All about Bodrifty

Emma grew up at Bodrifty Farm with her parents Penny, a writer, and Fred, an architect and builder. After many years working as a lawyer in London, she has come home to Cornwall. The Roundhouse was designed by Fred and built by family and friends as an educational aresource. It was opened by Time Team in 2000, to critical acclaim.

Design & history

Bodrifty Iron Age Settlement Scheduled Ancient Monument

Bodrifty Roundhouse is some 400 metres from the original Bodrifty Iron Age Settlement, on the high ground of the watershed between the Atlantic and the English Channel in the Land's End Peninsula in the far west of Cornwall. West Penwith is the first place in Britain to be mentioned in writing. This was in 325BC by an ancient Greek called Pytheas. He wrote: 'The people are friendly to strangers and from their contact with foreign merchants are civilised in their way of life.' And we would say that nothing has changed.

On the 100-acre organic farm, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are the authentic remains of an Iron Age (600BC - AD43) settlement, consisting of eight roundhouses within a low enclosing bank. All of Celtic Britain was once covered with roundhouses. They were the standard dwelling and perhaps the purest and most elegant form of architecture with their simple aerodynamic shape and economic form, which enclosed the largest space for the least use of materials. Strangely, they were rare in the rest of Europe.

Celtic Britons lived in roundhouses with predominately granite walls and conical thatched roofs. The earlier houses are small with doorways facing south west; the larger, later houses have doorways facing south east, towards the sun but away from the prevailing winds. Fragments of banks, thought to be walls of gardens or animal pens, are attached to some houses. The surrounding enclosure wall was built to protect their cattle and sheep.

Bodrifty site was excavated in the 1950s and a wider area was surveyed in 1985. Further details are available in the book collection.

Environmental policy

Bodrifty is an organic farm with a central ethos of low impact sustainable living with maximum sensitivity to the natural environment. Recycling and composting systems are well established and we encourage you to leave only your footprints.

Bodrifty Farm has an impressive organic market garden that supplies vegetables, herbs and salad to the Roundhouse and farmhouse, as well as a number of local restaurants including the award-winning Gurnard's Head and the up-and-coming Coldstreamer Inn.

Penny is a specialised grower of flora, herbs and salad. Freshly picked organic salad herbs and vegetable baskets can be supplied to guests by arrangement.

Footpath at Bodrifty

Wildlife

Bodrifty and the surrounding area has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an Environmentally Sensitive Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the organic farm is home to a herd of rare breed Belted Galloways.

The extensive woods at Bodrifty were planted 30 years ago and are a haven for wildlife. The arrival of the first swallows has been noted since 1976 and the moors are rich in skylarks.

During your stay, you'll probably hear owls hooting and foxes barking as well as see badgers, rabbits and buzzards. The whole farm has been designed as a low impact wildlife habitat.

Self-catering and B&B

For groups that can't be accommodated by the Bodrifty Roundhouse, there is a self-catering cottage as well as a vintage airstream caravan.

Getting there

Bodrifty Farm, Newmill, Penzance, TR20 8XT

By car

The M5 and the A30 take you all the way to Penzance then follow signs first to Newmill then Bodrifty.

On your way into Penzance on the A30 you will drive past the Heliport, at the next roundabout go straight on (first exit) for 100 metres then right to Newmill, then left, then second right, first fork right and finally first right up a track marked Bodrifty Farm.

By train

The nearest train station is Penzance, accessible directly from London Paddington. Pick-ups can be arranged or you can take a taxi from the station.

By boat

Moor your boat in Penzance or Newlyn and stay at the Roundhouse.

If you are getting to the Cabin by train, bus or any other non-car means you can think of be sure to take a photo and enter our Go Greenly competition to win a 4 night stay at The Wagon or The Ark.

Things to do

Green Bay, Cornwall

All guests booking the Bodrifty Roundhouse will receive an exclusive insider’s guide to Bodrifty and beyond, with a host of unmissable ideas, from restaurants to gorgeous beaches, that will make your holiday even more memorable.

Outdoor & active

Sustainable fishing trips for mackerel, bass or crab can be arranged with a local fisherman from Mousehole.

Ask Emma to arrange a day out at sea in a traditional Cornish sail boat. A wonderful day spent sailing near to Lamorna and Mounts Bay, with the possibility of seeing seals and dolphins.

Lack of light pollution at Bodrifty Roundhouse means you can star watch the Milky Way. To complete the feeling of otherworldliness take a moonlit walk up Mulfra Hill to see the Neolithic Quoit and look across at the legendary St Michael’s Mount set in the silver waters of Mount’s Bay.

The Tinners’ Way footpath which is Penwith’s Neolithic Ridgeway running from St Ives to St Just is a stunning walk. There are many places to stop and it can be done in sections. It takes about half an hour to walk to The Gurnard’s Head pub from Bodrifty.

