THE sun streams through the two heart-shaped holes in the handmade wooden shutters and a seagull squawks outside.

It's Saturday morning and we have a whole weekend ahead spent in this haven that is Marrack's Cottage.

Do I get up to catch the first signs of dawn over Mousehole or make the most of a lie-in, tucked up in the sumptuously comfortable bed overlooked by a flat-screen television?

I opt for the former.

Centrally located, this end-of-terrace little fisherman's cottage could be straight from the pages of a Daphne du Maurier novel, and its history is enough to have the most radical of romantics going weak at the knees.

Apparently, in the late 1800s during a howling gale and huge seas, a young mariner en-route from Ireland was shipwrecked on St Clement's Isle just offshore from Mousehole.

Once recovered, Seaman Torrie settled in the village and raised a family. There have been Torries in the village and surrounding area, ever since.

For the last 20 years of his life, grandson Marrack lived in this cottage – hence its name.

As I leave that morning through the cottage's front stable door a whiff of sea air catches my breath, whipping up images of how things would have been in Seaman Torrie's time. "I don't imagine much has changed," I ponder.

Except for the fact that this charming property has recently been completely renovated and transformed from a fisherman's hideaway to a delightful holiday home.

It's an added bonus that families still live in the terrace and despite the chunk of village holiday homes, the community is still very much alive and present.

Here on Dumbarton Terrace, and in the rest of the village, I find locals hanging out their washing in the early morning sun; children collecting buckets and spades from their garden sheds with the promise of a warm day ahead; and flat-capped elderly men with beards tinkering with cars in their garages. Mousehole still oozes original charm.

I walk around to the tiny harbour mouth (which resembles a mouse hole) and despite the relentless English Channel pummelling the mighty harbour wall, the sheltered inner harbour beach bathes in a serene sunlight.

Dylan Thomas described this view as that of 'the loveliest village in England', and it would be hard to fault that comment today, 80 years on.

The village was developed around this harbour and the fishing fleet that sustained it, appearing in record books as an 'important fishing port' from as early as 1266.

Some say that part of the quay dates back to 1390 making it the oldest pier in Cornwall. Today the maritime heritage continues in the form of pleasure craft which rest offshore or in the quay car park. It's a simple pleasure just to admire some of these on a leisurely stroll.

On the south side of the village, I find the site of Dolly Pentreath's home. Said to be the last fluent native speaker of the Cornish language, she died in December 1777, aged 75.

It's clear that historical charm flows through this village and at every turn there is a view to savour, a photograph to take, a memory to make.

Hours later, I return to the cottage to find friends serving breakfast on the cottage's small patio overlooking the harbour and the sea. It felt like going 'home'.

The owners have furnished this lovely place in a simple yet elegant style, decorating the rooms in fresh but warm, off-white colours.

There are additional luxuries like under-floor heating in the shower room and a wood-burning stove in the lounge which makes this a retreat perfect for any season.

I found one of my favourite ways to while away the hours was to pull back the wooden shutters and sit on the window seat, reading The Mousehole Cat, an award-winning children's book inspired by a Cornish legend.

I couldn't imagine a more perfect place to holiday for a quiet retreat or as a base to explore the rest of Cornwall and its many activities and festivals scheduled for this year.

We didn't stray far from the stable door the whole weekend; except for a food forging walk along the coast path to Lamorna where we found wild garlic and sea cabbage; for an early-morning dip in the clear waters of the inner harbour; or to wander through the village streets in search of a fresh crab sandwich which we found at The Old Pilchard Press on Raginnis which we ate sat on a bench overlooking the sea.

And why would we? We had everything we could want for a simple, peaceful and relaxing Cornish holiday right here in Mousehole, and a perfect base at Marrack's Cottage to call 'home'.

I left knowing it had been a special break, knowing I had discovered one of those memorable places where I will want to holiday year-in, year-out.

Marrack's Cottage sleeps four and there is also a Blu-Ray DVD player, an iPod docking station and BT Home Hub WiFi available. There is ample kitchen space, utensils and dining space.

To book Marracks Cottage in Mousehole or for similar cottages in West Cornwall visit

www.westcornwallcottageholidays.com

or call 01736 368575.

With more than 130 properties to choose from, West Cornwall Cottage Holidays is the "premier provider" of holiday cottages and apartments across the North and South Coast of West Cornwall.

From fisherman's cottages in Mousehole to harbour views in Newlyn and beach houses in Sennan Cove, West Cornwall Cottage Holidays can offer self-catering holiday accommodation to suit all budgets and lifestyles whether you are seeking a family beach holiday, walking the coastal footpath, short breaks, or romantic hideaways just for two.