Visit

CornwallThe Official Destination & Accommodation Guide for 2014

www.visitcornwall.com 4 2 CONTENTS Welcome to ... 2 Eat Up You’re Green! Our guide to eleven of the best Heading up As well as the half a million people who As many of you will already know, it eco-friendly eateries... Visit Cornwall love and live here, 2.2 million people isn’t just the magnificent landscape enjoy a break or holiday in Cornwall at and countryside that makes Cornwall 4 Gardens Like Never Before is a dream job. least once a year and another 1.1 million so special - we have an amazing history Cornwall is famous for its world- Being able to visit between every one and three years. and heritage too. From our Celtic roots class art and gardens… and That makes an amazing figure of just to the World Heritage Mining Sites when the two collide, the result wax lyrical can live in the memory forever. about my under four million supporters and fans and kaleidoscope of arts and cultural of Cornwall! attractions – it’s all going on in Cornwall! 6 Close Encounters homeland is no Inspirational art collections, unique It’s often something as simple hard task and is made all the For those returning to Cornwall, you’re theatre and an annual schedule of and unexpected as a brush guaranteed to discover a new special memorable festivals and events to more easier by the amazing with nature that really brings place. Our two wonderful coasts are die for. passion that exists for Cornwall. sprinkled with hidden gems, then there’s a holiday to life... the beautiful Roseland and Lizard For those who are visiting for the first 8 Should Fitness Be Peninsula’s, as well as Moor and time, prepare to fall in love with a place the Tamar Valley. And don’t forget the that will stay in your heart forever. I can 12 This Much Fun? Surrounded by world-class cuisine, great countryside in West and South guarantee this won’t be your last visit… and cream teas, people East Cornwall. There’s enough to keep wonder why the Cornish aren’t you coming back time and time again. Malcolm Bell, Head of Visit Cornwall the heaviest people on Earth.

10 Cornish Mining - World 10 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? 6 14 They share the same Cornish charm, but every part of this county has its own distinctive character.

16 22 ACCOMMODATION 26 & Tamar Valley 30 North Coast 44 West Cornwall 54 South Coast 68 All Cornwall & Farm Accommodation 69 Useful Contacts Cover photo: Holywell Bay & Getting Here This page: Sennen Cove 8

For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 2 3 Wet Your Whistle? Escape The Car Wherever you go to eat, keep your eyes peeled for Cornwall’s Why rack up extra mileage, when for a few pounds you can leave many homemade local beers. Booming brands such as the car at the camp site and spend a whole day hopping on and Brewery, Sharp’s and Skinner’s have proved so popular that these off what is described as one of Britain’s most beautiful branch days you can order a pint of Betty Stogs, Smugglers or Tribute in lines? We’re talking about the Line, which operates many nationally. between and St Ives. And if you prefer the verdant East of the Duchy, the to But come to Cornwall itself and you’ll find a whole range of thirst- branch line offers a similar deal on its spectacular eight miles of track. quenching bevvies from backyard micro-breweries like the thriving little Reprieved from Beeching just two weeks before the axe was to fall, this business in the Driftwood Spars at Trevaunance Cove near St Agnes – little line boasts a stop that revels in the name of ‘Sandplace’ and a EAT UP! a must on any gastronomical tour. causeway crossing which at high tide will often take the train across www.driftwoodspars.com open river. Here’s another idea. In Summer, the First Group’s 300 Cornwall Explorer For those with a more metropolitan palate, Polgoon Vineyard and Cider service uses open-topped buses – weather permitting – for its route around Orchard near is just one of dozens of successful Cornish vineyards the Land’s End Peninsula. This takes in Penzance, St Ives and Land’s End making award-winning wine and gorgeous traditional cider. YOU’RE GREEN! itself, and you can break the journey to combine your bus ride with a lunch www.polgoon.com stop or a walk.

And you needn’t miss out if you’re doing the driving, because Cornwall also It all makes for magical holiday fun that the kids won’t forget – and an grows its own tea! The historic Tregothnan Estate, owned by the Boscawen experience that Mum and Dad can afford year after year. 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 Let’s Get Festival! some of the estate’s crop of Kea plums. We have a huge variety of festivals, focusing on everything from www.tregothnan.co.uk 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

