Seadrift

The Retreat

Seadrift is a cool and comfortable high-end Falmouth holiday home created with a seaside lifestyle in mind. It’s ideally situated just moments from Falmouth’s beautiful beaches and a short stroll away from the shops, restaurants, galleries and museums of this historic maritime town. The property sleeps six in comfort and has private off-road parking with EV charging.

Short breaks are available on selected dates (Monday – Saturday arrivals only, 3 night minimum) If your desired dates are not bookable online please contact the team here.

If you love to wake up by the sea, meander to the beach for your morning coffee, and explore coves and creeks by foot, on a paddleboard or boat, then this Falmouth holiday home ‘Seadrift’ is for you. You’ll be staying in an attractive and quiet residential area with Falmouth’s seafront just 100m away.

Inside Seadrift

This Falmouth holiday home is on two floors and has a large open-plan living, dining and kitchen space, ideal for a coastal lifestyle. You have a super-comfortable corner sofa and large smart TV for streaming your favourites, a luxury kitchen complete with 90cm induction hob, two ovens, a Quooker boiling tap and a large dining table. This all opens out into the generously sized rear garden which catches sun from morning to evening. You also have an informal snug for those who want to escape the rest of the family.

Sleeping arrangements comprise two super king-sized bedrooms upstairs, each with its own en-suite (one has double shower and basins), and a nice twin room on the ground floor. Adjacent to this is the family bathroom, so all bedrooms have bathroom facilities on hand. Finally you have a useful utility room with washing machine and tumble drier, and a hot & cold outdoor shower for sandy people.

Outside and nearby

There is plenty of garden space around this detached house, and various places to chill out. You have a wildflower garden to the front and a conventional lawn behind as well as paved areas and a goldfish pond. Head out of the front door and in two minutes you are walking along the sea front. You can turn left to little Castle Beach, get a coffee or ice cream, or have a barbecue. This is a great place for wild swimming especially at high tide — and it’s so close you can have a dip before breakfast without being missed. Head right and you come to Gyllyngvase beach. This is one of only a few beaches in Cornwall to have Blue Flag status, recognising that the beach is clean, with the highest quality of water, well managed and safe. Here you’ll find the excellent Gyllyngvase Beach Café with great locally sourced bites and dishes and its own bakery right on the beach. There are lots of other beaches in the area including Swanpool and Maenporth and numerous other small ones. We highly recommend that you get a map or the OS app and enjoy exploring. Falmouth town is an easy walk away. There are countless places to eat and it’s a great place to just wander and soak up the atmosphere. Must-see attractions include King Henry the VIII’s Pendennis castle and the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Both these are a short walk from Seadrift.

Things we love…

Our perfect Seadrift day would have to start with a stroll to Gyllyngvase, one of Falmouth’s sandy beaches for a rejuvenating early swim – getting coffee from the great little pop-up van called Tidal (it parks behind the stunning Queen Mary Gardens), picking us a fresh sourdough from the bakery on the beach and back for breakfast. Then a car-free adventure to the Roseland Peninsula by taking the passenger foot ferry to St Mawes across the bay, and then the amazing little Place Creek ferry. Another world awaits, with quiet footpaths, pure sandy beaches and the famous St Anthony lighthouse. We’d return ‘home’, possibly stopping off at the Seafood Bar, to fire up the barbecue and talk the evening away with a favourite Cornish gin to sip — perhaps from our favourite local distillery. Letting the day drift away, at Seadrift.

Very well equipped

Seadrift is a perfect place to stay to visit Falmouth and the surrounding villages. Two mins from the sea. The house is very well equipped with everything you can think of to make a family stay perfect. Everything was easy to use. We all enjoyed relaxing in the living area with the huge sofa and log burner. Cooking and entertaining was made very simple with all the kitchen equipment in the state of the art kitchen. We all had our own beautiful bathroom, and spacious comfortable bedroom. Fabulous storage for our walking shoes, backpacks and holiday clothes. We loved the books in the study area and living room and there is plenty of info about local attractions. The hosts were very helpful and quick to respond. We will come again.

