Review of Sea Haze Cottage, Charlestown, Cornwall

Hello Everyone

I'm thrilled to share with you my personal review of Sea Haze Cottage and the pretty 18th Century Harbour Town of Charlestown, Cornwall.  Here's a little intro video from me, I apologise in advance as it sort of went on and on and on, but please scroll on if you are in danger of dropping off!!

Look out Charlestown here we come!

I booked to have a few days away in the wonderful little town of Charlestown with my husband and  our Granddog!, my daughter's 8 month old Border Terrier, Finn!  We booked last minute with Airbnb and were thrilled with the lovely 2 bedroom cottage we chose and we even had a beautiful sunny week which was very lucky for November.  

You can see all the places we visited further down.

Granddog Finn - all packed and ready to go!

Sea Haze Cottage, Charlestown, Cornwall

Sea Haze Cottage

As you enter the cottage, there is a bespoke country kitchen to the right which is fully equipped with literally everything you could possibly need to prepare a full banquet!  There are also many other thoughtful accessories, clingfilm, foil, kitchen roll, a small selection of herbs and spices.  An abundance of pots and pans and a great selection of china, cutlery and cooking utensils.  It was great to have a dishwasher and washing machine and plenty of cleaning products supplied.  Although there was a regular sized fridge there was not a freezer.  

Leaving the kitchen through the little hallway, there is a very sweet utility/cloakroom. I loved the vintage double sink in here and would love to have one of these in my own home. This little room was well stocked with an ironing board and iron, extra toilet rolls and cleaning products, dustpan and brush. Thoughtfully, there were also dog dishes and towels, I shall remember not to worry next time as on this occasion I had taken my own.  As regard to the stairs, the owners have provided bespoke, removable stair gates for both the top and the bottom, but it might also be noted that these are very steep stairs and extreme care should be taken when going up and especially coming down.

Upstairs there are two bedrooms and a family bathroom.  The main room has a double bed made up with crisp white linen and an amazingly comfortable mattress guaranteed to give you a wonderful nights sleep. A built in wardrobe with shelving, bedside tables and lamps and a wall mounted television.  I can personally recommend this lovely bed! 💤

The second bedroom is a twin, although this is a snug room the owners have not compromised the size and comfort of the beds, which in my opinion is the most important factor, so although I cannot personally say that these were fantastically comfortable to sleep on, I can say they certainly looked to be the same quality as the double next door.  It's also true to say that looking at comments from the guest book, people were extremely complimentary about the comfort of these beds, so I think it's 10/10 for this little room also.

Finally, you could say a bathroom is a bathroom and yes you would be right, however, a shower is definitely not a shower necessarily!!  This is a wonderful shower and it was hard to drag yourself out of it - I wasn't the only one to say so either, the guest book is full of shower comments!!

In the cottage guest book, I didn't find a single negative comment and I couldn't agree more, I was really impressed with how well presented Sea Haze Cottage was: 

Louise, November 2018

"We've stayed several times here now and just love it. Excellent location, charming bolthole and everything has been thought about to make your stay a great one. We will be back!"

 Jane, October 2018 

"Beautifully presented cottage in an almost near perfect village location. Lovely and clean, with some really quirky design features. Very helpful owners who communicate quickly and effectively. Would recommend to couples or a small family (2 children)."

 Katie, September 2018

"We loved our stay at Sea Gaze. It was the perfect cosy base for us to explore Cornwall. Location is spot on - really close to some lovely nearby coffee shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs and of course right on the harbour. We were lucky enough to catch Poldark being filmed whilst we were there! I’d 100% recommend this lovely cottage. Thank you Sarita! We’re now planning our next visit!"

What does Charlestown have to offer?

Poldark.  You'll all remember the iconic opening scenes of the Poldark series:

Charlestown is notably famed for its collection of Tall Ships and relatively unchanged, traditional appearance and has been a popular choice for many location managers.  During the filming of Poldark, Charlestown stood in for Cornwall’s city of Truro.  This original Grade II Listed harbour was the perfect backdrop for Winston Graham's (Poldark's Author) 18th Century setting.

Filming Poldark

The Shipwreck and Heritage Centre sits at the side of the harbour and commemorates all the achievements and heartaches of this unique 18th Century town.

"The historical artefacts in the Shipwreck Centre are the largest private collection of this type on public display in Europe.
​
Brought together over the last 45 to 50 years, it forms the basis of one of the most unusual and interesting collections open to the public.​

There are nearly 8,000 artefacts from over 150 shipwrecks.  These rare artefacts bring stories of the sea to life with rich tales of triumph, treasure and tragedy.

The exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the whole story of shipwrecks. There are an estimated one quarter of a million wrecks around the coast of Britain alone.
​

The displays are enormously varied, ranging from World War II exhibits, 400 year old cannon, coins, Nanking porcelain to items from the Medina, Invincible and the entire collection of recovered artefacts from the tragic warship Ramillies sunk in 1763.  There is also an extensive RMS Titanic display - CTP Richard Hook BEM of Titanic Research, Portsmouth, has said that "this is an excellent display and well worth visiting"."

Charlestown Harbour

Looking through the Harbour Wall to the Beach

Eating Out:

You are certainly spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out in Charlestown, here are a few choices I am happy to recommend but would love to hear of others that you may have experienced.

The Pier House Hotel - Click to view the menu here.

In their own words:

"Renowned for its high-quality menu and with stunning views of Charlestown’s harbour, The Pier House serves fresh, locally sourced produce and award winning ales within a relaxed dining environment. The traditional decor is warmly elegant with quirky maritime touches and there are lovely harbour and coastal views. The dining area opens out to the sea facing terrace which offers the perfect spot for drinking and dining alfresco. With two real log fires and cosy nooks you can sit back, relax and enjoy delicious food, local ales, fine wines and endless sea views." (The Pier House Hotel Website)

 The Long Store - Click to view the menu here.

In their own words:

Wreckers - Click to view menu here.

In their own words:

"Wreckers is all about the freshest Seafood and local Foods set in a quirky old Boat House with a crooked roof overlooking Charlestown Harbour Tall Ships where they film Poldark and with a stunning Terrace with unrivalled sea views. Just five minutes from St Austell centre you can enjoy a waterside lunch including fresh baked Pasties, our famous Fish and Chips, Dirty Burgers, Moules Frites, Fresh Crab and Cornish Cheeses.

Alternatively, choose from a selection of sumptuous sandwiches ideal for a quick lunch or a lazy afternoon enjoying the Tall Ships while sipping a glass of Chilled wine on the Terrace. We serve Breakfast, Lunch, Cream Teas with our legendary Scones, Cornish Coffee and Cakes all day until 5pm. Or, later on, enjoy a wonderful fresh Fish supper under the heated and lit canopy on the terrace or in the warm ambience of the old boat shed.

From 5 pm we offer our evening specials from the Catch of the Day, Oysters and Mussels from the beds you can see from the Terrace are always on the menu and Crab and Lobster when in Season. We use Kittows Butchers for our meat and Burgers and our Fish is landed often just a few yards away. We are open daily from 10 am, we are fully accessible and we love parties and weddings." (Wreckers)

Charlie's Boathouse - Click to view menu here:

In their own words:

"Relax and enjoy the picturesque views of Charlestown from our comfy sofas or hang out at the bar, we have something for everyone, day or night..

Charlie's Boathouse is an intimate and bustling family-run restaurant situated in the heart of Charlestown; a charming fishing village tucked away between Carlyon Bay and Porthpean.

We are open all day for breakfast and dinner. You can come for coffee and cake any time of day, or maybe a glass of Prosecco with your eggs Benedict!

Our Decking and garden is beautiful in the summer with views that look out to sea.

Sean Hewitt is our residant Artist. His paintings bring life and colour to our walls. You can buy them from us or find him on his website."  (Boathouse Website)

Rashleigh Arms - Click to view menu here.

In their own words:

"Our comfortable coastal inn in Charlestown was recently voted best managed pub in the UK. Offering fresh, wholesome pub food that is locally sourced and seasonal, we have a children’s menu and we’re dog friendly too, making us ideal for all the family!

Our modern and open plan restaurant has a patio and garden area for finer weather. Whether a light bite, signature dish or one of our daily changing specials, our homemade pub food is sure to hit the spot!

Voted Best Managed Pub in the UK, The Rashleigh is our award winning bed and breakfast situated in the famous fishing village of Charlestown, the set of many famous films and television appearances including Cornish favourite, Poldark.

