• A modern travel cot is provided WITHOUT bedding or linen.
• A modern highchair/booster seat complete with all safety straps is provided.
• All pillows and duvets are hollowfill/anti-allergenic/manmade fibres.
• Mattress covers are fitted, a spare waterproof single one is also provided.
• Beds are already made up for you on arrival.
• All bed linen is 100% egyptian cotton percale (or similar) in tasteful white, cream or pale pattern and pressed. Bed linen hire, central heating, logs and electric are INCLUDED in the weekly tarrif.
• Towels can be hired at a cost of £5/person (includes kitchen hand/tea towels, bath/shower mats plus a bathsheet and hand towel per person), but these must only be used inside the house.
• All linen is washed and pressed professionally by local company using a chemical-free process using oxygen.
• Beach towels must be provided by yourselves.
• Wayside is equiped with 2 smoke detectors, fire guards, fire extinguisher, fire blanket, mini tool kit & rechargeable torch for your safety. A good hairdryer, hot water bottle, electric blanket & large golfing umbrella are provided for your comfort.

Going Greener

Each year we try to make the energy consumption at Wayside as minimal and efficient as possible. We double insulated the loft space and boarded half of it in 2010. We have replaced as many bulbs (as the lightfittings will allow) with low energy bulbs, which do require a short wait to become as bright as possible. The floors have been lined with insulating layers below the finishes. The doors and windows are all now double glazed. The appliances have all been replaced with A rated versions. However, Wayside remains single-skinned, detached and at the top of a hill facing the full force of the Atlantic.

The central heating, being oil fired (and therefore subject to huge price rises since we set the 2011 tarriff) has been restricted to two periods daily as our leaving the controls up to guests had been badly abused in 2010 - when £480 of oil was used in less than 2 months. We will trial this for 2011 and await your feedback - it is this or raise our rental prices considerably, which we really hope to avoid.

A large external log store will be filled once a week for your stay. Two containers inside Wayside are also full, which is plenty to top up the central heating with some woodburner heat for the evenings during your stay. There will not be sufficient logs to burn both stoves continuously for a week. Please do not expect to be warm enough to walk around in bare feet and T shirt sleeves in February! Packing slippers, warm socks and jumpers will do most to ensure minimum energy consumption and your comfort.

Feedback

Since 2006 we have asked guests to provide feedback and for suggestions as to how we may improve our service. Thank you for all your lovely comments - we'll try to get a page added to the website to include them in detail. Please read the "New for..." to see the results. Aside from the reassurance of a significant number of return visitors, the overwhelming theme was that we had not "sold" Wayside online as being as large and spacious, so well equipped, comfortable and homely as you actually found it. You loved the fact that we provided age appropriate extras such as wet suits, bodyboards, beach toys/games, books, videos, or items for specific needs and for our attention to you as indivduals. You also complimented us on our immediate response to any problems some of you encountered. Good old fashioned service is still respected and much appreciated. You loved the "community" feel of maintaining the house and provisions for the next guests, and reaping the benefits of so much being already present for your use - "generous" was the word often used for this giving and receiving.

Many guests new to Port Isaac/Cornwall had not realised the significance/advantages of several advertised features such as on-site parking in a tiny fishing village constructed well before the motor car, modern comforts, holiday baggage and tourists over 5ft tall. The comfort and privacy of extensive, un-cramped, light-filled living space, the delights of outdoor space and the importance of decent ceiling heights/door frames in maintaining your modesty, sanity, and head/faculties have now become apparent!

Some of the re-fitting and extensive decorating we undertake each year is in direct response to your suggestions so please keep them coming... you asked for a BIG pot to cook pasta mountains for hungry surfers - you now have one; windows which open safely and easily...now provided; an internet connection was suggested by only one guest - the rest of you were grateful for it being absent; family time in lieu is appreciated. Leave work and emails at home - you are on holiday; "Port Isaac too hilly"...sadly, we have to report that several hundred thousand millennia have conspired against this one individual and ironing out these stunning physical features remains a little outside our abilities and personal preference (but it did give us a chuckle).

