Holiday Cottage, sleeps 7 next to creek leading to River Camel, nr Padstow

Higher Sea Mills is one of five properties in a hamlet known as Sea Mills, located on a creek off the Camel Estuary between Wadebridge and Padstow in North Cornwall. Built of stone and constructed all on one level, it was once the stables of a now demolished sea mill. The cottage is quiet and secluded in all seasons, and has a large garden with lawns on several levels, featuring apple trees, shrubs and flowers. Access to it is through an iron gate set in a high stone wall, which can be securely shut. It is therefore completely private and small children can play in the garden without adults having to worry about their safety. The area outside the cottage is also relatively safe for children as the public lane ends outside the cottage continuing as a private access road, so there is no through traffic.
There is a parking space for one large car or two small cars in the chained-off area between the house and the creek as well as a small public lay-by in the lane opposite the entrance gate. Please note that the area designated as a “Turning point” opposite the adjacent property, must not be used for parking as this can prevent large vehicles from being able to turn around. 

While there isn’t sufficient space for camper vans and boat trailers, you are welcome to bring up to two kayaks, provided they are left in the garden when not in use.. Please bear in mind, that the mill pond below the house is owned privately – (as is the jetty further down the road), so better to launch kayaks at the further end of the mill pond off the small beach there.  Please note, that the area designated as a “Turning Point”opposite the garage and neighbouring property, must NOT be used for parking, as this can prevent large vehicles from turning.


The cottage itself is only a few yards from the creek so many river birds and waders can be seen and heard from the windows. Canoes can very easily be parked on one of the lawns, and then launched on calm inland water a few yards from the garden gate. Higher Sea Mills can accommodate seven people - ideally four or five adults and two or three children, or two adults and four children and perhaps a small baby. The Cottage is not suitable for 7 adults.

The cottage is well furnished and has the following accommodation:

One large sitting room with an open fire and french windows out to the garden - and a slate patio where you can eat out if it is warm enough.
A farmhouse kitchen with an oil-fired Aga, washing machine, microwave, fridge-freezer. Large pine table seating seven, and a pine dresser.
A small study or TV room overlooking the garden.
A family bathroom with bath, hand-held shower and WC and heated towel rail
One double bedroom overlooking the creek
One double bedroom overlooking the creek with en-suite shower room,WC and heated towel rail .
One single bedroom overlooking the creek
Bunk room with two bunk beds (sleeps 2 children). Not suitable for adults.
Travel cot and high chair available.

Linen and towels, (not beach towels) and crockery are all provided.  There is a TV and a radio and for those with computers or smart phones broadband is available.  There are electric heaters in all rooms. Electricity and firewood are supplied and the Aga is oil-fired. Sorry we do not allow dogs. 

Higher Sea Mills is currently used by several generations of the owner's family.  Although the cottage is well-equipped, it is more of a comfortable home than a commercial letting concern, and, as such, contains personal items such as books and paintings.  The garden is very large and ideally suited for children (perfect for hide-and-seek and similar games).  Most people who have stayed here - especially those with small children - have found the house and its setting idyllic.

The cottage occupies a unique position on the North Cornish coast.  Remote enough to permit visitors a wonderfully secluded and private holiday, it is only about a 15 minute drive to Wadebridge and Padstow, (or about 40 minutes on foot to Padstow if you prefer to walk via the creek).  While Padstow is probably better known on account of its association with Rick Stein and his famous restaurant (not to mention his hotel, fish and chip shop, bakery and bistro), Wadebridge is also worth visiting for its more varied shopping: old fashioned haberdashers, quality butchers and bakers, clothes and antique shops, several good coffee shops.  Wadebridge and Padstow both have Tesco supermarkets, and there are many "Gastro" and child-friendly pubs in the area, serving a wide variety of food.

It is possible to swim in the creek from the little slate beaches near the cottage but they can be muddy, and many visitors prefer to drive to the local beaches to swim or surf.  Most of these can be reached within twenty minutes by car and have on-site parking.  Local beaches include: Tregirls,  Treyarnon, Constantine Bay, Booby’s Bay, Mother Ivey's, Harlyn, Trevone, Polzeath and many more.  If you like walking, there are many cliff walks along the spectacular North Cornish coast a few minutes drive away, as well as a variety of walks and trails in the woods above Wadebridge, and on the more rugged slopes of Bodmin Moor.

Constantine Bay offers a fine golf course and there is a sailing club in Padstow.  A regular ferry service carries passengers from Padstow to Rock where there is another sailing club and deeper water providing mooring for yachts and sailing dinghies.

At high and mid tide, canoeing from Sea Mills is a delight. Canoes can be launched a few yards from the house, and kept out of the water if so desired, on a small quay immediately below or carried up to the house and left on one of the lawns if that feels more secure.