Spring at its glorious best
What a spring it’s been! We have been blessed with the most glorious weather, and Easter brought a full house here at the farm. Families made the most of the sunshine, with little adventurers and relaxed nature-lovers alike soaking up everything Butterwell Farm and our surroundings have to offer. From rock-pooling and cycling the Camel Trail to coastal picnics and woodland wanders, it’s been a joyful, activity-packed month or so since our last newsletter.
A Tapestry of Spring Colours
If spring is a show, the Cornish countryside has been centre stage. The trees are bursting with the greenest greens, the birdsong has seemed livelier than ever before, and the hedgerows are a riot of colour—primroses, bluebells, pink campion, wild garlic, cow parsley to name the most prominent.
The forest floor has been just as magical, and I became quite enamoured with wild garlic this year. Inspired by Jack Stein’s wild garlic pesto recipe spotted on Instagram, I made a big batch for the freezer. It’s been a hit with the whole family and packed with flavour including cashew nuts and soy sauce! You can find the recipe here.
And if you fancy something a little more indulgent, I also cooked Cornwall’s own Emily Scott’s mussels with bacon, clotted cream and wild garlic. I got my hands on some of the delicious and local Porthilly Mussels from the Camel Estuary in Rock. When served with a big bowl of chips and crusty bread, it’s a family favourite that never disappoints! Find the recipe here.
Farm Maintenance in Full Swing
Rachel has been busy refreshing some of the cottage flower pots, making trips to some of our fantastic local nurseries to find just the right things. My favourite local nurseries are Bodmin Nursery and café just on the edge of our village, Trelawney Garden Centre and café which is a lot bigger and towards Wadebridge. And lastly The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery and café just outside Lostwithiel.
While the plants are thriving, so too is the to-do list! Sam’s been flat-out with the seasonal maintenance that comes with everything bursting into life. He’s been clearing the riverbanks in preparation for the main fishing season—strimming paths, removing fallen branches, and tidying up fishing positions to ensure everything’s in tip-top shape for casting a line. He’s even built a new fishing position from scratch.
Sam’s also been giving our garden furniture some TLC with a fresh coat of oil and the same for the swing sets in the cottage gardens. Keeping up with maintenance is a full-time job—but we know it makes our guests’ experience extra special.
Nature Notes: A Riverbank Romance and Wildlife Wonders
Down by the river, we’ve been treated to the charming sight of a mandarin duck pair. Mandarin ducks, originally from East Asia, have established thriving feral populations in the UK, where their striking plumage and preference for wooded lakes make them a favourite among birdwatchers. Their striking appearance can make them seem unusual or exotic, but they are relatively common in suitable habitats.
Our nature cam has been busier than ever, capturing glimpses of the quieter residents who call our land home. From ghostly barn owls in the moonlight to playful otters, curious badgers, and sneaky foxes, it’s like watching a secret world unfold. We put together a video montage of the best clips which you can view on our Instagram page.
Coastal Adventures Beyond the Farm
While the river views and dappled woodland walks make it hard to leave Butterwell, the sunny spring weather tempted us to venture out on a few coastal adventures. Highlights included days out to Constantine Beach and Treyarnon Bay.
Constantine, one of the famed “Seven Bays” near Padstow, is a bit of a walk from the car park—but it’s along a breathtaking stretch of coastline. The kids loved sliding down the sand dunes on their bodyboards! Treyarnon Bay was another standout. It has a magical tidal pool carved into the rocks that’s perfect for swimming and jumping—pure delight for adventurous little ones. We even foraged mussels and cooked them on the BBQ as the sun set. Hard to beat!
Walking the Coastal Path: Port Quin to Port Isaac
One of my favourite ways to reset is with a good walk, and this spring I ventured out to the coastal path on a circular route from Port Quin to Port Isaac and back. Starting from a small National Trust car park at the peaceful fishing hamlet of Port Quin, we followed the South West Coast Path—which, as usual, was scenic, steep, but thoroughly worth it!
Port Isaac is always a lovely stop, with its cobbled lanes and harbour made famous by Doc Martin. We enjoyed takeaway sandwiches and a cider in the sunshine, occasionally fending off the resident seagulls! There are loads of great food options there, from budget-friendly cafes to top-notch restaurants. Our return route inland was much easier underfoot, winding through woodlands and farmland. As always, we used the trusty iWalk Cornwall app for directions—highly recommended.
Speaking of the coastal path, I went along to our local cinema in Wadebridge to watch The Salt Path film, adapted from the book of the same name which I would highly recommend. The Salt Path is a memoir by Raynor Winn that tells the inspiring true story of how she and her husband found hope and healing while walking the 630-mile South West Coast Path after losing their home and livelihood. The Regal Cinema in Wadebridge is a lovely traditional cinema and conveniently in town next to the carpark.