Our guide to eleven of the best The Beach, Sennen Cove Beach Café Saffron, Eden Project Café, Treetop Café, The Gook Beach Café, How about this for fresh fish? The Set between the sand dunes, just Truro’s acclaimed restaurant has St Austell The Monkey Sanctuary, Looe eco-friendly eateries... Beach is one of the few restaurants outside , this café offers led the Cornish ‘home-grown’ food World famous for its pioneering Looe’s Monkey Sanctuary literally Set on the cliff above Portwrinkle in Britain that boasts its very own legendary breakfast and lunch menus, revival. Everything from the coffee, ecological initiatives, the Eden takes eating to new heights. Beach, The Gook looks out onto fishing boat! Situated on one of our delectable baking and stunning views. ground by local artisan producers, to Project is about as green as you Specialising in vegetarian and vegan South East Cornwall’s spectacular Ever stopped to wonder what’s really green? most beautiful beaches, it combines In keeping with its green ethos, all the herbs adorning your crab gnocchi, can get. Pop in with your clunky old meals, the attraction’s Treetop Café coastline. Its no-nonsense menu is Sustainability can be a tricky subject, but luckily breathtaking scenery with great takeaway food packaging is picked from the eatery’s herb garden, mobile phone and you can drop it offers veggie burgers topped with filled with simple, quality, locally food – including seasonal local biodegradable, waste oil is turned is locally sourced. Head chef Nik in a recycling box, before ordering roasted Portobello mushrooms, and sourced food – from breakfasts to there’ll always be one straightforward way to produce and catches. As you take in into biodiesel to generate power for has even been spotted on occasion freshly baked artisan bread rolls and serves only Fairtrade tea, coffee burgers, ice cream and cakes. You’re cut down your carbon footprint – and indulge the view from its large terrace, you the café’s mobile catering business scouring the Cornish hedgerows and Fairtrade coffee, and sitting down and chocolate. Not only that, but bound to find something that takes can reflect on the fact that your and, of course, food is sourced from coastline for fruits and seasoning, to avail yourself of the free WiFi. you can munch away happy in the your fancy. yourself into the bargain… low-mileage menu choice is helping as close to home as possible. After while all of the restaurant’s fish There’s even a ‘book swap’ – a knowledge that any leftovers will be www.gookbeachcafe.com to preserve Cornwall’s living seas. eating, take a walk along the coast – dishes come from day boats – lovely idea which means dropping composted for the orchard, growing www.thebeachrestaurant.com where you might well see seals, unfrozen, straight from the sea off your old books and picking ripe local apples to feed your favourite guillemots, razorbills, fulmars and to your table. someone else’s favourite read off little monkeys. Rectory Farm Tea cormorants – to remind yourself www.saffronrestauranttruro.co.uk the shelf. It’s also a great place to www.monkeysanctuary.org Rooms, Morwenstow Eating Local Food Trevaskis Farm, why this all matters. go with young kids – especially on Near Hayle Only a ten-minute level walk from Fresh, locally sourced food is not only the most natural and www.godrevycafe.co.uk a Wednesday morning when drum the rugged cliffs, Rick Stein, teacher Roger Luxton, technician The Mad Hatter’s tastiest you’ll ever find. It’s also kinder to the planet – by miles. The only thing you’ll have to fret your the award-winning tea rooms are A Padstow lad himself, Rick has to the likes of Blur, Oasis, The Verve, Launceston head about when eating at Trevaskis Miss Peapod’s Tea Shop, part of a 13th Century house which There’s no need for a stonking great container vessel to serve come a long way since he first started Prodigy and Primal Scream, hosts Farm is your waistline. The Connor With its Alice in Wonderland and is filled with history. You will find Kitchen Café, Penryn serving up fresh local food in his home ‘Tots Rock’, a musical happening for up your chilled organic cider when you have a generous orchard Downs restaurant is famed for its Mad Hatter theme, and its display many Cornish favourites on the town. Choosing sustainably sourced the under-fives. within sight of the restaurant. Nor will you be requiring the services generous portions and has gorgeous A Cornwall Tourism Awards ‘Gold’ of teapots, novelties and collectables, menu, including cream teas, cakes, fish can be a notoriously complex desserts to die for! But with succulent winner, crowned as Café of the Year, www.edenproject.com/ this is an out-of-the-ordinary place jams and chutneys, soups, locally of articulated lorries if your vegetables are coming from a nearby business, but in the fishing meat from the on-site butchers, fruit Miss Peapod’s believes that good cafe-in-st-austell in which to enjoy a tea and a snack caught fish and organic beef and allotment. And when your delicious fish is caught in Cornish waters harbour of Padstow Rick makes and veg from the very soil, and any food shouldn’t cost the earth. or a light meal. The menu is extensive lamb from the farm itself. and brought to your plate fresh from one of Cornwall’s quays, you it simple. Plentiful, varied, and extra ingredients from small local Appropriately enough, you will find to say the least and may offer your straight from the net to the plate. www.rectory-tearooms.co.uk can award yourself another couple of green points. suppliers, you can eat up more than this café underneath the wind first opportunity to try Launceston And who’s going to order a plate safe in the knowledge you’re on a turbines at Jubilee Wharf – the site Cake. Gluten-free and various other Here are eleven stars of Cornish sustainable eating – places where of endangered Atlantic Cod when truly low-mileage diet. of a redevelopment project that special options are available (you head chef Stephane Delourme you can tuck in to your heart’s content… and never have www.trevaskisfarm.co.uk champions sustainability. Green may wish to call ahead to discuss can offer you fresh oysters and to worry about the cost to the world around you! principles are reflected in its recycled your dietary needs). china and furniture, as well as the langoustines, mussels, turbot, dover sole, lobsters or sashimi? www.the-madhatters.co.uk floor – rescued from a club in . The menu gives priority to local, www.rickstein.com organic and Fairtrade ingredients. www.misspeapod.co.uk 4 5 Often, bringing culture and nature together highlights the beauty of both – Inspiration? and makes for an unforgettable visit. Look No Further… Cornwall has no shortage of opportunities to see plants and people in harmony; or even to get involved yourself… Gardens Like Never Before Sculpture Literature Performance Rave reviews for the recently opened If you’d like to see the place Samuel Pepys From children’s dance and drama classes to Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, called “The most beautiful place as ever was traditional music on the bandstand, there’s overlooking St Michael’s Mount, seen”, head to the Grade I Listed gardens at always something happening at Falmouth’s have brought fresh attention to a well- Mount Edgcumbe. The view of Gyllyngdune Gardens... and that’s before you established idea: art and nature Sound – almost enough to give you explore the seashell seats and grotto, secret working together. vertigo – has inspired authors and artists garden tunnel and to-die-for