Hamatethy

About this property

A beautiful country house might be reason enough to come to North Cornwall. At Hamatethy, it is only the beginning.

Hamatethy is a rare proposition: a beautifully appointed private house set within 750 acres of one of Cornwall’s most ambitious rewilding landscapes.

Between the wooded Camel Valley and Bodmin Moor, ancient woodland, rare Atlantic temperate rainforest, meadow, river and wetland form an extraordinary patchwork around the house. Not long ago, much of this was intensively grazed farmland. Today, more than 25,000 native trees have been planted, former pasture is developing into wildflower-rich wood pasture, scrub and hedgerows are expanding, and waterways are being given space to behave more naturally.

Welsh Black Cattle, Tamworth Pigs and Exmoor Ponies roam parts of the estate as four-legged ecosystem engineers, grazing, browsing and rooting in ways that encourage a more complex landscape. Beavers have transformed what was once a shaded, trickling stream into a network of dams, pools and wetlands, holding water on the land while creating habitat for other species. Water Voles have been reintroduced, and Hamatethy is home to The Cornwall Stork Project, which is working towards the return of White Storks to the Cornish landscape; birds have already been released into the wild from the estate. The work extends beyond Hamatethy, too, with its owners involved in wider species-recovery initiatives across Cornwall. 

At the centre of all this stands the house itself: seven individually designed bedrooms for fourteen guests and the sort of generous, deeply comfortable rooms that make a large gathering feel remarkably easy.

There is history beneath the surface. The Hamatethy name can be traced to the Domesday record, while reclaimed Cornish granite and historic stonework connect the present house to buildings that stood here before it. Today, those older bones sit alongside interiors that feel considered, contemporary and unmistakably lived in.

The house has been designed for gathering, but not necessarily all at once. A generous kitchen, dining and living space forms its informal heart, with a table for fourteen, sofas around the woodburner and doors opening into the garden. The wood-panelled dining hall seats twenty for more celebratory evenings, while drawing rooms, working fires and a separate snug offer quieter places to retreat. Seven individually designed bedrooms balance colour, pattern and natural materials with the sort of comfort that matters after a day outside. Bespoke furnishings and ceramics made in Hamatethy’s own pottery studio bring the estate into the interiors in quieter ways.

It is polished, but never precious; a substantial private house that still feels unmistakably like a home.

Beyond the gardens, the scale of Hamatethy begins to unfold. The River Camel and its tributaries thread through the estate, while the land rises from the wooded valley towards the open expanses of Bodmin Moor. In the damper folds of the Camel Valley survive rare fragments of Atlantic temperate rainforest, where mosses, lichens, fungi and other epiphytes cover the old woodland. Elsewhere are native orchards, recovering meadow, young wood pasture and the constantly evolving wetlands created by the beavers. 

This is not wilderness preserved at a distance. It is a landscape in motion, and staying at Hamatethy offers the unusual privilege of seeing that process from within.

Walk the estate with the people who know it best and learn to read the changes taking place around you. Head out towards dusk to wait quietly for the Beavers to emerge. Join a birding walk, discover the work behind the White Stork reintroduction, forage with a local expert or follow the woodland down towards the River Camel for a wild swim. Depending on the season, there might be Kingfishers and Dippers along the water, Cuckoos and Skylarks over the open ground, or signs of Otters around the wetlands; after dark, Bats and Owls take over. The guest programme includes guided opportunities to explore the estate’s wildlife and restoration work. 

Back at the house, a dedicated yoga and meditation room offers a quieter counterpoint, while the outdoor wellness garden has its own sauna, cold plunge and hot-and-cold shower. Pottery sessions can be arranged in the estate’s ceramics studio, and a private chef can take over dinner when the evening calls for it. 

The luxury, however, lies as much in what Hamatethy doesn’t ask of you.

There is no retreat schedule and no expectation that everyone should experience the estate in the same way. Join everything, choose one or two things that intrigue you, or spend the week simply enjoying an exceptional house in extraordinary surroundings. One guest can disappear into the woods with a guide while another remains by the fire; some can swim in the Camel while others settle into the sauna. Hamatethy provides access, knowledge and possibility, then leaves the rest entirely to you.

