cornwall visit · cornwall? they share the same cornish charm, but every part of this county has...

VisitCornwallThe Official Destination & Accommodation Guide for 2014

www.visitcornwall.com

For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900

CONTENTS2 Eat Up You’re Green!

Our guide to eleven of the best eco-friendly eateries...

4 Gardens Like Never Before Cornwall is famous for its world-class art and gardens… and when the two collide, the result can live in the memory forever.

6 Close Encounters It’s often something as simple and unexpected as a brush with nature that really brings a holiday to life...

8 Should Fitness Be This Much Fun? Surrounded by world-class cuisine, pasties and cream teas, people wonder why the Cornish aren’t the heaviest people on Earth.

10 Cornish Mining - World Heritage Site Our mining culture shaped your world.

12 Jewels In The Crown A guide to some of Cornwall’s top wildlife destinations

14 Don’t I Know You From Somewhere? You might get a feeling you’ve seen some of the places before. So many famous TV and movie scenes have been filmed here over the years, you probably have...

16 Think You Know Cornwall? They share the same Cornish charm, but every part of this county has its own distinctive character.

22 ACCOMMODATION26 Bodmin Moor

& Tamar Valley

30 North Coast

44 West Cornwall

54 South Coast

68 All Cornwall & Farm Accommodation

69 Useful Contacts & Getting Here

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8Cover photo: Holywell BayThis page: Sennen Cove

Welcome to Cornwall...Heading up Visit Cornwall is a dream job. Being able to wax lyrical about my homeland is no

hard task and is made all the more easier by the amazing passion that exists for Cornwall.

As well as the half a million people who love and live here, 2.2 million people enjoy a break or holiday in Cornwall at least once a year and another 1.1 million visit between every one and three years. That makes an amazing figure of just under four million supporters and fans of Cornwall!

For those returning to Cornwall, you’re guaranteed to discover a new special place. Our two wonderful coasts are sprinkled with hidden gems, then there’s the beautiful Roseland and Lizard Peninsula’s, as well as Bodmin Moor and the Tamar Valley. And don’t forget the great countryside in West and South East Cornwall. There’s enough to keep you coming back time and time again.

As many of you will already know, it isn’t just the magnificent landscape and countryside that makes Cornwall so special - we have an amazing history and heritage too. From our Celtic roots to the World Heritage Mining Sites and kaleidoscope of arts and cultural attractions – it’s all going on in Cornwall! Inspirational art collections, unique theatre and an annual schedule of memorable festivals and events to die for.

For those who are visiting for the first time, prepare to fall in love with a place that will stay in your heart forever. I can guarantee this won’t be your last visit…

Malcolm Bell, Head of Visit Cornwall

The Gook Beach Café, Portwrinkle

Set on the cliff above Portwrinkle Beach, The Gook looks out onto South East Cornwall’s spectacular coastline. Its no-nonsense menu is filled with simple, quality, locally sourced food – from breakfasts to burgers, ice cream and cakes. You’re bound to find something that takes your fancy.

www.gookbeachcafe.com

Rectory Farm Tea Rooms, Morwenstow

Only a ten-minute level walk from the rugged North Cornwall cliffs, the award-winning tea rooms are part of a 13th Century house which is filled with history. You will find many Cornish favourites on the menu, including cream teas, cakes, jams and chutneys, soups, locally caught fish and organic beef and lamb from the farm itself.

www.rectory-tearooms.co.uk

Wet Your Whistle?Wherever you go to eat, keep your eyes peeled for Cornwall’s many homemade local beers. Booming brands such as St Austell Brewery, Sharp’s and Skinner’s have proved so popular that these days you can order a pint of Betty Stogs, Smugglers or Tribute in many pubs nationally.

But come to Cornwall itself and you’ll find a whole range of thirst- quenching bevvies from backyard micro-breweries like the thriving little business in the Driftwood Spars at Trevaunance Cove near St Agnes – a must on any gastronomical tour.

www.driftwoodspars.com

For those with a more metropolitan palate, Polgoon Vineyard and Cider Orchard near Penzance is just one of dozens of successful Cornish vineyards making award-winning wine and gorgeous traditional cider.

www.polgoon.com

And you needn’t miss out if you’re doing the driving, because Cornwall also grows its own tea! The historic Tregothnan Estate, owned by the Boscawen family since 1335, has a stunning range of teas, including Manuka, fennel and, of course, Earl Grey, which are now sold all over the globe. You can even flavour your brew with Tregothnan-grown Manuka honey, or buy some of the estate’s crop of Kea plums.

www.tregothnan.co.uk

Treetop Café, The Monkey Sanctuary, Looe

Looe’s Monkey Sanctuary literally takes eating to new heights. Specialising in vegetarian and vegan meals, the attraction’s Treetop Café offers veggie burgers topped with roasted Portobello mushrooms, and serves only Fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolate. Not only that, but you can munch away happy in the knowledge that any leftovers will be composted for the orchard, growing ripe local apples to feed your favourite little monkeys.

www.monkeysanctuary.org

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Shop, Launceston

With its Alice in Wonderland and Mad Hatter theme, and its display of teapots, novelties and collectables, this is an out-of-the-ordinary place in which to enjoy a tea and a snack or a light meal. The menu is extensive to say the least and may offer your first opportunity to try Launceston Cake. Gluten-free and various other special options are available (you may wish to call ahead to discuss your dietary needs).

