The Best of the Rame Peninsula
It’s ten years in 2024 since the Byre Gallery opened its doors on the beautiful Rame Peninsula. We kicked off our summer exhibitions programme in our decennial year with ‘The View from Here’, a showcase of visual and applied arts by our gallery regulars, created for the Byre Gallery in response to favourite views of the Rame Peninsula submitted by our clients and visitors.
This prominent headland, with its ancient chapel, is often the last piece of land sailors see as they leave mainland Britain, and the first they see when returning home. The Rame Peninsula boasts not only a wealth of natural beauty in its coastal path walks, rugged headland, verdant clifftops, wildflowers, white sand beaches, and vistas in which the sea and sky seem to stretch on forever, but also a vibrant creative community, which many artists call home.
We’re so grateful to be part of the wider creative and business community, and in our tenth year, it felt right to shed light on some of the fantastic businesses, shops, eateries, and holiday accommodation that make Cornwall’s forgotten corner such a vibrant place to experience.
Eat
Cornish Pod
CornishPod ought to be dubbed as unofficial sponsors of the Byre Gallery — their pasties are essential fodder each time we capture our socials content ahead of our exhibition opening. Elaine favours a steak and stilton or spinach and feta, while socials assistant Imogen is vegan, and chows down on a deliciously seasoned vegetable medley, made to order for her dietary requirements. Since CornishPod bakes pasties all year round, it’s a tradition that’s not likely to end soon!
The original CornishPod bakery is situated on Gallows Park, on Hounster Hill between Lower Tregantle and Millbrook. It’s just a short drive (or walk) from the idyllic towns, villages, and beaches across the Rame Peninsula.
Open Monday to Saturday, the menu changes every single day, as they insist on baking fresh and using only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients — just make sure to order in advance to avoid disappointment!
However, you can rest assured, a traditional Cornish pasty is always on the menu. Popular flavours include: traditional Cornish pasty, steak and stilton, pulled pork, chicken and chorizo, halloumi and roasted peppers, cheese and leek, spinach and feta, and not forgetting the pasty that was awarded World Pasty Champion of 2016, sweet potato and barbecue sauce!
CornishPod aims to cater for a variety of dietary requirements, including gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan. However, due to low demand, these must be ordered in advance.
Similarly, if there’s a specific pasty flavour you’ve always been eager to try, let the team know, and they’ll endeavour to make pastry-encrusted dreams come true! They’re always open to new ideas, and many flavours that are now staple CornishPod flavours were originally inspired by suggestions from customers with specific hankerings.
Best of all, CornishPod offers free local delivery, Monday to Saturday, between 12-2pm.
PodPicnic
CornishPod now offers PodPicnic baskets to sustain you on your day out in the Rame Peninsula! Baskets include a mixture of sandwiches, cakes, and an assortment of other savoury and sweet goodies. A typical PodPicnic includes two cocktail pasties, one mini sausage roll, one mini quiche, one sandwich, cake, scones, jam and cream, for £14.50 per head. Each is made fresh to order, and they’re happy to accommodate any food preferences you may have. Contact CornishPod here to find out more.
The Stores
The Stores in Kingsand offers delicious coffee, freshly baked pastries, deli goods, and fresh, local produce all year around, seven days a week.
A stone’s throw from the sea, The Stores is a perfect spot for a coastal coffee break. Or, if you’re in the holiday spirit, they offer a range of chilled Cornish beers and ciders, including summery ales from St Ives Brewery, as well as cocktails in the garden, from as little as £4.50.
They receive a fresh sourdough bread delivery every Friday from Jacka Bakery and Heyl Bakery, and fresh bakes from Lucy’s Kitchen on Fridays and Saturdays – her cruffins, cinnamon swirls, marmite swirls are fan favourites!
Manager Leon brings a wealth of experience with him. Having worked as a professional chef and foraging guide, he understands quality produce and flavour combinations — check out The Stores’ weekly wine and cheese pairings if you need anymore incentive to visit!
