When talks of heading to Cornwall in mid-March came about, I have to confess – I wasn’t overly enthusiastic.

The idea of spending a few days stuck in a hotel with the weather looking typical for British winter (rather than spring) was not the most appealing.

However, the chance to get away for a while is not something I turn down in haste, so plans were drawn up.

Travelling courtesy of Great Western Rail, it took around five hours to reach our destination – St Ives.

Personally, I don’t mind longer train journeys, but sitting in first class really helped.

The seating was especially comfortable and spacious and there were also a number of complimentary items available – newspapers, snacks and drinks – which made for easy, enjoyable travelling.

A particular highlight in these carriages are the modern power points, offering both USB ports and traditional plugs.

There were a number of changes to get to St Ives, and after Exeter there did seem to be a lack of first class carriages, but the coastal views easily made up for that. The scenery was simply beautiful.

Our train finally stopped within a five-minute walk to the hotel.

The stay

Situated on the Cornish coast, the highly-rated Boskerris Hotel looks over the sandy beach at Carbis Bay, providing beautiful views as far as the eye can see.

Luckily it was sunny when we arrived (the weather appeared to be catching up to the season) but even on a greyer day, the view from the hotel is just spectacular.

After being greeted at the front desk, we were given a tour of the hotel, taking in the views from the decking which over looked the beach and being fed information about the hotel’s history, the surrounding area and how to get about. This was a great touch, as arriving clueless in new place can often be daunting.

The bedroom, which had recently been refurbished, was immaculately clean and beautifully decorated.

There was even a cafetiere and ground coffee to use in the room, which is a real step up to most hotels, where sachets of instant tend to be on offer.

It was easy to relax in the room, which was situated under the decking and shared the same seaside views, and the bed provided the perfect level of comfort.

The lovely staff at the hotel were attentive and the happy-to-help approach was second nature to them. That seemed to be a theme throughout the whole establishment, as every little detail had be covered. In the lounge area that led out to the decking, was a small box of blankets for customers to use in the evenings while enjoying a glass of wine and a sea view.

The lounge itself had magazines and a wide-range of newspapers dotted about the light, relaxing space and – a particular highlight for the history enthusiast in me – there was even a corner with old St Ives guide books and a photo album depicting the hotel through the years. It contained old photographs and even letters from happy customers.

The Boskerris also provides a breakfast service, with a range of cereals, fresh fruit, homemade muesli and cooked food.

The breakfast room offers great food with a fantastic view, letting you sip your coffee while taking in the stunning coastal sights. They also sell the muesli in packs to take home, such is the demand.

The walk into St Ives centre is about 35 minutes – but it does offer sensational views right across St Ives Bay. However, the nearby station can drop you right into the heart of the seaside town for just £2 (return).

The food

Looking for somewhere to eat in St Ives is difficult but only because there is so much choice. It really is a foodie haven.

If you like the idea of your meal with a harbour view and served with a side dish of modern art, the Alba is the place to eat.

The Alba, previously a lifeboat house, is decorated with Damien Hirst’s Last Supper collection and offers panoramic views of the bay at St Ives. Operating out of two floors, the ground floor is a dedicated cocktail bar while the meals are served upstairs.

I’m not usually an overly-enthusiastic fish eater, but thought since I was in Cornwall, I’d give it a go.

There was a taster menu available, offering three plates of mains, a cheeseboard, desserts and coffee to finish.

The three mains included a trio of fish dishes to start, a sea bass dish and a plate made up of pork which had been locally sourced from a nearby farm.

The first plate, consisting of gin-cured salmon, prawn dumpling and scallop with pork belly, was beautiful. For someone who’s often shunned fish, I have started to question what I’d been missing.

The sea bass, served with chicken confit, was cooking perfectly, crispy on top and falling apart underneath.

The dish I had been looking forward to the most was the pork. Made up of tenderloin, pork belly and a ham hock croquette, this dish didn’t disappoint and the fact it was locally sourced is testament to how much the area has to offer.

I opted for a cheese board over a dessert – the Cornish brie was a particular highlight – and finished with a macchiato. There were petit fours on offer to go with the coffee too, but the tasting menu really does fill you up.

The sea

When you think of Cornwall, it’s often sun, seas and surfing. In the summer. So when I was invited to go kayaking on the sea in mid-March, I was a little bit apprehensive. My fears were quickly cast adrift, however, after meeting the husband-and-wife team at Koru Kayaking who reassured us it would not be that cold on the water.

The instructors were friendly and had a great local knowledge – including little historic facts and current details in the guided tour around St Agnes.

Kayaking in pairs, we took to the sea and paddled our way around the coast, taking in beautiful scenery and meandering through caves and rocks.

This scenic coastline was actually the inspiration and setting for the drama series Poldark.

It was a brilliant experience and the instructors were right – it really wasn’t cold out on the water.

The cold part came when getting out the wetsuit. Unfortunately there are no shower facilities on the St Agnes beach, which would have been fine if we hadn’t already checked out of our hotel!

So don’t make the same mistake we did and be sure to have somewhere to shower afterwards. The couple also run trips from the other side of the peninsular at Frenchman’s Creek and they do have facilities there.

It really was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to absolutely anyone – instructor Hetty even mentioned they had recently taken out some kayakers in their nineties!

As well as the sea, Cornwall has a fantastic artistic feel. The scenery and light has clearly rubbed off on the locals. St Ives, especially, has art galleries and studios scattered around everywhere, and even a line of fairy lights running through the town centre.

St Agnes and Penzance also follow this trend with local crafts, studios and museums offering a range of exhibitions and unique work. Penlee House Gallery & Museum in Penzance has a lot to offer visitors with information on archaeology collection, decorative arts, photography, and social and local history.

They also have various regular exhibitions on such as the recent Ithell Colquhoun: Image and Imagination exhibition, which was the first dedicated exhibition of her work since her death in 1988.

If my trip to St Ives has taught me anything, it’s that Cornwall has a lot to offer all year round. All of my early apprehension was quickly washed away soon after arriving and I’m keen to head back in the very near future.

Visit cornwall365.org.uk to find out what’s going on in Cornwall throughout the year.

• The Boskerris: 01736 795295, reservations@boskerrishotel.co.uk

• The Alba: 01736 797222, albarestaurantstives@gmail.com

• Koru Kayaking: 0779 4321 827, enquiries@korukayaking.co.uk

• Penlee House: 01736 363625, info@penleehouse.org.uk