www.the-madhatters.co.uk

Saffron, Truro

Truro’s acclaimed restaurant has led the Cornish ‘home-grown’ food revival. Everything from the coffee, ground by local artisan producers, to the herbs adorning your crab gnocchi, picked from the eatery’s herb garden, is locally sourced. Head chef Nik has even been spotted on occasion scouring the Cornish hedgerows and coastline for fruits and seasoning, while all of the restaurant’s fish dishes come from day boats – unfrozen, straight from the sea to your table.

www.saffronrestauranttruro.co.uk

Rick Stein, Padstow

A Padstow lad himself, Rick has come a long way since he first started serving up fresh local food in his home town. Choosing sustainably sourced

fish can be a notoriously complex business, but in the fishing harbour of Padstow Rick makes it simple. Plentiful, varied, and straight from the net to the plate. And who’s going to order a plate of endangered Atlantic Cod when head chef Stephane Delourme can offer you fresh oysters and langoustines, mussels, turbot, dover sole, lobsters or sashimi?

www.rickstein.com

Eden Project Café, St Austell

World famous for its pioneering ecological initiatives, the Eden Project is about as green as you can get. Pop in with your clunky old mobile phone and you can drop it in a recycling box, before ordering freshly baked artisan bread rolls and Fairtrade coffee, and sitting down to avail yourself of the free WiFi. There’s even a ‘book swap’ – a lovely idea which means dropping off your old books and picking someone else’s favourite read off the shelf. It’s also a great place to go with young kids – especially on a Wednesday morning when drum teacher Roger Luxton, technician to the likes of Blur, Oasis, The Verve, Prodigy and Primal Scream, hosts

‘Tots Rock’, a musical happening for the under-fives.

www.edenproject.com/ cafe-in-st-austell

Escape The CarWhy rack up extra mileage, when for a few pounds you can leave the car at the camp site and spend a whole day hopping on and off what is described as one of Britain’s most beautiful branch lines? We’re talking about the St Ives Bay Line, which operates between St Erth and St Ives.

And if you prefer the verdant East of the Duchy, the Looe to Liskeard branch line offers a similar deal on its spectacular eight miles of track. Reprieved from Beeching just two weeks before the axe was to fall, this little line boasts a stop that revels in the name of ‘Sandplace’ and a causeway crossing which at high tide will often take the train across open river.

Here’s another idea. In Summer, the First Group’s 300 Cornwall Explorer service uses open-topped buses – weather permitting – for its route around the Land’s End Peninsula. This takes in Penzance, St Ives and Land’s End itself, and you can break the journey to combine your bus ride with a lunch stop or a walk.

It all makes for magical holiday fun that the kids won’t forget – and an experience that Mum and Dad can afford year after year.

Let’s Get Festival!We have a huge variety of festivals, focusing on everything from pasties and seafood to honey, asparagus and real ale – so you can see and taste for yourself why Cornwall has one of the finest reputations for food and drink in the whole of the UK. Check out our website to see what’s on the festival menu.

www.visitcornwall.com

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EAT UP! YOU’RE GREEN!

Our guide to eleven of the best eco-friendly eateries...

Ever stopped to wonder what’s really green? Sustainability can be a tricky subject, but luckily there’ll always be one straightforward way to cut down your carbon footprint – and indulge yourself into the bargain…

Eating Local FoodFresh, locally sourced food is not only the most natural and tastiest you’ll ever find. It’s also kinder to the planet – by miles.

There’s no need for a stonking great container vessel to serve up your chilled organic cider when you have a generous orchard within sight of the restaurant. Nor will you be requiring the services of articulated lorries if your vegetables are coming from a nearby allotment. And when your delicious fish is caught in Cornish waters and brought to your plate fresh from one of Cornwall’s quays, you can award yourself another couple of green points.

Here are eleven stars of Cornish sustainable eating – places where you can tuck in to your heart’s content… and never have to worry about the cost to the world around you!

The Beach, Sennen Cove

How about this for fresh fish? The Beach is one of the few restaurants in Britain that boasts its very own fishing boat! Situated on one of our most beautiful beaches, it combines breathtaking scenery with great food – including seasonal local produce and catches. As you take in the view from its large terrace, you can reflect on the fact that your low-mileage menu choice is helping to preserve Cornwall’s living seas.

www.thebeachrestaurant.com

Trevaskis Farm, Near Hayle

The only thing you’ll have to fret your head about when eating at Trevaskis Farm is your waistline. The Connor Downs restaurant is famed for its generous portions and has gorgeous desserts to die for! But with succulent meat from the on-site butchers, fruit and veg from the very soil, and any extra ingredients from small local suppliers, you can eat up more than safe in the knowledge you’re on a truly low-mileage diet.

www.trevaskisfarm.co.uk

Godrevy Beach CaféSet between the sand dunes, just outside Hayle, this café offers legendary breakfast and lunch menus, delectable baking and stunning views. In keeping with its green ethos, all takeaway food packaging is biodegradable, waste oil is turned into biodiesel to generate power for the café’s mobile catering business and, of course, food is sourced from as close to home as possible. After eating, take a walk along the coast – where you might well see seals, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars and cormorants – to remind yourself why this all matters.

