The gentle south coast of the Roseland Peninsula is home to sailing, walking and some wonderful hotels. St Mawes is a magnet, with both the effortlessly chic Hotel Tresanton and the family-friendly Idle Rocks. From here, take the King Harry Ferry, which connects you to Falmouth and its busy sailing scene.
South and you head onto the Lizard. The Helford Estuary has come of the best dinghy sailing in the country. This is the land of Daphne du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek with inlets galore. The Ferryboat Inn at Mawnan Smith is a favourite and you can hire boats just below. The Helford River Sailing Club organises regattas throughout the summer, and the Helford River Children's Sailing Trust runs fantastic programme sailing courses for children aged 8-18.
Hotels in the area include The Buddock Vene, old-fashioned but still popular. The Nare is luxurious but expensive. The Driftwood has been recently re-done. A favourite for families is the Rosevive, just above Porthcurnick beach and its hugely popular Hidden Hut cafe.
Heading south again and the landscape starts to change. Coverack is a fishing harbour with a lovely beach. The Bay Hotel has a great location and has recently been bought.
Mullion is a pretty Cornish town with the newly re-vamped Mullion Cove Hotel with excellent self-catering cottages.
As you get towards the southern-most point of England, the landscape becomes more rugged. Older kids will love The Polurrian Bay Hotel. Make sure you walk along the coastal path from here to Poldhu Cove which is about two miles away. It is a windy, blowy path. Look out for the monument to Marconi, marking the first Translantic radio transmission from the Cornish coast direct to the East Coast of America. Stare at the grey sea westwards and imagine the leap of faith it must have been. Then carry on down to lovely sandy beach for hot chocolate among the dunes watching a bunch of kite surfers.
Other popular villages include Cadgwith and Porthleven. The latter has a foodie reputation, Rick Stein has opened a restaurant recently and the Porthleven Food Festival.
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