2 The Sands

Four-bedroom cottage in Polzeath village (king + double + 2 twins). Sleeps eight. Three bathrooms. Hot tub, wood burner, separate TV snug. Two outdoor spaces with BBQ. One dog welcome. Off-road parking.

Polzeath Beach is 800m down the hill - a wide, sandy north-coast beach that defines Cornwall's surf scene. Lifeguarded in summer, with several surf schools running from the beach including Surfs Up. Greenaway (also 800m, walkable along the coast path at low tide) is rockier and quieter. Daymer Bay (1.1km) is the sheltered family alternative when Polzeath is heaving.

The St Enodoc Church sits in the dunes between Polzeath and Daymer - John Betjeman is buried there. St Enodoc Golf Course wraps around it. Tubestation, the converted Methodist church on Polzeath's main street, is the local cafe/community space.

Across the Camel Estuary, Padstow is a 10-minute drive via Wadebridge, or take the Padstow-Rock passenger ferry from Rock (a mile south) for the harbour, Stein restaurants, and the Camel Trail cycle path. The trail runs 18 miles inland to Bodmin on the old railway line.

Best for: families and friend groups wanting beach + surf + hot tub on the north coast. Two families sharing (the bedroom mix works for kids + adults). Less good for: anyone wanting solitude in summer (Polzeath fills with surfers from May through September), or guests with mobility issues (it's a steep walk back up from the beach).