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A lovely review from Mark Taylor who stayed with us recently: "Just wanted to say we had a fantastic week, it lived up to and actually definitely exceeded our expectations. The Farmhouse was warm , finished to a very high standard and immaculately clean. Our walks on your land were lovely and the girls adored the swimming pool and gym."

Heavensbury Park...

Last year we invited Phileas Dogg to come and stay with us and he had a wonderful time, you can see his write up on his well-renowned blog here.

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"Just come back from our first wonderful week at Helsbury Park. Can't recommend it enough for dog owners. Upon arrival our two Springers were greeted with handmade dog treats and a toy to play with, along with 100 acres to sniff around. We humans weren't forgotten either, a lovely bottle of wine and flowers made this such a warm welcome. The property we hired was perfect, everything we needed was supplied, and everything was so comfortable, especially the beds where we often slept for 11 hours lol. The leisure facilities were wonderful, after a morning out exploring beautiful Cornish towns and countryside, it was lovely to come back and swim and spend time in the sauna. We loved it that much we are immediately booking for next year. Helsbury Park gets 10/10 from us!"
M Killen, Marhayes, October 2014

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Sometimes we receive a comment that sums up a lot of the feedback we get from our guests and we share it, here's one we had recently from Melanie:

"We've stayed in many cottages over the years, but Helsbury would be hard, if not impossible, to beat. A lovely house (Westhayes) in every way and having the most perfect walks on the doorstep was the icing on the cake. Our dog thought he was in heaven I think! We were also very lucky with the weather. We hope to be back to share this with freinds and family. Thank you so much."

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"On this our second visit we were once again very impressed by the cleanliness, facilities and attention to detail at Helsbury Park. It is clear from here that new standards of visitor care are being achieved placing you as one of the leading dog friendly holiday destinations, certainly one of the best we have been to (and we have been to very many). We hope to return as soon as we are able."

Lorraine and Paul Finch
November 2012

Helsbury Dog Photo Competition 2012 Entry 18

There are times when we get feedback which just blows us away, and this is one of those times, some lovely photos and a poem no less!!

Helsbury Park – a piece of Doggie Heaven,

We are used to lovely place as we live on the coast in Devon!

But at Helsbury Park, WOW, what can we say,

It had everything and more for us to do each and every day!

We’d be up bright and early - first ones at the door,

Out through the paddock, eager to explore!

Running through the meadow, roaming the woods, splashing in the river,

Mum taking lots of photos, something about a ‘competition winner’?

Back to the cottage for a drink and some cookie treats – a gift from Leza and Dave,                     

We both agreed that they were yummy and now our definite fave!

Off out to the beaches to frolic in the sand and sea,

Daymer Bay and Rock were amazing and Padstow had plenty to do and see!

Sleepy and content by the fire while the girls went to the pool for a swim,

Either Mum preparing dinner or we all dined out at the local Inn!

Every day an adventure, even better than the one before,

We loved every minute and wanted to stay for more!

Then sadly, we watched Mum pack our things away,

Our holiday had come to an end, a very very sad day!

But now we are happy and full of celebrations,

We’re coming back next year – hurray – love Esmee & Lyra the Dalmatians!!

P.S

The humans loved it too and walked around Helsbury with smiles on their faces,

For doggies and their owners it really is the very best of places!

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We get as lot of lovely comments, but not many of them come hand written so it's nice to see that the art form still exists, here's a lovely letter we received recently. Click on it to see it full size.

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We received some lovely comments from Helen Crawford, who stayed with us this Summer: "At last someone who understands that just because we want to bring our dogs on holiday it doesn't mean that we want to stay in a hovel! It's the first time we have stayed in a self catering home and not wanted to return home immediately! Dogs loved it too, we loved your dog friendly touches. We've been coming to this part of Cornwall on and off for the last 20 years and have increasingly thought of buying something here but i think we would rather stay at Helsbury Park now. Very impressed with all your eco efforts and the maintenance standards of your gardens and grounds."

