On our last day in Fowey (pronounced Foy as in Joy), Kasm and I along with our host Andrew and their boys Monty and Barnaby (and let’s not forget Polly the dog) went for a walk on the footpath that leads to the beach just around the corner from their lovely home, Hope Barn. The boys had a great time running down the path, playing and cooking up an imaginary game while Polly and her funny sideways running would try to chase after the birds.
At the end of the path is Readymoney beach. Kasm and I along with little Monty stayed at the beach while Andrew and Barnaby continued walking Polly.
Kasm really wanted to go in the water but once he put his toe in the ocean, he quickly changed his mind. The water was freezing cold! I sat back and watched the two boys playing. I felt at peace. Something about the ocean that is hypnotizing and zen-like. It occurred to me that I was going to miss this place a lot but I was also happy for my good fortune to spend a week in this wonderful hidden gem in the heart of Cornwall. Now I get to share this incredible experience with you.
I came upon Fowey by chance. We knew we wanted to spend some time in Cornwall but didn’t know much about the area so we turned to our trusted friend, Google Maps. I dropped the little yellow fella on the map and went for a virtual walk. Fowey looked very pretty and quaint so I moved on to our other favourite website, Airbnb and searched for a place, came across Hope Barn, which looked perfect, and that is how we came to be here.
So let me tell you a little about Hope Barn, home to Victoria, Andrew and their three boys. It’s a 10-15 minute walk to the center of Fowey. It was perfectly situated for us. We walked into town almost every day but be warned the hike back is pretty steep which we needed after all the pastries we consumed 😉
The bus stop is around the corner in case you don’t feel up to walking. But I suggest you put those comfy shoes on and get out there on foot to explore. There is a footpath which starts around the corner from the house (where the cute bus stop is ) and leads down straight to the beach and city center. It’s a much more pleasant and scenic way to get to town rather than on the street. However, if you want to get back quicker you can walk on the streets which we usually did on the way back from our exploring.
Victoria and Andrew have about 10 chickens and we were treated to fresh eggs every morning! I’m certainly going to miss that! She laid out an amazing breakfast table for us every morning. To say we were spoiled is an understatement 😉
There were chicks hatching when we arrived. This was the first little one that hatched. By our second day, there were 5 hatched chicks. Pretty darn cute running around and chirping.
Kasm hit it off really well with the boys (Barnaby, Rory and Monty). It was nice for him to be around other kids and he had such a great time hanging out with them! Specially Barnaby. He is definitely going to try and keep in touch with his new friend 🙂
He also became very fond of Polly the dog and Moon Cat.
You’re probably wondering if we actually managed to leave the house at all during the week 😉
We certainly did! Perhaps not as much as one would do if you are on a short vacation and trying to fit in as much activities as you can. Our mission was to mainly relax and enjoy Fowey and that we accomplished.
On our second day, we did a 15-km hike along the Southwest Coastal Path from Fowey to Polkerris Beach and then back through the farm land. The walk along the coast is stunning. It can get pretty steep at parts but it was well worth it. The return trip was by a narrow foothpath that runs through farms which was just as enjoyable.
Rest of the week, we mainly took walks into the city center or along the foothpath to Readymoney Beach when we weren’t chilling at the house watching the chickens. You would be surprised how entertaining they can be. You find yourself sitting there and just staring at them forever.
Aside from the amazing breakfast Victoria would set out for us (and the yummy fresh eggs), we mainly did groceries at a little store not far from the house but we did eat out a couple of times. First night was fish and chips at the Ship Inn. We also had lunch at an adorable little cafe called Pinky Murphy’s. And let’s not forget the pasties from Cornish Bakery and scones from Quay Bakery. But I’ll have to say, the homemade scones from Victoria win the prize for the most delicious and Bruce would definitely agree with me 🙂
We also got out without Kasm one evening and had a drink at The Lugger. We had a lovely chat with the bartender and some locals.
Few nights into our stay, Victoria had organized a sea glass crafts making and invited me along. I am not the most crafty person but I really enjoyed the evening. I did manage to make a couple of pieces and chat with some lovely ladies.
If you are visiting Cornwall without a car, I think Fowey is a great location to set yourself up. The town itself can keep you entertained easily for couple of days. We walked around Fowey at least three days out of the week and every time we would find something new and interesting. You can also take the passenger ferry across to Polruan which is more a residential area but very pretty and quaint. It also leads to the Southwest Coastal path if you are interested in a longer hike. The path stretches for over 600 miles. That alone can keep you rather busy.
Victoria and Andrew put the cherry on top of our wonderful week by having a BBQ on our last night and we got to sit around, sip some Pimm’s and enjoy some pleasant conversations. Our Cornish trip was absolutely perfect and we are so happy to have been able to meet such a wonderful family and enjoy their little corner of the world.
What a beautiful and relaxing time! Everything is adorable, especially the little chick!