Lunch on the hotel terrace in lovely St Mawes

We crossed from the north shore of Cornwall to the south, still in search of that picture-perfect seaside town, since Padstow hadn’t quite fit the bill. St Mawes got us quite a bit closer. Set on a beautiful sheltered harbor, it’s been called “Britain’s finest seaside village.”

That same writer compared it to St. Tropez in France or the Amalfi coast in Italy, which is going too far for two good reasons. First of all, you’re never going to see the kind of lemon-growing glorious sunshine that frequents those places. We actually got quite lucky and saw a partly sunny day with a high of 67°F (19°C). But that was in late August and everyone here was amazed! And we’re not complaining either; Jim finally managed to get in a nice brisk swim.

And second, it’s a pretty sedate place, truly little more than a village. The harbor is lined with the stately holiday homes of well-heeled Britons. The village includes a couple nice hotels and a handful of places to dine or grab a pastry or a beverage. And not much else of great interest. No charming shops to browse in. But also no swarming crowds in search of all that either.

My view from my reading spot on a park bench by the harbor. Turns out the painting students were all from coastal Massachusetts.

A view of our hotel, with blue umbrellas on the terrace and the multi-tiered “beach club” in the foreground

The road into town from the hotel

Old gas pumps in town

Pre-dinner libation on the beautiful terrace of Idle Rocks in town

The view from our dinner table

Early evening on the harbor

Town lights reflected on the water after dinner

A cemetery on a hike just out of town

Loads of blackberries along the hike

Our biggest adventure here was taking the ferry across the Fal Estuary to the much bigger town of Falmouth for lunch. The estuary, at the mouth of the Fal River, is also known as Carrick Roads, and it is one of the world’s largest natural harbors.

It was actually nice to walk along Falmouth’s busy high street with lots of shops, bars, and restaurants to peek into. After lunch at a fun, friendly tapas bar, we returned to our sedate, tasteful St Mawes for another lovely dinner on the terrace. Two nights here was just right to get a good taste of Cornwall before we turn back east and make one more stop in Devon.

Ferry trip to Falmouth

Leaving St Mawes by ferry, you sail past St Mawes castle…

…and then Pendennia Castle monitors the estuary from the other side above Falmouth

Our quirky but fun tapas restaurant on the edge of Falmouth

Wonderful tapas and a glass of rioja

Wildlife on a car in Falmouth

St. Anthony’s lighthouse welcomes you to the Fal Estuary, also known as Carrick Roads

Jim finally gets a chance to swim!

Hotel Endsleigh

For many years I’ve wanted to see Devon and Cornwall, the two counties that make up the southwestern tip of England. I picture elegant country estates and postcard-perfect seaside villages.

Our first stop checked off that elegant country estate box just perfectly. We spent two nights at Hotel Endsleigh on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in western Devon. The hotel is a destination unto itself, and I don’t think I ever left its expansive grounds. It sits on a hill that descends dramatically to the River Tamar, which forms much of the border between Devon and Cornwall.

Built between 1810 and 1816, Endsleigh Cottage was a favorite home to a famed aristocrat, arts patron, and socialite named Georgina Russell. Born to a noble family in Scotland, Georgina was originally supposed to marry Eugène de Beauharnais, a stepson of Napoleon. When that fell through she was intended to marry Francis Russell, the 5th Duke of Bedford. But he died before the wedding, so she instead married his younger brother, John, who became the 6th Duke of Bedford.

Giorgiana chose this spot for a summer home for her growing family, which included the Duke, three children from his previous wife Giorgiana, and 10 more children from the second Giorgiana. In 1823 artist Edwin Landseer was commissioned to paint a portrait of the duchess. He also gave her art lessons and had a very long affair with her. Landseer is best known as the sculptor of the lions at the base of Nelson’s Column in London’s Trafalgar Square.

We didn’t do much more here than enjoy Giorgiana’s beautiful home and spectacular gardens. All has been lavishly restored by Olga Polizzi, a famed English interior designer and hotelier. What a magical place she has created.

The reception hall

The flower gardens are spectacular

A pre-dinner cocktail in the library, anyone?

The public interior spaces are stunning

Lunch on the terrace

Lunch on the terrace

Walking paths along the Tamar River

The grounds include 1,000 acres of gardens, lawns, grottoes, and forest

Jim lost in a book

Did I mention the flower gardens?