The steep lanes of Boscastle, clustered around a narrow cove, offer a perfectly charming introduction to Cornwall’s quaint fishing villages • Our first coastal hike winds by watchtowers and tidal blowholes, with a chance for birdwatchers to spot razorbills, guillemots and puffins • Gaze across the water at Tintagel Island, where the wizard Merlin is rumored to haunt the sea caves to this day • The site of a former medieval drawbridge is still our only access point to the ruins of Tintagel Castle, legendary birthplace of King Arthur.

A rugged coastal walk takes you from World War II forts to defenses as old as the Spanish Armada • Check out a still-active lifeboat station, poised to aid in the case of all-too-common shipwrecks • Redefine what you thought you knew about English cuisine • Take in commanding views of shimmering coves as you hike through the South Coast Central Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty • Pop down to the gorgeous beaches of Porthcurnick or Porthbean, or shift gears sunning in the subtropical gardens of our chic hotel.

Hike to a fish-and-chips lunch at Gorran Haven, where a cluster of fishermen’s cottages remains the same as in years gone by • Climb rocky points and trek along windswept headlands as you continue to trace the South West Coastal Path • Our route along the tranquil Fowey and Boddinick estuaries alternates from waterside to woodland paths • Traverse a rugged coastline with sweeping views to the brilliant white sands of Lantic Bay and the quaint village of Lansallos • Your week in Cornwall wouldn’t be complete without a boat ride and a last walk to a castle ruin and a shimmering beach.