As well as learning from fantastic chefs and supporting up-and-coming restaurants, Leon has cultivated a passion for seeking out quality producers and farmers, and his inquisition has taken him all over the world.
He is delighted to lend his passion to The Stores in Kingsand, celebrating some of the best foods and drinks available, from artisanal European producers to locally revered makers and bakers, working with a brilliant team, as part of a vibrant community.
Ben’s Plaice
Ben’s Plaice in Millbrook is an independent family business. They first opened their doors in East Looe at the end of 2021, and expanded across South East Cornwall when, to their delight, popularity exceeded expectations. They are now a local favourite and award-winning business. They were even voted the ‘Best Fish & Chip Shop in Cornwall’ in September 2023 by readers of Cornwall Live.
When Ben’s Plaice opened in Millbrook, it created quite a stir in this quiet village on the Rame Peninsula, which was crying out for a decent chip shop. It’s open year-round, to serve residents and tourists in Rame, and the hungry trainee sailors at HMS Raleigh.
Their cooked-to-order fish is coated in a lighter-than-light crispy batter which is easy to digest. When availability allows, they offer alternative sustainable choices such as Monkfish, Plaice, Lemon Sole, or Scallops, as well as catering for most dietary requirements.
Beyond their traditional, high-quality ‘chippy’ items, they offer weekly specials — something different for bold flavour seekers!
Examples include chilli-cheese nuggets; sriracha cauliflower; the mighty chicken stack; chorizo and smoked cheese burgers; salt and pepper chicken flatbreads; sweet and sour dirty fries, and more. Follow their Facebook page to check ‘woss on’ each week!
For the sweet-toothed, they bake their own gooey brownies using Belgian chocolate, and love to experiment – presenting mouth-watering ‘brownies of the week’, such as white chocolate and Biscoff, or milk, white and dark chocolate orange brownies. You will often find desserts on the specials board, such as ‘mile high chocolate gateau’, and red ruby chocolate cheesecakes, with new creations added each season.
The Devonport Inn
The Devonport Inn on the Cleave has a unique position in the historic, charming, and traffic-free Cornish village of Kingsand, just yards from a small beach that looks out across the Rame Peninsula.
Voted one of the top fifteen Country Pubs in the UK by Condé Nast in 2021, The Devonport Inn is a beautiful spot for enjoying stunning sea views, and sampling local real ales and fine wines. Fresh local seafood is their specialty: they serve lobster, potted crab, moules marinières, and River Exe oysters, accompanied by a glass of Cremant or chilled white wine. Most of the menu is gluten free, or can be adapted to suit — Dawn, the owner, is Coeliac herself, and is passionate about providing high quality gluten free options.
The Devonport Inn welcomes your four legged friends throughout the pub. You can borrow a doggie blanket, and help yourself to treats on the bar.
Photograph by Dom Moore
The Canteen @ Maker Heights
The Byre Gallery is not the only business in the Rame Peninsula celebrating their 10th anniversary in 2024 — Nick Platts and his wife Alethea have been running The Canteen at Maker Heights with dedication and charisma for a decade.
Nick trained at River Cottage, and went on to be head chef at the Prince Hall in Dartmoor. He opened The Canteen based on strongly-held values of showcasing the best of locally sourced produce. The eclectic and ever-changing menu depends on both what the local fishermen bring up the hill, and the extensive array of fresh produce available from local farmers and suppliers.
The warm atmosphere is noted by everyone who visits The Canteen, and this is in no small part thanks to Alethea, who is the guiding force keeping the restaurant running smoothly and tending to happy customers — many of whom are regulars.
The Canteen also couldn’t function without Ben Somerville, who has been the other head chef since a year after opening, and whose skills have been fundamental in the success of The Canteen.
The Canteen has employed some of the best local talent, some of whom launched their careers under Nick and Ben's training, often starting out as kitchen porters, before progressing through apprenticeships to become highly skilled chefs. The fact that so many of the staff stay and return is testament to the high esteem held for The Canteen, by team members and customers alike.