www.godrevycafe.co.uk

Miss Peapod’s Kitchen Café, Penryn

A Cornwall Tourism Awards ‘Gold’ winner, crowned as Café of the Year, Miss Peapod’s believes that good food shouldn’t cost the earth. Appropriately enough, you will find this café underneath the wind turbines at Jubilee Wharf – the site of a redevelopment project that champions sustainability. Green principles are reflected in its recycled china and furniture, as well as the floor – rescued from a club in London. The menu gives priority to local, organic and Fairtrade ingredients.

www.misspeapod.co.uk

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SculptureRave reviews for the recently opened Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, overlooking St Michael’s Mount, have brought fresh attention to a well-established idea: art and nature working together.

www.tremenheere.co.uk

It’s something Cornwall has always done well. In St Ives, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden gives you the chance to experience the work of one of Britain’s greatest sculptors, in the landscape that inspired it.

www.tate.org.uk

Near Bodmin, Pinsla Garden offers something completely different: a fairytale artist’s garden in a woodland setting, with a sculptural surprise around every corner.

www.pinslagarden.net

LiteratureIf you’d like to see the place Samuel Pepys called “The most beautiful place as ever was seen”, head to the Grade I Listed gardens at Mount Edgcumbe. The view of Plymouth Sound – almost enough to give you vertigo – has inspired authors and artists for hundreds of years.

www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk

In July, Port Eliot Literary Festival attracts an eclectic mix of celebrities, bookworms, art lovers and foodies to the ancient house and grounds at St Germans, for what’s pretty much a giant garden party. Napoleon said it was the most beautiful place in England.

www.porteliotfestival.com

Or, for a new experience, try a poetry walk – a guided tour with poetry readings to bring your surroundings to life. They’re increasingly easy to find; the National Trust website is a good place to start.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/whats-on

Often, bringing culture and nature together highlights the beauty of both – and makes for an unforgettable visit.

Cornwall has no shortage of opportunities to see plants and people in harmony; or even to get involved yourself…

The Garden As A StageMiracle Theatre will be touring with a new adaptation of The Tempest to gardens throughout Cornwall during the Summer of 2014. For all Cornish garden dates please see the Miracle website at

www.miracletheatre.co.uk

PerformanceFrom children’s dance and drama classes to traditional music on the bandstand, there’s always something happening at Falmouth’s Gyllyngdune Gardens... and that’s before you explore the seashell seats and grotto, secret garden tunnel and to-die-for estuary view.

www.tempusleisure.org.uk

The Minack Theatre is a must-see for most visitors, but don’t forget it has gardens, too. It’s amazing what will grow on a cliff-face terrace – including night-flowering plants, creating a perfect setting for an evening’s drama.

www.minack.com

Keep an eye on the Visit Cornwall what’s on guide www.visitcornwall.com/whats-on or check out the Cornwall Gardens Guide via www.visitcornwall.com/maps/brochures and you just might find a unique experience of your own.

Kneehigh’s nomadic Asylum theatre space will be making a welcome return in 2014. A radical new Beggar’s Opera is among the shows being planned. Venues will include Heligan Gardens. For up-to-date details of the programme visit

www.kneehigh.co.uk

The Asylum pictured at an Eden Project event

A previous Miracle Theatre production at Tremenheere

Inspiration? Look No Further…

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Opposite page: Trebah Garden, Mawan Smith, Falmouth

Above from left to right: Garden pot art at Pinsla, Kate Winslet reading at the Port Eliot Festival, St Germans, Princess Pavilion at Falmouth

GardensLike Never Before

The music captivates the audience around me; they start to join in.

It’s only natural.

Behind them, the sun dips towards the sea. Everything takes on a warm, orange glow – and, for a moment, time seems to

slow down. A memory’s being made.

I’ve visited this place many times before. And I’m seeing it in a whole new light.

The memories captured above are just one audience member’s reflections on the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience that awaits us

all, somewhere, in a Cornish garden.

I find a spot, sit down, and watch the dance.

Amongst the flowers and trees I’ve known for so long, a hundred figures in brilliant white. Men and women, school children

and pensioners, and they’re spinning and swaying as one, like they’ve been caught

in the evening breeze.

I’m not sure I’m not dreaming.

Gently, their movements tell a tale of how this garden came to be. Brothers who

circled the globe and brought it home. Plants from distant shores and a

sanctuary at the Cornish water’s edge.

Cornwall is famous for its world-class art and gardens… and when the two collide, the result can be a moment

that lives in the memory forever.

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Wildlife: Where To Go...Part of the beauty of nature is its unpredictability – that’s why a close encounter is such a thrill. But you can improve your chances by heading to a Voluntary Marine Conservation Area (VMCA), where the local community works together to protect the marine environment and help visitors to make the most of it.

There are five to choose from:

HelfordThe mouth of one of Britain’s most beautiful rivers, the Helford Estuary is like no place on Earth. 47km (29 miles) of shoreline features everything from rocky shores to the famous Frenchman’s Creek.You can see: pristine native woodland, oyster farming and razor shells.

If you’re lucky: pipefish (relatives of the seahorses).

St AgnesAt high water, Trevaunance Cove could be mistaken for a secluded Greek island bay. But low tide reveals the beach and a world

of opportunities to explore rock pools and caves at the foot of its dramatic cliffs. You can see: limpets, sea anemones and prawns.

If you’re lucky: puffins.

FoweyNestled at the bottom of a spectacular, steep-sided valley, the Fowey Estuary is an ancient river course, flooded after the last Ice Age. Covering almost 1,000 acres, this unique place features some extremely rare habitats – with species to match.You can see: bladder wrack, cockles and shore crabs.