Jakki & family — October 2024

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Features

Retreat Features

Stones throw from beach
Close to town and attractions
High end facilities
En suite bathrooms
Private garden
Private off road parking

SLEEPING

Principle bedroom: super king bed with en suite on first floor
Bedroom two: super king bed with en suite on first floor
Bedroom three: twin beds on ground floor

All bed linen and bath towels provided

BATHROOM

Family bathroom downstairs with WC, basin, waterfall shower and bath
En suite bathroom with WC, double basins, and double large waterfall showers
En suite bathroom with WC, basin and waterfall shower

PETS

Sorry no pets

UTILITIES & HEATING

Washing machine
Tumble dryer
Outdoor air drying
Essential cleaning items
Underfloor heating
Air Source Heat Pump

ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES

Saturday changeover from 5th October 2024
Check in after 4pm
Check out before 10am

ACCESSIBILITY

Parking space is on a moderate slope
One step up to front decking, then level in to house
All living spaces, family bathroom and bedroom three are on level ground floor
Rear lawn access is via four steps
Not suitable for wheelchairs

BABIES & TODDLERS

Travel cot (no linen) and highchair on request

LIVING & RELAXING

Open plan lounge with L-shaped sofa
Smart TV with sound bar
Additional smaller lounge with TV
WiFi

COOKING & DINING

Two ovens
Induction hob
Microwave
Nespresso coffee machine
Dishwasher
Breakfast bar
American style fridge freezer
Dining seating for six

OUTDOORS

Front of property wild garden and decking
Rear of property large lawned garden, seating area, additional lawn chairs
Pond
Barbecue
Full sized bodyboards x 4
Composting
Hot and cold aprés beach shower

PARKING

Private parking for one car
7Kw electric car charging

Location

Falmouth

Falmouth is a beautiful, vibrant town just 10 miles from the city of Truro. It’s known for its deep natural harbour on the Fal Estuary, historic town, sandy beaches like Swanpool and Gyllyngvase as well its creative community.

More about this area

Travel times

Seadrift is a 5-minute walk from the main Falmouth Town train station; which is a branch line off the mainline to Penzance (change at Truro). Regular and convenient services run from all over the UK.
Falmouth is about 11 miles from the city of Truro. Driving time from London is around five hours in normal traffic, while Exeter is around two hours away.

Things we love

Moments to Falmouth's great beaches
Luxury kitchen and appliances
Private and secluded garden
Three bathrooms, two en-suite
Short walk to harbour and town
Lots of great cafés and restaurants

The falmouth guide

Beach near holiday cottages near Falmouth by Forever Cornwall

Sheltered beaches

Cornwall’s south coast is known for its calm waters and sheltered beaches, and Falmouth has some of our favourite coves in the area. Gyllyngvase Beach is a Blue Flag beach and lifeguarded in summer, whilst Castle Beach, slightly further along, is brilliant for snorkelling at high tide when the beach disappears completely. Swanpool and Maenporth, both an easy stroll from the centre, offer plenty of space. All beaches have their individual perks, from Gylly’s popular beach cafe with relaxed decking to Swanpool’s cracking lunchtime cafe with their indulgent ‘hedgehog’ ice creams.

For coastal adventures, take to the seas in a kayak or paddleboard to discover one of the many hidden coves in the area — some totally inaccessible by land so you are likely to find a beach to yourself. When staying in one of our Falmouth holiday cottages, if you’re up for exploring, head along the coastal footpath from Swanpool towards Maenporth and seek out Sunny Cove — a sheltered, sandy beach that often goes undiscovered by both visitors and residents.

A foodie hub

Falmouth is one of Cornwall’s top culinary hubs, its cobbled lanes, bustling high street and waterside terraces packed full of cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars. Not surprisingly for a town with a still-vibrant fishing industry, fish and seafood features heavily on local menus. Head to Harbour Lights in the heart of town for the tastiest fish and chips on the go, sample delicious small plates at the tiny Verdant Seafood Bar, run by a local microbrewery, or head to Indidog for seafood and cocktails on the balcony jutting out over the harbour.

A flurry of wine bars has opened in recent years, including The Orgia Bar & Kitchen, which specialises in natural wines and small plates, and sustainable wine shop and bar, Kernowine. If you’re travelling further afield, don’t miss the award-winning restaurant The Cove in Maenporth with its panoramic views across Falmouth Bay, fabulous seafood at Hooked on the Rocks in Swanpool, or the legendary Pandora Inn, a little gem of a place hidden up Restronguet Creek.