Here’s to another ten years of The Canteen — a relaxing place to take in wonderful views and experience outstanding food, whether it’s a flat white with a sweet treat, a three-course celebration lunch with delicious wine, or the famous Maker Breakfast.
The Guardhouse Café Bar at Maker Heights
The Guardhouse is open daily for breakfast and lunch from 8am, and on Fridays and Saturdays they are open until 10pm, serving tapas, carefully selected wines, spirits, and chilled beers.
Their menu is ever changing depending on seasonal local produce, and each day you will usually find something different! Their hearty offerings encapsulate the best of Cornish coastal flavours: from their Cornish cassoulet and open fish finger sandwich, to their savoury cream tea.
The Guardhouse opens late on additional nights throughout the summer, and hosts popup guests, such as Wilf’s Caribbean Cuisine — think goat curry, jerk chicken, lamb ribs, and more. Check their Instagram for the latest updates.
Cliff Top Café
The Cliff Top Café is a beautifully situated café with outdoor seating on the top of the cliffs overlooking Whitsand Bay. They serve traditional breakfast, plus barista coffee and cream scones, among other tantalising options: choose from their all day breakfast, sandwiches and baguettes, pancakes, brunch soufflés, loaded hashbrowns, and more. Cliff Top Café should be noted for its vegan and gluten free options — those with dietary restrictions will not feel overlooked!
Widdicome Fair and The Honey Room
The gem of Millbrook's West Street for many years, 'Widdies' is the go-to shop for fruit and vegetables - excellent organic range - as well as a wonderful range of deli products, local eggs, fresh bread (don't miss their sourdough) flowers and plants, and Cornish delicacies. I would be lost with out them!
And tucked behind the shop - with a lovely sun-trap garden - is the Honey Room, the perfect spot for morning coffee (and cake!) or light lunch. A hidden treasure.
Stay
Tregantle Farm Eco Glampsite
Tregantle Farm Eco Glampsite is nestled in the heart of the picturesque Cornish countryside beside the sea, just a ten minute walk from Whitsand Bay. You can choose from beautifully decorated bell tents with comfy beds and safari tents with living rooms and a private deck areas. Expect an unforgettable glamping experience that combines nature, comfort, and relaxation. The site is perfect for couples, families, and dogs.
Tregantle Farm Eco Glampsite is run by Michele Lovell, who is committed to crafting quality experiences for her guests:
“One of the most rewarding aspects of my business is my dedication to providing guests with the very best experience possible. I take immense pleasure in ensuring that every guest feels welcome, comfortable, and satisfied during their stay.”
Michelle incorporates a passion for cooking and baking into the guest experience. She takes pleasure in providing a complimentary breakfast hamper prepared with love, as well as a Cornish cream tea. She is proud to prepare homemade dishes showcasing the best of locally sourced and organic ingredients wherever possible.
What sets Tregantle Farm apart from other sites is their commitment to sustainable living. The site operates using renewable energy sources, reducing its carbon footprint without compromising on comfort. The communal areas, including the kitchen and bathroom facilities — stylish eco showers and compost toilets — are meticulously maintained and use eco-friendly practices.
Opening the site was a long-held aspiration for Michele:
“I had dreamed of setting up a campsite since 2012 after a near death experience, which gave me a whole new perspective on life. However, I continued to work as a community nurse for the NHS until 2017. After which, I briefly started a new cafe from scratch, which I was able to sell just before lockdown. I opened the eco glampsite in 2020 as a pop-up with just two bell tents. Then in 2023, I bought a third tent and applied for my license to operate longer, which I’m so pleased was granted.”
The glampsite has weathered storms (literally), as turbulent skies claimed three of Michelle’s tents in 2023, but ever since she discovered an independent company near Glastonbury who make luxury safari tents, the site is going from strength to strength, allowing Michelle to continue doing what she loves.
