A Minimoon in Mousehole

What we wanted for our minimoon (and what we needed after a hectic few weeks months in the run up to the wedding day) was somewhere calm with a slow pace of life, somewhere we could amble around at a leisurely pace and take stock. Above everything we wanted to spend a fews days just chatting about the wedding and not a lot else! Mousehole in Cornwall with it's cobbled streets, slate roofed white washed houses, picture postcard harbour and olde-worlde public house was the ideal location for such activities.

Why Take A Minimoon?

We always planned to have a 'Big' honeymoon a month or so after the wedding, we got married at the end of September and we are off to The Maldives in early November but as the big day approached more and more of our married friends were advising us to take a few days away straight after the wedding and we are so glad that we did. I think it was really important to have that time to reflect and deconstruct the massive life event that we had just gone through. Going straight back to work after such an intense and unique weekend would have felt really strange... So now I can pass this advice on to you. Even if it's only for a few days, find sometime for you and your new husband or wife to be alone and away from your usual surroundings. You'll thank me for it.

Mousehole

Dylan Thomas described Mousehole as 'the loveliest village in England', and it's easy to see how he drew that conclusion. Lying between Penzance and Land’s End, Mousehole is one of the oldest and most iconic fishing villages in Cornwall, a hub of traditional fisherman's cottages, built from local granite face toward the beach, protected by harbour walls that almost meet. This is where the name Mousehole – ‘mouse hole’ comes from, although it is pronounced “mouzel”. We stayed at 'Berlewen' which means 'Venus' in Cornish. Standing at the very edge of the harbour is this lovingly restored and modernised fisherman's cottage - available for short holiday lets through the website Boutique Retreats. Like all of the Boutique Retreats holiday homes, Berlewen has a beautifully designed unique interior with a luxury finish. It was tempting to spend all of our time inside but the truly fantastic views from the living space and main bedrooms on the first floor remind you that you are in a location that deserves to be explored. If you'd like to see more of Berlewen then head over to our sister blog Rock My Style and indulge in the full home tour.

Things To Do

If you are looking for an action packed break you'll need to venture elsewhere in Cornwall... Mousehole embraces village life and is perfect for foodies with a good selection of restaurants, cafés and delis. Be sure to sample the Moule Frites at 2 Fore Street, in fact all of their locally sourced dishes looked fantastic and we dined there more than once during our stay. Visit the Rock Pool Cafe in the evening for a house cocktail (or Irish coffee if the weather is less clement) for the best views of the sun setting across the Atlantic Ocean. If you are venturing further afield (and I must admit we only managed a day trip to St.Ives) then Fern, the editor here at Rock My Wedding and resident of Cornwall suggests the following:

• Visit Artist Residence Cornwall in Penzance for relaxed food and drinks and head to the new outdoor Jubilee Pool and enjoy the views from St. Michael's Mount
• Take a trip to Porthleven on the South Coast for pretty harbour views and lots of nice places to eat and drink
• Visit the beautiful beaches at Porthcurno and Praa Sands
• Stop by the Porthmeor beach cafe in St. Ives for great food.

The most important part of our minimoon was to spend quality time together in tranquil surroundings. We deliberately didn't do too much! Some of the best moments for me where tucking into our wedding cake (we took the top tier away with us) which became an elaborate cream tea embellished with scones, jam and clotted cream! Playing scrabble at Berlewen during a rainy afternoon and drinking Champagne whilst sitting out on the pebbled beach and playing in rock pools on the days when the sun shone. A perfect start to married life.

About Boutique Retreats

Large and luxurious or small and perfectly formed, Boutique Retreats has blown the cobwebs away from home stays and luxury holiday cottages with a unique portfolio of properties. "We specialise in short breaks all year round so let us find your perfect boutique cottage or homestay now.When it comes to choosing where to stay in Cornwall, from home stays to farm stays, itty-bitty boltholes to big and beautiful houses, all of our holiday cottages, big or small, share the same high standards, so whatever you're looking for, we've got a Boutique Retreat to suit you."

Don't forget to visit Rock My Style for more beautiful images of Berlewen.