All about Bodrifty

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.

In & around The Roundhouse

• Garden Quarters:
• Fully equipped kitchen
• Kettle with tea, fresh coffee and milk and sugar supplied
• Full crockery and cutlery for two
• Glasses and a water jug
• Small fridge (not freezer)
• Gas hob and electric oven
• Outside:
• Seating area sits 4 with lovely garden views
• BBQ pit
• Inside:
• There is a firebowl, just for heating, in The Roundhouse, which makes it an authentic experience but unsuitable for anyone with an aversion to smoke

• All pillows, duvet covers and even fluffy towels are provided

• Sketch books with oils and pastels
• A good selection of books
• A couple of decks of cards
• Scrabble, chess and backgammon

• Wellingtons - the morning dew can get your feet wet
• Torch
• Provisions
• Wet weather gear

• Check in time is 4pm - PLEASE call Emma on the day you are travelling down to give her an idea of your arrival time
• Check out time is 10am
• No children or pets are allowed at The Roundhouse, we apologise for any inconvenience
• The fire bowl can make things a little smoky at first and while it is fine once it gets going, it's not suitable for anyone allergic to smoke
• There is plenty of room in the Roundhouse for storage of wet weather gear, wetsuits, even kayaks and surfboards
• Wi-fi is available in the Garden Quarters but not in the Roundhouse itself
• There is a radiator behind the bed for warmth, although you're unlikely to need it

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.

Local activities

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.

Booking terms for The Roundhouse

Booking Conditions

Please note that Canopy & Stars is acting as an 'Agent' in the booking of Bodrifty Roundhouse on behalf of Emma Mustill (hereafter referred to as the 'Owner'). The Owner of the property is responsible for your stay and is the 'Principal' in this agreement. Customers renting property through Canopy & Stars are referred to as the Guest. The rental arrangements are made by Canopy & Stars, on behalf of the Owners and the contractual relationship is directly between the Owners of the property and the Guest.

The Canopy & Stars booking line (01275 395 447) is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm except on public holidays. When using the online enquiry form, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours. Online enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment.

1. Booking and payments

1.1 The dates of your booking will be held upon payment of a non-refundable deposit of 25% or payment in full. Deposits are only payable when booking more than 10 weeks in advance of your check in date. Any booking less than 10 weeks in advance of your check in date must be paid in full immediately.

1.2 On receipt of the deposit, a booking confirmation will be sent to you within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post, containing the details of your stay and of payments made and due. If you have not received your booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible. We're sorry for any inconvenience, but payments can only be made by credit and debit cards. A 2% surcharge will be applied to credit cards. We do not accept American Express, cheques or cash.

1.3 Where a deposit has been paid, full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in date and a reminder will be sent to you two weeks prior to this date, where applicable, by email. If you are unable to pay the balance before the stated due date, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.

2. Cancellation

2.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable.

2.2 All monies paid for a holiday (deposit and balance) are non-refundable within 10 weeks before check in date.

2.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you.

2.4 Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way.

2.5 If the location of your booking is inaccessible due to adverse conditions your booking can be deferred to a later date subject to availability and at discretion of Canopy & Stars on behalf of the owner of the property.

3. Alteration

3.1 Alterations to your booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time alterations will be treated as cancellation. All alterations will incur a £30 administration fee and are subject to availability and at the discretion of Canopy & Stars on behalf of the Owner of the property.

3.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from alterations will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.

4. Complaints

In the event that you have any complaint about your stay, please notify the Owner of the property as soon as possible and they will use all reasonable endeavours to resolve the issue. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback.

5. Pricing

Prices on the website are not binding, but costs stated in any booking confirmation email you receive from Canopy & Stars will be honoured as shown and will include all VAT and any charges.

6. Information

Information on the website is correct to the best of our knowledge, but circumstances outside of our control may cause it to become inaccurate. We apologise for any inconvenience that may result from this.

7. Liability

7.1 Canopy & Stars accept no liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury whilst on your stay.

7.2 Canopy & Stars will not be liable for any act, neglect or default on the part of the Owners or any other person not within their employ or otherwise under their control, nor for any accident, damage, loss, injury, expense or inconvenience, whether to person or property, which the Guest or any other person may suffer or incur arising out of, or in any way connected with the rental unless Canopy & Stars is responsible. In addition, the Owners and Canopy & Stars accept no liability for loss of or damage to the Guest’s possessions on the Owners’ property or land.

7.3 Nothing in these conditions excludes or limits the liability of Canopy & Stars or the Owners:

a. for death or personal injury caused by Canopy & Stars or the Owners negligence.

b. for any matter which it would be illegal for Canopy & Stars or the Owners to exclude or attempt to exclude their liability.

7.4 The use of swimming pools, lakes, climbing trees, tractor rides and any other activity on the Owners land is the responsibility of the Guest and is done so at their own risk.

8. Pets

Pets are not permitted at The Roundhouse. We apologise for any inconvenience.

9. VAT

Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable the tax is included in the weekly rent.

10. The Holiday – Guest Conditions of occupancy and Conduct

10.1 The Guests have the right to occupy the Property for the paid for holiday period only (within the meaning of Schedule 1 Paragraph 9 of the Housing Act 1988).

10.2 Guests undertake to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner in consultation with the Agents. In addition, the Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property.

11. Breach of Booking Conditions

11.1 If there is a breach of any of these conditions by the Guest or any of their party, the Owners or Canopy & Stars reserve the right to re-enter the Property and end the holiday and ask the Guest and their party to leave in addition to their other rights specified in these Booking Conditions.

11.2 Ending the Holiday by either the Owners or Canopy & Stars, or the Guests does not affect that party’s other rights and remedies.

12 Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Any dispute will be governed by the non-exclusive law and jurisdiction of the English or Scottish Courts depending on the location of the Property.

13. Authority to Sign

The person who signs the Booking Form certifies that:

1. he or she is authorised to agree the Booking Conditions on behalf of all persons included in the Booking Form, including those substituted or added at a later date;
2. the signatory is over eighteen years of age;
3. they agree to take responsibility for the party occupying the Property, and to notify Canopy & Stars if they are not a member of the holiday party.

14. Discrepancies

In case of a discrepancy between these Booking Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Booking Conditions shall prevail.

15. Validity clause

In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Booking Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Booking Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.