I’M standing on the edge of a rugged clifftop looking out to sea, while the wind howls around me and ferocious waves crash on to rocks below.
This incredible coastline is the backdrop for BBC TV series Poldark and for a moment I feel like its sexy star, Aidan Turner, will gallop out of the ocean and throw me over his horse.
But my fantasy is interrupted by my young son’s giggles as seagulls circle and squawk above us.
We’re on the periphery of the old fishing harbour Polperro, in south east Cornwall, just a few miles from the ancient port of Looe.
My family and I have just walked half an hour along the scenic coastline from Park Holidays’ Seaview village where we are staying.
Grandad has managed to carry 18-month-old Jude on his shoulders the whole way.
He deserves a pint (or two) for his effort so we pile into The Three Pilchards to sink some local beer and tuck into ginormous portions of cider-battered fish and chips.
This pub is the oldest in the village and dates back to the 16th century. Inside, it is cosy, atmospheric and what my dad describes as “a proper pub”.
Downing jugs of ale and singing shanties
The garden terrace is where you’ll want to be though, with breath-taking panoramic views of the surrounding cove.
Polperro itself, with its many ancient winding streets and white-washed houses, is charming.
The salty smell of the sea air and the wobbly old-fashioned houses evoke a feeling of how the town was centuries ago — fishermen coming back after a day at sea, heartily downing their jugs of ale and singing their shanties.
Hidden away on a pretty stretch of the rocky Cornish coast, we feel isolated from modern life. There are no Ubers here, but local taxi drivers are speedy and cheap.
Our six-person caravan at Seaview Holiday Village is only a ten-minute drive away.
It is modern and spacious with a double and twin room. The well-equipped kitchen has everything we need — bar a chopping board — to whip up a sumptuous dinner of fresh seafood that we bought from a local fisherman.
In the evenings there is a children’s entertainer who keeps little ones busy with football and games. And during the day there is a kids’ club and playground.
GO: POLPERRO
STAYING THERE: Four nights’ self-catering in a three-bedroom caravan at Seaview Holiday Village is from £359 in total, based on eight sharing and arriving on September 6. See parkholidays.com.
OUT & ABOUT: Tickets to the Wild Futures monkey sanctuary cost from £9.50 per adult, £5 per child and £27 for a family of four. See wildfutures.org.
There is also an indoor heated swimming pool (sessions must be booked in advance on an app) and a family-friendly restaurant serving classic pub grub.
At around £10 per meal, dinner here was great value for money when feeding a family.
But with cracking food joints close by — from seaside pubs serving up fresh crab sandwiches to quaint cafes with classic cream teas — it is worth venturing out. We pack a picnic and head to the popular town of Looe, just three miles east of the park.
A huge river divides the town in two (east and west) and is overlooked by a winding row of small shops selling books, seaside trinkets and deli-style treats.
The beach on the east side is a great spot for lunch with clean, unspoilt shores.
We devour home-made ice cream from a nearby stall and Jude’s eyes widen with excitement at the waves lapping at his feet. A 15-minute drive from the beach is the Wild Futures monkey sanctuary. There you’ll come face-to-face with the 40 cheeky primates as they swing from ropes and climb wooden structures overhead. There’s plenty of climbing for kids too at the playground.
As the sun sets over the Cornish countryside, we ditch the evening entertainment for a cosy evening on our terrace playing board games over a glass of wine. The perfect end to a picture-perfect staycation.
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