Wet and wild: the magic of Cornwall in winter
Surfers are bobbing in the whitewater shallows off Newquay’s Fistral Beach, poised for that ecstatic moment when a barrelling Atlantic roller will propel them to their feet. Then it arrives – the Big One. Despite the biting cold the surfers rise in unison, carving into the wave’s lip with effortless balletic grace.
There’s something quite magical about Cornwall off-season. Gone are the crowds; this is the time when the elements reign supreme. Storm Éowyn recently made that very clear, hammering the coast with brutal winds and booming surf. But even in calmer periods, the landscape feels untamed, an unpredictable theatre of darkened skies, crashing waves and howling gusts.
I’ve just walked a short stretch of the South West Coast Path from Newquay, yet it’s the elements, not the miles, that have left me breathless. Those who do take on this 630-mile challenge – from Minehead in Somerset, along North Devon and Cornwall, then looping back to Poole – know better than to brave it in winter.
In fact, whatever the season, the weather can strike without warning, testing the resolve of the hardiest of hikers. Raynor Winn vividly captured this challenging odyssey in The Salt Path, her moving memoir of resilience and survival, walking the trail with her partner when they had no place to live.
The film adaptation due out this spring, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, is a hot topic in these parts, especially at the Headland Hotel where I’m staying and where Anderson also stayed between takes.
This vast red brick Edwardian landmark stands defiantly on its windswept peninsula, keeping watch over Fistral beach’s restless surf.
In winter, the hotel’s storm-watching breaks have become a draw, inviting guests to hunker down in the warmth as the ocean turns feral. The spectacle is, as one regular guest put it, fabulously dramatic: “One night, the wind was so fierce that a gargoyle broke loose from the roof, and the sea – I’ve never seen it so wild,” the guest tells me. “The roar was deafening. You can’t even stand upright; the wind just takes you.”
Even though my visit is relatively calm (if bitingly cold), I fall asleep to the mesmerising howl of the wind and the ceaseless sigh of waves striking basalt just yards from my window.
In daylight, the hotel reveals its time-warp charm – sagging sofas, swirly carpets, grand staircases – though modern comforts now soften the edges: an excellent spa, and delicious food at ocean-facing RenMor.
There we feast on roast Cornish chicken with woodland mushrooms and tarragon, then wake to belt-busting Full Cornish breakfasts, featuring the dense white-pudding sausage known as Cornish hog.
Not that anyone’s paying much attention to the delights on their plates – the real spectacle is just outside the window, where the sea glitters like scuffed metal and seagulls wheel against an ice-blue sky. Summer visitors are missing a treat.
An off-season stay at the Headland Hotel costs from £180 a night, room only; headlandhotel.co.uk. A return journey from London Paddington to Newquay on Great Western Railway costs from £90; gwr.com
Storm watching from the comfort of a clifftop hotel
Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel, Stranraer, Scotland
This working 19th-century beacon, operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board, makes for a dramatic stay during off-season months. Perched on the remote rocks of Corsewall Point, you’ll get unforgettable views of the coastline, and the chance to spot wildlife such as deer, porpoises, otters and rare seabirds. The best rooms are within the original lighthouse keeper’s accommodation block, where you can witness the North Channel’s relentless waves crashing against the cliffs below, while the wind howls around the exposed headland. The hotel’s restaurant serves up excellent five-course fine dining menus – including local seafood – as well as traditional Scottish breakfasts.
From £175 B&B, lighthousehotel.co.uk
Le Semaphore de Lervily, Brittany, France
Set on a windswept promontory at the very tip of Brittany in Audierne, this exquisitely restored naval semaphore station faces straight into the fury of the Atlantic. The pounding waves and strong westerly winds make a stay here very special, especially in storm season. Expect upmarket minimalist modern interiors: pine wood flooring, velvet sofas, claw-footed baths, alongside ocean views and outdoor firepits. You can stroll into nearby Esquibien for croissants and crepes, or enjoy family-friendly beaches such as Plage de Tescadec, just five minutes away.
Sleeps 4, from £343 a night, sawdays.co.uk
Akelarre Hotel, San Sebastian, Spain
Perfect for a celebratory treat, Akelarre Hotel is set high above the dramatic Basque coastline, just ten minutes from San Sebastian. A luxury retreat, it offers mesmerising panoramic views of the Bay of Biscay. During storm season, the ocean churns and crashes against the cliffs, but inside, all is comfort and pampering, comprising a heated indoor pool, chic, pastel-toned bedrooms with enormous sea view windows, alongside an excellent wellness centre. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant is a treat not to be missed.
From £365 per night, akelarre.net
