Holiday rentals in Boscastle

Unlike everywhere else in Cornwall, where fun by the seaside is the order of the day, the sleepy coastal hamlet of Boscastle is most famous as a centre of sorcery and the occult. Improbable as it may seem, this historic fishing harbour is the location of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, housing what is believed to be the world’s largest collection of witchcraft ephemera.

Enchantment aside, Boscastle is a spellbinding hidey-hole in other ways, tucked into the gorgeous north Cornish coast among cliffs and green fields in a land rich with myths and legends, where the ancient Smugglers’ Way leads up into the spooky mists of Bodmin Moor. Five miles south is Tintagel’s medieval castle, associated with the legends of King Arthur, while hundreds of beaches, from secret coves the locals don’t want you to know about to the popular surf spots of Crackington Haven, Widemouth Bay, and Bude, 14 miles to the north, wait to be explored.

Summer is prime time to experience Boscastle’s turquoise seas, white sand beaches, and luscious gardens filled with palms. The season can start in May and last into October, and some valleys have microclimates, with spring flowers growing year round. Though Cornwall can feel like a closed shop in winter, certain aspects recommend it — blustery seaside walks ending in candlelit pubs, and storm-watching from some cosy nook as dramatic weather rolls in from the Atlantic. Practising witches often come to Boscastle for retreats and important dates on the pagan calendar, such as Samhain in October, and Halloween is a busy time. Bude hosts a jazz festival in August; a blues, rhythm, and rock festival in November; and many big-name bands for gigs at other times.

St Nectan’s Glen

This fern-covered space with ancient woodland and many rare plants is where fairy folk and piskies (the Cornish variety of pixies) are said to hide. The outdoor attraction has added a cafe, yoga studio, and woodland walking trails that take in three enchanting waterfalls, one 30 metres high.

Local beaches

To the south of the village, Bossiney Cove is a small sandy gem of a beach, with a great dark cavern to explore at low tide. Further south, Trebarwith Strand is a long sandy stretch good for surfing and rock pooling. Another sandy stretch, the Strangles, named after jutting rocks that have wrecked many ships here, can be reached via a dramatic hike past a seal colony and Cornwall’s highest cliffs and is rarely crowded, even in summer, though swimming here is not recommended.

St Juliot

The isolated church, reached through woodlands from the village, is where the 19th-century novelist Thomas Hardy met his first wife. He arrived as an architect hired to restore the church, but fell in love and decided to become a writer. A memorial stained-glass window is dedicated to him.