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Lovely comment here from one of our guests: "We were lucky enough to be invited to stay at Helsbury Park last week, with my daughter and family. I want to express our thanks for a wonderful stay.It was our first holiday in 12 months since my husband's illness so it was special. The accommodation and facilities were excellent and the walks in the grounds were most enjoyable. I do hope that we will be able to return sometime in the future. I shall recommend Helsbury Park to all of my friends and acquaintances."

A Recent Review...

Jayne Freer put this article together after a recent visit to Helsbury.

WHEN you think of a dog-friendly holiday you would be forgiven for conjuring up images of run-down, smelly accommodation with strict rules and regulations more suited to a concentration camp. And while you may happen to stumble across holiday retreats which allow ‘one small dog’ or ‘pets by prior arrangement’, the phrases ‘totally dog friendly’ and ‘luxury five star accommodation’ are not often even imagined in the same sentence.

But I’ve discovered an absolute gem nestled virtually on our own doorstep but could be miles from anywhere. Helsbury Park near Camelford in north Cornwall is a dog owner’s dream. We stayed in Marhayes, one of two spacious, converted stone barns. There is also a farmhouse and bungalow to hire on this award-winning complex. The first thing that struck me on arrival was the attention to detail. Our holiday home was kitted out with literally everything we’d need – even stuff we didn’t think we would, such as a dog frizzbie and the parmasan cheese shaver! There’s an abundance of throws for the furniture so you don’t have to worry about your pets leaving their muddy marks.

The interior was spectacular with slate floors - easy for clearing up any little doggy accidents - with underfloor heating. This along with the living room wood burner and plenty of logs and kindling created the perfect cosy atmosphere in which to unwind. And with puzzles, boardgames, books, mini snooker table and table tennis kit provided, you don’t even have to leave if you don’t want to. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, the two main rooms housing four-poster mega-comfy beds and the third with two singles. Each had ensuite shower rooms.

One of Helsbury’s many outstanding features is that it is surrounded by the most spectacular, breath-taking views stretching out to the edge of Bodmin Moor. Set in 100 acres, it comes complete with its own river running through an enchanting woodland and open fields. If you fancy venturing a little further afield the perfect-for-running-walking-cycling Camel Trail is a stone’s throw away, the nearest beach is around five minutes and of course there are the wonders of the moor itself. The trail up, across, around, and down Roughtor and Brown Willy is simply spectacular.

So there’s plenty of choice for ‘walkies’. Oh, and the on-the-ball owners even have a selection of wellies stashed away if you’ve forgotten to bring your own. After a day’s dog walking why not sink into Helsbury’s fantastic new swimming pool, to help ease the aches and strains? The complex is built into the hillside to avoid spoiling the Camel valley view so you can swim to your heart’s content while still soaking in the stunning surrounds. And once you’ve splashed out a few lengths you can relax in the sauna, or shower and dry off and indulge in the massage chair before hitting the small but well-equipped gym.

And as if that wasn’t enough to tempt you, Helsbury Park also boasts a ‘sustainable tourism’ strategy. Visitors are encouraged to recycle their waste in an array of recycling and compost bins, ditch the car and opt for saddle-back or walking, stay local, eat local, buy local, and be as economic with resources as possible. It’s a big part of Helsbury life. The welcome pack is a hefty ring-binder including all the information you need for your stay from suggested walks and the wildlife you may see, dog friendly places to eat, a beach guide and attractions to visit to keep you occupied. The owners actively promote other local business – the divine showering products are from the local St Kitts Herbery - while giving recommendations for the best local meat suppliers and farm shops. My own recommendation would be The Old Inn at St Breward. A roaring log fire, the finest of ales and a warm welcome for both two and four-legged patrons – just how a good pub should be.

Helsbury does have its own ‘doggy code’ to help maintain it’s five star status. But to be honest, any responsible dog owner would have no problem adhering to the few house rules such as picking up poop, covering furniture with blankets and not leaving dogs alone in the cottages to turn the sideboard into sawdust. And to help, the owners have even thought of equipping each cottage with a huge private dog kennel for if you do need to leave your pet behind along with stairgates to help prevent curious canines from vanishing upstairs.

