Captain Blake's Retreat

This is a very special place
Very dramatic and changeable
The view is amazing
Walks right outside the door
Close to Cawsand
Captain Blake’s retreat property is comfortable and has everything you need
It’s a little gem in paradise
Don’t tell everyone

The location and experience of staying in this historic chalet is unmatched by any other. It’s an exceptionally special place to escape and to enjoy the ever-changing sea and sky. The digital detox that it affords guests is exactly what we needed and we’ve come to cherish our February visits to Captain Blake’s because there are storms, stunning sunsets, solitude and near-exclusive access to the beaches below. We actually love the fact that you have to carry everything along the track to the chalet and that there is no wifi and little mobile network inside the chalet. Our Australian Shepherd loves it as much as we do and we’re already looking for the next window to return.

Thank you for a lovely stay at Captain Blake's retreat.
Stacey, the housekeeper couldn't do enough to help and was very quick to respond to our questions.
this is a beautiful place with incredible views, but please note the advice to bring a torch, wellies and old trousers to walk the 7-10 min walk from the car to the house, as it can get very muddy.
It is worth it though, as Captain Blake's retreat is well named, as a retreat from the busyness of life.

Dramatic and beautiful location!
Spacious, comfortable and cosy place. I would definitely recommend for peaceful seclusion especially in winter. Wonderful cliff walks and beaches nearby. Our large dog had a great time! I would recommend the cliff top cafe for a lovely lunch with a view!

A spectacular location literally on the South West Coast Path not far from Cawsand. There's a steep path down to the beach and you can enjoy walks to Rame Head. Lovely pubs in Cawsand and just a short drive to Looe and Polperro. The cottage is cosy and well equipped with a wood burning stove. It looks out due west over the sea for some great sunsets. A very special place.

Stunning doesn't quite capture the views from this cliff top hideaway. So many thoughtful offerings such as a pint of milk in the fridge and a wheel barrow to help getting your luggage 650 paces up the path. A warm outdoor shower was perfect for a wet muddy dog. We loved our stay at Captain Blakes Retreat with only seabirds soaring along the cliff face for company to the sound of crashing waves.

Great location, perfect getaway would recommend it to anyone. The views were breathtaking day and night, even with rain and wind the seas were spellbinding.

The views were amazing the property is secluded and you feel like you are in your own world. Away from the day to day hustle of everyday life. Good for a recharge

We had a wonderful stay at Captain Blake's! The location is perfect and I loved being able to watch the ocean from my bed every morning.

Ich war zum zweiten Mal da und es ist einfach ein traumhaftes Häuschen an einem wunderbaren Ort.
Einfach perfekt.
Ich habe die Zeit mit meinem Labradoodel einfach genossen und fühlte mich total wohl dort. Auch Stacy war sehr hilfsbereit und nett, als ich Sie jeweils kontaktiert habe. Toll und herzlichen Dank
Ich komme gerne wieder :-)

