UK Travel Bureau: Comprehensive UK Tourist Information: From Travel Match Ltd (UK) Travel Match UK: The UK Travel Company & the UK Travel Bureau: Online since 2002
Home | Team | Contact Us | Maps | Visas & Immigration | Specials | Add Your Listing  |  UK Time
UK & IRELAND MAPS
Search Travel Services
ACCOMMODATION
MEETINGS/CONFERENCES
THEATRE BOOKINGS
TRANSPORT
TUBE MAP
TOURS
Custom Itineraries
UK Information Links
UK Information Guides
Search Special Travel
Myths, Magic & Legends
Battlefields Remembered
Search Destinations
ENGLAND
LONDON
LONDON 2012 GAMES
IRELAND
SCOTLAND
WALES
CHANNEL ISLANDS
ISLE OF MAN
PARIS
Odds n' Ends..!
American English!
Famous People & Places  
Administration
**ABOUT US**
Terms & Conditions
Secure Payment Options
Privacy Statement
Currency Converter
UK & Ireland Travel Information Search Engine

England > South West England > Cornwall

The Cornish coast is the main attraction here and it is indeed one of the prettiest, yet dramatic places in the whole of England - if not the world - high jagged cliffs, swelling seas and inlets sheltering quaint fishing villages. This was the Celt's last stronghold in England before being driven out by the Saxons, and the place still looks, feels and sounds a bit different to the rest of the country. The accents owned by the local fisherman can be almost stereotypical pirate - a "pint of lager" is more like a "point-o-larrrrger". For walkers, the Cornwall Coast Path is the most scenic of the South West Coast Path and the Cornwall Drive makes for very pleasant motoring.

Click on the headings to find out more: A bridge connects the twin towns of east and West Looe. The main part of town has narrow streets and tiny cottages, there's a nice sandy beach and boat trips to the Looe Island Nature Reserve, as well as to Polperro and Fowey. It's a good spot to try some fishing (as are most ports) but if you hire a boat, beware the tides in the estuaries. When low tide approaches the water can disappear faster than you can walk, leaving you stranded on a sand bank. All you can do is wait until the tide returns, sheepishly apologise to the boat owner and pay him for the additional few hours hire.


Polperro is even prettier than Looe with narrow lanes, fishing cottages and a history of smuggling. In any of the pubs you're likely to see a few crusty locals that look as though they may still be. The most picturesque way of approaching the fishing village is along the coastal path from Looe or by boat.


Fowey (pronounced 'Foy') is pretty and unspoilt. Somehow it has managed to stay off the main tourist track but is every bit as rewarding as the other little towns. (Author's note - my favourite place in Cornwall!) The town has it's own maritime history. In the 14th Century boats from Fowey would raid the coastal towns of Spain and France. This led to the Spanish launching a counter-attack in 1380. If you go out in a fishing boat (and you're almost guaranteed a catch), you will see the inspiration for Daphne du Maurier's The Birds on the way back. As you clean and gut the fish the local birds will gather at the stern, screaming, diving and pecking each other to get at the spoils. They say that there's a ghost in one of the guest rooms at the pub in the centre of town. So many people have experienced it, no one likes to rent the room much anymore. How game are you...?


Lanhydrock House sits in parkland above the Fowey River. It's a grand country house that shows the divisions between the master and servants in Victorian England (as seen in 'Upstairs Downstairs). Walking around the Fowey area is a delight. One nice one is to hop a ferry across to Bodinnick and take the Hall Walk to Polruen (4 miles of lovely scenery). From Polruen you can catch another ferry directly back to Fowey.


The jungle scenes in "Die Another Day", the James Bond movie, were filmed at the Eden Project near St. Austell. Opened in March 2001, it took two and a half years to build. There are two huge Biomes. The Humid Tropics Biome, which holds tens of thousands of plants and trees from the rainforests of South America, West Africa, the Oceanic Islands and Asia, is the largest conservatory in the world. The Warm Temperate Biomes holds an ancient Olive Grove, citrus fruits, Cork trees and much more.


Falmouth in South-West Cornwall has Pendennis Castle, Cornwall's largest fort with terrific views from the ramparts. The Lizard peninsula is England's most southerly point and from where Marconi transmitted the first transatlantic radio signals in 1901.


Penzance is another nice town, full of character. Apart from the title there's probably little other association with the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, Pirates of Penzance. After all, Gilbert and Sullivan never even visited each other! The opera was probably so-named because it rolled off the tongue better than Pirates of Widecombe-in-the-Moor.


Mousehole (pron. 'mowzel') is further along the coast westward and is another lovely fishing village with cottages snuggling around the edge of the harbour. Towards Lands End is Minack Theatre , an open-air theatre perched on the edge of the cliffs overlooking a bay. It was built by Rowena Wade when she came up with the spot for an amateur production of he Tempest. The venue worked so well Rowena began construction on a permanent theatre, and you can enjoy a performance from late May to late September. A marvellous experience and your bottom will thank you if you take along a cushion. Lands End is touristy and tacky, but most who go that far, go that little bit further to see the famous landmark.


St Ives is a charming harbour-side town with steep slopes, hidden corners and winding alleyways, which has been attracting painters, sculptors and tourists for years. Turner went there to paint in 1811 because of the stunning light, and there's a branch of London's Tate Gallery in the town, which exhibits local works. Sculptors Henry Moore, Naum Gabo, Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth all worked there. The Barbara Hepworth museum is well worth a visit. She lived here from 1949 until her death in a fire in 1975. Many of her larger works are strategically placed around the garden.

(ps - Be very careful driving in St Ives - watch out for large buses (yes insane - but true - full size busses!) in the narrow streets - personal experience - when we were completely stuck between a wall and a bus - the bus won - we backed off - with thankfully no damage to the car!!)


Surfers will enjoy Porthmeor Beach (just below the Tate). Newquay would be a nice enough town if it weren't for so many other towns in the area that are much much nicer. It's now very big, and very tacky...but just a short drive outside Newquay, back along the coast are some wonderful beaches and quaint hotels.

I would also personally recommend Padstow as one of the most charming seaside places to stay in Cornwall. It is also restaurant central (foodie heaven.!!) with some truly AMAZING restaurants.. If you have your own car, it's really worth exploring the coast of North Cornwall, as it has superb surf beaches and an interesting coastline.
A must visit is the breathtaking and mysterious surf-battered Tintagel and Boscastle ruins. This is meant to be the spot where King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table had their castle, as well as Merlin the Magicians cave. You'll have to use your imagination because King Arthur was born in the late 600's and Tintagel was reputedly built in the 13th Century. However, who's to say there's not the ruins of another castle beneath the present ruins - if Arthur had to live somewhere, this spot looks about right. Be prepared for a fair walk (no - make that a BIG walk uphill!) however to get to it, but it is definitely one of the sights you must see.
VIEW AREA MAP
DOWNLOAD OLD MAP
VISITOR INFORMATION
GALLERY