top of page
DIRFT JOURNAL A JOURNAL FOR THE DISCERNING
Judicious continuity
Family stewardship has shaped a Cornish experience with lasting appeal. We find out how the tension between operating as a holiday park whilst remaining good stewards of the land and environment is resolved into something that satisfies both exigencies. Wooda Farm Holiday Park has been family-owned since the 1970s. How has that continuity shaped the way the business feels today, both for you internally and for guests arriving on site? Wooda is something that’s grown alongside
Jamie Crocker
3 days ago
Second skin
Timeless, flattering silhouettes combine with skin-friendly materials so there is no longer a need to choose between feeling and looking good. Ingenuity often finds form in the most unusual of places, and rather than a design studio brief or a market research exercise, some businesses begin from a more personal experience. For Freya Bickford, the founder of Solpardus, that moment came during a lockdown summer.
Hannah Tapping
3 days ago
Organisation of form
Artist Leigh Davis’ palette and bold approach to compositional structure are informed by the unique geology of Cornwall’s landscape.
Leigh Davis’ new collection, on show at New Craftsman Gallery this June, demonstrates not only his engagement with Cornwall as a landscape, but with the historic principals of Cornish Abstraction.
Mercedes Smith
3 days ago
Designing and building responsibly
ARCO2 Architects integrates design and construction through low-energy delivery systems.
Projects rarely begin these days with a blank page. They start with a conversation about performance, materials and the realities of building in exposed parts of Cornwall. Heat loss, air tightness, ventilation, salt carried on the wind and the constraints of designated landscapes all enter the discussion early, alongside how a building will be used day to day. For ARCO2 Architects, that
Jamie Crocker
3 days ago
Manifest Destiny
Words by Lucy Studley | Images by Gavan Goulder Artist Vicki Norman’s journey follows in the footsteps of her artistic forebears on the Cornish coast. Work from the exhibition Colourful Sails, Ripples of Light Sometimes, the stars align. As an eight-year-old girl, Vicki Norman visited Newlyn with her mum, who purchased a book about the work of the Newlyn School group of artists. Unbeknown to her, in the very pages of this book Vicki’s future was laid out; she would train to b
Lucy Studley
3 days ago
Spotlight: Featured Products
Available from Ashburton Craftmongers
Estuary Outlook
An elevated barn conversion with sweeping views and generous accommodation. In a secluded position above the Camel Estuary, The Old Granary at Cant Farm is an exceptionally rare offering; no property within the farm’s sought-after conversions has been sold since the original transformation. Surrounded by mature planting including wisteria and clematis, the former barn enjoys sweeping estuary views, remarkable privacy and a sense of calm. Contemporary interiors balance charac
DRIFT Property
3 days ago
Lakeside retreat
Contemporary lakeside living overlooking woodland gardens in sought-after Mylor Bridge. Set within extensive lakeside gardens in Mylor Bridge, Chy Lyn is a contemporary Cornish residence offering balanced and versatile accommodation. Jackson-Stops brings to market this four-bedroom house, designed in 2012, in a reverse-level configuration that draws the eye across woodland, water and carefully planned grounds. The first-floor living space stretches the width of the property b
DRIFT Property
3 days ago
Stay together
Words by Jamie Crocker Flexible stays shaped around families, couples, celebrations and dogs. Old Lanwarnick presents itself through the lives that pass through it, and in that sense, it is best understood by the ways people use it. The six cottages, glamping capsules and grounds sit within easy reach of the south Cornish coast, yet the real measure of the place lies in how it accommodates those who arrive with differing expectations and requirements. Families come in many va
Jamie Crocker
3 days ago
INTO YOUR INBOX
Sign up to DRIFT’s e-newsletter for a curated blend of beautiful stories, cultural insight and culinary inspiration, plus occasional updates from our shop.
Epicure Recipes
Epicure
Arrive hungry, leave happy
Words by Hannah Tapping A heady concoction of flavour and indulgence invokes all the senses. Jade Berry On an unseasonably warm weekend, Porthleven played host to its annual food festival, a three-day long celebration of food and producers. I arrive early evening and the festival is doing what food festivals do: there’s the smell of woodsmoke and frying in the air, the press of happy bodies enjoying cold drinks in the sunshine on the restaurant’s terraces, while a sound trac
Temperate sophistication
Words by Jamie Crocker Budock Vean Hotel & Spa is a four-star retreat set within a 65-acre countryside estate. Situated just above the Helford River in Cornwall, its facilities include a 9-hole/18-tee golf course designed by James Braid, indoor pool, sauna, outdoor hot tub, tennis courts, acres of subtropical gardens, and a private foreshore with water sports and boat trips. Accommodation ranges from hotel rooms to self-catering cottages and lodges, with easy access to the ga
Beyond expectation
Words by Jamie Crocker It may no longer answer to its original name, yet its capacity to adapt has never faltered. On Mill Street in this small Devon market town, the pub now known as the Chagford Inn has been pouring pints in one form or another for over 200 years, shifting identities from The Bakers Arms to the Buller’s Arms as the town itself evolved around it. Since taking it on in 2020, Ollie and Jordan have pulled its long history into the present, sharpening the food,
From boat to plate
Words by Jamie Crocker Fresh landings guide a kitchen that draws from Newlyn’s harbour catch. In Newlyn, the working harbour sets the terms and Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar keeps close to it. The kitchen follows the pattern of daily landings, building its menu around what comes ashore rather than sticking blindly to an intransigent list. The result is something that has provenance, supports the local economy and is shaped by the people who fish the waters of Mount’s Bay. Lobster
Pitch to pitcher
Words by Jamie Crocker Fore Street’s new oasis offers a refreshing blend of wine, food and non-conformist personality. A trio of Lebanese-inspired dips Mention Newport to most people in this land, and they’ll invariably stall, pretend to look thoughtful and then reply with, ‘It’s that town in Wales, isn’t it? On the south coast?’ or ‘It’s that service station on the M1 – Newport Pagnall.’ Even a search on Google Maps suggests the Isle of Wight. However, there are a few enligh
Finding the edge
Words by Hannah Tapping Where land meets sea, serious cuisine morphs with poetic resonance at the finest of tables. There are evenings that arrive as a gift, where the light does something extraordinary and the world seems to exhale. This was one of those rare evenings in April that delivered a sky of impossible blue and a sea whipped by the breeze revealing white horses chasing each other to the horizon. As we swept down the final lane towards Housel Bay, something in us shi
Entente cordiale
Words by Jamie Crocker Local supply, combined with French training, fuses in the heat of the kitchen. At The Barley Sheaf in Gorran Churchtown, Dan Hyams runs the kitchen and the day-to-day business in a way that adheres to first principles: buy local and cook it in a way that is rich, sophisticated and technique-driven. It stands to reason. His background is classical French, learned in Britain and sharpened by time working across France, something that has stayed with him a
Rooted in renewal
Words by Jamie Crocker Àclèaf is a MICHELIN-Starred and 4 AA Rosette restaurant in Devon. Situated within the five-star Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa, near Plymouth in Devon, it is presided over by acclaimed Head Chef Scott Paton. It offers an unforgettable gastronomic journey built around seasonally inspired, locally sourced ingredients. Since first being awarded a MICHELIN Star in 2023, Àclèaf has retained its MICHELIN status each consecutive year, establishing itself as a c
bottom of page