Tremaine Manor, Looe

Cornwall. Sleeps up to 14

Tremaine Manor sits within three and a half acres of breathtaking gardens in Cornwall’s rural countryside, just ten minutes from the picturesque harbour village of Looe. With seven impressive bedrooms, the manor house sleeps up to twelve adults and two children so it is perfect for groups of friends or family that are looking to get away from it all and be close to the sea. Tremaine Manor boasts two wings which flow brilliantly as one residence and offer exceptional living spaces. With a spacious entrance hall, two kitchens, a beautiful drawing room with an atmospheric open fireplace, a second living room, two conservatories and a gorgeous dining room that doubles as a snooker room, guests enjoy a very memorable stay at Tremaine Manor. Within the grounds of Tremaine Manor there are four holiday cottages which you could also book if you have extra guests or want to have an enormous family get together.

Looe is a charming harbour village divided into two by the River Looe. It is a centre of offshore shark fishing. With a gorgeous sandy beach, crabbing on the quayside, quaint cobbled streets, independent local shops and an abundance of restaurants and pubs serving handmade Cornish pasties and gourmet seafood, Looe is very popular with visitors returning year after year. The South West Coastal Path, Britain’s longest National Trail, passes through and Bodmin Moor is on the doorstep with its granite tors, plentiful streams, waterfalls, moorland ponies, pretty heather and wild beauty. Tremaine Manor is within easy reach of Fowey and Polperro, dating back to the thirteenth century and one of the oldest villages in Cornwall.

Tremaine Manor is beautifully presented throughout with vintage furnishings, antique artworks and delightful soft furnishings. The main drawing room is light and airy with natural sunlight flooding through its windows and doors. Traditional sofas and armchairs sit around the gorgeous open fireplace, a lovely spot for family board games and pre-dinner drinks. The second living room is equally lovely with another attractive fireplace making it cosy and snug on chilly evenings. Both rooms offer giant wall-mounted televisions so if the youngsters are tired after a busy day, they can watch a movie in one room while you enjoy planning the next day’s adventures in the other. The dining room is very characterful with its library of books and its snooker table with a leafed table top that provides formal dining for fourteen guests. The snooker table offers much fun and healthy competition. The main, family kitchen also enjoys a large breakfast table for informal dining. The chefs in your group will be delighted by the cobalt blue kitchen with its huge range of cabinetry, extensive workspace and excellent appliances including a range cooker. In addition, there is a second kitchen in a vibrant shade of green. If you are planning a celebratory meal, there is certainly lots of space to prepare it! You could even arrange a ‘Come Dine With Me’ competition with some cooking in one kitchen and others in the additional one! The manor house also offers two very sunny conservatories, perhaps the places to head off to with a cup of tea and the Sunday newspapers.

If you are booking Tremaine Manor as two families, you will be happy to discover two master bedroom suites as well as four kingsized bedrooms and the children’s bunk room. Each of the bedrooms is extremely comfortable and if you are lucky you will sleep in a four poster bed. All of the beds are beautifully dressed with crisp cottons and beautiful throws and cushions. You will be surrounded by attractive vintage furniture and plenty of artwork decorating the walls. The masters enjoy ensuite bathrooms plus there are two family bathrooms. They are all modern and immaculate. In addition, there are three separate cloakrooms in the house.

Each wing of the house enjoys a fabulous terrace. You can lounge on stylish wooden outdoor furniture, dine alfresco, take a dip in the hot tub, have a fun time using the pizza oven, enjoy a game of chess on the giant chess board, snuggle up next to the firepit or grab some deckchairs and head onto the lawn with your holiday book. There is even a hammock where you can enjoy a snooze. The gardens and terraces are absolutely beautiful. The owners have thought of everything to make your stay enjoyable and memorable with family games such as chess and croquet.

Looe is a wonderful destination for a holiday. Whilst retaining a working fishing port, the town entertains guests all year round. You can stand on the charming quayside watching crabbers busy at work and fishing boats returning with their catches. You can dine on fresh fish in one of the local gourmet restaurants overlooking the harbour or taste the award winning fish and chips near the river. You can cross the bridge that separates East and West Looe. The Looe Marine Conservation Group run regular rockpool rambles for children of all ages. Their website gives details of the wildlife events and local family friendly adventures such as crabbing, snorkeling, bird watching, fishing and visits to Looe Island. Looe Island was once a holy pilgrimage site. Now it is a sanctuary for wildlife and rare plants. In 2004 Looe Island was left to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust by Babs Atkins who had bought the island with her sister in the 1960’s. You will discover a grey seal population sunbathing on the rocks and swimming around the island. The island is home to many nesting birds such as cormorants, shags and oystercatchers. It boasts the largest breeding colony in Cornwall of the majestic great black-backed gull. During the summer months there are frequent boat trips and guided walks. The Old Sardine Factory Heritage Centre tells the story of Looe’s maritime history. You will learn how Looe exported pilchards to Italy, sent pilgrims to Galicia and sailed across the Atlantic to catch cod off of Newfoundland. You will also learn about boat building and experience a lifeboat Shout! with state-of-the-art technology. The centre is also a climbing wall and kayaking centre. If you fancy a scenic day out but don’t want to drive, you can take the Looe Valley train line to the historic market town of Liskeard. There are stunning views though heavily wooded valleys teeming with wildlife, glorious estuary views and rivers full of wading birds such as little egrets, grey herons, oystercatchers and curlews. Looe’s Music Festival is fast becoming a very popular outdoor event attracting many famous artists such as Jools Holland, Bryan Ferry, Lulu, the Stranglers and many more.

Bodmin Moor is one of Cornwall’s designated Areas of Outstanding Beauty. With its giant stretches of heather, this upland granite moorland is delightful. It is brimming with high granite tors, streams and waterfalls and you will probably get to see the moorland ponies grazing.

The stunning South West Coast Path passed through Looe. Starting in Minehead in Somerset, it covers 630 miles ending in Poole in Dorset. It offers extraordinary sea views and is very popular. There are also countless walks in the beautiful countryside surrounding Looe. You may want to walk around Fowey where you can enjoy seeing Menabilly, once the home of Daphne du Maurier and the inspiration for Manderley in her novel Rebecca. Fowey is a popular sailing destination and a quaint deep-water fishing port. There is a ferry service to the pretty village of Polruan opposite. Walking from Polruan towards Polperro you will pass the beautiful Lantic Bay and the horseshoe shaped West Coombe at Lansallos. Polperro is a gorgeous, quintessential Cornish fishing village with steep narrow streets, pretty slate cottages and stunning views. Sheltered from the ravages of tide and time in its dramatic cliff ravine, Polperro is an enchanting jumble of cottages, all the work of Cornish fishermen. The 36 mile walk from Looe to Boscastle is wonderful, crossing Bodmin Moor via Davidstow, Rough Tor and Brown Willy and passing through the verdant West Looe Valley. The Deerpark Forest is also another treat with many trails running through the woodland. With tranquil millpond views, winding forest trails and a hidden valley, it is a great day out.