The location, amazing! Sitting watching the sunset over the sea, you could be anywhere in the world. Sadly that's where the positives for us stop.
The private track to access the cabin is so overgrown it is impassable in places, forcing guests to take the supplied barrow down onto the coastal path, trying to dodge walkers while doing so.
Where you can get along it, it is still covered in brambles, stingers, gorse, thistles, and crucially hogweed. Not knowing much about it prior to our visit, we were not aware of how bad it can be.
My ankles were both swollen, itchy, and sunburnt red from the photosensitive toxins from the plant. Both peeling by our second week.
Pushing the barrow through the plants left me with painful blisters on my hands, again from brushing the hogweed as we pushed through. They are healing now.
Even if we disregard the condition of the private access, the ground outside the cabin is unkempt. Weeds pushing through, and the perimeter being taken over by all the painful plants previously mentioned. Worse still was a large hogweed at least 4ft tall with a 2" thick stem, encroaching across the property. This is potentially very dangerous as some people could have worse reactions than me. I chopped this particular one back.
Internally the cabin was very clean, kitchen surfaces, bathroom, all spotless as you would expect. No issues with cleanliness at all. However, it was still very clear that there was no interest or investment in general maintenance and upkeep. Dripping kitchen tap, broken broom, no dustpan and brush to allow us to clean up. Stained kitchen sink. Some of these things were also mentioned by a previous guest back in April in the guest book and ignored.
As for the property in general, why have 3 opening doors in the front that are too high off the ground to use comfortably? Why have gravel that is so painful underfoot you can't go outside without shoes on.
It is such a shame that companies respectfully charge premium prices for a premium location, and then let it down by not caring about it.
As a final note, and this is nothing more than an incredibly disgusting and thoughtless walker. Some days back we were returning along one of the overgrown, but just passable parts of the private track, to find that someone had felt they could wait no more, stepped off the coastal path onto the private and overgrown track, and proceeded to relieve themselves completely, leaving it, and the toilet tissue in the middle of our path! As I said, no one's fault but the walker, but perhaps if the path had been clear and not overgrown, they may not have been able to hide so easily to do what they did.

This is a wonderful place to stay. Remote and beautiful. Great for long walks and paddling in the sea.

The dogs loved it.

What an amazing location, secluded with a stunning view but in walking distance of a lovely town with a few amenities. We loved eating our breakfast out in the sun and the walks along the coastal path were full of nature and beautiful spots to take in the coastline

Captain Blake’s was tastefully decorated and very comfy, a great place to spend a week relaxing and our pooch was in heaven

Two of us and our cocker spaniel had a great short break and will be coming back again as the location is unbeatable. We also loved Sunday lunch at Kingsand nearby.

Fabulous. Heaven on earth to me. Property just as described fantastic views so peaceful and everything in the property easy and very comfortable. Loved it

Fabulous location, Cawsand and Kingsand just beautiful.

Perfect location for peace and relaxation. Great walks from outside the door, wildlife aplenty, wonderful views and sound of the sea inside and out. If the ‘price’ for this is a 0.5km wheelbarrow push with luggage from the car, it’s a price I’ll very happily pay every time. Great wheelbarrow by the way! We - and the dog - absolutely loved our stay. Thank you!!!

Superb holiday destination, definitely one of a kind and we will certainly be returning!
Location is second to none with only occasional walkers using the coastal footpath to disturb us, beach only a few minutes walk away and plenty of wildlife to spot.
Cosy cottage with outstanding views with the sound of the sea as background noise... what's not to like!!!!

Belinda Carlise sang Heaven is a place on earth and that it was I consider Captain Blakes retreat to be.
A weeks stay was a long planned surprise for my wife to celebrate her birthday and our first Wedding Anniversary and it was not disappointing.
Captain Blakes is a cozy little coastal cottage as close to the sea as possible and so private and secluded it gives you peace of mind, I loved drinking a Hot chocolate outside on the table with just me, the sea, the very fresh air and birds diving into the sea all whist the sun was rising.
Captain Blakes has everything you need, the kitchen is beautiful and great to cook in.
The local people are lovely and so many great places to eat and the walks there are more than worth it.
Thank you to everyone involved In creating Captain Blakes retreat, Would we return? Definitely!!

I doubt you want me to make this public.

Absolutely stunning location... Love, love, love!! The cottage was kitted out with everything we needed and was exceptionally clean and tidy on our arrival...a big thank you to the lovely cleaner and to the maintenance guys who delivered and installed a new TV when the old one stopped working!!

Loved the remoteness of the accommodation and the tranquility of opening the doors and looking/listening to the ocean. The property was of a really good standard which also makes it feel home from home.

Simply the most magical place. Unique position . Glorious sunsets. We absolutely loved it!

Has seen better days
Generally run down
Cleanliness appalling

A welcoming and comfortable cottage. The walk from the parking space is not difficult even with the loaded wheelbarrow. The location is incredible. The constant changing colour of the sea, the birds, wildflowers,
the deep peace. Overall an enjoyable and relaxing break.The lane approach to the small parking space is narrow and very steep.

