Virginia Cottage

Two-bedroom former fisherman's cottage in Portwrinkle on the Rame peninsula, sleeping four with sea views west across Whitsand Bay's 3-mile sandy beach. The South West Coast Path runs past the village, with the bay's beach access 3.3km along the cliff.

Two bathrooms in the cottage, including a ground-floor wet room - useful if anyone in the party prefers to skip stairs to wash. A wood burner and open fire heat the sitting room for off-season stays, the kitchen has a dishwasher and washing machine, and an enclosed garden at the back has a BBQ. Wifi is in, parking is roadside rather than off-street. Not dog-friendly.

Portwrinkle itself is a small clifftop village with a 9-hole golf course, a clifftop bar open to non-members, and the Whitsand Bay Hotel for evenings out. Crafthole is three-quarters of a mile inland with the Finnygook Inn and Aspects restaurant. Whitsand Bay beach access is via steep cliff steps from car parks at Tregantle and Sharrow - lifeguarded zones operate in summer, rip tides are strong, swim only in the patrolled sections. Mount Edgcumbe Country Park sits 8 miles east, and Looe is 10 miles west along the coast.

Best for couples or two pairs wanting sea views, wood-burner evenings, and accessible bathing in a quiet south-coast village. Less good for dog owners or guests needing off-street parking.