Cornwall will forever be a land of childhood holiday dreams, writes
SARAH MARSHALL
SO MANY fond childhood memories are decorated with images of Cornwall: sliding barefoot over silky moss while twirling nets in rock pools; colliding with frothing, angry waves then sprinting to the shelter of a windbreak; breathing sea air, licking lips and delighting in a taste tangier than a packet of salt ’n’ vinegar crisps.
For most of us, England’s glorious southwest coast will be forever seen through rose-tinted glasses, so it’s no surprise we’re all grappling for a slice of sure-fire summertime nostalgia in these uncertain times.
Cornwall is set to be one of the most popular staycation holiday destinations this year, with honeypots like Falmouth and St Ives already experiencing a surge of visitors on sunny days.
Just take a casual scroll through Instagram: from families swinging buckets and spades, to avid hikers stretching lockdown legs, and even glamorous trendsetters swapping Mustique’s cocktail bars for the surf shacks of Polzeath – everyone is migrating west.
Accompanied by two friends, I’m off on my own adventure, determined to find some secluded spots. Eager to explore both coast and countryside, I’ve chosen a base inland at Southern Halt holiday park, close to the village of Dobwalls, not far from the southeast fringes of Bodmin Moor.
It’s an area where winding roads weave through a labyrinth of hedgerows, lined with open-air larders selling fresh eggs, jams and sweet, ripe tomatoes in exchange for coins dropped into an honesty box.
Tucked behind meadows and farm fields, a collection of wooden cabins is scattered around a landscaped area of gardens and ponds; some are available for rent, others can be purchased as holiday homes. Set in the far corner and smelling of sweet pine, my two-bedroom property is shielded by tree boughs and wildflowers – providing much more privacy than other plots on the site.
Given a code to unlock the front gate and access a door key, I sidestep any human interaction to enter my temporary home. Named iGames, the new build has
Sarah on Millook Haven Beach been designed as a play arena for adults and kids. A blacked-out indoor cinema has reclining lazy boys with cup holders, while a games room features a pool table, dart board and arcade machine hosting Eighties classics like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong.
Although these retro references might be lost on a younger crowd, they elicit whoops of joy from my 40-something gamer friends.
Dinner is prepared in a kitchen looking out to a glinting golden barley field and eaten on an open deck, washed with sunshine at the right times of day. When we can’t muster the effort to cook, there’s the option of a visit to The Old Mill restaurant on sister site Stonerush (about 20 minutes’ drive away).
Recently reopened with social distancing measures in place, the cosy, calm waterside space serves a menu of decent local dishes.
Numbers are limited, surfaces are constantly cleaned, and one-way systems have been put in place.
Yet staff still manage a friendly, upbeat greeting – even if smiles are hidden behind masks.
Then it’s back to the lodge to score a bull’s eye, rescue a digital damsel, or watch an Attenborough documentary in full HD.
Creature comforts provide amusement, but Cornwall’s real entertainment lies outside.
Rising from lime green grounds and exposed to big, open skies, Bodmin Moor’s prehistoric stones are blotted with slow-growing lichens and wrapped in mystery.
A unique sight in England, three adjacent stone circles make up The Hurlers, thought to be Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and funerary monuments, which can be found a 10-minute drive from Southern Halt.
Whatever their purpose, powers from the past have certainly carried into the present. Walking around the ring-a-ring of granite