Tregedna Farm Holidays

From its dip within the valley, Tregedna Farm is surrounded by countryside as far as the eye can see. Yet daily life here revolves around the nearby beach. And what a beach it is: wedged between the yachty buzz of Falmouth and the peaceful waterway of the Helford river, Maenporth is one of the best-located beaches on Cornwall’s south coast. But being a 40-minute walk from Falmouth town, it’s far enough to deter the maddening crowds. Putter along the coast towards the Helford and you will usually be rewarded by a deserted nook of sand.

 It’s a simple life at Tregedna Farm. While the smell of bacon and coffee still lingers, families set off along the footpath on a pilgrimage to the beach. Children skip ahead with buckets and spades; parents straggle behind pushing buggies laden with picnics and wetsuits. When teatime approaches, the pilgrims return, Hansel and Gretel trails of sand in their wake, the children lagging behind sporting salt-water mops and ice-cream smudged smiles. During the evenings, barbecue smoke fills the air and the chatter of children swirls around the tents until long after school-day bedtime. But as the sun drops so do the kids, leaving just the chink of wine glasses and the patter of footsteps to and from the dishwashing area. This easy routine greets day after day, broken only by rainy days and sightseeing excursions that see the beach gear abandoned as parents scrabble around for the car keys and spin into Falmouth for a dose of arty, maritime culture and a spot of retail therapy.