estuary view. www.tremenheere.co.uk for hundreds of years. www.tempusleisure.org.uk www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk It’s something Cornwall has always done The is a must-see for most well. In St Ives, the Barbara Hepworth In July, Port Eliot Literary Festival attracts visitors, but don’t forget it has gardens, Museum and Sculpture Garden gives an eclectic mix of celebrities, bookworms, too. It’s amazing what will grow on a cliff- you the chance to experience the work of art lovers and foodies to the ancient face terrace – including night-flowering one of Britain’s greatest sculptors, in the house and grounds at St Germans, for plants, creating a perfect setting for an landscape that inspired it. what’s pretty much a giant garden party. evening’s drama. www.tate.org.uk Napoleon said it was the most beautiful www.minack.com place in . Cornwall is famous for its world-class art and gardens… Near Bodmin, Pinsla Garden offers something Keep an eye on the Visit Cornwall what’s on www.porteliotfestival.com and when the two collide, the result can be a moment completely different: a fairytale artist’s guide www.visitcornwall.com/whats-on or garden in a woodland setting, with a Or, for a new experience, try a poetry check out the Cornwall Gardens Guide via that lives in the memory forever. sculptural surprise around every corner. walk – a guided tour with poetry readings www.visitcornwall.com/maps/brochures www.pinslagarden.net to bring your surroundings to life. They’re and you just might find a unique experience increasingly easy to find; the National Trust of your own. website is a good place to start. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/whats-on I find a spot, sit down, and The music captivates the audience Opposite page: Trebah Garden, Mawan Smith, Above from left to right: Garden pot art at Pinsla, Falmouth Kate Winslet reading at the Port Eliot Festival, watch the dance. around me; they start to join in. St Germans, Princess Pavilion at Falmouth It’s only natural. Amongst the flowers and trees I’ve known for so long, a hundred figures in brilliant Behind them, the sun dips towards the white. Men and women, school children sea. Everything takes on a warm, orange The Garden As A Stage and pensioners, and they’re spinning and glow – and, for a moment, time seems to swaying as one, like they’ve been caught slow down. A memory’s being made. Kneehigh’s nomadic Asylum Miracle Theatre will be touring theatre space will be making with a new adaptation of in the evening breeze. a welcome return in 2014. The Tempest to gardens I’ve visited this place many times before. A radical new Beggar’s Opera throughout Cornwall during I’m not sure I’m not dreaming. And I’m seeing it in a whole new light. is among the shows being the Summer of 2014. For all planned. Venues will include Cornish garden dates please Heligan Gardens. For up-to-date see the Miracle website at Gently, their movements tell a tale of The memories captured above are just one details of the programme visit www.miracletheatre.co.uk how this garden came to be. Brothers who audience member’s reflections on the kind of www.kneehigh.co.uk circled the globe and brought it home. once-in-a-lifetime experience that awaits us all, somewhere, in a Cornish garden. Plants from distant shores and a The Asylum pictured at an A previous Miracle Theatre production sanctuary at the Cornish water’s edge. Eden Project event at Tremenheere 6 7 All it takes is a small bucket of sea water, a net Wildlife: Where To Go... Tr y A and a bit of curiosity. Especially at one of “Look, Daddy! I caught a baby shark!” Cornwall’s five specially protected Voluntary Part of the beauty of nature is its unpredictability – that’s why a close encounter Beach Hunt! is such a thrill. But you can improve your chances by heading to a Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas (VMCA), you really Fancy beach fun with a twist? My daughter’s running towards me, wide-eyed; Marine Conservation Area (VMCA), where the local community works together to never know what you might find. Here’s an idea we love. as fast as she dare without spilling the precious protect the marine environment and help visitors to make the most of it. cargo from her plastic bucket. Her patient stalking If you fancy something a little larger, coastwatching Lately we’ve heard of a few There are five to choose from: of the rockpools has been rewarded – the tiny families filling an afternoon by can yield spectacular results. Seals, dolphins, whales reviving another old classic... the shrimp is hardly even visible, and it has made her – even mighty basking sharks – can all be seen from Helford scavenger hunt! day. We’ve been to all the visitor attractions, but the Cornish coast. The mouth of one of Britain’s most This popular North Cornwall seaside village beautiful rivers, the Helford Estuary is like and surf resort has a hidden secret: when Simply write yourself a list of when we get home this is the memory she’ll tell Or, if you want to relive some memories of your no place on Earth. 47km (29 miles) of the tide goes out, it leaves all manner of things to find, like... her teacher about. own, how about a spot of crabbing? It’s genuinely shoreline features everything from rocky rare species and an opportunity to see shores to the famous Frenchman’s Creek. the sheer variety of - something round; Chances are, you haven’t been rockpooling since heart-pounding and surprisingly addictive: make You can see: pristine Cornwall’s sea life, up you were a kid yourself. You don’t know what sure you buy a line for yourself as well as for any native woodland, close. You can see: - something that you’re missing. kids, or they won’t get a look in.... oyster farming and barnacles, sea slaters, razor shells. shark and ray eggs. used to be part of If you’re lucky: If you’re lucky: an animal; pipefish (relatives Celtic sea slug. of the seahorses). Looe - something smooth; St Agnes Miles of rock pools and other habitats At high water, Trevaunance Cove could be make Looe a mecca for nature lovers – - something stripy; mistaken for a secluded Greek island bay. from curious children to seal spotters and But low tide reveals the beach and a world hardened birdwatchers. What’s more, a - something pretty; For all your careful planning, it’s often something of opportunities to explore short boat trip takes you to Looe Island: a rock pools and caves at the nature reserve in its - something straight; as simple and unexpected as a brush with foot of its dramatic cliffs. own right. You can see: limpets, sea You can see: starfish, nature that really brings a holiday to life... anemones and prawns. sea squirts and - something that herons. If you’re lucky: doesn’t ‘belong’ on puffins. If you’re lucky: a beach dolphins. ...then simply head off and explore. Nestled at the bottom of a spectacular, Details of all the Voluntary Marine Better still, once you’ve collected steep-sided valley, the Fowey Estuary is an Conservation Areas in Cornwall may be all your booty, why not make it all ancient river course, flooded after the last found on www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk into a piece of beach art? Stick Ice Age. Covering almost 1,000 acres, this /livingseas/yourshore/voluntary_marine_ your finds to some paper, make unique place features some extremely rare conservation_areas_in_cornwall them into a sculpture, or even lay habitats – with species to match. them out on the beach – just don’t You can see: bladder wrack, forget to send us a picture! cockles and shore crabs.