Cleaning:

It is almost impossible to retain the services of a cleaner in Port Isaac, so we do NOT employ one. Our high standards are maintained by you, the guest. No Wayside guest will have to spend their first afternoon cleaning up after the previous visitors - all guests undertake to clean up after themselves before departure, to the standards that we all expect on arrival for our much anticipated annual holiday. Our rental prices are significantly lower than comparable properties to reflect the fact that you will be leaving the entire house (especially the kitchen and all equipment and the bathroom facilities) as clean and tidy as you found them at arrival. Almost all visitors are happy with this arrangement which has worked very well over the years - with one or two exceptions who naturally have had funds deducted from their deposit. If sufficient notice is given at the time of booking, it may be possible to arrange a cleaner on your behalf. A £60 (subject to availability) charge is made for this service. We find that guests who are happy to clean up after themselves are the nicest of people - many have become close friends and return year after year.

Thankfully, we have only had 3 families abuse this condition in the six full years we have been running - it is heartbreaking for us and the next guests, who suffer the inconvenience of delayed entry while we attempt to rectify the property. They did forfeit all or some of their housekeeping deposit cheque as we had to undertake the cleaning for them. All our seemingly strict Terms & Conditions have thus been determined by the actions of this minority. Please be reassured that it is to these sorts of people that our apparently (but necessarily) pedantic details are addressed - we do appreciate that most of you do respect your fellow humans enough not to ruin the start of their holiday.

The house and contents are always completely checked at changeover by ourselves, that way we are fully aware of any damage caused during a specific occupancy and exactly who to charge. You are responsible for any breakages or damage caused during your stay.

As with your own property, you are expected to fully comply with the local recycling and waste collection scheme at the times specified, regardless of who generated which bags (you or the previous guests), stored at Wayside at the time of collection. All guests are expected to wash/clean all items prior to recycling, to prevent smells & vermin.

If you feel unable to undertake and fullfill these basic expectations, please, please do book elsewhere (at full price).

We aim to present Wayside in excellent working order at all times. As we live only a short distance away from the property, any problems you may encounter, or that we have missed, can and will be swiftly rectified, please just call us. We are here if you need us and invisible if you don't.

Items Provided

To save unnecessary packing and potential leakage problems in transit, we operate a “consumables provided” system: you will find the house equiped with everyday basics such as teabags, coffee, sugar, olive oil, dry herbs, salt/pepper mills, dishwasher tablets, washing-up liquid, loo rolls, kitchen roll, tissues, paracetamol, liquid hand soaps, bin liners, clingfilm, foil, sandwich bags, matches etc plus all cleaning fluids and materials for your use. Please be prepared to replace any item which runs out during your stay, as your contribution to the scheme.

For Christmas and New Year Holiday weeks, Wayside is tastefully decorated with Seasonal items to suit the occupants eg for small children we provide a green tree with lights decorated with age appropriate items, whilst for adults +/- teens we have a fragile white light and glass/shell tree. We will of course suppy any extra kitchen items you may need at this time.

New Year is especially popular in Port Isaac - there is singing and fireworks down in the harbour for all to enjoy, whilst remaining cosy and companionable.

New for 2008

The original wooden sash windows had reached the end of their safe useage and have been replaced with new uPVC windows to the front and side aspects which has kept the atlantic winds outside and kept down the dust levels inside considerably. As these are white, Wayside looks a little different now too. Window sills and some barge boards are picked out in "Parma Grey". As all guests now have mobile phones, significant savings have been made from cancelling the BT phone.

The halls, bedrooms, sitting room & bathroom have all been re-painted. New washable sofa and chair covers have been fitted in a sandy gold colour to update an otherwise perfectly fine suite. Please remember to plump up the natural fill cushions to mainatin your warmth and comfort.

