Home > England > Cornwall > Looe > Penvith Barns Bed and Breakfast

Penvith Barns Bed & Breakfast

Penvith Barns were built in the 19th Century, on a much older site. We discovered one amazing historical feature when we rennovated the laundry room in the spring of 2004.

Through the plate glass floor you can see the walls forming part of a 13th Century wheel-pit. Down there somewhere is also a tunnel used by smugglers in the 17th Century. The tunnel is yet to be excavated but it is on our to do list!

Penvith is set glorious countryside, but within easy reach of all the interesting places to visit.

The world renowned Monkey Sanctuary and the stunning Coastal Path are a 10 minute walk from our door. Looe and Polperro (also known for its smugglers) and the Eden Project are all within easy reach.

We are 15 miles from Plymouth with its modern shopping area, historical Barbican and the National Marine Aquarium.

All our guest rooms are newly completed to an extremely high standard. All are en-suite and have tv and video, tea and coffee making facilities, a fridge with a pint of fresh milk (and space to chill your wine!), a hair dryer, central heating and a fan heater.

If you fancy an evening in, we have a large video library available for you to help yourself.

I love planning my breakfast menu's every day, using locally produced ingredients wherever possible choosing whatever is delicious and in season. My Full Cornish is always available along with another savoury dish for those of you with a smaller appetite.

If like me you need a sugar hit to get you started - there is always the sweet option and I love trying out new muffin recipes or fruit dishes that I haven't made before.

I bake fresh bread rolls every morning and if you are a caffeine junkie there is even cappuccino and espresso coffee on the list.

I have extensive grounds where you can breakfast on a hot sunny day, looking across to Looe and the sea beyond. Not gardens yet, another thing on our to do list!

I have pedigree alpacas in our fields, some of them show winners, and all can be hand fed. My pet sheep love to be fed sheep cake by the guests, so feel free to indulge them. They get very fat in the summer.

You will probably see the buzzards that hover above our fields, and small birds of many types nest in the eves of the barns.

All my rooms have

* TV with DVD. I have an extensive and varied video library which you are free to dip in to if you fancy a night in, cannot sleep, or just have an hour or so to kill.
* Fridge, which includes a pint of fresh milk. You have to provide your own beer and wine I'm afraid.
* Tea and Coffee making facilities (and hot chocolate, Horlicks etc)
* Hair Dryer
* Hand and Bath towels, and hand soap
* Central heating, and a fan heater for cooler summer evenings
* Books and Guides and leaflets on local attractions and events.
* Folding Beds are available on request, but I don't have any cots or highchairs.
* Car Parking is in our courtyard, plenty of room for everyone, if we are tidy about it.

More specifically, the rooms are

The Seaside Room.
Named for it's nautical theme, this is a large sunny room, with a double bed, a single bed, and a sitting area with room for two or three to chat or watch tv.

There is a walk in wardrobe with loads of hanging space, and a family sized bathroom with bath, shower over, wc and basin. The Seaside Room is set in the main house.

The Small Barn Room.
Part of the main house, but with it's own entrance. The ceiling has been opened up to the old beams above.

The room has a double bed, sitting area, and a tiny patio where the chairs can be moved to on a warm evening.

There is a shower room with shower, wc and basin. The views from here are probably the best in the house, looking across open countryside to Looe three miles distant.

The Piggery.
Set across the courtyard from the main house, this delightful room with its sloping ceiling and odd niches in the walls, has a double bed and small sitting area.

There is a shower room with wc and basin. A recent addition is a 19th Century pig trough, an excellent place to drop shoes, bags etc.

The Hay Barn
Opening off the Breakfast Room, this is our newest room, a double with separate dressing room and large shower room with party sized shower.

Breakfast

I am really proud of the breakfast menu that I offer at Penvith Barns. I use only produce sourced from local suppliers wherever possible, such as John Moore's, the traditional butchers in West Looe, who makes his own sausages and hog pudding.

On offer daily, will be organic fruit juice, and a simple starter, such as fresh grapefruit, yoghurt, or maybe cinnamon soaked granola.

There is always a full cooked breakfast, with bacon, sausage and hog pudding (a local delicacy), eggs, usually from one of the free range flocks we have locally, tomatoes and mushrooms.

I have found that many people do not want the challenge of such a large meal, so I always offer a lighter savoury alternate. This could be a BLT, or maybe scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.

Other guests are not breakfast people at all, but are tempted by a sweet option such as American style pancakes with maple syrup, or pear and ginger muffins. Baked apples with raspberries and Greek yoghurt have already been a big hit this year. All home cooked of course.

I always serve a basket of bread rolls, fresh baked that morning with jams and honey, and a range of teas and coffees including Espresso and Cappuccino.

I can cope with special diets if I know in advance. And, of course if there is a special request, then let me know and I'll see what I can do.