A peaceful and remote location, with a stunning view. No real access to a beach, and tricky driveway and parking. Perfect for those looking for simple accommodation with sea views.

As frequent Whitsanders, can honestly say this was one of the best - we had a fantastic time, and every village/pub/cafe we went to is very dog-friendly. Gorgeous walks and fantastic views from every point. For short legs (mine!) it's 800 steps to the cabin from the parking area but easy walking. Would have no hesitation in recommending Captain Blake's - indeed, we hope to book again.

Great visit, lovely walks, terrific food at the Devonport Inn at Cawsand.

Immaculate property with stunning views.
The house is remote and perfect for those looking to get away from it all. Very comfy bed with large bathroom, open plan living room kitchen. The Kitchen is well stocked with pans, glasses, utensils, microwave etc.
Great walks just outside your door, and some lovely cafe/pubs just a 10 minute drive away.

NB - There is a steep downward uneven road to the property, the road is not suitable for low suspension cars

An excellent get away from it all, will definitely be back

This was one of the most relaxing holidays we've ever had. A beautiful setting that was so peaceful. The kitchen was well equipped and catered for all our needs. It is within walking distance to several pubs that provide great food. Remember to pack light as its a long walk for your car to the house.

This property is perfect for getting away to reset and recharge and even though we experienced poor weather we still loved it and will definitely return to watch the sunsets and listen to the waves which was so relaxing.

The Retreat is a beautiful, peaceful and unique location - no traffic or people noise. We loved it so much, we have booked again for next year. We had idyllic weather and it was glorious to sit on the bench watching the bay. The walk down to the beach is tricky and you need to take care but it gets easier! Once on the beach we almost had it to ourselves most days, when the tide is out it is a beautiful sandy beach, our dog didn’t want to come away, let alone us!

We struggle to travel to light, even our dog does, the wheel barrow makes it easier and we’ve now got the experience to learn from for next year.

Beautiful place of Heaven. Location was fantastic. Perfekt place to relax. You only hear the waves crashing. Our two dogs loved ist very much. If you looking for a quiet place without any people around you, this is the spot for you! We enjoyed every minute of our two week vacation there. Kitchen was fully stocked with appliances and Kitchenware. It was well worth the long drive for us from Bavaria (over 20hrs). We sure hope to revisit soon again!

So glad we booked the retreat, it was a truly relaxing experience and you can’t stop looking at the ever changing views. The beach was almost empty most days & the dog loved it. The accommodation is very well equipped & comfortable too. We loved how remote it was but there are still plenty of places within driving distance if you feel the need to explore. We would definitely book this again.

Our third visit to Captain Blakes so as you can gather my sister and I love it . Whether it's walking around the coastline with its amazing views , wildflowers and birds or sitting reading and painting looking at the ever changing sea and beaches . Swimming is excellent on the secluded beaches but it is a steep climb down and back but I thought it was worth it . Plenty of other interesting places to visit nearby Kingsand and Cawsand and Looe is lovely out of season ! We will be back !!

A very pleasant stay in this coastal retreat, with gorgeous views of the sea and landscape. We woul highly recommend Captain Blake’s Retreat.

What a fab hideaway, from the minute you turn off the road down the steep track you know it's going to be special, made even more amusing by the fact that you have to abandon your car at the end of the track and continue on foot for about 10 minutes to the property pushing your belongings along in the supplied wheelbarrow. The property itself is well appointed, clean, warm and cosy with of course those fantastic views across the sea, especially at sunset. Quite a tricky path down to the beach but once you're there you're on your own, not a soul to be seen (early May). Lovely walks direct from the property using the coastal path (one morning we came out of the property to find 3 huge deer outside the gate) and just a short walk over the hill to Cawsand bay for a couple of good places to eat or catch the ferry to Plymouth. No internet in property but reasonable 4G, but tbh turn you're phone off and enjoy the peace. Wished we'd booked to stay longer......

