Fowey House, Fowey

Cornwall. Sleeps up to 8

This fabulous period home rests in its prime, elevated position overlooking the stunning Fowey harbour and estuary. With breathtaking views, elegant plush furnishings, a fantastic contemporary kitchen, luxury soft furnishings and an impressive collection of art decorating the walls, Fowey House is a very comfortable, classy base to explore this glorious area.

The picturesque town of Fowey, much loved by tourists, is a bustling small port with a busy commerical life as well as providing attractive moorings for leisure boats. The pretty harbour is flanked by fourteenth century blockhouses and the charming narrow roads are brimming with quaint gift shops, cafes and restaurants. There are regular celebrations of the life of its famous resident Daphne du Maurier.

The welcome bench, on the south facing patio terrace at the front door, offers a wonderful spot to enjoy the spectacular views and the pretty country garden flowers. As you enter this four storey property, you will quickly appreciate the love and attention to detail that has been spent on it. The interior design is seriously impressive. Sumptuous sofas and beds are all adorned with colour complemented cushions with exquisite taste. The walls are all painted with a neutral palette to emphasise the sensational art on the walls and the pops of colour throughout this wonderful house.

The luxurious open plan living space boasts a small balcony where you can enjoy the views and sip a delicious glass of wine. You can throw open the French doors to the balcony and the cool fresh air will flood in and lift your spirits. On cooler evenings, the feature fireplace is a joy. How wonderful to relax and listen to the sounds of the busy harbour and see the glistening water dotted with boats. A gorgeous painting by artist Lesley Holmes spans the stairwell and another sensational one overlooks the dining table. The owners clearly know and love their art! The sparkling modern kitchen will delight the chef in your party. If you would like to disappear with a cup of tea and the Sunday newspapers there is a conservatory lounge at the back of the house.

The adorable children’s bedroom offers fun bunk beds, a small library of books for bedtime stories and a wonderful, fun colour scheme. It is a very cheerful room with colourful chests of draws and paintings decorating the room. Each of the other three bedrooms boast bay windows to make the most of the spectacular panoramic views. The master bedroom at the top of the house enjoys a vaulted ceiling, delightful angles, and a fabulous window seat. You will be mesmerised by the stunning estuary views. It is the perfect spot for your morning cup of coffee. Like all of the bedrooms, it is adorned exquisitely. There are two further double rooms. One boasts zip and link beds that can be set up as a king or as twins. This room features an incredible, intricate mirror that is absolutely stunning. You will enjoy the sleep of kings in these wonderful bedrooms. There are two bathrooms, one is en-suite and the other a family bathroom with a bath and shower. Both are delightful.

Fowey House is dog friendly so you can bring two pets along to share your holiday. Once you have unpacked in this sensational holiday home, you are just steps from all of the delights of Fowey. 

The Fowey estuary is a glorious sight with Fowey on one side at the mouth of the River Fowey and the gorgeous town of Polruan on the other. There are regular passenger ferries to and from Polruan and a car ferry to Boddinick. The ferry house was originally the du Maurier family home and later the home of Angela du Maurier, Daphne’s sister.

As well as being incredibly pretty, Fowey has a deep history. During the Second World War, Fowey was the centre for air-sea rescue and one of the places from which the D-Day invasions were launched. St Catherine’s Point is on the Fowey side of the harbour entrance where it functioned as a lighthouse in medieval times. St Catherine’s Castle below was built during the reign of Henry VIII to defend the harbour entrance. It is accessible when walking from the pretty Readymoney Cove. On Fore Street you will find the Old House of Foye, a medieval house built in 1430. It is now a shop but the walls, beamed interior and fireplace are pretty much the same. During the summer, Fowey Town Hall’s museum and small aquarium is open. Daphne du Maurier is celebrated with the Du Maurier Festival each May and at the Literacy Centre next to the church.

There are some amazing sandy beaches close by. Par Sands, close to the village of Par, 4 miles from St Austell, boasts a huge expanse of sand backed by pretty dunes. Polkerris Beach magically combines an idyllic sandy cove and stunning coastline with an array of entertaining watersports. You can stand up paddleboard, learn to sail and windsurf, explore the coastline in a kayak or simply enjoy exploring the rock pools and building sandcastles. There is a wonderful beach restaurant and waterside pub. The National Trust’s dreamy Lantic Bay is a great spot for paddling and for a picnic. It is well worth the climb back up. The views from the top are extraordinary.

You can take a ferry to the buzzy town of Mevagissey which is within a UNESCO Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is another working harbour, nestled on the unspoilt dramatic Cornish coastline. Mevagissey boasts an aquarium, museum, seafood restaurants, atmospheric pubs, watersports, beautiful gardens, cycle trails and much more. You can walk from the town to the stunning Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Restormel Castle lies by the River Fowey near Lostwithiel. One of the four chief Norman castles of Cornwall, it is notable for its perfectly circular design. Once a luxurious residence of the Earl of Cornwall, it was ruined by the 16th century and is now under the supervision of the English Heritage. It is another beautiful picnic spot.