A maritime mecca

Falmouth is steeped in a rich seafaring history. It’s home to the world’s third largest natural harbour, and remains a significant player on the international maritime scene. You can delve into the area’s seafaring past at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, which hosts different exhibits along with permanent favourites — visitors can climb into lifeboats, marvel at the flotilla of boats suspended in the main hall, or head down below sea level to the Tidal Zone where can look out underwater in the harbour.

The town’s maritime past is celebrated with a number of festivals held throughout the year. During the summer, the International Sea Shanty Festival brings together almost 70 sea shanty groups from across the world, whilst the Falmouth Classics, also held in June, is a three-day regatta of racing, parades and events onshore. Falmouth Week plays host to numerous sailing events over a week in August, and, in October, the start of the oyster dredging season is heralded at the Falmouth Oyster Festival. Falmouth’s Tall Ships Race, in which magnificent Class A tall ships race from Falmouth to Spain, returned to Falmouth in the summer of 2023.

Beaches
Food & Drink
Things to do
Enhance your stay

Beaches

Gyllyngvase

Sheltered from most of the Atlantic swell, Gylly (or Gyllyngvase to give it its full name, meaning ‘shallow inlet’) is a perfect year-round swimming and paddleboard spot, and its rocky reefs on either side are great for snorkeling. Its waters are mostly flat year-round and is lifeguarded in the summer. In 2019 it was awarded Blue Flag status for its clean, safe waters and subsequently awarded a Seaside Award in 2023. This area is perfect for rock pooling; book your very own rock pool safari guide with The Rockpool Project. If you want to venture out on the water, you’ll find paddleboard and Kayak hire on the beach. The award-winning Gylly Beach Café is right on the sand, serving delicious food from its cool, contemporary glass-fronted building. You can pick up a loaf from its bakery next door.

Castle Beach

A slope leads down to a platform lined with colourful beach huts and the Castle Beach Cafe, which sells breakfast and small bites, as well as sourdough toasties, soup and ice cream. The clear waters are great for snorkelling at high tide, when the beach disappears completely; low tide reveals a narrow strip of shingle and sand, and rockpools where children can hunt for crabs. The Gylly Beach Cafe and Bakery is an easy 10-minute stroll away. If you want to try your hand at diving, Dive in Falmouth is a fantastic school and water sports centre based off this beach with a range of courses on offer.

Swanpool

To the west of Falmouth, but still only a 20-minute walk from the centre, Swanpool is a sand and shingle cove backed by a nature reserve, which is home to 100 different species of bird (pick up some bird seeds at the cafe to feed the swans and ducks). It’s not lifeguarded, but it’s a calm spot for a swim or paddle — there’s kayak and bodyboard hire at the watersports centre by the cafe. The wonderful Hooked on the Rocks seafood restaurant & bar overlooks the nature reserve and beach, whilst the beach cafe sells teas, snacks and ice cream, including the famous Hedgehog, a decadent cone of ice cream, hazelnuts and clotted cream.

Maenporth

An easy 30-minute walk along the coast path from Swanpool —and just a couple of miles out of Falmouth — Maenporth has glorious views across Falmouth Bay towards Pendennis Castle. Although it isn’t lifeguarded, this beach is a great choice for families with younger children, with its beachside cafe, soft sand, sheltered waters, and stream running down the beach for paddling and dam building. At low tide, the fascinating shipwreck of the trawler Ben Asdale can be seen. There are also caves further along the beach but check out the tide times before you head off to explore. There’s a fabulous seafood restaurant tucked behind the dunes, too.

Food & Drink

Harbour Lights, Falmouth, Forever Cornwall

Fish and seafood

For the best fish and chips in town, head to Harbour Lights, just off the quay. They only source sustainable, MSC fish, with plenty of Cornish options on the menu. In good weather, take your food down to the quay behind and grab a table outside at The Front, a bring-your-own-food pub. Award-winning Indidog is tucked off the main street, its full length balcony over the harbour has brilliant views of the Fal estuary. Expect delicious fish dishes, small seafood plates and wonderful cocktails and mocktails. This quirky Verdant Seafood Bar basement taproom and tapas bar combines delicious small sharing plates (juicy scallops, crispy monkfish scampi crispy and amazing crab fries) with locally brewed craft beer from Verdant’s own brewery just outside Falmouth. Be prepared to queue in peak season.