One of the 'best' holidays we've had. We loved the remote location and overall standard of the property. The views are simply stunning, can't wait to return!

A wonderful place to relax and enjoy some quiet time. This was out third visit to Captain Blakes and it didn't disappoint, we love the sea views which are amazing and totally tranquil - we love it!

Stayed from 3rd to 10th March 2023
Retreat and location is amazing, really enjoyed our stay with lovely walks or driving further afield to explore more of the Cornish Coast. Pubs in the local villages are excellent.
The retreat is cosy with wood burner and adequately equipped for 2 people.
We will return

What a place to sit and relax. It was quiet sitting in it's lovely location. We were blessed with good weather for the weekend. The bed was very comfortable and everything was well thought out.
Even though I have a bad hip and a bad back I found the walk from the parking area alright especially as you have placed a couple of benches to rest along the way!
We enjoyed our champers on the patio in the glasses provided! Except there was nobody to pour it for us.
Thank you.

This is a beautiful place with spectacular views

Another gem from Classic Cottages. If you like your own space, and an uninterrupted view of the sea, you’ll love it.

Fantastic secluded location with amazing sea views and great walks from the doorstep. Captain Blake’s Retreat is a tastefully decorated cottage with everything you could need for a lovely relaxing holiday.

Lovely remote property - fabulous sea views.

A brilliant 3 days at Captain Blake’s retreat following our wedding.
Amazing coastal and fort views. Highly equipped stay meant we could have the perfect independent bolt hole in the winter weather!
Walks straight out to coastal path or coves below - perfect!

Cottage in idyllic position, far from
Crowds and very quiet. Perfect for us and dogs, and very comfortable. The wheelbarrow where the car is left was very useful for transporting our small cases.

A fabulous location, the vehicular approach to the property is via quite a steep and long narrow concrete track which has a few nasty potholes. Classic Cottages say it isn’t suitable for low slung vehicles, and I think an SUV / small 4 x4 is ideal. Once parked there is a walk over a coastal path to the property, which makes it most suitable for physically mobile. The Retreat is well appointed, clean and comfortable. The remoteness, privacy and tranquility gave us the most relaxing week we have ever had, which combined with the stunning views has led us to book for a return trip next year.

Loved the secluded location of the property, beach was perfect for "skinny dipping" as nobody around! Fantastic coastal walks from accommodation to Rame Head Kingsand and Cawsand, Mount Edgcombe and Tregantle to Portwrinkle. Would recommend The Bay, Cawsand and Halfway House Inn for meals and the Cliff Top Cafe for lunch or breakfast. Captain Blakes is definitely the place to chill!

Blake's Retreat is in an amazing position . If you want peace and quiet to recharge your batteries this is the place for you . Loved staring out to sea and if you want you can swim at low tide , ( access down to beaches steep but possible ) and walk to your hearts content . Also relaxing , painting , reading is so comfortable in the lovely interior , which is modern and cosy . I will return . Thank you .

Great website but not so easy to access all of the photos of property. It’d be a good idea to include space for guests to post photos too. You’ve got a guest book so why not have somewhere new guests can see the location at different times of the year?

This has to be the best holiday we have ever had…Captain Blake’s Retreat was fabulous, the accommodation and the view were exceptional!
Waking up to the noise of the sea was so special, sipping drinks and watching the sun go down with a view to die for!
We particularly enjoyed ship spotting with the telescope and relaxing in front of the log burner…heavenly !
Thankyou to the owners and all the team at Classic Cottages for making our holiday such a special one!

Such a magical place, we felt like the only two people in the world! Sunsets were glorious and the walking in the area was superb. Comfortable and warm, pack light, it’s a long walk from your car!

Amazing views over the bay from a lovely, secluded property!

The views are amazing and what are sell this property, however you are provided with the bare minimum and end to take even the basics with you

I’d much rather keep this place secret so that I can book whenever I want - but it is pure magic. Beautiful unspoilt Cornwall and a location to die for!

