Last year my family and I decided to escape the rat run and head down to the south coast of Cornwall to the small fishing town of Fowey, home of the celebrated author Daphne Du Maurier and the setting of her most famous work ‘Rebecca’. And what a setting it is! Beautifully romantic and utterly charming, the town sits on a steep hill overlooking the River Fowey with a pretty warren of streets meandering down to the water’s edge. We were amazed by just how many little gems we stumbled across as we explored the thriving little town and its surroundings!

For starters, it’s a lovely place to shop and is packed with a fantastic range of interesting little independents and galleries which cater for all sorts of tastes and ages. A few of my favourites were The Romantic Englishwoman, Emma’s Home and Brocante, all selling wonderful English and French inspired furniture and gifts. You’re also spoilt for choice with plenty of fantastic places to eat ranging from cafes and ice cream parlours to smart restaurants, many of which serve up delicious homemade and locally sourced produce. We also discovered a couple of great pubs, including the wonderful family-run Ship Inn in the heart of the town. Dating back to 1570 it has a lovely olde world feel with its wooden walls and pew style seating. The fish pie they serve is absolutely delicious!

It’s easy to escape the hustle and bustle of the town centre and one of our favourite walks took us along the cliff and down to Ready Money cove which is a beautifully secluded sandy bay, perfect for running about, building sandcastles and collecting Cornish sea glass. My family and I loved it so much we are currently planning our next visit to Fowey.

Photo courtesy of R~P~M on Flickr