Beach Time
Gillan Beach is the closest beach to the property, just a 400m stroll down the shady private lane, which in parts is dense and lush Atlantic rain forest. Gillan is a very private, sheltered beach and even in the height of summer never gets terribly busy as there is no public parking. A mix of sand and shale, it is a lovely spot for swimming, beachcombing, stone-skimming and exploring. There is a brilliant grassy headland (The Herra) that catches the sun perfectly, and beyond that a little pebble beach with its own cave! Worth noting the tide times as there is not much beach at high tide.
Walking
The South West Coast Path runs right through Gillan Beach, so you can head in either direction. If you’d like just a short circular route, from Tregasso Barn head back up the private road to the tar road; take a right and follow the road down towards Flushing Beach. You can continue to the beach there, or look for the coast path to the right, which will take you to Gillan Beach and then follow the track back uphill to the house.
St Anthony
A charming hamlet just across the water from Gillan, guests can drive or walk there. Enjoy the beautiful church, pick up a few things at the shop, rent a boat or just enjoy a different perspective on the creek! Contact SailAway for boat hire – and moorings if you are planning on bringing your own boat when you stay at Tregasso Barn.
Helford River Sailing Club
Have a drink or a meal, or indeed go for a sail, at the Helford River Sailing Club. The clubhouse has the perfect view over the Helford River and super friendly staff! If you have a boat moored at Gillan Creek while you stay at Tregasso Barn, it is wonderful to potter over to the club and back! Or admire the scenery for a bit longer by heading up the Helford River to Frenchman’s Creek and beyond. Do note the tide times as boats/tenders can’t access the club’s pontoon at very low tides. The club is members only, but holiday memberships are available.
Seal Sanctuary
Visit the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek, which does amazing work rehabilitating injured seals. As well as seals, there are puffins, beavers, goats and more – and a nature walk with spectacular views of the creek and surrounding countryside.
Roskorwell Lavender
Visit Roskorwell Farm in summer (6 minutes’ drive away) and you can take a stroll through their wonderful lavender fields. They have an excellent craft shop and a café serving fresh homemade cakes.
Restaurants & Pubs
Two wonderful restaurants nearby that focus on local produce. Do book in advance!
Flora, a cafe, bakery and restaurant on Trelowarren Estate
The Greenhouse, St Keverne
There are many lovely pubs to choose from. We particularly like:
The Shipwright’s Arms in Helford Village (note the public parking is a 10 min walk away from the pub, but it’s a beautiful walk)
The Three Tuns in St Keverne
The Prince of Wales in Newtown-In-St-Martin
Cornish Pasties
You’ll find super pasties at Gear Farm (do call ahead as they are deservedly popular: 01326 221150). They do drinks and very good sweet things too. They also have a brilliant seasonal vegetable stall – all grown on the farm. Top tip: get a bag of frozen pasties to cook back at Tregasso Barn!
Local Ice Cream
Eat (extremely) local ice cream. Both Gwella Dairy and Roskilly’s make ice cream from their own cows less than 5 miles from Tregasso Barn, and we love both.
Choose between Gwella and Roskilly’s →
Cornish Wine
Cornwall has a plethora of wineries (our favourite is Knightor), and we love trying new ones. Kernowine in Falmouth is a fun place to try wines from Cornwall and further afield. We enjoy whiling away an hour or two there when we’re in town (particularly if we are dining at the brilliant Restaurant Mine afterwards). Groups staying at Tregasso Barn have the perfect opportunity to set up a wine tasting at the house – check out halfwine.com‘s brilliant ideas for tasting packs. They sell wine in 375ml half-bottles, which are perfect for tasting and comparing several wines at a time (they can even set you up with a virtual host via Zoom to introduce the wines, answer questions, etc.).
Create your own precious Cornish moments
Feel the sea breeze ruffle your hair as you devour the perfect Cornish pasty on the beach. Or hire a boat and potter up the Helford River to Frenchman’s Creek. Eat amazingly fresh seafood (you can even forage for yourself). There is no shortage of fantastic things to do when staying at Tregasso Barn. Make the most of our spectacular location!
Tregasso Barn 