Its environmental thinking is similarly assured. The estate is powered entirely by renewable energy, generating solar and hydroelectric power with surplus returned to the National Grid. Water comes from its own spring, logs are sourced from fallen timber across the estate, local and sustainable producers are prioritised, and natural cleaning products and low-waste practices are used wherever possible. Sustainability isn’t presented as an amenity here. It is simply how the place operates. 

And after dark, Hamatethy changes again. The estate lies within a protected international dark-sky landscape, with almost no artificial light to interrupt the night. On a clear evening, seeing the Milky Way overhead is less a rare occurrence than part of being here. Finish dinner, take a glass into the garden and look up. 

Hamatethy occupies 750 private acres between the Camel Valley and Bodmin Moor, placing guests within two of North Cornwall’s most distinctive landscapes while giving them the increasingly rare luxury of space.

This is country with depth. The Hamatethy name appears in the Domesday record, while traces of much earlier occupation remain across the wider landscape. Ancient woodland follows the folds of the Camel Valley; rare Atlantic temperate rainforest survives in its damper reaches; and beyond, the land opens towards the granite tors and wide skies of Bodmin Moor.

Much of what makes the location remarkable, however, is happening now.

Across the estate, former grazing land is being restored as meadow and wood pasture, more than 25,000 native trees have been planted and waterways are changing course under the influence of Beavers. The River Camel — a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest — and its tributaries run through the land, creating a landscape that moves between river, woodland, wetland and open country within a single walk. Hamatethy itself extends towards areas of Bodmin Moor protected for their ecological importance. 

Guests can explore independently along several estate trails or with those involved in the restoration work. A guided walk reveals details that would otherwise be easy to miss: Beaver dams and channels, animal tracks, changing plant communities, birdlife and the role played by the free-roaming Cattle, Pigs and Ponies in creating a more varied habitat.

Beyond the estate, Bodmin Moor offers another scale of walking altogether. Rich in archaeology and mythology, its open landscape contains prehistoric monuments and routes towards Rough Tor and Brown Willy.

The Camel Trail is also close by, following the River Camel towards the coast on a largely traffic-free walking and cycling route. Bikes can be picked up near the beginning of the trail, with Snail’s Pace Café making a particularly convenient starting point. 

North Cornwall’s coastline is within easy reach when the sea calls. Trebarwith Strand, Polzeath, Daymer Bay, Port Gaverne and the coastline around Tintagel can all be reached in roughly half an hour, while almost forty beaches lie within an hour of Hamatethy. 

Food and drink have their own local rhythm. St Tudy Inn is close by, as are St Kew Farm Shop and a collection of community shops, farm stalls and markets. Camel Valley Vineyard is around nine miles away, while Haywood Farm produces traditional cider from its orchards. 

Yet Hamatethy is one of those rare places where leaving can quickly feel unnecessary. There are hundreds of acres to explore before reaching the boundary, the Camel to swim in, wildlife to watch and gardens in which to do very little at all.

The sense of separation becomes particularly apparent after sunset. Hamatethy lies within a protected international dark-sky landscape, and on a clear night the Milky Way can be visible overhead. 

Experiences at Hamatethy

Hamatethy offers something more interesting than a conventional list of country-house activities: access to the people, wildlife and restoration work shaping the estate around it.

There is no fixed retreat programme. Experiences can become a defining part of a stay or simply something to dip into when the mood takes you.

Beaver Watching

As evening settles over the estate, head into the wetlands to look for one of Hamatethy’s most influential residents.

The Beavers here are not simply wildlife to observe. Their dams have transformed waterways, creating pools, channels and new wetland habitat while holding water within the landscape.

Guided beaver watching lasts approximately one to two hours and involves uneven natural terrain, bridges and a stream crossing. The experience is not suitable for guests with impaired mobility, buggies or pushchairs, and the quiet required to see the animals may make it less suitable for younger children. 

White Storks

Hamatethy is home to The Cornwall Stork Project, working towards the return of White Storks to the Cornish landscape.

Guests can learn about the reintroduction programme and the birds already released into the wild from Hamatethy as part of the estate’s wider approach to species recovery. 

Guided Rewilding Walks

The scale of Hamatethy is best understood on foot.

A guided walk leads through the estate while exploring the plants and animals found here, the history of the land and the restoration work taking place. It is also a chance to understand why Cattle, Pigs, Ponies and Beavers are so important to the way the landscape is changing. 

