This is wild country. Cornwall’s exposed heart between coasts, where hills smothered in purple heather roll onto one another until their craggy, granite heads reach the sky. It is here where an unlikely retreat awaits; one of stargazing and soaking, grilling and galivanting with the resident alpacas. A home that softens the elements and lightens weary souls, where al fresco suppers around the fire spark deep conversations and the sweet smell of coconut gorse flowers ignites a need for piña coladas in the hot tub.
A home that has The Good Life at its core, where cool white wine is often enjoyed while gazing over the herd; we speak with owner of Little Inka, Wendy, about all things food on her patch of Bodmin Moor and beyond.
Little Inka sits in what feels like a very remote part of Cornwall. Where is your favourite place to eat close to the property?
Our go-to place to eat is our local pub, The Old Inn and Restaurant in St Breward. You really can’t beat it for feel good pub food. The pie of the day with chips is fabulous after a day of fresh air and farm tasks. The menu is really extensive and, best of all, it’s walking distance from us; up the hill on the way there and a nice easy downhill stretch on the way home again.
When out and about across the county, where is your favourite place to dine?
There are so many great pubs and restaurants around that it’s hard to pick. My current favourite is Caffè Rojano in Padstow which is one of Paul Ainsworth’s restaurants. It has such a lovely atmosphere, modern with a nice buzz and the menu is always interesting but not overly fussy. We love being in Padstow, and often take in a little cocktail in Lulu’s bar before dinner.
It’s dinner party time! How does this look for you at home? What local suppliers do you use and what’s on the menu?
Dinner with friends and family is usually quite a casual affair and we often share the load, each doing a different course. We are lucky to have some great cooks as friends who knock up such delights as homemade patê and raspberry pavlova or a very naughty sticky toffee pudding! We use our local butchers, either Button Meat or Nigel Kitto, opting for steak on the barbecue in the summer or a nice hearty lasagne in the colder months. Wines are often catered for by Wadebridge Wines who not only have a fabulous selection but also really great knowledge and advice.
When we are inside, we have a huge dining table and like to have the table laid with lots of candles from St Eval and our table runner from Peru; made from alpaca wool of course!
Lastly, where is your favourite space on your property to stop for a cup of tea, piece of cake, picnic lunch or bottle of beer?
Anywhere with alpacas! We have lots of spots around the farm with benches, picnic tables or just a blanket on the ground, and all through the summer we lunch outside enjoying the view, always with our dogs, Claud and Betty, in tow, and the alpacas. During the birthing season, typically May to the end of July, we have our camper van up in the fields with the awning out and the barbecue at the ready, so we can stop for anything from a cup of tea and a sandwich to a bottle of cold wine and some hot food, whilst keeping an eye on the mums and babies; ready to administer midwifery skills if required!
Take the full tour of Little Inka and view all availability.