If you’re lucky: kingfishers.

PolzeathThis popular North Cornwall seaside village and surf resort has a hidden secret: when the tide goes out, it leaves all manner of rare species and an opportunity to see the sheer variety of Cornwall’s sea life, up close. You can see: barnacles, sea slaters, shark and ray eggs.

If you’re lucky: Celtic sea slug.

LooeMiles of rock pools and other habitats make Looe a mecca for nature lovers – from curious children to seal spotters and hardened birdwatchers. What’s more, a short boat trip takes you to Looe Island: a

nature reserve in its own right.You can see: starfish, sea squirts and herons.

If you’re lucky: dolphins.

Details of all the Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas in Cornwall may be found on www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk /livingseas/yourshore/voluntary_marine_conservation_areas_in_cornwall

Try A Beach Hunt!Fancy beach fun with a twist? Here’s an idea we love.

Lately we’ve heard of a few families filling an afternoon by reviving another old classic... the scavenger hunt!

Simply write yourself a list of things to find, like...

- something round; - something that

used to be part of an animal;

- something smooth; - something stripy;- something pretty;- something straight;- something that

doesn’t ‘belong’ on a beach

...then simply head off and explore.

Better still, once you’ve collected all your booty, why not make it all into a piece of beach art? Stick your finds to some paper, make them into a sculpture, or even lay them out on the beach – just don’t forget to send us a picture!

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For all your careful planning, it’s often something as simple and unexpected as a brush with nature that really brings a holiday to life...

“Look, Daddy! I caught a baby shark!”My daughter’s running towards me, wide-eyed; as fast as she dare without spilling the precious cargo from her plastic bucket. Her patient stalking of the rockpools has been rewarded – the tiny shrimp is hardly even visible, and it has made her day. We’ve been to all the visitor attractions, but when we get home this is the memory she’ll tell her teacher about.

Chances are, you haven’t been rockpooling since you were a kid yourself. You don’t know what you’re missing.

All it takes is a small bucket of sea water, a net and a bit of curiosity. Especially at one of Cornwall’s five specially protected Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas (VMCA), you really never know what you might find.

If you fancy something a little larger, coastwatching can yield spectacular results. Seals, dolphins, whales

– even mighty basking sharks – can all be seen from the Cornish coast.

Or, if you want to relive some memories of your own, how about a spot of crabbing? It’s genuinely heart-pounding and surprisingly addictive: make sure you buy a line for yourself as well as for any kids, or they won’t get a look in....

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Breathtaking (Literally)Committed runners will love the coast path – but watch out, the view can be tricky.

Every step, you know it’s there. A few degrees to your left or right. Cliffs, rocks, ships... who knows? Maybe a dolphin or a seal.

You’re missing something spectacular. You feel it. You’re itching to look, but you daren’t. The path is safe for runners – as long as you watch your footing.

This is why you came here. The concentration. The technique. The sweeping descents and the steep, thigh-burning climbs. Going as slow or as fast as you like. That’s your idea of fun.

For others, holiday means a time to take it easy; to simply indulge. That’s fine – for them.

You pause your GPS for a moment, and finally drink in that view. All you hear is the breeze, the sea on the rocks below and your heart beating, hard. You’ve never felt more relaxed. More alive.

Just a couple more miles...

Best Foot ForwardWalkers and runners alike will find endless variety on Cornwall’s stretch of the South West Coast Path. 258 miles to explore, and every step of it unique.

It’s up to you whether you find a part to match your ability, choose something specific – like Britain’s most Southerly walk at Lizard Point – or simply hit the coast and let the trail surprise you.

But it’s not all about the coastline. There are untamed, panoramic views on Bodmin Moor, and all sorts of woodland nature reserves to discover. For starters, try the Wilderness Trail, near Bodmin, and Kilminorth Woods, not far from Looe.

Put Something BackIf you feel like a completely different kind of workout, and giving something back to Cornwall on your stay, have a look at the ‘Green Gym’ initiative from TCV (The Conservation Volunteers). No exercise machines are involved – just spades and hand tools.

You get a day outside, working up a sweat in one of Britain’s most beautiful places... and the rosy glow of knowing you’ve done your bit, too.

For more information, see:

Cycle trails: www.sustrans.org.uk

South West Coast Path: www.southwestcoastpath.com

Wilderness Trail: www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk

Kilminorth Woods: www.friendsofkilminorthwoods.co.uk

Green Gym: www.tcv.org.uk/cornwall

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Should fitness Be This Much Fun?

Surrounded by world-class cuisine, pasties and cream teas, people wonder why the Cornish aren’t the heaviest people on Earth.

What’s the secret?On Your BikeIf mud’s your thing, mountain bikers can choose from a well-established venue at Cardinham Woods and, from Spring 2014, the new Lanhydrock Cycle Hub. Both have bike hire, café, free parking – everything you need in a top-notch MTB centre.

For a more relaxed ride, Cornwall is criss-crossed by well-loved cycle routes – like the famous Camel Trail – following historic train, river and tramway lines. Mostly easy going, traffic-free cycling, it’s perfect for couples and families.

(And if you ever want to boast that you’ve pedalled coast to coast, you’ll never get a better chance. The Portreath to Devoran trail is only 11 miles.)

If you need wheels, there are friendly cycle hire shops along all the main routes. Some will deliver, and most can provide you with a tandem, or a brilliant tag-along buggy for your little people.