The bell tent is open until 2nd September, while the safari tents are open until 30th September.
Forgotten Corner
Forgotten Corner Holiday Cottages is a local independent provider of short term rentals on the breath-taking Cornish coast. Representing self-catering holiday cottages within the historic twin villages of Kingsand, Cawsand, and Cremyll, they offer gorgeous coastal getaways without compromising on home comforts.
Whether walking the dog across miles of golden sand at Whitsand Bay, or relaxing with family and friends on the seafront of a historic smuggler’s village, the Rame Peninsula has so much to offer holidaymakers of all ages.
You can get in touch with the friendly and accommodating Forgotten Corner team at info@forgotten-corner.co.uk with any questions or special requirements, or book now on their website.
The Seaforts
The Seaforts is a reimagining of the historic heritage site at Maker Heights, part of the most complete set of Napoleonic Barracks in the British Isles.
An outpost on a rugged cliff top, The Sea Forts offers a real wilderness experience for those intrepid travellers and savvy locals looking for an off the beaten track adventure, with monumental 360 degree views.
The project includes the loving restoration and conservation of its significant 18th century fortifications, protection of its precious wildlife, and evolution of a creative community base camp for artisans, adventurers, and nature lovers alike.
Their Adventure Bell Tents are located in prime position on a South Easterly aspect offering awe inspiring views of the Cornish coastline. Each tent can accommodate up to four adults and two infants, and they welcome well-trained dogs at a modest cost. As part of their wider ethos of treading responsibly on the land, the site has only a few tents — offering an intimate camp atmosphere.
They have installed state of the art solar toilets and showers for a little luxury after blustery coastal hikes along with zero waste, local toiletries. They have in-tent amenities, including off-grid solar charging. Their convenient online guest information is accessible with their Wifi, and provides all the information you need to explore the rugged Rame Peninsula.
Maker Heights Camping
Maker Heights is within an outstanding area of natural beauty, just off the South West Coast Path, with stunning views across the Rame Peninsula.
Whether you’re camping in a tent, caravan, or motorhome, their unspoiled site offers a truly wild experience. Nestled under expansive skies with sea views and surrounded by birdsong, Maker Camp is located on the breathtaking South East Cornish coast. From here, your views stretch from the glimmers of light playing off Whitsand Bay on a summer evening, past Cawsand Bay, and across the South Devon Coast, before turning back inland towards Dartmoor and Bodmin. As the highest point on the Rame Peninsula, Maker Camp offers uninterrupted stargazing opportunities, and on clear days, it becomes an eternal suntrap.
Their campsite is thoughtfully designed with great respect for nature, providing an authentic camping experience. Pitches are interspersed with habitat zones of long grass, providing a home for ground-nesting Skylarks and beautiful butterflies.
Campsite profits go towards looking after not only the heritage assets of Maker, but the natural landscape as well. Their ‘crop circle’ pitches weave together long and short grasses on this unspoiled grassland, creating a mosaic habitat that cradles campers in their own slice of nature, with protection from the wind.
Rame Barton Bed & Breakfast
Bree and Henry offer wonderful bed and breakfast accommodation at Rame Barton. The house is decorated tastefully, with the very best crisp white bed linen, organic toiletries, comfy beds, and a fabulous Cornish breakfast. Here you will find a haven of peace and relaxation.
Rame Barton is ideally located for exploring Torpoint and the South West Coast Path — an idyll for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a retreat into nature.
You can choose from two apartments on a self-catering or B&B basis. One apartment, with two bedrooms, accommodates up to four people, while the other offers a snug haven for two. The grounds of Rame Barton are just as gorgeous as the stylish interiors — you can immerse yourself in the beauty of two acres of gardens overlooking Whitsand Bay and the Cornish countryside.
Some other lovely places to stay are:
A stone's throw from Rame Barton is Church View Cottage at the Old Rectory Lovely self-catering accommodation for up to six guests (and dog friendly!), set amongst stunning orchards which provide the apples for Rame Head Apple Juice and Cider, which is not to be missed; and moments from Rame Head and the south west coast path.