Bird Watching

Guided bird walks can be arranged with local wildlife guide and photographer Adrian Langdon. Species naturally vary with the seasons, but Hamatethy provides habitat for everything from Kingfishers, Dippers and Skylarks to Cuckoos, Birds of Prey, Owls and White Storks. 

Wild Swimming

The River Camel runs through the estate, offering the opportunity to swim in a natural river environment, including as part of guided walks through the temperate rainforest.

Conditions are part of the experience; this is very different from stepping into a managed swimming pool.

Yoga, Mindfulness & Relaxation

A dedicated studio provides space for yoga, mindfulness and guided relaxation, with mats, blocks and Hamatethy-wool blankets provided.

One yoga, mindfulness or relaxation session can be included during a stay, subject to arrangements, while guests who prefer to practise independently can use the space on their own terms. 

Seasonal Foraging

A two-hour session with local expert Emma Gunn explores the edible plants growing around Hamatethy’s gardens and farmyards, often ending with homemade foraged treats. 

Outdoor Sauna & Cold Plunge

The private wellness garden contains an electric hot-stone sauna for up to six guests, a cold plunge and a hot-and-cold outdoor shower.

It makes a natural companion to the estate’s more active experiences: particularly after a river swim or long walk. 

Pottery

Hamatethy’s sense of place extends beyond the landscape.

Ceramics made at the estate’s own studio appear throughout the house, and pottery sessions can be arranged at additional cost, offering guests the opportunity to spend time working with clay themselves. 

Stargazing

Some experiences need no guide at all.

Hamatethy lies within a protected international dark-sky landscape. With almost no neighbouring artificial light, clear nights can reveal an exceptional sky, including the Milky Way and, with luck, shooting stars. 

Accommodation

The House

Hamatethy sleeps up to 14 guests across seven individually designed bedrooms, with flexible sleeping arrangements making it particularly well suited to multi-generational families and groups of friends.

The interiors balance generous country-house proportions with a more relaxed approach to living. There are formal rooms when the occasion calls for them, but just as much thought has gone into the spaces guests will use every day: the kitchen table, fireside sofas, snug, boot room and places to retreat with a book.

Ground Floor
- Entrance hall with two working fireplaces
- Wood-panelled formal dining hall seating up to 20 guests
- Drawing room with working fireplace
- Large open-plan kitchen, dining and living space
- Informal dining table seating 14 guests
- Living area arranged around a woodburner
- Doors opening towards the gardens
- Five-oven electric Aga-style range
- Additional gas cooking facilities
- Electric Teppanyaki grill
- Two dishwashers
-  Two fridges
- Large pantry/larder 
-  Snug/TV room with television, books, DVDs and games 
-  Dedicated yoga and meditation room with woodburner
- Boot room with storage for coats, walking boots and outdoor equipment 
-  Utility room with laundry facilities and additional refrigeration 
- Guest WC 

First Floor

-  Master Bedroom with super-king bed, separate dressing room and private bathroom with freestanding bath and separate shower
- Jungle Room with zip-and-link bed, configurable as a super-king or twin, and private bathroom located separately from the bedroom
- Cabin Room with king-size bed and private bathroom
- Apple-pickers with zip-and-link bed, configurable as a super-king or twin 

Top Floor

- Duck-egg with zip-and-link bed, configurable as a super-king or twin, and dual-aspect windows
- Tweedy with king-size bed and triple-aspect views 
- Celandine with king-size bed
- Family bathroom with bath and shower 

Exterior Grounds

-  Extensive private gardens
-  Sheltered south-facing garden
- Walled garden 
-  West Garden with areas managed for wildflowers and wildlife
- Outdoor dining areas 
- Barbecue 
- Private wellness garden 
- Outdoor sauna 
-  Cold plunge
- Hot-and-cold outdoor shower
- Relaxation area
- Access to the wider 750-acre private rewilding estate
- Ancient woodland
- Rare Atlantic temperate rainforest
- Wildflower meadow and developing wood pasture
- Native orchards
- Beaver-created wetlands 
-  River Camel and tributaries
- Wild-swimming opportunities
- Estate walking routes
- Two Type 2 EV charging points