Biking Adventures: Something for Everyone
Back at home, our bikes have been seeing a lot of action. With trails for all ages and abilities right on our doorstep, Butterwell is a biker’s dream. Jago and I took a gentle ride along the Camel Trail to the tea garden for an ice cream—a perfect short trip if you’re not up for a long haul. Meanwhile, Sam and Jago ventured out to Old Hill Bike Park, just 15 minutes from the farm. It has trails for beginners to thrill-seekers and is close to great food stops like St Mabyn Inn Pub and St Kew Farmshop.
To see our full cycling recommendations, check out the cycling pages of our website.
New! Butterwell Farm Postcards
Have you ever wished you could send a classic “wish you were here” during your Butterwell Farm holiday? Well, now you can! We’re delighted to introduce our new Butterwell Farm postcards. Each cottage now includes one in the welcome book—ready for you to pop in the village postbox or take home as a memento for the fridge.
Want more? We have additional postcards available for purchase at the house. You’ll find photos of all four designs in the welcome book’s shop page or online. A little piece of Butterwell Farm to send or keep.
New in the Farm Shop: Summer BBQ Essentials
Just in time for barbecue season, we’re excited to introduce lamb shawarma sausages to the Butterwell Farm Shop! These are packed with flavour and perfect for sizzling over hot coals on a summer evening. We’ve also restocked our lamb mince and burgers—family favourites that are quick to cook and bursting with rich, local flavour.
You can view the full meat menu and place your order here: Butterwell Lamb Meat.
A Fresh Look for Kingfisher Cabin
We’ve given Kingfisher Cabin a bit of a facelift this spring, and it’s been lovely to hear how much guests are enjoying the space. We’ve thoughtfully re-styled some of the interiors to enhance its natural charm—adding warm, earthy tones, soft furnishings, and subtle touches that celebrate the cabin’s peaceful riverside setting.
Outside on the balcony we’ve introduced a new fire stove and some relaxing chairs perfect for your morning coffee or sunset tipple. The sounds of the river and woodland wildlife in the background only add to the magic.
We hope you’ll love the updates as much as we’ve loved making them. As always, you can see more photos and videos over on our Instagram or website.
Review of the Month
We’re so grateful for every kind word shared by our guests, and it’s never easy to choose just one review—but this month, in celebration of the Kingfisher Cabin enhancements, we have chosen this wonderful review from Jessica:
“I cannot put into words how perfect our stay in Kingfisher Cabin was. The location is perfect, not just in terms of location in Cornwall (30m to north or south coast and about 1hr to west) but mainly because it sits on the Camel River hidden away from everyone. We barely saw another soul all week and adored the privacy we got (but still also knew Rachel & Sam were available if we needed them). The cabin was beautiful and homely, too many holiday lets are sparse and clinical these days whereas Kingfisher Cabin felt cosy. The kitchen was super well stocked for cooking every night. We loved the picnic bench for eating outdoors but also that there were comfier chairs on the balcony for relaxing too, although most evenings we sat by the river! We were lucky enough to see brief glimpses of a kingfisher on a couple of evenings as well as a woodpecker and lots of robins! Rabbits on the lawn every morning as well as daily walkbys by the sheep! Perfect week and painful to leave, thank you so much!”
Thank you, Jessica! We hope to welcome you again soon.
Stay With Us This Summer
As we move towards the summer months, we’ve still got some limited availability in our cottages. Whether you’re after peaceful riverside mornings, forest adventures, or biking adventures with the family we would love to welcome you to Butterwell Farm.
Fishing Season Opens with a Beauty
This month’s fishing report from the River Camel in Cornwall from @butterwell_sam written for Trout & Salmon magazine:
The Butterwell season opened on 1 May. It is usually well into June before the sea-trout start to run in any number. There are always a few larger fish running early, which are typically difficult to intercept. We have spotted a few large early fish sneaking through in low water and for the second year we had a good first week sea-trout. The lucky angler spotted the fish on a daily beat walk and was rewarded with a very fresh 7lb sea-trout on night fly. We hope this is a sign of things to come. Although water levels are low we are now seeing small lifts in water. Ideal conditions at Butterwell.
We do have quite a few bookings for night time sea-trout fishing but there are still spaces. To book fishing and accommodation contact Sam at 07766 224258 or email info@butterwellfarm.com.
For more information on the fishing please visit the fishing pages of our website.
Thanks for reading!
Thank you, as always, for following along with our smallholding life and adventures at Butterwell Farm. We hope to see you again soon—and don’t forget to check out our latest updates and wildlife videos on Instagram and Facebook.
We hope to see you soon for another wonderful stay at Butterwell Farm!
Warm wishes,
Rachel & Sam x
Butterwell Farm, Cornwall