For beachy vibes (direct access to the beach) and heavenly sunrises is Cawsand's Old School House. A beautifully stylish and elegantly decorated three bedroomed historic beachhouse which is the ideal location to relax, pamper and watch the waves. Or be more active with many activities, and plenty of places to eat, on your doorstep. If it was me, I wouldn't stray far from the view, or the bath...
Watery vibes continue on other side of the peninsula at the very lovely Wood Park Stables. With glorious sunsets over the lake, this spacious one bedroomed, stylishly converted and beautifully finished 1820s barn is the ideal stay for a cosy romantic getaway.
See & Do
Pottery Classes with Paul Cardew at Rame Barton
Paul Cardew is a world renowned ceramic designer, famous for his amazing collection of limited edition teapots, which are sold all over the world. This is a pottery experience not to be missed.
Within the grounds of Rame Barton lies 1000 square feet of pottery heaven, with five kilns, and three wheels. Best of all, your mug of tea will be endlessly refilled!
You’ll receive expert guidance from Paul Cardew, a world renowned ceramic designer, who now resides at Rame Barton. Many years ago, Paul completed his art foundation course at Plymouth Art college, gained his BA hons at Loughborough Art College, ATD in Leicester University, and then went on to lecture at Exeter Art College. He later owned three potteries and employed over 300 people. He is famous for his amazing collection of limited edition teapots sold all over the world. He has designed for Portmeiron, Royal Doulton, the Tea Council, and was the designer and original manufacturer of the NatWest Pigs.
Maker Heights
The Maker Heights community is a diverse cluster of visual artists, musicians, CICs, and creative businesses based in Rame Conservation Trusts’ barrack block and Nissen huts.
Their visual artists Red (painting), Beth Richards (video and installation), Helen Kuumbi (contemporary landscape painting), Tricia Salt (linocut, monoprint, painting, and performance), Andy Knights (painting), Huhtamaki Wab (painting, fabric, installation), and Dom Moore (photography), among many others.
Tricia Salt works out of The Good Egg Studio at Maker Heights. She is a fine artist, workshop leader, performer, and designer who has worked in the Rame Peninsula for over a decade. Her artwork explores landscape through its materials and textures, captured and translated in print and paint. She is particularly interested in ever-changing coastal edges, employing metals, stone, water, weeds and shells to investigate the relationship between human, land, and sea.
Photograph by Dom Moore
Huhtamaki Wab’s practice operates within an animistic and non-anthropocentric world where interconnected spirits and humans populate landscapes to create ecstatic realities. Complex entanglements between persons and landscapes create a rich ecology of non-hierarchical relations. These depictions are situated within the lineage of representations of animistic belief from his birthplace of Japan, in wide-reaching references from contemporary manga to ukiyo-e prints of the Edo period. Wab's mixed heritage offers connection with themes of unbelonging and explores this often complex and difficult space through humour, play, and radical ownership of semantic material within the work. They also look and reflect upon personal experiences of hearing voices and addiction, acting not only as a critically engaged practice but also a means for recovery and relearning. A part of this relearning is resisting and decolonising ways of looking and seeing, manifest in ways of understanding these personal experiences and the way we collectively view the myriad of life-worlds around us.
Garrison Gallery
The Garrison Gallery is an up-and-coming community art gallery and social hub in the Barracks Block at Maker Heights. They work in tandem with Patchwork Studios to offer the community a fresh, immersive, inspiring, and safe space for the creative arts.
The weekend fun starts on Fridays, with live folk, jazz, blues, soulful acoustic, and some of the finest local DJs and selectors every single week.
As the Rame Peninsula’s original craft cocktail bar, the Garrison Gallery also offers a lavish-yet-affordable handcrafted cocktail menu and a rolling range of locally sourced brews, alongside beautifully curated art-adorned walls.
