The magical UK seaside village with a pretty harbour that tourists say is frozen in time

The UK is home to many picture-perfect villages. But it is often in Cornwall that visitors find what they describe as places frozen in time. The English county is famous for its seaside villages with beautiful harbours, narrow streets and sandy beaches. And there is one coastal spot that has been described by tourists as the ideal Cornish village, with peaceful views and plenty to do.

It has a small harbour where ferries and sailing boats come and go, and a castle that once defended the coast. The village is called St Mawes, and sits on the Roseland Peninsula in south Cornwall, facing Falmouth across the Carrick Roads waterway. One person said on TripAdvisor: "It is quite literally the perfect village in Cornwall. If you ever try to imagine a Cornish village that's what it is. It's gorgeous."

Another added: "We came across the village by accident and we are so glad we did. The narrow streets, the gorgeous harbour. It genuinely looks frozen in time, as cliché as it is to say."

A third wrote: "St Mawes is not just a pretty village, there is plenty to do too. We took a boat trip and went to see the castle. We absolutely loved it."

Another visitor said: "St Mawes has to be one of the prettiest villages in Cornwall and there weren't too many crowds when we visited."

The harbour is popular with sailors and has several moorings and small boatyards.

It's also the starting point for passenger ferries to Falmouth and the National Trust's Trelissick estate.

From the harbour, visitors can also take a short ferry to Place, on the south side of the Percuil River, and walk to St Anthony Head.

There's a lighthouse there, known locally as the Fraggle Rock lighthouse, and a former 19th century gun battery with views across the water.

Just a few minutes from the harbour is St Mawes Castle, built by Henry VIII in the 1540s to protect the coast.

It faces Pendennis Castle across the water and is now open to the public, run by English Heritage.

There are also beaches nearby, including Towan Beach, which is dog-friendly and much quieter than other Cornish spots.

The area has walking trails along the river and through wooded creeks.

To find more beautiful spots in Cornwall, click here.