Captain’s Blake’s Retreat is a very special place to escape with a well constructed cosy house that manages to protect against winds. We stayed here for a week in November-December and enjoyed a wonderful time exploring the coastline and taking long walks. We loved the location with its incredible views and it was also great to be part of the Mount Edgecumbe estate with Tamar the Ranger to greet and support us. We loved it.

Superb location, wonderful walking and swimming and the big surprise was the excellent public transport. We used our car only twice during our 10 day stay. What a bonus!

Stunning place to stay for views and quiet time.

Beautiful Cabin

Fantastic property, in a secluded position, overlooking the stunning coastline. Whatever the weather the view is beautiful. The property offers all you need for a very special place to stay.

We had an incredible week at Captain Blake’s retreat and would thoroughly recommend.

The only bad point was the incredibly creaky bed but nothing stops this place getting top marks! Absolutely incredible location, beautiful design inside and out.

We chose Cornwall for our honeymoon due to the pandemic, expecting to have ‘a proper’ honeymoon when we could - but Captain Blake’s was perfect. So happy that we found it! We looked at going back for our first anniversary but it’s already booked which isn’t a surprise.

Beautiful view and amazing
Location. But be careful in the early summer months walking to the cottage and back as there were a lot of ticks that were attaching to us and our dog.

Layout of house excellent ,loved the seclusion , amazing bathroom and shower . Outside water shower for Sandy feet .
Used the deckchairs a lot . Spectacular views . Short but steep walk to beach .swimming good at low tide .beautiful and flower strewn walks on the doorstep either way .We agreed that it was one of the nicest places we have stayed in the Uk and abroad .We ate outside most days on the picnic table which was really nice looking out to sea and watching kestrels , Dartmouth warblers and hang gliders overhead . Surrounded by beautiful flowers , foxgloves and oxtail daisies it was so peaceful . I did a few walks and swam and my sister painted there is something here for everyone .thank you Captain Blake's Retreat .

Fantastic location incredible view!!!!!

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this fantastic, unique accommodation in such a spectacular setting! Especially liked the remote coastal location and unrivalled experience of sitting outside watching the sun set above the ocean or stargazing with glass in hand.

Highly recommend this property to anyone seeking peace and quiet from the rest of the world - stunning location.
We did however walk from the property to Kingsand and Cawsand as well as to Cremyll to catch the ferry in to Plymouth.

Thank you Classic Cottages for a wonderful stay at Captain Blake's Retreat. It's absolutely the idyllic location for a restful getaway situated on the cliff of Whitsand Bay, overlooking the ocean, and with no other houses close by. The interior is tastefully decorated creating a calm restful atmosphere, clean and modern. The kitchen is well equipped, and perfect for self catering. We really enjoyed watching the sunset over the ocean with a glass of wine, or having a morning cup of tea watching the waves roll in, or even a pod of dolphins playing in the sea. The location is perfect for walks, great coastal paths around Rame head, or across the fields to Cawsand and Kingsands. If you are returning after dark be sure to have a torch, and sturdy footwear, the path from the car park, can be a bit slippery and hard to see with the overgrown plants.
Although it was in an isolated location, it was still close enough for day trips to Fowey, Dartmouth, and Plymouth. We can absolutely recommend the fabulous new Plymouth art gallery The Box, currently housing an amazing exhibition celebrating 400 years since the Mayflower sailed from Plymouth to the new world/America. And also its' permanent exhibits, galleries, collections and archives are fabulous, and well worth a visit for those alone. We also enjoyed visiting Mount Edgecumbe Estate, although the house is currently closed, the grounds are impressive with fabulous views across Plymouth Harbour, and a lovely Orangery serving the best Cream Tea.
Although we visited in Winter, there was so much to enjoy in the area, or just have days hibernating with a good book by the fire. We loved the wild location, being surrounded by nature, and the sea, we will definitely be returning! Thank you!

It was the perfect remote, socially distancing get-away.