I have to say Helsbury Park is one of the best holiday homes I’ve ever experienced – with or without dog.

Guests feedback

We've been reviewing all our feedback from last year and we'd thought we'd share some of the comments we've been getting:

"What a wonderful week we’ve all had at Helsbury Park – Broadview is just perfect for us and your fields and excellent facilities made for an outstanding, super dog orientated holiday!"

"Marhayes and Helsbury Park exceeded my expectations by a long way, it does what it says on the tin and more! We had a very enjoyable week, the setting was amazing, comfortable and well equipped."

"The accommodation excelled our expectations in every way (the master bed, I must say is by far the most comfortable I have experienced whilst on holiday). Westhayes is a real home from home – only with a slightly better view!!!"

"Really enjoyed our first stay at Helsbury Park, the pool is excellent very clever design and was used every day… we will definitely be coming back."

"This is our seventh year and eighth stay at Helsbury Park and yet again it has been a fantastic holiday! Thank you."

"We had a brilliant holiday with plenty to do on site and locally for us, our teenagers and, of course, the dogs. Would highly recommend Shona Moon as well."

"Really enjoyed our holiday – bungalow and setting really lovely – dog walks great – swimming pool brilliant – hope to see you again in the future."

"Now after visiting Helsbury Park we have had to ‘rethink’ the phrase ‘dog friendly’. Other establishments purporting to be ‘dog friendly’ we now realize are merely dog tolerant (in varying degrees) ... Helsbury Park turns that attitude on its head. Facilities for both 2 legs and 4 legs are second to none."

"Loved to see our dogs running free on your land, swimming in the stream they had a lovely holiday."

"This is our 5th visit and we’ve had a lovely week again. Although not big swimmers we both enjoyed the pool – very exclusive and notably chlorine-free and lovely showers too."

"Dave & Leza you have done a beautiful transformation, the accommodation & facilities are out of this world, whenever we visit Helsbury Park we know we are in Heaven."

"We had a fantastic holiday. We have only recently rescued our Chocolate Lab and it was great to see her have such a lovely time. You must be very proud of Helsbury Park. We look forward to returning!!"

"Once again a fabulous holiday made even better this year by the new excellent pool & facilities & unseasonal sunny weather. The bed was the most comfortable we have slept in. We will definitely be back. Many thanks."

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From Nicky Andrews: "On behalf of my family, I would like to say what a fantastic holiday we had recently at Helsbury Park. It was mine and Mark’s first visit to Cornwall and we would love to be able to return in the coming years. The facilities that you offer are fantastic and as guests we couldn’t ask for anymore. Bringing both a dog and a child with us on our trip enabled us to test Helsbury Park to the full! It was great to be able to stay in such a luxury property that was totally dog friendly. My son spent hours in the swimming pool which is such an asset and us adults felt great relief at using the massage chair after a long and busy day! Thank you once again for offering your visitors such a fantastic base to explore the area, we will be sure to recommend you."

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"Now, after visiting Helsbury Park, we have had to rethink the phrase 'dog friendly'. Other establishments in which we have stayed, purporting to be dog friendly we now realise are merely dog tolerant (in varying degrees) and most make dog owners feel like second class citizens and are an inconvenience which they need to put up with. Helsbury Park turns that on its head. Facilities here for both 2 legs and 4 legs are second to none." A Holmes, June 2010.

Rick Stein's Seafood School Demo Evening

This is a review submitted by one of our guests, Sally Lane:

I was thrilled to get an email from Rick Stein’s Seafood School announcing a demonstration by the expert himself, which just happened to coincide with my last visit to Helsbury in April 2010. As a devotee of the Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, I was excited and fortunate to secure two places for this rare opportunity, and about 80 people turned out at the Seafood School for a sell-out evening of delights from his most recent TV tour – Far Eastern Odyssey.

