Cornwall in winter is a blast

The county gets famously full in summer, but out of season it comes into its own as the roads quieten and the surf roars on its empty beaches

The empty sands of Sennen Cove sweep invitingly before us – the pristine beach shaded by a spectacular headland at the southwesterly tip of England. It’s a breathtaking spot for a day by the sea. Then the sun breaks through and the whoops of children surfing in the waves add to the atmosphere. The hardcore wetsuited family are the only people in sight, as the temperature remains stubbornly close to zero, with added windchill factor.

It is the first week in January, and we have come for a holiday to the rugged coast of Cornwall. You might ask why. The county is not known for winter holidays, with most tourists and second-home owners descending in their droves during the summer months, cramming themselves into all available cottages and campsites. But holidaying at this time of year offers the kind of peace that we long for after the excesses of December.