If you’re lucky: kingfishers.

For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 8 9

Breathtaking Best Foot Put Something Should fitness (Literally) Forward Back Committed runners will love the Walkers and runners alike will If you feel like a completely Be This Much coast path – but watch out, the find endless variety on Cornwall’s different kind of workout, and view can be tricky. Surrounded by world-class cuisine,Fun? pasties and cream teas, stretch of the South West Coast giving something back to people wonder why the Cornish aren’t the heaviest people on Earth. Every step, you know it’s there. A few degrees Path. 258 miles to explore, and Cornwall on your stay, have a to your left or right. Cliffs, rocks, ships... who every step of it unique. look at the ‘Green Gym’ initiative knows? Maybe a dolphin or a seal. It’s up to you whether you find a part to from TCV (The Conservation On Your Bike You’re missing something spectacular. You match your ability, choose something Volunteers). No exercise Whats the secret? feel it. You’re itching to look, but you daren’t. specific – like Britain’s most Southerly walk at machines are involved – just Quite’ simply, the world’s If mud’s your thing, mountain bikers can choose from a well-established The path is safe for runners – as long as you Lizard Point – or simply hit the coast and let spades and hand tools. venue at Cardinham Woods and, from Spring 2014, the new watch your footing. the trail surprise you. greatest gym – right Lanhydrock Cycle Hub. Both have bike hire, café, free parking – You get a day outside, working up a sweat in This is why you came here. The concentration. But it’s not all about the coastline. There are outside the door. everything you need in a top-notch MTB centre. one of Britain’s most beautiful places... and The technique. The sweeping descents and untamed, panoramic views on Bodmin Moor, the rosy glow of knowing you’ve done your the steep, thigh-burning climbs. Going as slow and all sorts of woodland nature reserves to Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or For a more relaxed ride, Cornwall is criss-crossed by well-loved cycle bit, too. routes – like the famous Camel Trail – following historic train, river or as fast as you like. That’s your idea of fun. discover. For starters, try the Wilderness Trail, just fancy having a go, Cornwall is full and tramway lines. Mostly easy going, traffic-free cycling, it’s perfect near Bodmin, and Kilminorth Woods, not far For others, holiday means a time to take it of surprising outdoor adventures to for couples and families. from Looe. easy; to simply indulge. That’s fine – for them. challenge you in fun new ways. (And if you ever want to boast that you’ve pedalled coast to coast, You pause your GPS for a moment, and you’ll never get a better chance. The to Devoran trail is finally drink in that view. All you hear is the only 11 miles.) breeze, the sea on the rocks below and your If you need wheels, there are friendly cycle hire shops along all the heart beating, hard. You’ve never felt more main routes. Some will deliver, and most can provide you with a relaxed. More alive. tandem, or a brilliant tag-along buggy for your little people. Just a couple more miles...

