Speke’s Mill Mouth – Devon's Hartland Peninsula A True Secret Seaside in North Devon Speke’s Mill Mouth has the complete kit of parts necessary to be named as one of the region’s great secret seasides. You can only access it by descending a wobbly looking staircase that looms next door to a giant waterfall – and the area boasts rare butterflies, a long lost Swannery which went the same way as a saint’s chapel and a herd of wild horses. That list alone puts it firmly into our

Just minutes from Plymouth lies a stretch of coast so secluded it is often called Cornwall’s "forgotten peninsula." From the iconic cliffside chalets of Treninnow to the lonely sheep-grazed slopes of Eglarooze, Whitsand Bay offers a wild maritime escape that feels worlds away from the city.

Discovering the Best Sand in Britain: St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly Sand is a very important topic when it comes to seasides – secret or otherwise – people often ask which beaches have the best sand, partly because the stuff comes in so many forms… The answer is simple – but you’re going to have to travel 28 miles west of Land’s End to walk barefoot in it. The beaches of St Martin’s in the Isles of Scilly have amazing white sand. It is the Rolls Royce of granular geology – the

The Enchanting Appeal of Ness Cove, Shaldon Discover One of Devon’s Best-Kept Beach Secrets A great many secret seasides are difficult if not dangerous to reach - which is probably why they remain unknown and out of the way - but here we visit a beach that is often visited and which has, for a century or more, been celebrated among local folk and holiday-makers alike. Having said that, the Ness Cove, near Shaldon, has all the hallmarks necessary to make it a secret seaside...

I once climbed down to this Secret Seaside and saw a fat naked man wobbling along in a single sandal." From bizarre flotsam to the rare Mediterranean ants that hold the key to a butterfly's survival, Strangles Beach is a wild, wonderful, and lonely masterpiece of the Cornish littoral.

What Is a Psammosere and Why Braunton Burrows Matters Do you know what a psammosere is? No, neither did I. What I now know is that the word psammosere is used to describe a sand dune system – and that Braunton Burrows the largest psammosere in England. If you haven’t ever been there, please go. Braunton Burrows is truly magnificent – and it boasts its own Secret Seaside. Saunton Sands: The Famous Face of North Devon’s Dunes Of course, everyone knows Saunton Sands which run so

Discover a wonderful walk around the coastal parts of Mawnan Smith in Southern Cornwall

Why don't we have an ancient rural tradition of gleaning food for free in the countryside?" From wild garlic to the elusive St George's Mushroom, join Martin Hesp on a revelatory foraging expedition through the hedgerows of the South West.

Rushy Porth: One of the Whitest Beaches In South West UK One of the whitest, most beautiful beaches to be found anywhere is Rushy Porth on the eastern shore of the island of Tresco. On a bright day you need ski goggles just to walk across it, the sand is so white – but here and there the whiteness is punctuated by that natural treasure trove of all beaches, a scattering of shells. The Irresistible Beauty of Seashells on the Isles of Scilly Why do we like shells so much? After

Indulging in Indulgence Catering : A Culinary Gem in West Cornwall Private Chef Experiences in Cornwall That Feel Like Home In another article ( https://www.martinhespfoodandtravel.com/hespfoodandtravelhome/the-fallen-angel-a-luxury-hideaway-above-mousehole-cornwall) we describe a stay at the Fallen Angel, an amazing architect-designed holiday villa in Mousehole, West Cornwall - and in it we mention that while there we enjoyed a fabulous dinner delivered and cooked on the sp

The Fallen Angel : A Luxury Hideaway Above Mousehole, Cornwall A Cornish Holiday Invitation That’s Hard to Refuse Here’s an invitation few could resist: “Why don’t you and your wife try out a beautiful little hideaway property for two, perched above a famous Cornish fishing village? When you’re there we’ll cook you a meal so memorable, you’ll be talking about it for months!” Okay, I’m in. Who wouldn’t be? Controversy Versus Reality: Is the Fallen Angel an Eyesore? Oh… until y

Cornwall is famed for its beaches, but inland lies a mysterious, lush ravine steeped in history. From the breathtaking 89-foot granite arches of the Treffry Viaduct to the quiet ancient woodlands of Prideaux, the Luxulyan Valley is one of the county's best-kept walking secrets.

We were in St Ives recently, staying at the impressive Treloyhan Manor , which is part of the Carbis Bay Estate - and I was remembering the first time I wrote about the town just over a quarter of a century ago. I have put the article up here because, in some ways, it now acts almost as a historic document. St Ives has changed quite a bit since I went there for my Hesp’s Harbours series, which appeared in the Western Morning News for a whole year. The Magic of St Ives , Cor

Discover a stunning spring walk in the Quantock Hills AONB With Easter arriving this month, now’s the perfect time to extol the virtues of staying at home — especially if your home patch happens to be the West Country. Easter falls late this year, and if the weather is even halfway decent, West Country roads will be heaving with holiday traffic. So, what better time to enjoy the pleasures of your local area? And what a patch we have. I’ve just spent a lovely weekend in West C

The Isles of Scilly have long been famed for their white sands and turquoise waters, but a new revolution is simmering beneath the surface. Beyond the subtropical landscapes lies a world of passionate producers, from boutique gin distillers to island-born vintners. Join Martin Hesp and photographer Veryan Lammoran as they go island-hopping to uncover the unique flavours, heritage, and characters defining the modern Scillonian palate.

Any Excuse to Head West: A Journey Through West Cornwall The Meaning of Hesperian The Oxford Dictionary defines "Hesperian" as an "inhabitant of a western land," making it a fitting term for someone named Hesp. Especially when that land is bathed in Atlantic salt spray. Exploring West Cornwall In keeping with the spirit of these pages, it was time for another westward journey—this time to West Cornwall. The trip included a visit to Porthleven for the relaunch of Jude Kereama’

A comprehensive guide to the tiny village of Trevalga on Cornwall's north coast

Few of us ever put the places we visit into categories, but if we did they’d probably come under headings covering the locations we have to visit, like local supermarkets, shops, dentists, hospitals, whatever, and destinations we really like visiting, such as favourite holiday spots, theatres, cinemas, hiking locations etc. There’d be another category for me entitled, “Places I cannot resist visiting when I’m on my way somewhere else”. The Irresistible Charm of Appledore, Dev

There will be many people reading this newspaper who love their own patch; the place where they were born and bred or the location where they’ve chosen to spend their lives. The problem is that you can become a bit snooty about other areas, like I did as a youngster when I had difficulty in understanding how anyone could feel any kind of affinity for any other part of Somerset. Childhood Memories and Early Misconceptions About the Somerset Levels I lived - and still live - in

Some of the best ideas are simple and straightforward. Take the selling of freshly prepared food… There is a temptation to offer a wide and extensive menu with the idea that it’s going to both impress and offer a selection which can’t be seen or tasted anywhere else. But is that always a good thing? Not according to one young Westcountry woman. How MasterChef Finalist Kate Attlee Created a Salad Empire . Kate Attlee, a former MasterChef finalist, was thinking about dishes tha