Cornwall is the county that covers the south-west corner of England. It narrows as it moves west finishing with Land's End at its tip. Cornwall borders Devon but otherwise just has a coastal border.
The coast of Cornwall has some beautiful beaches, spectacular cliffs and wonderful rugged scenery. Most of the areas and towns worth a visit, or an actual stay, are on the coast. Despite the often harsh winds Cornwall has one of the mildest climates in the UK and the plants and gardens are lush, plentiful and the grass very, very green. I first visited Cornwall for a one week holiday with three school friends, all at the ripe old age of 16, way back in 1968. The holiday was our first without adult supervision and we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast where the owner was known to my family. We stayed in Helston which was a relatively small village a short distance from the coast. The nearest coastal village was called Porthleven and we visited Porthleven on more than one occasion. It had a small harbour and was unspoilt but I imagine it has changed these days. There was no transport link to Porthleven and we had to walk up and then down a hill in order to access. However it is a place that still holds fond memories. Most of the places we visited back in the sixties will have changed considerably these days but when I visited in 2006 with my husband there were some constants. We stayed near St Ives on the opposite coast of Cornwall at a place called Carbis Bay. This tiny pretty area has a golden sandy beach that resembles the type that you find abroad in countries such as Spain. St Ives was a short walk, train or bus journey away. I preferred the lovely walk through the countryside along the coast to St Ives. St Ives is a bustling resort with many Art Galleries including a local Tate Gallery, quite a few beaches, shops, scenery and good local restaurants. We visited in late August and St Ives was busy no matter what day we visited from our base at Carbis Bay but it was still pleasant and not too overcrowded. Carbis Bay would be a good place to base yourself if you want to tour around Cornwall. Our visit was an organised five-day coach trip which included the hotel accommodation. However there are many camp sites and bed and breakfast establishments in Cornwall. Cornwall is not the cheapest place to visit though, especially St Ives. St Ives also has plenty of surfing and water sport enthusiasts who holiday there regularly to enjoy water based activities. We visited Land's End but for us it was nothing too special. Sure the scenery is rugged and the air fresh and bracing but it is very commercialised. Better to visit Lizard Point, which is the most southerly point of England, as the scenery is much better. Marazion is also worth a visit if only to look across the water to St Michael's Mount. At low tide it is possible to walk across an old roman road to the mount but be careful as the tide soon changes. At 16-years-old we started to walk across only to find that the tide almost overtook us and we came out looking like damp squibs. I was pleased to note in 2006 that Marazion and St Michael's Mount were much as I remembered them. You can take a small boat trip across to the mount which is not too pricey a ride. Also the village here has some nice local shops and good views. Nearby Penzance is more a coastal town where you can shop and visit the gardens as along its coast it is more a working town. Overall what you will find with Cornwall is:-
Cornwall is a great place to visit, it has so many attractions, things to do and great places to visit that having written about it, I cannot wait to visit again. Resources Visit Cornwall
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Cornwall is that county that covers the south west corner of England. It has a warmer climate than much of the rest of England, has some great beaches and a wealth of history and attractions.
Whether you choose to seek out King Arthur's legendary haunts, enjoy the many water sports, set sail on a tourist fishing boat or simply relax you will find a warm welcome in Cornwall. St Ives still has a thriving artist community. Years ago artists were drawn to the area because of the quality of light and stunning landscape. St Ives is on the northern side of Cornwall and is within easy reach of Marazion, Penzance, Tintagel, Land's End and more. Let's face it, the names of such places are magical in themselves. St Ives Visiting Cornwall, with a group of girlfriends, all aged 16 was fun. We stayed in Helston on the South of England. There was no return visits for nearly 40 years and this time the destination was Carbis Bay on the outskirts of St Ives. This is on Cornwall's Northern side. As St Ives was so near to Carbis Bay we visited this lovely fishing village, come town, a fair few times. St Ives has much to offer visitors, apart from just beaches. It has:-
Water-sports are popular in Cornwall due the warmer climate. Warmer than the rest of the UK that is. The nightlife is good in St Ives without being too brash and over the top. The area is quite hilly but it is still a lovely area to walk around. Alternatively hire a car. take a bus or catch one of the local trains to explore further afield. St Ives is a perfect location for exploring some of the other attractions available in and around Cornwall. It is also an ideal destination for all age groups. Of course it is in England and, as such, the weather is unpredictable no matter what time of year it is. However, Cornwall does fare much better than other parts of the UK, as far as weather goes, and, if you pick your vacation dates well, you should experience at least some good weather. St Ives accommodation comes in lots of forms; cute local cottages, hotels, Bed and Breakfasts and more are all available. We visited in late August and were very lucky to have perfect weather for our visit. |
Where in the world do you want to go today? One Woman uses personal experiences to show you some of the best places to visit in the United Kingdom and beyond. Enjoy!
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