Cornwall, with its rugged coastline, ancient castles, and charming villages, beckons travellers from around the world. The allure of this southwestern corner of England is undeniable, but it doesn't have to come at a premium. There are plenty of budget-friendly accommodation options that promise not only affordability but also comfort and memorable experiences. From caravan parks in Cornwall to hostels and bed and breakfasts there are some great affordable places to stay in this region of the UK  

Hostels - Affordable Comfort for the Traveller on a Budget

Have you ever been to a tourist attraction or destination and just thinking about it for days later, makes you smile? The Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek made me do just that. 

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary at Gweek, on the beautiful Helford Estuary, is one of Europe's busiest and best seal rescue and rehabilitation facilities.

They have clear aims and objectives here which is great to see. The most important one is that they handle the seals as little as possible, whilst still providing professional care for the animals. This is so that they do not become tame and can fend for themselves when released back into the wild. If the animals cannot be returned, for example, those that are too sick or disabled for release or those that are rehomed from zoos, then they provide a safe and caring environment.  They also educate the public and raise awareness of the wealth and diversity of the marine environment. As well as seals there are other animals too such as sea lions, penguins and otters.



So we set off on the 40-minute drive from where we were staying in St Ives to get to the seal sanctuary.  When we got there we were greeted by Ellie, one of the members of staff who was allocated to show us around as we had arranged a 'breakfast with the seals' package.   This premium package included early entry prior to opening, a private VIP tour with a member of staff, a chance to feed the seals and breakfast in the cafe. If you want to do this package it needs to be booked at least two weeks in advance. 

Top Tip I would also recommend booking on the website if you want standard entry as it's cheaper than just turning up. There are also other VIP packages such as being a keeper for a day so do check them out.

Ellie was amazing and super enthusiastic about the seal sanctuary. Although only a member of staff for a short time, her love of the place really shone through.  She explained that this year was the 60th year of the seal sanctuary and that it started in 1958 when the founder Ken Jones found a baby seal washed up on the beach in St Agnes, Cornwall. This was the first of many rescues, the single pool that Ken used soon became too small and in 1975 a new site was found in Gweek.  



Then on to the tour. The first place we were taken to was the seal rescue hospital and admission centre.  Most of the pups here are young, many only a few weeks old. When the seals come in they are assessed, any wounds treated and put on a treatment plan. Many of the seal pups are malnourished. When a seal has babies, the mum feeds them milk 5 to 6 times a day, then after 3-4 weeks the mum leaves them and heads back out to sea to feed and mate again.  In this time the seal pup has to learn how to find fish and feed itself. This is a time when they are at their most vulnerable. This is often the time that seals are brought to the centre, washed up or injured during storms. If a seal pup is admitted at this stage they are fed a fish soup mixed with Lucozade through a syringe until they start eating properly.  They have to be 35 to 40 kilos before they are released. 



In the seal hospital is the food prep area, and here we saw the volunteers who wash and sort the fish.



After the hospital, we were taken to the nursery pool. The seals in this pool had gained weight and were well enough to move on from the hospital.



After the nursery pool, we moved on to the convalescent pools. These pools had mostly seal pups, but also a few adult seals with injuries or disabilities that meant they wouldn't be able to survive in the wild. These adult seals helped nurture the seal pups, and the seal pups learn how to fight for the fish as they would in the wild. 



It's important here to point out that this place isn't a zoo, it's a working hospital and rehabilitation centre and thus the areas to swim and enclosures aren't of course, as big as the wild open sea.  The water for the pools are also taken from the sea so can be murky in places, but that is how it should be, as the baby seals will be returned to the wild.



As part of the package, we were given the opportunity to feed the seals in the rehabilitation pool. I left this to Mr W who had a challenge for the seals to get the fish before the seagulls!





The seals are moved there when they have been socialised with the adults and get to the desired weight of between 35 and 40 KG before they can be released. Then the staff wait for good weather and good surf for the seals to be released. The pool here is smaller so they can drain it quicker on release day, and then they are taken in a trailer to the beach. They are released in groups of 6 to 10 and those that are less confident can take the lead from others.

After feeding the fish we were shown the two Californian sea lions which were rehomed from a wildlife park in Spain. It was interesting to hear that when they arrived they could only understand Spanish. They had to be taught commands in English (so the team could carry out health checks). 

There are also otters, penguins, a play area for children and a rock pool area where children can learn about starfish, crabs and sea anemones. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to explore more. 


Then it was time for our breakfast which was in with the 'breakfast with the seals' package'. This included a huge basket of croissants and pain au chocolats, toast, porridge, fresh fruit, orange juice, tea or coffee. I think other cereals were available.  The food was plentiful and there was more than enough food for us both. 

When we had breakfast Mr W and I chatted about the sanctuary. The work that the Cornish Seal Sanctuary does is amazing and we can definitely recommend the breakfast with the seals' package at £35 per person. 

St Ives in Cornwall is one of those postcard-perfect seaside towns that Cornwall does well, but it has a depth and appeal that goes beyond the traditional seaside resort, and it is a town that I would recommend a visit to all year round.

So when I was looking for places to stay in St Ives I decided that an apartment would be a great option.

Our apartment called Island Time was based in the Morwenstow apartments and was rented from the company Classic Cottages. The apartment sleeps 4 and a cot.


Classic Cottages say they find cottages and apartment that people fall in love with and I think that's an amazing ethos to have, don't you?

The apartment we stayed in, is situated a ten to fifteen-minute walk from the centre to St Ives, and five minutes from Porthminster beach. The accommodation was of a very high standard. The decor was fresh and inviting, with neutral shades and the furniture and furnishings looked brand new.

When I walked into the apartment, I must admit it had the wow factor. Sometimes photos can't convey this but I can confirm it definitely did.