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: View from the cliffs over Strangles www.tcv.org.uk/cornwall Beach near

For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 10 11 Opposite page: Wheal Coates engine house - St Agnes Everything at this mine near St Just has been This page right: Geevor Head Gear - St Just. Below: Heartlands left just as it was on its last working day in - , aerial view of Godolphin 1990, making it a living time capsule. The House - , Levant Mine visitor experience includes an atmospheric - Trewellard - Pendeen - St Just, guided tour underground and the chance to Houseman’s engine house talk to real-life miners. no.1 - Minions, Statues at Wheal. Martyn - St Austell For further information and opening times visit www.geevor.com

Recently opened at Pool near Redruth Like many of Cornwall’s finest houses, as a Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Godolphin House was originally owned Gateway, Heartlands showcases Cornwall’s by a family that made its fortune through mining heritage in a modern setting. It mining. Within one of the distinct areas has 19 acres for visitors to explore, and an of the World Heritage Site, it contains array of interactive exhibits to guide you evidence of this country’s earliest tin Our mining culture shaped your world on a journey through the county’s mining and copper mines and is now owned and heart and history. Open all year-round and managed by the National Trust. including indoor activities, it’s a great all- For further information and opening times weather attraction. visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/godolphin For further information and opening times visit www.heartlandscornwall.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 Like memorials to its illustrious Everywhere you go in Cornwall you can see the influence of the Heritage Centre, on the South-Eastern industrial past, Cornwall’s landscape industry. Not just through the buildings but also the mine spoil edge of Bodmin Moor, based inside a is dotted with chimneys, engine houses heaps, now often reclaimed by nature, which are an important part Cornish engine house, is a wonderful indoor of the story. Networks of railway lines and mineral tramways, many and mineral processing buildings attraction that is well worth a look. of which now serve as walking and cycling routes, also offer visitors For further information and opening times that were the heart and soul of the opportunity to time travel through Cornwall’s industrial past. Cornish mining. visit www.bestofbodminmoor.co.uk/ But whereas the visitor’s journey is through the landscape, the attractions/museums. Once a world leader, Cornwall supplied two-thirds of the world’s demise of many of Cornwall’s mines after the 1860s meant that copper during the mid-19th Century, and for a short boom period many of its people were forced to leave it behind. They left and The story of Cornish mining isn’t restricted most of the world’s tin, along with a range of other minerals. went to search for work wherever they could find it, increasing the to copper and tin. At , near Its fortunes and those of its people changed irrevocably when flow of mining migrants which started in earnest during the 1820s. St Austell, visitors discover that Cornwall overseas companies began producing minerals and ores at prices The legacy of this is that Cornish mining and engineering expertise still has an important mineral extraction with which Cornish mines simply couldn’t compete. also travelled the globe. So it’s no exaggeration to say that ‘our industry in the shape of china clay, and But so significant are these relics of Cornwall’s cultural history that mining culture shaped your world’. this had many links with metal mining. Like the best of the mining areas have been deemed to rank alongside Stand in those landscapes now and history surrounds you. You can Heartlands, there is plenty to do indoors such global treasures as the Grand Canyon and the Taj Mahal, in almost see the comings and goings of miners with their Cornish and out – including a spectacular view over For further information on the being declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. lunches in hand. To get the inside story of how the mining a modern working clay pit. ten specific Cornish Mining community lived and worked, take a trip to some of the fascinating For further information and opening times World Heritage Site areas visit mining visitor attractions. visit www.wheal-martyn.com. www.cornish-mining.org.uk. 12 13 Main image: Speckled Wood butterfly Awash With Colour Left: Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly Forget what you’ve seen on the duck pond. Cornwall’s wetlands Below (from left to right): Cliffs near host some of the most colourful ducks to visit the British Isles. , Common Seal, Waterfall at In Winter at Amble Marshes and Walmsley Sanctuary, near Kennal Vale, Bluebells, Sundew (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 Jewels fallen asleep in custard! Wetlands are also great for dragonflies, amphibians and other pond creatures – which you may see out of in the season because of Cornwall’s short Winters. A Feast For The Senses