Best of all, as a not-for-profit passion project, all proceeds from the bar are invested in enhancing the community they love. Proprietors Andy and Amanda Knights delight in their designation as a safe space for free expression, providing foot-in-the-door opportunities for emerging artists, free immersive holiday events, unique fundraisers, quality music and local acts, and so much more!
They’re proud to help their neighbours and creative collaborators, working together to bring music, arts, and culture to the people of the Rame Peninsula and beyond.
Sea Kayaking from Cawsand
Cawsand is a beautiful little village, sitting on the West side of the port of Plymouth, and makes for a lovely sheltered spot to launch a kayak from. It gives you instant access to some quite spectacular and unusual limestone cliffs and caves. From there it’s just a short paddle around the corner to Rame Head, where the paddling gets more serious and exposed.
Sea Kayak Devon hosts guided trips with the option to do a half or full day, featuring wild swimming, foraging, picnics on remote beaches, and, if you’re very lucky, seal sightings!
Their carefully chosen team of top Sea Kayak guides will teach you everything you need to know so you can relax and enjoy the experience. Kayaking is the ultimate way to explore the coast: you’ll access places that boats can’t reach, and discover rocky headlands with spectacular cliffs and islands teeming with wildlife.
Guides are happy to tailor your experience to meet your wishes, whether you want to explore sea caves on high tides, cool off with a refreshing swim in your own private cove, or relax on a remote sandy beach and roast marshmallows on a driftwood fire.
You will receive an expert briefing from their highly qualified and experienced guides, and they will be close at hand throughout the trip to make sure you feel confident and relaxed on the water. Individuals, groups, and families are welcome, and no experience is required.
Walk the South West Coastal Path to Rame Head Chapel
A visit to the Rame Peninsula would not be complete without a walk to St Michael’s Chapel on Rame Head, which totals 3.3km.
A high headland with a bird's-eye view of the coast for a long way in both directions, Rame Head has long been a lookout point. Celtic warriors built a rampart across the neck of the headland to defend it from possible attack, and medieval monks kept a light burning here to warn sailors of the rocks after St German established their chapel in the Dark Ages. This is a short loop around the headland, which is a great place for bird-spotting, especially in autumn, when hobbies, merlins, peregrines, hen and marsh harriers, and short-eared owls have all been seen passing through. On a day with good visibility you should be able to see Eddystone lighthouse.
In the reign of the Emperor Valentinian in the fourth century AD — according to a legend retold by Robert Hunt at the start of the twentieth century — the people along the shores of the Tamar had been taught by the local monks that all men were doomed from birth to a life of sin and misery. St German was sent to preach to them about free will and the value of good work. He built a church here, and a poor house, and he performed a number of miracles. He had many followers, but he also had his enemies, and one day a rowdy rabble burst in on his Sunday service and drove him out.
According to the text, 'St German went, a sad man, to the cliffs at the Rame Head, and there alone he wept in agony at the failure of his labours. So intense was the soul-suffering of this holy man that the rocks wept with him. From that day the tears of the cliffs have continued to fall, and the Well of St German attests to this day of the saint's agony.'
Today's Church of Saint Germanus in Rame was first consecrated in 1259, being built on the site of an earlier Norman church. The tower, spire and chancel date from the thirteenth century, but the nave and aisles were added later, and the whole church was restored in 1848 and again in 1886.
The chapel on the mound was licensed for Mass in 1397, and is probably built on the site of St German's original hermitage, although it was later dedicated to St Michael the Archangel, patron of high places. In its earliest days a lamp was probably kept alight in the chapel to warn sailors of the rocks below. In 1588 the first sighting of the Spanish Armada was from this chapel.
On a clear day you will be able to see the most famous lighthouse in the British Isles — the Eddystone, built on a small and very dangerous rock 13 miles south west of Plymouth.