Cafes

Top on your list should be Stones Bakery, a bakery shop and cafe at the top of town which does amazing salads, pastries, and all manner of delicious baked goods — a perfect place for a laid-back lunch. Hiding amongst Falmouth’s terraces high above the harbour, deli-cum-cafe Provedere is a good bet for a tapas lunch — it also sells an amazing range of Cornish produce, from cheeses and meats to local wine and beer. If you want to warm up after a swim, the award-winning Gylly Beach Cafe with bakery next door is brilliant. Slightly further along, the Castle Beach Cafe is also popular for its homemade cakes and great coffee.

Places to drink

Housed in one of Falmouth’s oldest buildings, the Chain Locker offers stylish and contemporary dining overlooking the bay. Indulge in award-winning beers, Polgoon wines and expertly crafted cocktails. For something more quirkier, head to Beerwolf Books, a pub tucked away off the main drag that combines beer with, er, books! A flurry of wine bars has opened in recent years, including The Orgia Bar & Kitchen, which specialises in natural wines and small plates, and Kernowine, a sustainable wine shop and bar.

Out of town

There are a number of places to eat and drink a little further out that are worth a mention. Just outside Falmouth, the Verdant Brewing Taproom, located next to their brewery in Penryn, serves authentic wood-fired pizzas alongside their delicious Verdant beer. Watch out for their live music events. Don’t miss the award-winning restaurant The Cove in Maenporth, set behind the sandy beach about a 45-minute walk from Falmouth along the coastal path. With its panoramic views across Falmouth Bay and fabulous fish dishes, Hooked on the Rocks on Swanpool beach, just outside the town, is a wonderful spot for seafood and sundowners. No trip to this patch of Cornwall is complete without a trip to the legendary Pandora Inn, a little gem of a place hidden up Restronguet Creek. It’s got its own mooring if you’re arriving by boat.

Falmouth Local Good Guide

The vibrant university town of Falmouth has a plethora of speciality food outlets, delis, bottles shops and bakeries hidden amongst its winding lanes and pretty terraced streets. There are several out of town breweries and a number of farm shops and markets in the surrounding area, like the brilliant Food Barn at Tregew in nearby Flushing, held every Saturday morning.

Find out more about buying local in with our handy Local Food Guide to Falmouth

Things to do

National Maritime Museum

This multi award-winning visitor centre, housed in a spectacular building on Discovery Quay in the very heart of Falmouth, celebrates the town’s seafaring heritage and is a must for visitors to the area. It’s full of fascinating, interactive displays, from the lofty main hall where a flotilla of full-size boats hang from the ceiling, to the underwater viewing window that looks right into Falmouth’s harbour. Children can sail electric boats in the sail pool, romp around in the soft play, get crafty in the arts area and play with real RNLI equipment. If you buy one ticket, it will be valid for a year, so you can come back again and again!

Pendennis Castle

This impressive Tudor fortress defended Falmouth against invasion for 400 years. It’s a spectacular spot, on a headland at the mouth of the Carrick Roads with stunning views out to sea. Now under the care of English Heritage, visitors can explore the winding stone staircases and gun rooms, and scramble up to the top for panoramic views. Discover underground tunnels where ammunition was stored and experience the castle under attack with an exciting new immersive experience.

Galleries and arts venues

The award-winning Falmouth Art Gallery is free to enter and has wonderful collections of over 2,000 artworks, from Pre-Raphaelite paintings to local Cornish artists. They have an impressive schedule of exhibitions throughout the year, too. The live arts venue The Poly in the heart of the town has an arts cinema, workshops, exhibitions, talks, music, theatre and a makers guild, and there are also numerous galleries, pottery studios and art shops dotted around the town — we love Inspire Makers, which showcases the work of over 50 local artisans and craftspeople.

Boat trips

Without doubt, the best way to explore the Carrick Roads is by water. Water ferries criss cross the river between Falmouth and a host of places including, St Mawes, Flushing, the National Trust’s Trelissick and Truro, so you can hop on and off whenever you want and explore the area in your own time. It’s a great way to get to know the Roseland Peninsula, with its pretty villages, secluded beaches and amazing flora and fauna. The Fal Mussel Visitor Card gives visitors unlimited travel by ferry, bus and boat, including the crossing on the King Harry Ferry.