Our 18 room accommodation offers stylish yet characterful bedrooms and fresh, locally sourced cuisine for the perfect place to eat in historic Charlestown overlooking the harbour. Fresh food, fine ales and a warm welcome await at The Rashleigh Arms, Charlestown!" (Rashleigh Arms Website)

There are so many places to visit and walk in Cornwall, Charlestown certainly makes a brilliant base in which to explore and enjoy this amazing part of the the British Isles, here's just a couple of the places we were able to fit in to our short visit:

Coastal Walk from Charlestown to Mevagissey

If you start from the Pier House Hotel and take the coastal path you can walk all the way to Mevagissey travelling through Porthpean Beach, Trenarren and Pentewan.  It is a really fantastic walk with stunning views and as long as you take plenty of supplies and good walking boots, it's definitely worth while.  Here's a few snaps of our walk:

Botallack and Levant Mines, St Just
A trip to the mines at Botallack and Levant is a must, you will enjoy the rugged, breathtaking views while walking from one mine to the other along the coastline.  I have done this a number of times and never get bored of re-visiting.  The mines are part of the National Trust and there is an on-going programme of safety, access and conservation works.  Refreshments and facilities are available.  There is a vast amount of history to take in and it is very well done providing an informative and incredibly moving visit.  The link to the Botallack Trail is here:

I hope you have enjoyed the blog and have found it useful.  I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Sea Haze Cottage, Charlestown so would definitely recommend it.  I will definitely be returning again soon.

Take care.
Nicky :)

Supporting Professionals Working with Dyslexia

Hi Everyone

Today, I wanted to tell you about the new "Virtual Package" I am offering which is designed to support professionals coping with Dyslexia in the workplace.

There has been much reported lately about Dyslexia. Well known professionals, entrepreneurs and celebrities all coming forward to help alleviate the stigma attached with being dyslexic. The sad fact, is that many highly intelligent and successful people in today’s world quietly go about their day coping with dyslexia, unbeknown to those colleagues around them.

Here's a great video put together for the charity Made By Dyslexia:

Interestingly, witnessing members of my own family, from different generations, there appears to have been only modest improvement in the support and attitude in the work place, towards those who are dyslexic. In fact, most cases in my own generation were never diagnosed during school years and therefore were often thought of as dumb, lazy and under-performing. 

Even now, when a child is diagnosed and receives the support to take them through their educational years, they then find themselves catapulted into an adult working world that sadly is still lacking in knowledge and appropriate support.

In fairness, however, it must also be noted that there are a growing number of industries, that do offer support to their employees in providing templates and equipment to assist in form filling, report writing and general documentation. 

I recently read the article “This man has dyslexia and has actually written a book!” by Richard Branson in which he says:

"I was also rubbish at spelling (still am!) but I learned early on there are other things I am good at and this is what I should be focusing on. I became an excellent delegator and learned to find people better than me to work with, whether on writing or accounting." (Sir Richard Branson)

It was with this article in my mind, whilst reviewing my business, I decided that for 2018 it would be great to help professionals with dyslexia by offering a NEW bespoke service.

“The Supporter" is an On-Call Virtual Package, set within agreed hours on an ad hoc basis, providing confidential services such as; Telephone Dictation, Proof Reading, Email and Document Reading, Manual Spell Checking (without unreliable predictive text!) with the option to add any other business support service required.  Every package is adapted to meet the individual requirements of each client.

This bespoke service is available to individual professionals or employers wishing to offer it as support to their team.

• Are you a professional who would benefit from being able to pick up the Telephone, Text or WhatsApp any time you need assistance? 

• Would you like to have your own personal 'go to' assistant available to deal with any queries or assignments immediately? 

• Are you a business owner who has talented people in your team who would benefit from having a personal 'On-Call' Assistant - "The Supporter"?

Check out the new virtual package here: "The Supporter"

I personally have worked with some dynamic dyslexic professionals, at various levels, in a variety of industries. It is totally admirable seeing the extra time and effort involved in reading, re-reading and spell-checking reports and documentation daily that these professionals undertake.

During my time working on this new package I have had the extreme pleasure of collaborating with a remarkable lady, herself a professional coping with Dyslexia, Janette Beetham MIC FRSA.  

Janette Beetham

Janette is the Founding Director of Right Resources Limited and also the founder of Dyslexia Champions™ Training & Accreditation Programme.  

Janette discovered her own Dyslexia during her late 30’s ("having struggled quite considerably - without knowing why") and she started up the company in order to have a platform for the specialist work she was doing in relation to Dyslexia and Associated Neuro-Divergent 'conditions' in the workplace. She is driven with a passion to ‘make a positive difference’.

Support and guidance in relation to Dyslexia & Co-occurring 'processing differences'; Dyspraxia/Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), Attention Deficit Disorder, Dyscalculia and Autistic Spectrum Disorder/Autistic Spectrum Condition).

I think you will all agree, this is a subject of enormous value to many people.  I for one am thrilled that people are becoming more confident in talking about Dyslexia in their workplaces.  If you would like to comment and give your thoughts, as always I would be thrilled to hear from you.

Take care.

Nicky :)