Quite simply, the world’s greatest gym – right

outside the door.Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just fancy having a go, Cornwall is full

of surprising outdoor adventures to challenge you in fun new ways.

View from the cliffs over Strangles Beach near Crackington Haven

Everything at this mine near St Just has been left just as it was on its last working day in 1990, making it a living time capsule. The visitor experience includes an atmospheric guided tour underground and the chance to talk to real-life miners.

For further information and opening times visit www.geevor.com

Recently opened at Pool near Redruth as a Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Gateway, Heartlands showcases Cornwall’s mining heritage in a modern setting. It has 19 acres for visitors to explore, and an array of interactive exhibits to guide you on a journey through the county’s mining heart and history. Open all year-round and including indoor activities, it’s a great all-weather attraction.

For further information and opening times visit www.heartlandscornwall.com.

The story of Cornish mining isn’t restricted to copper and tin. At Wheal Martyn, near St Austell, visitors discover that Cornwall still has an important mineral extraction industry in the shape of china clay, and this had many links with metal mining. Like Heartlands, there is plenty to do indoors and out – including a spectacular view over a modern working clay pit.

For further information and opening times visit www.wheal-martyn.com.

Although most of the mining visitor centres are concentrated in the West of Cornwall, the North and East of the county also contain many obvious landscape features connected with the industry. Minions Heritage Centre, on the South-Eastern edge of Bodmin Moor, based inside a Cornish engine house, is a wonderful indoor attraction that is well worth a look.

For further information and opening times visit www.bestofbodminmoor.co.uk/attractions/museums.

Like many of Cornwall’s finest houses, Godolphin House was originally owned by a family that made its fortune through mining. Within one of the distinct areas of the World Heritage Site, it contains evidence of this country’s earliest tin and copper mines and is now owned and managed by the National Trust.

For further information and opening times visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/godolphin

For further information on the ten specific Cornish Mining World Heritage Site areas visit www.cornish-mining.org.uk.

Opposite page: Wheal Coates engine house - St Agnes

This page right: Geevor Head Gear - St Just. Below: Heartlands

- Redruth, aerial view of Godolphin House - Helston, Levant Mine

- Trewellard - Pendeen - St Just, Houseman’s engine house no.1 - Minions, Statues at Wheal.Martyn - St Austell

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Like memorials to its illustrious industrial past, Cornwall’s landscape is dotted with chimneys, engine houses and mineral processing buildings that were the heart and soul of Cornish mining.

Once a world leader, Cornwall supplied two-thirds of the world’s copper during the mid-19th Century, and for a short boom period most of the world’s tin, along with a range of other minerals. Its fortunes and those of its people changed irrevocably when overseas companies began producing minerals and ores at prices with which Cornish mines simply couldn’t compete.

But so significant are these relics of Cornwall’s cultural history that the best of the mining areas have been deemed to rank alongside such global treasures as the Grand Canyon and the Taj Mahal, in being declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Everywhere you go in Cornwall you can see the influence of the industry. Not just through the buildings but also the mine spoil heaps, now often reclaimed by nature, which are an important part of the story. Networks of railway lines and mineral tramways, many of which now serve as walking and cycling routes, also offer visitors the opportunity to time travel through Cornwall’s industrial past.

But whereas the visitor’s journey is through the landscape, the demise of many of Cornwall’s mines after the 1860s meant that many of its people were forced to leave it behind. They left and went to search for work wherever they could find it, increasing the flow of mining migrants which started in earnest during the 1820s. The legacy of this is that Cornish mining and engineering expertise also travelled the globe. So it’s no exaggeration to say that ‘our mining culture shaped your world’.

Stand in those landscapes now and history surrounds you. You can almost see the comings and goings of miners with their Cornish pasty lunches in hand. To get the inside story of how the mining community lived and worked, take a trip to some of the fascinating mining visitor attractions.

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Our mining culture shaped your world

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A Twitcher’s Paradise Downstream from the haunts of the dipper, the river meets the sea. When the tide floods out of our estuaries and drowned valleys, the exposed mudflats act as service stations for hundreds of wintering wading birds which use long, probing beaks to feed on the tiny creatures within. One Winter visitor, the avocet, feeds differently, by sweeping its graceful upturned beak through the water. Spot avocets in flight by looking for something resembling a flying zebra! All year round there’s a chance of seeing little egrets. These small white herons use their striking yellow feet to stir the water and frighten fish so they can catch and eat them. Cornwall is blessed with estuaries all around its coast, including Hayle and the Camel on the North Coast and Helford, Fal, Fowey, Looe and Tamar on the South Coast.

Awash With ColourForget what you’ve seen on the duck pond. Cornwall’s wetlands host some of the most colourful ducks to visit the British Isles. In Winter at Amble Marshes and Walmsley Sanctuary, near Wadebridge (and other places too), look out for tiny teal, with cinnamon-coloured heads and striking green eye patches, and wigeon – which you may hear whistling before you see them – with pink and grey bodies and a yellow crown… as if they’ve fallen asleep in custard! Wetlands are also great for dragonflies, amphibians and other pond creatures – which you may see out of season because of Cornwall’s short Winters.

