Time off in Looe (From Swindon Advertiser)

Time off in Looe

3:42pm Monday 6th July 2009 in

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LAST night I dreamt I went to Barclay House again.

It rose, breathtaking, in the hillside overlooking the river at Looe, a jewel of white, dreamy Victorian splendour.

Sadly, I woke up to find I was still in Swindon, but it will be a long time before the memory of a fabulous weekend at Barclay House fades.

The Victorian villa is nestled in six acres of lush countryside high up on a hill just as you approach Looe and its views of the surrounding countryside, river and the historic fishing village are magnificent.

Owners Graham and Gill Brooks pride themselves on giving the 11-bedroom hotel an ‘our home is your home’ feel and they’ve certainly succeeded.

From the moment we settled down to soak up the late afternoon sun on the terrace with a G&T, we felt at home.

Little touches, like helping yourself to drinks at the bar and filling in the honesty book or trotting off to have your dessert curled up on the Chesterfield sofa in the lounge rather than remaining at the dining table, make you feel as though this is your own house and you can kick your shoes off and relax.

On our first night, we dined at the AA Rosette winning hotel restaurant, which uses the freshest of local, seasonal ingredients.

I kicked off with Caesar scallops, served with bacon, croutons and baby gem lettuce. It wasn’t until I tasted this dish that I realised all my life I have been eating poor, rubbery excuses for scallops - these ones were so fresh and perfectly cooked, they melted on your tongue. Divine.

My holiday companion, Steph, started with pea and mint soup, which, despite it being a baking hot evening, was light and refreshing and beautifully flavoured.

For mains, we both went for the trio of fish, caught that day in Looe.

The day’s offering was plaice, monkfish and turbot, served with spring veg and brown butter with capers. The wonderful, melt in the mouth freshness means I’m going to struggle to buy pre-packaged fillets from the supermarket again. This was fish at its finest.

For pudding, Steph had the heavenly white chocolate pancetta and I nibbled away at the cheeseboard of local cheeses served with cauliflower mustard pickle and walnut bread. Again, it was delicious.

Too full to do anything else, we borrowed some videos from reception and retired to our twin room overlooking the river to relax.

The bedrooms are bright and comfortable with en suites, television and video recorder, and a tea and coffee tray. Ours also had huge bay windows looking out over the breathtaking views.

Breakfast the next day was just as good as dinner with an invitation to eat as much as you want. Tea, coffee, fruit juices - including an excellent local apple juice - cereal, fruit, yoghurt… and this was before you ordered your main breakfast, which included various options such as the full Cornish, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, the chef’s special or pretty much any combination thereof.

Handily, the menu also tells you that day’s weather forecast and high tides.

Coffee and fruit juice were replenished throughout breakfast and we were certainly well set up for a day of exploring.

Alternatively, you could just pass a lazy day enjoying the hotel grounds, taking a dip in the outdoor heated pool, visiting the gym or relaxing in the sauna.

The sun terrace is a perfect place to curl up with a good book and a drink.

As well as the hotel, there are eight luxury self-catering cottages with whirlpool baths, a barbecue area and private balconies.

If you feel like a bit of a wander, it takes less than 10 minutes to walk to the bustling fishing village of Looe. But if you don't have the energy, just indulge yourself in the calming luxury of Barclay House. I can't imagine why anyone would ever want to leave...

Hotel facts…
Prices start at £99 per night to include breakfast, depending on the season and the number of nights you are staying.

Cottages range from £299 to £1399 for a week, depending on the size and the season.

Barclay House, St Martins Road, Looe PL13 1LP. Tel: 01503 262929.

Visit www.barclayhouse.co.uk for more information and a range of special offers and events, such as cookery demonstrations.

Looe itself…
Looe is a vibrant, bustling place to wander around, with a good mix of shops from high street regulars to second hand book shops to arts and crafts places. It is also packed with pubs, wine bars and restaurants, so whether you fancy a bit of window shopping or just want to get a bite to eat and relax, there’s something for everyone.

Crabbing is a popular activity, particularly for children, or you might prefer to make your way to the stunning beach for a swim.

Where to eat…
Looe caters for all tastes, whether it’s fish and chips, Chinese takeaway, pub grub or posh bistro.

We ate at the Smugglers Cott in Middle Market Street. Decked out like an old galleon and built over old smugglers’ tunnels, this atmospheric inn is renowned for being one of the best places to eat in Looe. We tried the scallops, lemon sole, and mussels and we weren’t disappointed.

Of course, no trip to Cornwall is complete without a pastie, and Looe has plenty on offer. It’s hard to say who does the best - it’s probably wise to try a few!

Over in Padstow, if you haven’t got the budget to eat at Rick Stein’s famous Seafood Restaurant, you can do what we did and drop into his patisserie on the main street. For £5 we picked up a cream tea to take away - four scones, a pot of jam and the obligatory clotted cream. Perfect for a picnic.

What to do…
Barclay House is ideally situated for exploring quite a wide area of Cornwall.

We motored across Bodmin Moor to Jamaica Inn where you can have a drink or a meal and explore the smuggling museum, which boasts a wealth of smuggling curiosities. For instance, did you know smugglers used to sneak birds across the border between Belgium and Holland in ladies’ stockings having drugged them with alcohol first to keep them from tweeting?

You’re spoilt for choice with the beaches in Cornwall. We opted to take a trip along the coast back towards Plymouth and enjoy the views over Finnygook beach and Whitesand Bay.

The bustling harbour town of Padstow is typically beautiful with its colourful harbour and views out to sea.