probably go through Tregony, known as the Gateway to the Roseland. (And if that gives you a Peter Sellers flashback - you're thinking 'Bal-ham, gateway to the South', right? - you're not alone.) Anyway, Tregony is well worth a stop. You'll also find a convenience store and post office there, handy for self-catering and the fine holiday tradition of sending postcards.

Previously on this blog I've tried to tempt you with Cornish cream teas, so now for something savoury: the Cornish Pasty. Have you tried one? I mean, a real one? If your experience of a Cornish Pasty so far is something you bought in a hurry at a petrol station, please keep an open mind.

We love the Easter holidays in Cornwall. Here on the Roseland we welcome visitors all year round, but Easter is when you start to feel that little buzz of excitement.

When we're on holiday we do it the democratic way - we each choose something we'd like to do or see and then let the weather decide when's best to do it. The Roseland weather is great though, as it rarely scuppers any plans. One of the most popular choices is to pack a picnic and swimming gear and explore a small area near our holiday cottage on foot or by bicycle, without researching in advance. We love the element of surprise and always find something interesting.

The Roseland being a peninsular, which means it sticks out into the sea. Obviously. What's less obvious is the tangle of waterways once you head inland - we don't go in for smooth curves around here! So that makes boats an ideal method of transport that's not only practical but also lets you visit places you couldn't easily reach with a car, and explore further afield if you're walking or cycling.

Yesterday I had my first Cornish cream tea of the season - it felt like being on holiday! The iconic Cornish clotted cream, in the traditional way with home-made scones and jam, and plenty of it. Plain scones, fruit scones... cooks love to add their own twist to a recipe and everyone's jam seems to turn out slightly different (mine certainly does!) so at every seaside cafe or farmhouse tea-room you get a unique and delicious taste of Cornwall. The debate over whether you put the jam or the cream on first will run and run - I'd say do whichever you like.

Our lovely Roseland Peninsular is a haven for birds - and for birders. And for those of us who perhaps can't identify species so well but just love seeing different birds it's every bit as rewarding.

The Roseland Peninsula is a walker's paradise. Whether you love to ramble all day or take an easy stroll, this part of Cornwall is perfect. First-time visitors might be surprised by the scenery, as it's quite different from the rest of the county.

Have you noticed our Cornish hedges? They are a special part of our heritage; in fact they count as historical monuments, and you'll soon meet them when you visit the Roseland Peninsula on holiday. 

Happy New Year, and a warm welcome to Cornwall from all of us at Portscatho Holidays.