A Feast For The SensesA riot of purple and yellow dances before you when you visit a heath in flower. On warm days the coconut-like aroma of gorse flowers wafts through the air. If it doesn’t, be sure to lean in and smell the gorgeous yellow blooms. Don’t let the aroma go to your head; you’ll need sharp eyes to look for lizards and maybe even a snake slithering by. Mixed wet and dry heath, as at Goss Moor National Nature Reserve (between St Dennis and Roche in mid-Cornwall), is home to a tiny carnivorous plant, the round-leaved sundew. Small, but still a terrifying prospect for the passing insects it traps and devours! On The Lizard, look for the long, spiky stems of the rare Cornish heath which grows almost nowhere else in the UK.

Magic In The WoodsWoodlands aren’t just about trees. At the start of Spring, in places like the National Trust’s Lanhydrock estate, carpets of bluebells burst into bloom beneath the canopy, transforming the woodland floor. Listen for the evocative sound of woodpeckers drumming to mark territory and attract a mate. In Autumn, sweep your eyes across the ground in search of colourful fungi at the base of trees. Whenever you visit, woodlands have a magical atmosphere

– created by the majesty of enormous tree trunks, the mystery of twisted roots and the way the trees shield you not just from the elements but from the mundane world beyond.

Main image: Speckled Wood butterfly

Left: Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly

Below (from left to right): Cliffs near Boscastle, Common Seal, Waterfall at Kennal Vale, Bluebells, Sundew

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Jewels in the

crownA guide to some of Cornwall’s top wildlife destinations

Cornwall’s stunning scenery – from moor to coast, river to valley, and with marshes, woodland and heaths in between – is one of the top reasons why visitors flock here every year. If you’re into making the most of the great

outdoors, here’s our guide to having your very own wildlife adventure.

The Splash ZoneCornwall is so well known for its coastline that it’s impossible to say which part is best. Take your pick from impressive craggy cliffs and amazing rock formations – with a soundtrack of piping oystercatchers and crying kestrels – on the North Coast between Boscastle and Bude; or the magnificent dunes of the Towans, near Hayle, dotted with leggy evening primroses, precarious pink pyramidal orchids and silver-studded blue butterflies adding splashes of colour to this sandy backdrop. The coast at The Lizard is the place to see Cornwall’s symbolic bird, the chough – a slim crow with an obvious red beak and legs.

For other rocky and sandy beaches, see our article on the Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas.

Drama At SeaAs if the sea off Cornwall was not dramatic enough by itself, it also provides an incredible opportunity for wildlife watching. Whether it’s grey seals at Godrevy, dolphins and porpoises at The Rumps or Pentire Point, or a sighting of the world’s second-largest fish, the basking shark, from Lizard Point, you have a good chance of seeing all these, and perhaps the large, unusual-looking sunfish, or even the occasional leatherback turtle, simply by being patient and watching the water.

Rivers Of LifeCornwall has a criss-cross of rivers and wooded valleys cutting deep into its landscape. The Golitha Falls National Nature Reserve, near Liskeard, is dramatically picturesque and home to dozens of species of mosses, lichens and small, fat, succulent plants called liverworts, which present a breathtaking palette of different greens. The River Fowey flows through a series of cascades here, making this an ideal place to look for the dipper – a bird which appears to fly under water as it hunts for food. In Autumn on the Tamar and Lynher Rivers you might be lucky enough to see an osprey. These magnificent fish-catching birds of prey sometimes stop off here on their way to spend the Winter in West Africa.


Port Isaac must feel like

home-from-home to fans of

Martin Clunes’ hit series Doc

Martin. Since 2001, the tiny

North Cornwall fishing village

has lent its charming looks to

the grumpy doctor’s fictional

home, Port Wenn.

For decades, Charlestown has been the go-to location for any director needing an unspoilt period harbour with its own tall ships. Depending on your vintage, you might recognise it from The Onedin Line, Hornblower, Rebecca or even Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

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As if the Eden Project wasn’t exciting enough, it doubled for Gustav Graves’ Icelandic diamond mine lair in Pierce Brosnan’s final James Bond outing, Die Another Day. (And just to show Cornwall’s versatility, Holywell Beach featured in the same film... as North Korea.)

St Antony’s Lighthouse will be instantly familiar to anyone who watched children’s TV in the 1980s... it’s the home of Red, Gobo, Moki and the gang – not forgetting Sprocket the dog – the one and only Fraggle Rock.

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One For 2014

At the time of writing, work is under way on a biopic of landscape painter JMW Turner by leading international director Mike Leigh. Turner will be portrayed by the incredibly versatile Timothy Spall. This one is sure to draw attention to South East Cornwall, where Turner painted extensively in the Tamar Valley.

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Those with long memories

may recall Poldark, with Ross

galloping across the beach

at Porthluney Cove

– one of many settings used in

the hugely successful TV adaptation

of Winston Graham’s novels.

Follow Cornwall’s Film Trail...

The rolling coastline and

secluded ports of the

Roseland Peninsula

have long attracted film crews;

from The Camomile Lawn in the

1990s to the latest Richard Curtis

rom-com. Bill Nighy heads the cast list of

About Time, which tells the tale of a time-

travelling quest for love. Gorran Haven and St Austell Bay also

form backdrops, while St Michael Penkivel Church features

spectacularly in the obligatory

wedding scene.

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The Headland Hotel’s striking architecture made a suitably spooky venue for Jim Henson’s 1990 version of Roald Dahl’s scary children’s book, The Witches.

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Cadgwith provided the backdrop for Dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith’s

popular Ladies in Lavender. Shop fronts in Helston were also taken back in time to 1936 for the shoot.