A 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 crown head; you’ll need sharp eyes to look for lizards and maybe even A guide to some of Cornwall’s top wildlife destinations a snake slithering by. Mixed wet and dry heath, as at National Nature Reserve (between St Dennis and Roche in mid- Cornwall’s stunning scenery – from moor to coast, river to valley, and with Cornwall), is home to a tiny carnivorous plant, the round-leaved marshes, woodland and heaths in between – is one of the top reasons why sundew. Small, but still a terrifying prospect for the visitors flock here every year. If you’re into making the most of the great passing insects it traps and outdoors, here’s our guide to having your very own wildlife adventure. devours! On , look for the long, spiky stems of the rare Cornish heath which grows almost nowhere else in the UK.

Drama At Sea

As 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 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, The Splash Zone simply by being patient and watching the water. A Twitcher’s Paradise Cornwall is so well known for its coastline that it’s impossible Rivers Of Life Downstream from the haunts of the dipper, the river meets the to say which part is best. Take your pick from impressive craggy sea. When the tide floods out of our estuaries and drowned Magic In The Woods cliffs and amazing rock formations – with a soundtrack of piping Cornwall has a criss-cross of rivers and wooded valleys cutting valleys, the exposed mudflats act as service stations for hundreds oystercatchers and crying kestrels – on the North Coast between deep into its landscape. The Golitha Falls National Nature Reserve, of wintering wading birds which use long, probing beaks to feed Woodlands aren’t just about trees. At the start of Spring, in places Boscastle and ; or the magnificent dunes of , near Liskeard, is dramatically picturesque and home to dozens of on the tiny creatures within. One Winter visitor, the avocet, feeds like the National Trust’s Lanhydrock estate, carpets of bluebells near Hayle, dotted with leggy evening primroses, precarious pink species of mosses, lichens and small, fat, succulent plants called differently, by sweeping its graceful upturned beak through the burst into bloom beneath the canopy, transforming the woodland pyramidal orchids and silver-studded blue butterflies adding liverworts, which present a breathtaking palette of different water. Spot avocets in flight by looking for something resembling floor. Listen for the evocative sound of woodpeckers drumming splashes of colour to this sandy backdrop. The coast at The Lizard greens. The flows through a series of cascades here, a flying zebra! All year round there’s a chance of seeing little to mark territory and attract a mate. In Autumn, sweep your is the place to see Cornwall’s symbolic bird, the chough – a slim making this an ideal place to look for the dipper – a bird which egrets. These small white herons use their striking yellow feet to eyes across the ground in search of colourful fungi at the base of crow with an obvious red beak and legs. appears to fly under water as it hunts for food. In Autumn on the stir the water and frighten fish so they can catch and eat them. trees. Whenever you visit, woodlands have a magical atmosphere Tamar and Lynher Rivers you might be lucky enough to see an Cornwall is blessed with estuaries all around its coast, including – created by the majesty of enormous tree trunks, the mystery of For other rocky and sandy beaches, see our article on the osprey. These magnificent fish-catching birds of prey sometimes Hayle and the Camel on the North Coast and Helford, Fal, Fowey, twisted roots and the way the trees shield you not just from the Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas. stop off here on their way to spend the Winter in West Africa. Looe and Tamar on the South Coast. elements but from the mundane world beyond. 14 15

