About us
Hi, we’re Rich and Hellen, the husband and wife team behind Trewena.
Growing up in different parts of the world (Rich is local, Hellen grew up in Hong Kong and Canada), both of us have always loved natural landscapes and places. Our dream was to create a place that would enable people to enjoy the outdoor life that we so love, in a place that we call home.
In February 2021 we moved onto our 3 acre smallholding and set about transforming it into Trewena, a small holiday cottage complex housing an 1850s labourers cottage and a converted pig barn. By the middle of 2021 we’d renovated 2 of the cottages throughout, turned the outside of the buildings from pink to white, and began to transform the grounds. We also invited animals back onto the land for the first time in more than 30 years, by providing space for neighbouring cows and sheep.
We live onsite and manage the place ourselves having taken up the roles of housekeeper, cleaner, decorator, gardener and caretaker. This also means we’re always on hand to help if needed during your stay.
Our mission is to make sure that you have the most comfortable stay possible, and to help you discover the best of Cornwall.
Home is at the centre of our vision for Trewena. This is our home, and we also want it to feel like yours during your stay with us!
Rich is also the co-founder of Proper Cornwall, a popular website about life in the county and is always on hand to answer questions and give suggestions about how to spend your time in this magical place!
About Trewena
Located just outside the quaint, and brilliantly named village of Mabe Burnthouse on the edge of Falmouth, Trewena cottages are just a ten minute drive from the bustling centre of Cornwall’s cultural capital. Nestled amongst some of the UK’s best beaches with tons of water and outdoor sports on the doorstep, as well as a thriving restaurant scene, the Falmouth area is one of the UK’s most sought after holiday destinations.
Our cottages have far reaching views across the countryside towards Falmouth Bay. There’s excellent cycle routes, dog walks and beautiful rambling paths on the doorstep, as well as an abundance of open space and seclusion onsite, offering guests both convenience and tranquillity. Trewena is the perfect spot to enjoy this special part of Cornwall.
Sustainability statement
At Trewena , we are very conscious that everything we do has an impact on the environment. We want to tread as lightly as we can, minimising the carbon footprint of our business and inspire our guests to make small changes themselves.
Consumables and cleaning
Our consumables are used week in week out for cleaning, and also in welcome packs for our guests. Wherever possible, we only use products that are made from natural ingredients, septic tank safe and cruelty free from brands such as Bio D, Method & Astonish. We buy in bulk where possible and refill detergents, cutting down on packaging waste. Where possible we also source goods produced locally or use brands that are net zero.
Recycling & Waste
Packaging waste and especially plastic is top of everyone’s mind of course. We try to make recycling as easy as possible for our guests.
Energy & Water consumption
Our energy and water consumption are a major part of the business’s overall carbon footprint. We have switched to LED lighting and infrared heating, added more insulation to the cottages, installed exterior solar lighting, replaced appliances with energy efficient models over time and will soon be installing an 8.5Kw solar system to generate our own energy.
Nature
We are nestled in 3 acres of the most beautiful countryside, but when we first arrived the fields were overgrown and needed a lot of work. We are transforming Treewena into a haven for wildlife inline with Cornwall’s Cop 1 biodiversity targets and are also working with Forest for Cornwall to increase our woodland and orchard areas. We’ve also replanted over 1 acre of wildflower and grasses to improve wildlife habitats. We house sheep to help us keep the fields trimmed down in the most natural way possible.
We have many more exciting plans for Trewena on our journey to carbon Neutral. By staying with us, our guests are supporting our work to protect the environment whilst making memories that last a lifetime.
