Attracted by the stunning scenery of north Cornwall, Catherine Smith stays in a traditional farm house with views along the coast.
Bedroom at West Wing
We arrive at West Wing on a misty Saturday afternoon to a welcoming cream tea of freshly baked scones, strawberry jam and Cornish clotted cream. Our accommodation is part of a traditional farmhouse with walls half a metre thick and a stable door that opens out onto an enclosed garden. For a one- bedroom property the rooms are surprisingly spacious. The downstairs bathroom features a large bath with overhead shower and the upstairs bedroom has a sloping floor and is flanked by a traditional stone fireplace. Set on an organic working farm in the village of Morwenstow, the West Wing’s location makes it the ideal base from which to explore both Cornwall and Devon, but there is also plenty to explore within walking distance and we spend our first evening doing just that. We are just a stone’s throw from Morwenstow Church, parts of which date back to Norman times. Within the churchyard standsa replica figurehead of the Caledonia of Arbroath, which was shipwrecked here in September 1842 (the original now resides inside the church). This figurehead marks the burial site of numerous shipwreck victims, a stark reminder of how treacherous this stretch of coast can be. The church has a rich history and is associated with the somewhat eccentric Reverand Hawker and a short cliff top walk will take you to Hawker’s Hut (the smallest building cared for by the National Trust). Constructed in 1843 from driftwood retrieved from shipwrecks, the reverend apparently spent many happy hours here writing poetry and smoking opium. The walk takes you alongside cliff edges and through livestock so dogs should be kept on leads.
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