The rolling coastline and 6 Don’t I Know secluded ports of the Truro featured regularly in the investigations of Cornish Roseland Peninsula detective Wycliffe, whose beat have long attracted film crews; Port Isaac must feel like You From covered much from The Camomile Lawn in the home-from-home to fans of of Cornwall. 1990s to the latest Richard Curtis Martin Clunes’ hit series Doc rom-com. Bill Nighy heads the cast list of Martin. Since 2001, the tiny 5 About Time, which tells the tale of a time- North Cornwall fishing village Somewhere? travelling quest for love. Gorran has lent its charming looks to Haven and St Austell Bay also Even if it’s your first time in Cornwall, the grumpy doctor’s fictional form backdrops, while St Michael home, Port Wenn. you might get a feeling you’ve seen some 1 Penkivel Church features of the places before. So many famous TV spectacularly in the obligatory wedding scene. and movie scenes have been filmed here 8 over the years, you probably have... The Headland Hotel’s striking architecture made a 1 suitably spooky venue for Jim It’s hard to put your finger on, that nagging sense of familiarity.You know Those with long memories Henson’s 1990 version of Roald you’ve never been here, yet somehow you know this view. That corner. You may recall Poldark, with Ross Dahl’s scary remember... a conversation. A fight. A rescue. Maybe even a kiss? children’s book, galloping across the beach at The truth is, in a way, you’ve already spent time in places all over Cornwall – The Witches. As if the Eden Project Porthluney Cove without leaving the comfort of your armchair (or, perhaps, your cinema seat). wasn’t exciting enough, it doubled – one of many settings used in 8 Because some of your favourite film and TV scenes happened right here. 2 for Gustav Graves’ Icelandic diamond the hugely successful TV adaptation mine lair in Pierce Brosnan’s final of Winston Graham’s novels. The rugged coastline and postcard-perfect ports. The flawless vistas and James Bond outing, Die Another private coves. It’s no wonder they’ve all been filmed in Cornwall: from Dame 2 Day. (And just to show Cornwall’s Judi to Brad Pitt; and from Anjelica Huston to 007 himself. versatility, Holywell Beach featured in the same film... as North Korea.) So if you feel like you’ve been here before, perhaps you really have. 11

And who knows? Maybe you might spot a Hollywood A-lister on a break from Last year’s Summer in February filming their next box office hit... 10 shines a light on the part Lamorna and its artist colony played in fuelling Cornwall’s international reputation for art. 9 For decades, Charlestown has 3 been the go-to location for any director 5 needing an unspoilt period harbour with One For 2014 its own tall ships. Depending on your vintage, you might recognise it from 8 At the time of writing, work is under way on 6 The Onedin Line, a biopic of landscape painter JMW Turner Hornblower, Rebecca by leading international director Mike Leigh. or even Tim Burton’s Turner will be portrayed by the incredibly Alice in Wonderland. versatile Timothy Spall. This one is sure 7 to draw attention to South East Cornwall, where Turner painted extensively in the 3 Tamar Valley. 11 St Antony’s Lighthouse will be instantly familiar to anyone who Cadgwith provided 4 watched children’s TV in the 1980s... it’s the backdrop for the home of Red, Gobo, Moki and the Dames Judi Dench gang – not forgetting Sprocket the dog – and Maggie Smith’s the one and only Fraggle Rock. popular Ladies in Lavender. Shop fronts in Helston were also taken 7 back in time to 1936 for the shoot. Follow Cornwall’s Film Trail...

For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 For more information visit www.visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900 16 17

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

Bodmin Moor & West Cornwall North Cornwall South Cornwall The Tamar Valley The Edge Of The World Stunning Scenery And Natural Highs A Land Of Contrasts And Surprises The Wild Side Of Cornwall If being remote leads to individuality, it’s hardly surprising that The Atlantic coastline, edged by dramatic cliffs, draws thrill seekers The expanse of coastline from the in the West to the The rugged moorland at Cornwall’s wild heart gives way, to the East, Britain’s most South-Westerly area has a very unusual personality in search of surfing, other water activities and – in a word – fun. at our border with , which merges seamlessly to the Tamar Valley’s contrasting landscape of lush vegetation. Each – accentuated by the unique landforms, geology and ancient At the same time, those who don’t feel the need for an adrenaline with the rolling green countryside inland, is amazingly varied. of these large areas is a vital and substantial oasis for wildlife, as well heritage on which it has been built. rush can simply enjoy its stunning natural scenery. There is, literally, a surprise around every corner. as a rich source of reminders from Cornwall’s often troubled past.

