The Rame Peninsula through the seasons

Locally it's been called Cornwall's Forgotten Corner for as long as anyone can remember. Tucked between the River Tamar, Plymouth Sound and the English Channel, the Rame Peninsula slips below most tourists' radar in favour of Newquay or St Ives. That suits the people who live and own holiday homes here just fine. It's a quieter, slower, more unspoilt slice of Cornwall, and the best part is that it doesn't shut down out of season.

This is a guide to the Peninsula as it actually feels through the year. Not a generic "spring, summer, autumn, winter" sweep, but a useful guide to what's open when, where to go on a wet Tuesday in November, and which week in May is worth driving down for.

Spring on the Peninsula

If you only visit the Peninsula once, make it April or May. The hedgerows fill with primroses and bluebells. The headland ponies have their foals. And the National Camellia Collection at Mount Edgcumbe peaks in late February and through March, with hundreds of varieties flowering in colours from white through to deep crimson.

It's also the season when the Peninsula's quieter pace really shows. The crowds haven't arrived yet, the campsites are mostly empty, and you can have a clifftop walk to yourself even on a bright sunny weekend.

What to do in spring

• Walk the camellia collection at Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. Entry to the gardens is free.
• Visit the May Day Flower Boat Festival in Millbrook, a Victorian tradition still going strong.
• Watch for foals on the open common around Rame Head.
• Take an early morning walk down to Polhawn Cove for low light over the bay.

Summer on the Peninsula

Summer is when the Peninsula comes properly alive. The seasonal Cawsand Ferry starts running from Plymouth Barbican in April and continues through to the end of October, dropping passengers straight onto the beach at Cawsand. The Cremyll Ferry runs all year, but in summer it becomes a proper part of the experience: an eight minute foot crossing from Plymouth Stonehouse to the slipway at Mount Edgcumbe.

This is also festival season. Morvala Festival of Arts takes over Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in late June, with music, art, comedy, wellness workshops and camping. The Big Bite Food Festival brings street food and live music to the same park over a summer weekend. The Rame Head Race, a 10.5K loop that doubles as a half marathon and quadruples as a full marathon, runs in mid June.

Beyond the events, summer means swimming at Whitsand Bay (with care, the bay has strong currents), evenings at the pubs of Kingsand and Cawsand, and longer Coast Path walks made easy by long daylight hours.

Autumn on the Peninsula

For walkers and photographers, autumn might be the finest season here. The summer crowds have gone, the light is at its most golden and low, and the hedgerows are heavy with blackberries, sloes and rose hips. Mornings often start with mist rolling in off the sea and lifting by mid morning to reveal completely empty trails.

The Coast Path between Rame Head and Polhawn is at its richest now. The bracken turns russet, the heather still holds the last of its purple, and the headland glows in late afternoon sun. Stop at the Coastwatch lookout for a flask of tea and watch the light change.

This is also the perfect season for Mount Edgcumbe House. The House itself stays open until the end of September, and the deer park is at its prettiest as the leaves turn. You can walk from Cremyll Ferry through the estate down to Kingsand and back, a circular of around five miles taking in formal gardens, deer, and ocean views.

Winter on the Peninsula

This is the Peninsula's best kept secret. Most coastal areas of Britain shut down in winter. The Rame doesn't. South east Cornwall enjoys one of the mildest winter climates in the UK, with frosts rare and average daytime temperatures of around 8 to 10 degrees. Crisp bright days are common, punctuated by spectacular Atlantic storms.

The storms are arguably the best reason to be here in winter. From the safety of the Coast Path (well back from the cliff edge, please), you can watch huge Atlantic swells smashing into the cliffs at Rame Head, sending spray fifty feet up into the air. Bring binoculars and you'll spot gannets diving and grey seals riding the surf.

For Christmas, Mount Edgcumbe hosts its annual Christmas Fair in November and December, with artisan stalls, festive food and the country park gardens lit for the season. Across the water in Plymouth, the Christmas Market on Armada Way runs the same period, easily reached by the Cremyll Ferry which operates year round.

Winter tips

• Layer up. The breeze off the sea makes a sunny 9 degrees feel cooler than expected.
• Check tide times before walking down to any cove. Spring tides can cut off beaches.
• Many village pubs reduce their hours, so check before driving over for dinner.
• The Coast Path is more rugged and muddy. Boots are essential, not optional.
• Storm watching is fantastic but never go close to cliff edges in high winds.

The villages and where to eat

The Peninsula's twin fishing villages of Kingsand and Cawsand sit on the eastern side and are connected by narrow winding lanes lined with pastel coloured cottages. Once divided by the Devon-Cornwall border (which ran right through the middle), they're now unified and remain among the prettiest villages in Cornwall.

For food, the locals' picks are consistent across the seasons. The Devonport Inn in Kingsand for seafood and Cornish ales. The Halfway House in Kingsand, a proper village pub. The Cross Keys in Cawsand for a Sunday roast. The Canteen at Maker Heights for laid back food with views over Plymouth Sound (ex River Cottage chef). The Old Bakery in Cawsand for takeaway sourdough pizza in season.

Inland, the village of Millbrook has the Salty Dog Cafe (dog friendly, hearty breakfasts) and the Honey Room Cafe (vegan, vegetarian, lovely courtyard garden).

Frequently asked questions

Why ownership beats holidays here

Most people who visit the Rame Peninsula visit in summer. They miss two thirds of the year. The point of owning a lodge at Whitsand Bay Fort isn't that you get a holiday spot. It's that you get the Peninsula across all four seasons. The first crocus at Mount Edgcumbe in February. A January storm watched from your decking. The Cawsand Ferry's first crossing of April. The pub on a Tuesday in November when it's just you, the landlord, and the dog.

That's the side of the Peninsula that visitors rarely see. To experience it yourself, browse our current lodges for sale or book a no obligation park tour. You can also read more about Whitsand Bay and the wider Cornwall region, or if you'd rather walk first and ask questions later, our guide to walking the South West Coast Path from the Fort is a good place to start.