Independent shops and boutiques

If shopping’s on the agenda then Falmouth is definitely the place to go. From clothing boutiques to antiques shops stuffed with intriguing collectables, having a browse in Falmouth’s independent shops will easily absorb an entire day if you let it. Some favourites include: Willow & Stone, which sells beautiful things for the home as well as gifts, stationery, prints and cards; Ludgate Antiques, hidden down a cobbled backstreet; the clothing store Parade selling beautiful clothes; and the Falmouth Bookseller.

Enhance your stay

Imagine a private chef in your holiday home!

Your own personal chef is far more affordable than you think, and can cost little more than eating out. So we’ve teamed up with yhangry — a clever platform that connects you with amazing local private chefs, who offer personalised dining experiences in the comfort of your holiday home. It’s the perfect way to turn your next holiday into an unforgettable memory.

Follow this link and submit a quote request on the yhangry website and find a private chef for your holiday home!

Guests Say

Very well equipped

Seadrift is a perfect place to stay to visit Falmouth and the surrounding villages. Two mins from the sea. The house is very well equipped with everything you can think of to make a family stay perfect. Everything was easy to use. We all enjoyed relaxing in the living area with the huge sofa and log burner. Cooking and entertaining was made very simple with all the kitchen equipment in the state of the art kitchen. We all had our own beautiful bathroom, and spacious comfortable bedroom. Fabulous storage for our walking shoes, backpacks and holiday clothes. We loved the books in the study area and living room and there is plenty of info about local attractions. The hosts were very helpful and quick to respond. We will come again.

Jakki & family — October 2024
Absolutely beautiful house

Thank you for a wonderful week at Seadrift — the house is absolutely beautiful, with everything you could need for a relaxing holiday. We loved the books, games and jigsaws, and we all slept so well in the comfy beds. Wonderful location for everything you need in Falmouth and great trips out to beautiful beaches on the Roseland and Helford. We definitely hope to be back!

The Cannings family – August 2024
We highly recommend it!

The house is exactly as you expect it...maybe more! Spacious living area with super equipped kitchen, bedrooms with spacious and clean en-suite bathrooms, laundry area…garden…very well cared for! Two steps from the central area/port of Falmouth and still in a quiet and residential area. We highly recommend it!

Paola, Leonardo, Vttora, Byron & Renèe — August 2023
Amazing accommodation

Amazing accommodation, booked on behalf of colleagues working in the area. Would book again and recommend to anyone.

Nikita — July 2023
What a fantastic place!

Wow! What a fantastic place! We have loved staying in your beautiful home and exploring Falmouth. It has been lovely seeing all of the wildlife in the garden such as squirrels, jays, wrens, robins, 'scruffy blackbird' and not to forget the tiny newts and frogs! We have been very lucky with the weather and hope to be back in the future! Thank you so much.

Bethany, Julie, Andy & Dan — July 2023
Wonderful house

Thank you for the opportunity to share your wonderful house. A fantastic house in a fantastic location, looking forward to returning some day.

Dave & Helen – July 2023
Fantastic

Fantastic property in the best location. Loved living in this space with the design, details and layout. Proximity to Gylly beach and town has been wonderful. We have had a lovely relaxing holiday and would love to return.

Richard, Chloe & Arlo — July 2022
So close to Gylly beach

We had a wonderful stay in this lovely and homely house, and being so close to Gylly beach was amazing! The house is really well appointed with everything you'd need for your stay and well located a short walk from some of Falmouth's best shops and bars. Our favourite was Chintz - well worth discovering! Thanks for housing us and would definitely recommend!

The Pettits — July 2022
Wow, what a find!

Wow, what a find! This superb house is tucked away in a quiet residential road just one street back from the sea front (we took a gentle short walk along the front to the sandy Gyllyngvase beach for a quick dip). The house interior is hugely impressive, stylish and bang up to date with all the facilities you could want (check out the twin showers in the walk-in wet room!). The ground floor has beautiful herringbone oak flooring throughout and we slept soundly upstairs thanks to the remote controlled blackout blinds and a super-comfy bed. Thoroughly recommended.

Geoff & Frankie — June 2022