In the immediate vicinity of Gillan Creek and the Helford River there is an abundance of activity. Opposite On the Rocks is the small hamlet of St Anthony where the well established Sailaway St. Anthony offers a fleet of boats for hire including kayaks, Lasers, Toppers, Windfarers, Drascombe Longboats and pretty, traditional motorboats. Guests can visit the small beaches within the creek by kayak or dingy. There is a small shop here and a launching facility for those who wish to use (moorings may be available) their own boats.

Since the property is on the South-West Coastal Path, a large variety of walks can be found enabling the visitor to walk to Helford, Manaccan or Porthallow within the hour to take advantage of the pubs and cafes located here such as The Shipwrights Arms, Holy Mackerel or Fat Apples Cafe.

Bird lovers can enjoy watching the many birds that live on the creek such as the cormorant, egret, heron, oyster catcher, curlew and, if you are lucky, the elusive kingfisher. The odd seal is spotted from time to time in the creek and shoals of dophins can be seen further out to sea. Guests can visit the Helford River by motor boat and explore the numerous beaches and creeks for a picnic or a sundowner. Favoured spots include Frenchman’s Creek after which Daphne Du Maurier’s book about a love affair between a French pirate and an English lady is named and Tremayne’s Quay built for an anticipated visit by Queen Victoria. Helford hosts a small number of good pubs, shops and three beautiful gardens including the National Trust owned Glendurgan Gardens. The Cornish Seal Sanctuary can be found upriver in Gweek. Visitors can see marine life up close at this charitable sanctuary that rescues and rehabilitates grey seal pups.

In the nearby village of Manaccan, guests can enjoy a drink and snack at the community owned pub. Organic vegetables and Cornish Pasties can be bought nearby at Gear Farm, fresh lobster and local cheeses and other local produce at Mawgan Stores.

Further Afield

Guests can enjoy a variety of activities such as horse riding, coasteering, scuba diving, fishing trips and hiking. There are a large number of beaches in the area including those popular with surfers such as Poldhu Cove, pretty sandy beaches such as Gunwalloe and those with dramatic scenery such as Kynance Cove. Attractions nearby include the Lizard Lighthouse, Flambards Theme Park, Poldark Mine and Poldark tours, St Michael’s Mount and a number of National Trust Properties including Godolphin Estate, East Pool Mine. Those interested in the arts may enjoy visiting the Tate St Ives, Kestle Barton, the galleries in Porthleven, and the Minack open air theatre dramatically positioned high on a rocky outcrop jutting into the sea. Historians may enjoy exploring the rich archaeology (and landscape) of Goodhilly from the early Bronze Age until World War Two, visiting Henry VIII’s St Makes Castle or old tin mines and learning about tin mining industry and piracy in Cornwall.

Falmouth offers a good day out with its National Maritime Museum, abundance of shops and restaurants and various boat day trips and cruises. Similarly St Ives and Porthleven with its little shops, galleries and variety of good quality restaurants built around a small harbour are well worth a visit.

There are a number of very good restaurants within a short drive including the New Yard restaurant on the Trelowarren estate, The Greenhouse in St Keverne, Kota in Porthleven. Further afield The Tresanton (Olga Polizzi) , The Idle Rocks in St Mawes (Relais & Chateaux) and Cove in Maenporth are all well worth a visit