New for 2009

January has been busy with the fitting of: 3 new uPVC outside doors - all half glazed, again eliminating the last of the Atlantic gales and improving light and security (not an issue in Port Isaac, happily) - it is now impossible to lock yourself outside. The outside woodwork is being replaced where required, along with a fresh lick of paint. The last blue (bay) window was painted white.

Internally, the kitchen has been refitted and extended with white units, the worksurfaces replaced and extended, new stainless steel sink and mixer tap fitted. The washing machine has been moved to the end of the run and an integrated dishwasher fitted instead to its old position. The tiny fridge has been replaced with a new cupboard for a pullout dual bin with drawer above, with a new large fridge/freezer standing beside the washing machine. The hob is a new ceramic one and the oven is fan assisted. All appliances are now "A" rated. This should make life easier for larger groups over longer stays and extends the kitchen greatly. There will be no space for the 2 arm chairs, so eventually we will replace the 4 dining chairs with Lloyd Loom types, to do both jobs. The small tv/video from the lounge is now connected here too.

We have had a new digital aerial fitted ready for the July switchover. The lounge now boasts a large flatscreen tv with freeview & DVD.

In the double room we have bought a new bed and matress. We have moved the furniture around to allow for an antique cream (distressed) double wardrobe - please don't leave anything in it on departure.

New for 2010

Sadly, after suffering damage to the new kitchen, we will now be requesting £100 deposit cheques/week. These will be payable with the balance, 8 weeks before arrival. They will not be cashed, but will be held on file until after your departure. Once the house and inventory have been checked and found to be in good order, this cheque will be destroyed. It will only be cashed if required for reparations, retrospective cleaning, postage of forgotten items etc. with the remaining balance returned. Our trusted returners are naturally exempt from this condition.

We have done much to improve the energy rating of Wayside over the years. This year much of the loft has had an insulation top-up and has also been boarded. The kitchen & hallway floor has been insulated and is now smart with an easy to clean laminate floor. We have replaced the round kitchen table with a large 6-seater pine table. The dining room & sitting room now sport smart white wood slatted blinds. The open fireplace in the sitting room has been fitted with a very efficient woodburner. We now provide logs as we can supply these almost carbon-neutrally. Using the woodburners greatly conserves the heating oil (and our carbon foot-print) and thus keeps down rental fees for you. Many of the rooms have been re-decorated with a lovely palete of Farrow & Ball paint colours. Lighting in the kitchen/diner has been transformed. A fierce new vacuum cleaner makes light work of the floors and furnishings - but please don't use it to clean out the woodburners as one guest has done.

Plans for 2011

We hope to strip back the existing flat roof (the area above the kitchen sink) which leaked under extreme Atlantic-driven rain, up and under the existing flashing. It will be re-insulated and then fibreglassed over, up and under 4 courses of tiles to ensure full waterproofing even in gale conditions! The improved insulation should also reduce the number of blown bulbs in the kitchen spotlights due to the current rapid temperature variables. The pathway immediately in front and around the side of Wayside will be dug out to a deeper level. Soil levels have gradually increased over the years and the airbricks would otherwise disappear. Plans to deck the rear garden are looking doubtful as we have been warned that these quickly become slippery and dangerous. A large log box now stores your logs attractively and also provides a discrete & dry storage area for the full recycling bags. Slow drainage from the back drain was found to be a direct consequence of guests pouring fat down the kitchen sink - pleeease don't!

Internally, both the bathroom and shower room have had floor insulation fitted under new vinyl. The shower cubicle border tiles were dated and have been replaced with "sea" washed glass tiles. A new chrome shower riser, shower head and storage unit have completed the update. We have purchased some new pillows and have made and fitted new bedroom blinds with integral black-out lining as some of you have requested. A fresh coat of paint has been applied where required and a few wear and tear repairs made. All soft furnishings have been stripped and professionally cleaned whilst the major work was carried out.