Adventure Bay Surf School
Adventure Bay Surf School is Whitsand Bay’s premier surf school and coasteering provider. Tucked away in South East Cornwall’s stunning ‘Forgotten Corner’, they are just a stone’s throw from Plymouth, Liskeard, and Looe. Founded in 2011, they've built a solid reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting and unique surf schools, offering quality experiences with a personal touch.
Surf lessons
Whichever lesson you choose, you’ll receive quality tuition from our experienced surf coaches. After a gentle warm up on the beach, you’ll be shown how to catch waves and get to your feet on the sand, before taking to the water to carve up the waves under the supervision of our Surf Lifeguard trained instructors. You’ll leave feeling tired but buzzing and grinning from ear to ear. All equipment including wetsuits and surfboards are provided for during your lessons.
Paddle board tours
Whether it’s your first time, or you’re an experienced paddler, our tours of the coast are a real treat.
After being shown the basics and given some safety tips on shore, you will take to the water to find your feet and practise paddling, turning, and getting on and off the board safely. Then it’s time to head off! Depending on the conditions and the wind, shark rock, sharrow point and cave, HMS Scylla and even the pilchard palace are all within range. Our instructors will keep the group together, help any smaller paddlers, spot jellyfish, sand eels, and even dolphins, and show all the points of interest as you cruise along the coast. Paddle board tours are 1.5 hours in duration, and suitable for ages 8+. You can either book as a group or join a group!
Coasteering
Coasteering is one of the fastest growing saltwater experiences.
Encased in 5mm winter wetsuits, padded buoyancy aids, and helmets, Adventure Bay’s team of experienced guides will take you on a coastal thrill that you’ll be sure to remember for years to come. You’ll be washed in and out of gullies, and experience the rise and fall of the powerful ocean around rock formations whilst taking in the awe-inspiring scenery and wildlife.
Why not Take on ‘The Tower’, a 35ft free-fall into deep water, or pitch your nerve against ‘The Cavern’, a partially submerged tunnel and cave? The experience can be adapted to suit most ages and abilities, so don’t be put off by some of the more extreme aspects to coasteering – you choose what elements you do!
Shop
The Stores HOME, Millbrook
The Stores HOME is a family-owned lifestyle store stocking handcrafted homewares and gift inspiration by small businesses and independent artists and makers. You’ll find handmade silver and sea glass jewellery from Rosie & Flo, charming leather bookmarks by ARK Colour Design, tableware from nkuku, cards and prints by Lauren Marina and Nicole Revy, among soaps, throws, and slippers, and more. They also stock brands including Bloomingville, Madam Stoltz, Cornish Studio, and Les Boujies.
Helen Round at Maker Heights
Helen Round is a British textile designer and printmaker. Her classic designs, inspired by the flora and fauna of the countryside and coastline, are hand printed onto the highest quality linen using traditional screen printing techniques.
Built around an ethos of treading lightly on the earth, each Helen Round product is designed to minimise waste. Beautiful hand-made products are crafted using ethically sourced materials and traditional techniques, helping people live more sustainably.
Helen’s story began in early 2012 at her kitchen table with a simple vision: to create beautiful products for the home that last. Frustrated by the disposable nature of modern consumerism, she set out to create products that not only enhance our homes, but also minimise our environmental footprint. Over the years, the business has grown and today they are a fabulous team of ten people, all driven by the same purpose.
The team’s commitment to sustainability is at the heart of every product they create. They have designed a range of beautiful products that replace things that would otherwise be single use, making it easy and intuitive to live more sustainably.
Helen’s Rame Head collection of cushions, lampshades, tote bags, and tea towels was inspired by the beautiful Rame Peninsula.
Helen’s shop and studio space, located at Maker Heights behind The Canteen, is open from 10am-4pm weekdays and 11am-4pm on weekends.
The shop stocks their complete collection of hand printed linen homeware and kitchenware, including lampshades and cushions, bags, tea towels, napkins, and aprons. Helen’s studio, where all of their linen and bamboo products are sewn by the team, is within the building, and they offer tours on request!