The South West Coast path is worth a walk along as well!

Sennen has a long and highly popular beach with a very good surf school. The beach café has a great view and a good chef.

Relaxing

Emma can arrange an exclusive private visit from a qualified and highly rated masseuse who offers a range of massages and treatments including aromatherapy, reflexology and Indian Head Massage to help de-stress you during your stay.

A private Yoga session in the morning or afternoon can be booked with Love Yoga Cornwall.

Places to visit

The Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange in Penzance are award winning venues which showcase the very best of national and international contemporary art, some of which is produced within West Cornwall. Both have free admission.

The Eden Project with its world famous biodomes and tropical regions is and The Lost Gardens of Heligan, painstakingly restored by Tim Smit, are both worth a visit on the way home.

Tate St Ives is another excellent wet weather option.

Godrevy Lighthouse

St Ives is an Aladdin’s cave of delights from The Tate, the Leach Pottery and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden to the stunning beaches, crooked streets and Mediterranean feel. From Porthminster beach you can see Godrevy Lighthouse in St Ives Bay, the inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s ‘To The Lighthouse’.

Marazion has a safe beach – St Michael’s Mount itself which is well worth the walk across the Causeway and a climb up to the castle. It also has several galleries and cafés and a good bakery that does excellent pasties.

Porthcurno is a fabled beach – The Marconi Museum and the Minack Theatre are both well worth a visit. If you wish to see a performance it's best to book seats well in advance. If you make arrangements in advance Emma can also supply you with a picnic hamper and cushions or, if you prefer to travel light, food and drinks are available at the theatre.

St Just is a proper Cornish mining town with many great places to eat and things to do. There are two good galleries, a deli, two excellent butchers and a very civilised café bookshop.

Jubilee Pool in Penzance

In Penzance visit the beautiful Georgian Private Library and the tropical Morrab gardens. Stop in at the Jubilee Pool, a stunning 1930’s lido, for a swim and a drink during the summer months. The Egyptian House is worth looking at as is the excellent Stoneman Gallery. Visit Penlee House Gallery and Museum and Penlee Park where in the summer there are a range of open air events. The Acorn Arts Centre hosts a variety of events from music to theatre.

This part of Cornwall is famous for its impressive gardens, some National Trust, some privately owned. All are worth a visit and further details are available in the Bodrifty guide. Trengwainton, which was first established in the 16th Century and has an abundance of exotic trees and shrubs, Trevarno, a 30 acre garden set in an estate of 750 acres and Trelissick, at the head of the Fal River, are just three which spring to mind.

Falmouth is a great day out, with the Falmouth Maritime Museum a particularly interesting place to spend an hour or two.

Courses & classes

Probably because of the great quality of the light, West Penwith is home to many nationally and internationally renowned artists, painters, sculptors, writers and artisans. The good news is that Penny, Fred and Emma know many of them and have built up a team of specialists who, by arrangement, can provide the following bespoke one-to-one tuition designed to your needs:

Landscape painting Spend a happy day sketching and drawing the landscape.

Foraging Walks Go foraging and discover the myriad flora and fauna around Bodrifty.

Archaeological tours of standing stones and other historic features of the Lands End peninsula can be arranged. There's also the opportunity to try silver and gold smithing.

Writing courses Join a bespoke writing course with a variety of well-known local authors and poets.

Film and Photography Document your trip to the Roundhouse after learning new techniques from a Cornish-based film director or local photographer. Two of the photographers you can get one-to-one tuition with are Ian Kingsnorth who took all of the beautiful photos in the Bodrifty galleries, and Adam Gibbard, who took the dramatic images of Green Bay and Jubilee Pool in this section.

Festivals and celebrations

Continue the theme of ancient history by getting involved in Padstow Obby Oss Day on the 1st of May, a celebration of the Celtic festival of Beltane, spring rite for Bel the Sun God.

There are a number of great arts festivals in Cornwall. The Run to the Sun music festival lasts from the 27th - 30th of May and features top DJs, bands and a couple of comedians, plus the 'VW campers only' area and the silent disco now running over all three nights.

The Port Eliot festival is a joyous melée of literature and music which runs from the 21st to 24th July and St Ives September Festival, from 10th to 24th of September is a gathering of musicians and the artists of all kinds and street entertainers.

Cornwall Open Studios is a rare chance to see inside artist's studios and watch them at work. It runs from the 28th May to the 6th June all over Cornwall.

Naturally, there is a great deal going on on the water near Bodrifty. There's the traditional craft in the biannual Sea Salts Sails festival in Mousehole in early July and Henri Lloyd Falmouth week and the Fowey Royal Regatta, 6th to 14th and 14th to 20th August respectively, which form a fortnight-long seafaring carnival.