Beautiful place amazing scenery so relaxing walking up to hear the ocean would highly recommend this retreat to all my family and friends

Amazing views & location... perfect little spot for a romantic getaway.

Great access to coastal walk, and can access the beach. Also close to other little villages if you want to explore the wider area.

We had a lovely stay, thank you!

The property is in a stunning location with incredible views. If you like the outdoors, wildlife with peace and quiet then you will love it here. We could have happily stayed on longer than a week. Captain Blake’s is a lovely cozy, well equipped and comfortable place to stay. Thank you to Tamar who met us and even pushed our luggage on arrival. She was very helpful through out our stay. We will be back!

A really great place, better than described.
Amazing location with amazing view, easy walk to the beach.
Overall the best property for a nice holiday.

We had an absolutely amazing week. The property is simply excellent. The location is amazing. Waking up to the view was breathtaking. We will certainly be back.

Even though we were only at Captain Blake's for three nights we felt as though we'd had a much longer holiday. We absolutely love it, and we're already planning our next visit. The whole area is stunning, and Captain Blake's is the perfect place to stay and explore it. Being able to lie in bed and listen to the sea is bliss!

This property is superbly located by the sea.
Hidden gem.

We had a really wonderful stay at Captain Blake’s Retreat. We loved the peaceful location and the amazing views - which were wonderful whatever the weather. It felt like only a short, easy walk from where you parked the car (even though the website says it’s half a mile.) There is also a wheelbarrow to push your bags in, which makes things easier. We were slightly worried that the cottage’s proximity to the Coastal Path, which runs directly past the front of the building, would make it feel a bit overlooked. But in fact, the path runs below the cottage & all the plants that have grown-up hide people’s heads from view & make it feel
quite private when you are sitting outside. We thought the cottage was beautifully decorated, well equipped with a very comfortable bed and a fantastic shower. We can’t wait to return next year!

Wow, what a property!
From booking, to communication with classic cottages to finally Captain Blake’s we couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Beautifully located and became our slice of heaven over the New Years holidays.
Everything we could have wanted was catered for and the lack of WiFi was welcomed.
The surrounding landscape was spectacular and provided many lovely walks for us and our pooches.
We truly were sad to leave and look forward to staying again at Captain Blake’s.

Heaven!

Captiain Blake's was a brilliant location for us as we were looking to walk with the dog and generally relax, it was very private and had amazing views, with a comfy (if very squeaky) bed, fantastic shower and equipped with the basics you would need.
We had a fantastic week, just a few things that would help to improve things even more, some sort of water-tight box outside for dirty boots would be good and there was no vacuum cleaner or floor mop. We always like to leave things 'spick-and-span' but couldn't keep the place as well as we'd like.
All the rubbish goes in to one bin, it would be nice to be able to sort out recycling separately.
Tide timetable would be useful, it doesn't go out far and comes in really quickly as we found out when walking back along the beach one day!!
Finally, having the keys for all windows and doors would be nice, one window was unlocked so we had to close the shutters every time we went out, we couldn't open the back door from outside, which would have helped with the dirty boots issue too.
It's a newish place so I'm sure hope the feedback is useful, we will definitely be looking to return.

Great location, comfortable well thought out accommodation. Great welcome from Mount Edgcombe staff. Well worth a visit if you like a bit of isolation, quiet, wildlife, sea and sand, whatever the weather. Will be back.

Brilliant location
History all around

If you have the chance to stay here, take it! It is a stunning location and a fantastic opportunity to completely lose yourself in the Cornwall coast and all it has to offer.

We had a wonderful 4 night stay in Captain Blake's Retreat blessed by glorious weather. It would be fabulous in any weather as it is comfortably furnished and the view is so fantastic . Excellent shower room and comfortable bed. Great meal at The View. The beaches are lovely when the tide is out but reaching them is a bit hair-raising as the paths close to the house are very steep and narrow, with nothing to hold on to, so not great for those who don't like heights. Easier access (though still many steps) at Sharrow Beach.