Last year’s Summer in February shines a light on the part Lamorna and its artist colony played in fuelling Cornwall’s international reputation for art.

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Truro featured regularly in the investigations of Cornish detective Wycliffe, whose beat

covered much of Cornwall.

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Don’t I KnowYou From Somewhere?Even if it’s your first time in Cornwall, you might get a feeling you’ve seen some of the places before. So many famous TV and movie scenes have been filmed here over the years, you probably have...

It’s hard to put your finger on, that nagging sense of familiarity.You know you’ve never been here, yet somehow you know this view. That corner. You remember... a conversation. A fight. A rescue. Maybe even a kiss?

The truth is, in a way, you’ve already spent time in places all over Cornwall – without leaving the comfort of your armchair (or, perhaps, your cinema seat). Because some of your favourite film and TV scenes happened right here.

The rugged coastline and postcard-perfect ports. The flawless vistas and private coves. It’s no wonder they’ve all been filmed in Cornwall: from Dame Judi to Brad Pitt; and from Anjelica Huston to 007 himself.

So if you feel like you’ve been here before, perhaps you really have.

And who knows? Maybe you might spot a Hollywood A-lister on a break from filming their next box office hit...

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Bodmin Moor & The Tamar ValleyThe Wild Side Of CornwallThe rugged moorland at Cornwall’s wild heart gives way, to the East, to the Tamar Valley’s contrasting landscape of lush vegetation. Each of these large areas is a vital and substantial oasis for wildlife, as well as a rich source of reminders from Cornwall’s often troubled past.

Truro Cornwall’s City

Cornwall has just one city – but it’s a cultural gem. Once a thriving river port, its elegant buildings are a testimony to the wealth generated here in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. The impressive Gothic revival cathedral that towers over the city is something you must see – inside and outside. If shopping is on your agenda, Truro offers everything from the latest fashions to local crafts and food. You are also likely to find markets, street activities and events in action whenever you visit.

St Austell‘The Cornish Alps’

The market town of St Austell is central to another historic – and continuing – Cornish industry, China Clay, which has given rise to a surrounding landscape characterised by white peaks, sometimes affectionately referred to as the Cornish Alps. While many of the area’s top attractions are out of town, such as the Eden Project, Heligan Gardens, Wheal Martyn and Charlestown Harbour, St Austell itself is also worth exploring. A more recent development is the White River Shopping Centre, with its cinema, restaurants, cafés and retail outlets.

LooeShark Capital

With a reputation for providing some of the freshest fish in the UK to the top restaurants in London, Looe is a great place to sample the fruits of the sea. Restaurants in the town will serve you some of the tastiest seafood you will ever eat or you can buy from the fishmongers on the quayside. But as the base of the Shark Angling Club of Great Britain, Looe can also offer you the adventure of catching something yourself. Shark, mackerel and conger are on the menu of the charter boats which cater for every age and interest, with all equipment provided.

Rame PeninsulaOur Best Kept Secret?

Largely unexplored by Cornwall’s visitors, this mysterious area in the South East corner is another separate world. Enter that world and you will be immediately struck by the beauty of its tidal creeks, sandy beaches, lush farmland and country parks. The creeks conceal picturesque villages, waiting to be discovered, while the long South-facing beach of Whitsand Bay opens up fantastic coastal views. Points of interest at Rame Head, on the Southern tip of the peninsula, include Penlee Battery – a disused Napoleonic fort which lives on as a nature reserve. The villages of Cawsand and Kingsand, sheltered by the headland, were once popular with smugglers but today cater for visitors with a variety of waterfront pubs and restaurants.

BodminDark History

The tranquillity of Bodmin today belies the tumultuous history of this former administrative centre of Cornwall. It was from here that 15,000 Cornishmen set out to march on London in the Cornish Rebellion of 1497. In 1549 Bodmin was at the centre of another uprising – the Prayer Book Rebellion. Both ventures resulted in huge bloodshed. The cruelty and hardship of bygone days is a theme of Cornwall’s former high-security prison, Bodmin Jail, whose last execution took place in 1909. If you’re brave enough, you can take a self-guided tour of the haunted underground cells and museum. On a lighter note, a walk around the town will reveal imposing granite buildings reminiscent of happier days when Bodmin enjoyed the tin mining boom of the 19th Century.

BolventorThe Romance Of Smuggling

Bolventor, a village out in the middle of Bodmin Moor, is the location of Jamaica Inn. Cornwall’s most famous smuggling inn was immortalised via Daphne du Maurier’s novel. Smugglers began their illegal trade in goods such as

silks, tea, tobacco and brandy in the 13th Century, when customs dues were first introduced, and soon made Cornwall the smuggling capital of England. Even by the 15th Century this was a relatively lawless area in which there was very little opposition to the smugglers’ activities. Call in at Jamaica Inn, just off the main A30 between Bodmin and Launceston, to hear more about this shady aspect of Cornwall’s history.

LauncestonInvaders Beware

The 13th Century Norman castle that dominates Launceston is a sign of this town’s strategic importance in defending Cornwall against invaders. Look closer and you will find remnants of a defensive wall which once encircled the town. For a long time Launceston Castle also served as a prison, with inmates including George Fox, founder of the Quakers, who was subjected to harsh confinement here in 1656. An excellent free-entry museum, Lawrence House, tells the story of Launceston’s community throughout the ages. Other highlights include a row of grand houses, below the castle, which were described by Sir John Betjeman as the loveliest Georgian street in Cornwall.