Three dishes were featured - a salad and two curries - accompanied by complimentary wines (and very generous with it too!) where Rick reflected on his travels and shared his stories and experiences. He was very relaxed and affable and was happy to answer questions throughout the 2.5 hour demo (and it was only supposed to be just 2 hours) and was so enjoyable that it went really quickly. The food was good too – as he cooked the dishes, his team also made the same recipes and then handed them out to each guest – so you could sample both Rick’s and his team’s examples if you wished.

Happy to sign his books after the event, I will now have to try one or two of these recipes as my husband seemed first in line for the latest edition! A quite inspiring and entertaining evening, and a glimpse into Rick’s culinary world. Sign up to Rick’s e-news to get updates on events and demonstrations at the seafood scool: http://www.rickstein.com/Seafood-School.html.

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The Real Visitor Book...

The Real Visitors Book website has recently undergone a complete overhaul with enhancements to the search engine and the database. They're currently offering a prize of £250 to one lucky reviewer to put towards a holiday of their choice listed on the site so if you'd like to write a recommendation for Helsbury you might even win it!

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Matthew Stubblefield recently wrote to us with this lovely comment: "We had an amazing time; in fact we all agreed (including our dogs) that it was the best holiday we've ever had. Although we were incredibly lucky with the weather which helped enormously, our stay was defined by the wonderful cottage, Broadview, its environment and location. The riverside walk in the grounds of Helsbury Park is stunningly beautiful. The cottage is very well appointed, and was great for all our needs. The new pool is gorgeous; a good size and just the right temperature, but most impressive of all is the view from the pool of the surrounding countryside. We really value our privacy, and peace and quiet, and we found these qualities in spades at Helsbury Park. Though we generally visit new areas on each holiday, it will be most tempting to return to Helsbury Park and I know it will be difficult (if not impossible) to match it anywhere else. Also, the cleanliness of the cottage was very impressive upon arrival, something we always notice. You're really setting the standard for dog-friendly holidays!"

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“A great way to start the new year. Week went far too quickly though, we still have lots to see. Cardinham Woods makes a nice change from the beach, great cafe with a fire to relax after an exhausting walk. Delighted with the barn, even better than expected. We have never holidayed with the dogs before but would certainly do it again, don’t know who’s more disappointed that we’re going home, us or the dogs!”

Mike and Lindsey

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A recent entry in our Visitors Book:

“We stayed in Marhayes and Broadview during October half term. We were 6 adults and 5 children aged 8-12. Helsbury was the perfect place to spend a week. The properties are finished to an exceptional level. It is stylishly designed with great facilities and all that a family needs (even snooker, table tennis and table footy). The web site mentioned that it was a great place for dog lovers. We don’t have dogs but as we always say 'having boys is like having dogs – they need lots of food, exercise and fresh air!' The walks around Helsbury are beautiful and just the right distance to wear them out. We spent time surfing at Polzeath, visited the Eden Project and Tintagel, but we were just as happy flying kites, playing football or walking around the grounds of Helsbury. A wonderful; half term break for all the family!"

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From Dee Ruan:

"We stayed at Marhayes last week and I just wanted to say a huge thank you as we had the most incredible week - not only were we lucky with the weather, but we had truly the best surroundings. Marhayes is gorgeous - you really thought of everything! -and the view in the morning made it easier for all of us to get out of our super-comfy beds!"

Helsbury Park, the most dog friendly cottages in Britain.

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We love to share extracts from our visitors book, here is a recent comment:

"We've just returned from a week in Westhayes and I wanted to thank you for such a lovely cottage. Thank you for making such a lovely cottage available to dog owners. We've spent the last 3 years trying to find somewhere that is home from home but that also takes dogs. At last, we have and I know we will be back. It really was home from home and the attention to detail was really worth the effort. We wanted for nothing, including superb views and we look forward to returning againto these wonderful dog friendly cottages, hopefully next year."

Helsbury Park, the most dog friendly cottages in Britain.

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