Cottages to rent for self-catering breaks in St Austell, Cornwall, England

A cottage holiday in Cornwall buys certain advantages; a stay in a beautiful setting, not having to pay for meals and snacks out and comfortable place to stay despite rainy days. You can stay in, lounge in your cottage garden and completely relax. Many people visit St Austell in south Cornwall each year.

St Austell achieved prominence in recent years because of its proximity to the Eden project, that exotic garden of glass domes or biomes created in a disused china clay pit which showcases flora from around the globe. The China Clay Country Park and museum is stuated 3 miles north of St Austell at Wheal Martyn (http://www.wheal-martyn.com/), this being the centre of china clay country. The strange sharply pointed and white tipped clay slag heaps can be see at various points in the surrounding countryside.

The best nearest beach is at Polkerris to the east or Pentewan near Mevagissey in the south. However, nowhere in Cornwall is very far once you're there. Even a trip to Land's End is possible for a day out assuming you have a car. A landmark to the west of St Austell is the 1898 railway viaduct carrying trains over the Trenance Valley to London.

The nearest seaside town to st Austell is the fishing port of Charlestown where there is a Shipwreck and Heritage Centre. The wilderness of Bodmin Moor lies 20 minutes drive north of St Austell, a place for spotting wildlife, the Bodmin ponies and rare butterflies.

Renting a self catering cottage or apartment near St Austell is recommended for anyone who would like to spend a day or two visiting the Eden Project and touring the south Cornwall coast.