South CornwallA Land Of Contrasts And SurprisesThe expanse of coastline from the Helford River in the West to the River Tamar at our border with Devon, which merges seamlessly with the rolling green countryside inland, is amazingly varied. There is, literally, a surprise around every corner.

You can find further details of these local highlights and many more via the Visitor Information Centres in Cornwall or near Lizard Point.

www.visitcornwall.com/maps/visitor- information-centres

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Main image: the beach at Bude

Top (left to right): view of Truro from Malpas, fishing boat coming into Looe harbour, Cheesewring on Bodmin Moor

Below (left to right): Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, Bodyboarding on the North Coast, China Clay spoil heaps - St Austell

Think You Know

Cornwall?

West CornwallThe Edge Of The WorldIf being remote leads to individuality, it’s hardly surprising that Britain’s most South-Westerly area has a very unusual personality – accentuated by the unique landforms, geology and ancient heritage on which it has been built.

North CornwallStunning Scenery And Natural HighsThe Atlantic coastline, edged by dramatic cliffs, draws thrill seekers in search of surfing, other water activities and – in a word – fun. At the same time, those who don’t feel the need for an adrenaline rush can simply enjoy its stunning natural scenery.

PenzanceDripping In Culture

In Penzance you can soak up the arts at world-class galleries, like The Exchange, Penlee House and the nearby Newlyn Art Gallery, or you can simply lie back and admire the Art Deco splendour of the Jubilee Pool on Battery Rocks. Unveiled in 1935, during the heyday of the seawater lido, it was considered the most unusual and pleasingly designed of the era. This fabulous venue for swimming or relaxation is open from the end of May each year. Another architectural treasure in Penzance is the extraordinary Egyptian House in Chapel Street, built in 1835 with a Pseudo-Egyptian facade.

St IvesA Magnet For Artists

The pale sand, turquoise sea and lush vegetation of St Ives give an almost sub-tropical impression. It’s easy to imagine that something special about its quality of light inspires artists to produce better paintings, sculptures and pottery. Bernard Leach, Alfred Wallis, Ben Nicholson, Christopher Wood and Barbara Hepworth are just some of the many famous names associated with the town. The major contribution of this artists’ colony to British culture can be explored through numerous exhibitions and galleries, which include the Tate St Ives.

The LizardBritain’s Southerly Extreme

Historic observations from mainland Britain’s Southernmost point have included – on 29 July 1588 – the first

sighting of the Spanish Armada. Over the years, lookouts have also noted an endless succession of ships setting out on, or returning from, Atlantic crossings. The Lizard has always been something of a window on the world and is renowned as the birthplace of modern communication. It was here that Marconi carried out his pioneering radio experiments, which are celebrated at the Marconi Centre at Poldhu and the Lizard Wireless Station. The dominant rock type of The Lizard, known as serpentine, is found nowhere else in England. Combined with the mild climate, it creates the conditions for unique habitats. Culturally, Helston is home to the Flora, or Furry, Dance which is one of the oldest British customs still practised today. Taking place on 8 May each year, it draws a large and international audience.

Camborne & RedruthThe Mining Heart

Key figures of Cornwall’s illustrious industrial past include engineer Richard Trevithick from Camborne and gas light pioneer William Murdoch from Redruth. You can find out about our mining and engineering heritage at nearby visitor attractions such as Heartlands and the engine houses of East Pool and Agar Mines. You should also take time to walk around the towns themselves, where you will find many grand old buildings which echo their former prosperity as the centre of this important industry. Look out for the annual Trevithick Day in Camborne (April) and – in Redruth – Murdoch Day (June) and the Mining and Pasty Festival (September).

BudeDip Into The Atlantic

In the far North of Cornwall is a traditional family seaside resort that blossomed in the 19th Century when thousands of tourists would regularly arrive by train. Today the nostalgic relics of that age blend with thoroughly up-to-date facilities to set the scene for a perfect holiday or day trip. The sandy beaches are massive and the walks or views take in the highest of Cornwall’s sea cliffs. For an alternative bathing experience, there is a 1930s sea pool whose construction cleverly mixes the man-made with the natural environment. Bude’s sea lock marks one end of the Bude Canal, whose network of waterways once served communities on the Devon-Cornwall border. The Visitor Centre in Bude is a good source of information on its ingenious engineering, and the canal paths will take you through some exceptional wildlife habitats.

They share the same Cornish charm, but every part of this county also has its own distinctive character. Travel just a few miles from your holiday base and you will see a totally different Cornwall.

NewquayOne Of Europe’s Finest Surfing Hotspots

With no fewer than 11 superb beaches, an infectious up-tempo vibe and a seemingly non-stop programme of festivals and events, it’s little wonder that Newquay remains one of Britain’s favourite seaside towns. If you’ve never surfed before, or would like to sharpen your skills, look for surf schools on www.visitcornwall.com and book yourself anything from a half-day introduction to a whole course.

PadstowHarbour Life

Such has been the impact of TV chef and local boy Rick Stein on the economy of Padstow that some have nicknamed it ‘Padstein’. Not that his are the only high-quality eateries available, but he does have several of them – along with hotel accommodation, a cookery school and four shops. Padstow is not just charming to look at – it’s also a genuine working fishing port, where you can spend a day watching harbour life. While you’re there, do pop into the National Lobster Hatchery to find out about the local fishery and marine conservation.

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