Short & sweet breaks available

We are in full summer season swing here at River Valley.  It really is such a pleasure welcoming so many returning guests back; seeing children another year older and wiser, and hearing about what everyone has been up to.  As for us, well William is almost walking and enjoying trying to escape from reception at any opportunity.  Having a little person really makes you take another look at places and right now we are falling in love with Cornwall all over again.  Every day off and even after work we are making the most of the summer and the fantastic places we have right on our door step.

Last week we popped down to Gorran Haven for tea, this was the second time in as many weeks and perhaps not our most successful - blue skies when we left home and rain when we got our tea - fish and chips!  But as the saying goes, 'there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choice' so we continued a bit damper, but grateful for the stunning views and fresh air.  Gorran Haven is a beautiful village, not on the tourist route, so quieter than nearby Mevagissey, but with a pub and places to eat it well worth a visit.

The coming weeks in Cornwall are bursting with things on and events for all the family  Why not plan a little short break to make the most of everything going on?  We offer two short breaks: Friday to Monday or Friday to Monday.  Both are brilliant for a bite size break to recharge, rewind and make the most of the summer.  In September you can even stay for as little as £130 - check out our website for full details or give us a call on 01726 73533.

Local Events

13 August - Hog Roast on the Beach - Caerhays Beach, 5.30pm- 8pm

14-16 August - Cornwall Steam & Country Fair, Stithians Show Ground

16-22 August - Fowey Regatta with the Red Arrows on 20 August

19 August - Outdoor Cinema at Caerhays Beach showing Mamma Mia

7 Reasons To Love Cornwall: Reason Two

Cornish Pride 

The second reason for loving Cornwall is quite a personable one which I'm hoping you can all relate too. Reason two is quite simply Cornish Pride. From the second you drive into Cornwall you’ll see a mass of black and white flags, car stickers, t-shirts etc. - no the printer’s not run out of red ink -  this fine design, is the Cornish flag.

I’ve grown up in Cornwall and must admit I’m completely in love with the whole Cornish ethos. It's the feeling of togetherness and appreciating the little things in life. Put a cider in our hands, sunglasses on our heads and sand under our feet and we're happy. 

We also love a good traditional festival or feast week, as some of you may have noticed at the Charlestown Regatta this weekend. Saturday was full of fun,but, for me, the highlight of the weekend had to be the infamous raft race - the decoration on some of the rafts, and their "crew", was incredible! It was just great to see so many people, both visitors and locals, coming together to have a good time and then dance the night away! Don't worry if you missed the raft race though, the festival continues right through until Friday ending with a whole heap of amazing live music at the "Regatta Rocks" event on Friday 31st July. It's brilliant that these traditional events are still running year after year, with the newest generations taking part in activities that their parents and grandparents had entertained years ago. 

Cornish pride is all about helping each other out,  even if it’s just buying from our local farmer instead of the large chain stores, and making sure that together our county is the best it can possibly be. It really is great to see everybody buying from local producers and really enjoying the local attractions when they come on holiday. We're lucky enough to welcome some guests back year after year and just recently someone mentioned how Cornwall feels like a second home because everyone's so welcoming and will always have time for a chat. With that comment I realised just how proud and lucky I am to be part of a community that has made someone feel that way.

7 Reasons To Love Cornwall: Reason One

The Beaches

So we might be stating the obvious here, but they deserve a place on our list for sure. When I think about the beaches, oodles of amazing memories, from early childhood to present day, come flooding back to me and a huge smile appears on my face.

A beach is such a generic term, but each one has it’s own personality, it’s own attitude and it’s own hidden secrets. Two of our favourites are Gorran Haven, which sits on the most eastern point of the Roseland Peninsula and Porthpean, our local beach and the home of many happy times.

Picture a traditional family beach and you'll envision Gorran Haven. This beautiful beach isn't the biggest about but on a sunny day it's the place to be if you want to leave Cornwall glowing. It's also the perfect location for a spot of wave jumping and swimming fun, or, if you're a little braver, give kayaking a go. 

Porthpean: a clean unspoilt beach that will always have a place in my heart. I've grown up skimming stones as the tide comes in and I'll be honest, I'm still no better at it than I was back then. If you're down there when the tides out then be sure to check out the rock pools to the right of the beach, it's amazing what sort of treasures you can find in there. 

We're very lucky to have all these amazing beaches right on our doorstep and we've still got so many left to explore. We'd love for you to share your favourite beaches with us below...who knows they may become one of our favourites too!