Cool Britannia
CLAIRE SPREADBURY heads to England’s most southern point, to discover that post-Brexit getaways in the UK can be quirky and fun
EVERY January, I tell myself I really must book the family summer holiday. Get in there early, choose somewhere wonderfully warm and sunny, And once August rolls around, we can feel all sorted and smug as we pack our bags and jet off somewhere glorious. Every January, I fail to do this. Before I know it, Easter’s arrived and we still have nothing booked. I start researching, feel completely overwhelmed, and by the time we’ve actually agreed and decided on somewhere, flight prices are through the roof and we can’t afford to go.
I know I’m not alone. So many families struggle to sort out a holiday and end up succumbing to good old Blighty. But do you know what? It’s not such a bad thing.
Bunging everything in the car and heading off to a home-from-home destination avoids stress.
There’s no week-long build-up of angst before you head off, no Next Directory splurge to kit the kids out in a new hot weather wardrobe of clothes they’ll not need or fit into again, no waking up at the crack of dawn to make it to the airport in time.
Just pack your cases, squish them into the boot, and then arrive somewhere that’s generally a lot prettier than where you live.
And when the weather behaves, there are few better places to be than the Cornish coast. Mullion, on the southern tip of England, is quiet and quaint.
Around seven miles from Helston, it’s home to houses that look like they’re lived in rather than rented out, and a village centre that keeps the locals busy, by the look of the wooden noticeboards.
We follow a steep path down to the sheltered cove and strut along the coastline dotted with wild flowers and rubbly stones.
Families gather before dinner for one last surf in the frothy ocean, while horse riders plod about on the sand.
The mossy rocks enclosing the shoreline house an abundance of life for foragers, from perky sprigs of elderflower to lemony rock samphire.
The area is home to the Polurrian On The Lizard Hotel, which has recently had a huge refurb and is now a very welcoming space for families, couples and wedding parties.
It’s easygoing, a little bit quirky and very cool; somewhere with hip little touches and good standards but where kids can roam free and be themselves.
The staff wears a uniform of red Converse trainers and denim shirts. There are Waltzers that have been upcycled into funky chairs, and local information about the area has been inserted into record sleeves.
The new Vista bar serves lunches and kids’ meals, but comes alive when we try out the extensive local spirit menu.
There are eight different gins, plus a choice of 10 Cornish rums. The barman recommends the slightly less local (but still UK-made) Old J Tiki Fire with a mixer of Ting, which is a bit like Sprite. It’s delicious, but at 75% proof, I don’t remember very much afterwards...
Meanwhile, the restaurant serves freshly-made pizzas (from £10), lobster (£28) and tapas (£6 each or three for £15), and the bill comes in a cassette case, with your waiter’s face Photoshopped onto an old album cover.
There’s also a cinema room and cosy lounges, a pool table and games.
As I wander through the blue lily and summer lilac-populated gardens and around to the outdoor pool to soak up the sea view and sniff in the salty breeze, I notice I’m walking at half the pace I normally do.
But then, that’s the whole thing about Cornwall, where you can rock up at a little pub on a sunny afternoon, have a choice of outdoor tables to sit at and not have to fight for a spot by the sea.
Despite my disappointment at not making it overseas for some guaranteed sunshine, holidaying in the UK is just fine for me.