Eating & drinking

Eating & drinking at Bodrifty

Mousehole harbour

With so much local food to be bought, cooked and eaten, it's good news that when you stay at The Roundhouse you also get exclusive use of the Garden Quarters. It's so named for its fantastic views over the garden and beyond and comes complete with a fully equipped kitchen, sitting room and bathroom.

You can, by arrangement, spend a morning in the Bodrifty garden discovering how to put together the most inspiring fresh salads, straight from garden to bowl. Food inches not miles!

Penzance has a good local farmers’ market and Newlyn is a fantastic source of fresh fish and seafood.

Landed in Mousehole harbour, sustainably sourced fresh crab, lobster, bass and mackerel can all be delivered (weather and tide permitting) by lunch time on the morning they’ve been caught.

If you really want to push the boat out it's possible to have a meal prepared for you by a private chef in the Garden Quarters.

If you're planning a walk or a trip to the Minack whilst staying at the Roundhouse (and frankly you should), then you might be tempted to arrange with Emma for a picnic hamper to take with you.

Pubs & restaurants

The Gurnard's Head (4 miles) is a spectacular drive or walk from Bodrifty. Penny supplies the award winning kitchens and it's won Good Pub Guide 2009, Country Dining Pub of the Year and The Good Hotel Guides 2009 Best Dining Pub. A perfect place to stop and recover along the coastal path from St Ives to Land's End.

Coldstreamer Inn, Gulval (4 miles). Another place to eat that Penny supplies. Recently opened, great local and seasonal things are coming from the kitchen.

Porthminster café, Porthminster Beach, St Ives (10 miles). Located right on the beach with stunning views of St Ives and out to Godrevy Lighthouse, the food is Pacific Rim and it deserves its reputation as one of the best seaside restaurants in Cornwall.

All about Bodrifty

Emma grew up at Bodrifty Farm with her parents Penny, a writer, and Fred, an architect and builder. After many years working as a lawyer in London, she has come home to Cornwall. The Roundhouse was designed by Fred and built by family and friends as an educational aresource. It was opened by Time Team in 2000, to critical acclaim.

Design & history

Bodrifty Iron Age Settlement Scheduled Ancient Monument

Bodrifty Roundhouse is some 400 metres from the original Bodrifty Iron Age Settlement, on the high ground of the watershed between the Atlantic and the English Channel in the Land's End Peninsula in the far west of Cornwall. West Penwith is the first place in Britain to be mentioned in writing. This was in 325BC by an ancient Greek called Pytheas. He wrote: 'The people are friendly to strangers and from their contact with foreign merchants are civilised in their way of life.' And we would say that nothing has changed.

On the 100-acre organic farm, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are the authentic remains of an Iron Age (600BC - AD43) settlement, consisting of eight roundhouses within a low enclosing bank. All of Celtic Britain was once covered with roundhouses. They were the standard dwelling and perhaps the purest and most elegant form of architecture with their simple aerodynamic shape and economic form, which enclosed the largest space for the least use of materials. Strangely, they were rare in the rest of Europe.

Celtic Britons lived in roundhouses with predominately granite walls and conical thatched roofs. The earlier houses are small with doorways facing south west; the larger, later houses have doorways facing south east, towards the sun but away from the prevailing winds. Fragments of banks, thought to be walls of gardens or animal pens, are attached to some houses. The surrounding enclosure wall was built to protect their cattle and sheep.

Bodrifty site was excavated in the 1950s and a wider area was surveyed in 1985. Further details are available in the book collection.

Environmental policy

Bodrifty is an organic farm with a central ethos of low impact sustainable living with maximum sensitivity to the natural environment. Recycling and composting systems are well established and we encourage you to leave only your footprints.

Bodrifty Farm has an impressive organic market garden that supplies vegetables, herbs and salad to the Roundhouse and farmhouse, as well as a number of local restaurants including the award-winning Gurnard's Head and the up-and-coming Coldstreamer Inn.

Penny is a specialised grower of flora, herbs and salad. Freshly picked organic salad herbs and vegetable baskets can be supplied to guests by arrangement.

Footpath at Bodrifty

Wildlife

Bodrifty and the surrounding area has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an Environmentally Sensitive Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the organic farm is home to a herd of rare breed Belted Galloways.

The extensive woods at Bodrifty were planted 30 years ago and are a haven for wildlife. The arrival of the first swallows has been noted since 1976 and the moors are rich in skylarks.

During your stay, you'll probably hear owls hooting and foxes barking as well as see badgers, rabbits and buzzards. The whole farm has been designed as a low impact wildlife habitat.

Self-catering and B&B

For groups that can't be accommodated by the Bodrifty Roundhouse, there is a self-catering cottage as well as a vintage airstream caravan.