Penzance sighting of the Spanish Armada. Over Bude Truro Looe Bodmin silks, tea, tobacco and brandy in Dripping In Culture the years, lookouts have also noted One Of Europe’s Finest Dip Into The Atlantic Cornwall’s City Shark Capital Dark History the 13th Century, when customs an endless succession of ships setting dues were first introduced, and In Penzance you can soak up the Surfing Hotspots In the far North of Cornwall is a Cornwall has just one city – but With a reputation for providing some The tranquillity of Bodmin today out on, or returning from, Atlantic soon made Cornwall the smuggling arts at world-class galleries, like The With no fewer than 11 superb beaches, traditional family seaside resort it’s a cultural gem. Once a thriving of the freshest fish in the UK to the belies the tumultuous history of crossings. The Lizard has always been capital of England. Even by the Exchange, Penlee House and the an infectious up-tempo vibe and that blossomed in the 19th Century river port, its elegant buildings are a top restaurants in London, Looe is a this former administrative centre something of a window on the world 15th Century this was a relatively nearby Art Gallery, or you can a seemingly non-stop programme when thousands of tourists would testimony to the wealth generated great place to sample the fruits of the of Cornwall. It was from here that and is renowned as the birthplace of lawless area in which there was very simply lie back and admire the Art of festivals and events, it’s little regularly arrive by train. Today the here in the late 18th and early 19th sea. Restaurants in the town will 15,000 Cornishmen set out to march modern communication. It was little opposition to the smugglers’ Deco splendour of the Jubilee Pool wonder that Newquay remains nostalgic relics of that age blend Centuries. The impressive Gothic serve you some of the tastiest on London in the Cornish Rebellion here that Marconi carried out his activities. Call in at , just on Battery Rocks. Unveiled in 1935, one of Britain’s favourite seaside with thoroughly up-to-date facilities revival cathedral that towers over seafood you will ever eat or you can of 1497. In 1549 Bodmin was at pioneering radio experiments, which off the main A30 between Bodmin during the heyday of the seawater lido, towns. If you’ve never surfed to set the scene for a perfect holiday the city is something you must see – buy from the fishmongers on the the centre of another uprising – the are celebrated at the Marconi Centre and Launceston, to hear more about it was considered the most unusual before, or would like to sharpen or day trip. The sandy beaches are inside and outside. If shopping is on quayside. But as the base of the Shark Prayer Book Rebellion. Both ventures at and the Lizard Wireless this shady aspect of Cornwall’s history. and pleasingly designed of the era. your skills, look for surf schools on massive and the walks or views take your agenda, Truro offers everything Angling Club of Great Britain, Looe resulted in huge bloodshed. The Station. The dominant rock type of This fabulous venue for swimming or www.visitcornwall.com and book in the highest of Cornwall’s sea from the latest fashions to local can also offer you the adventure of cruelty and hardship of bygone days The Lizard, known as serpentine, is relaxation is open from the end of yourself anything from a half-day cliffs. For an alternative bathing crafts and food. You are also likely catching something yourself. Shark, is a theme of Cornwall’s former Launceston found nowhere else in England. May each year. Another architectural introduction to a whole course. experience, there is a 1930s sea to find markets, street activities and mackerel and conger are on the menu high-security prison, Bodmin Jail, Invaders Beware Combined with the mild climate, it treasure in Penzance is the pool whose construction cleverly events in action whenever you visit. of the charter boats which cater for whose last execution took place The 13th Century Norman castle creates the conditions for unique extraordinary Egyptian House in mixes the man-made with the every age and interest, with all in 1909. If you’re brave enough, that dominates Launceston is a sign habitats. Culturally, Helston is home Padstow Chapel Street, built in 1835 with a natural environment. Bude’s sea equipment provided. you can take a self-guided tour of this town’s strategic importance to the Flora, or Furry, Dance which Harbour Life St Austell Pseudo-Egyptian facade. lock marks one end of the Bude of the haunted underground in defending Cornwall against is one of the oldest British customs Such has been the impact of TV ‘The Cornish Alps’ Canal, whose network of waterways cells and museum. On a lighter invaders. Look closer and you will still practised today. Taking place on chef and local boy Rick Stein on the The market town of St Austell is Rame Peninsula once served communities on the note, a walk around the town will find remnants of a defensive wall St Ives 8 May each year, it draws a large economy of Padstow that some central to another historic – and Our Best Kept Secret? Devon-Cornwall border. The Visitor reveal imposing granite buildings which once encircled the town. For A Magnet For Artists and international audience. have nicknamed it ‘Padstein’. Not continuing – Cornish industry, Largely unexplored by Cornwall’s Centre in Bude is a good source reminiscent of happier days when a long time also The pale sand, turquoise sea and lush that his are the only high-quality China Clay, which has given rise to visitors, this mysterious area in of information on its ingenious Bodmin enjoyed the tin mining served as a prison, with inmates vegetation of St Ives give an almost eateries available, but he does have a surrounding landscape characterised the South East corner is another & Redruth engineering, and the canal paths boom of the 19th Century. including George Fox, founder of sub-tropical impression. It’s easy to several of them – along with hotel by white peaks, sometimes separate world. Enter that world The Mining Heart will take you through some the Quakers, who was subjected to imagine that something special about accommodation, a cookery school affectionately referred to as the and you will be immediately struck Key figures of Cornwall’s illustrious exceptional wildlife habitats. harsh confinement here in 1656. its quality of light inspires artists to and four shops. Padstow is not just Cornish Alps. While many of the by the beauty of its tidal creeks, industrial past include engineer The Romance Of Smuggling An excellent free-entry museum, produce better paintings, sculptures charming to look at – it’s also a area’s top attractions are out of sandy beaches, lush farmland and Richard Trevithick from Camborne and Bolventor, a village out in the Lawrence House, tells the story and pottery. Bernard Leach, Alfred genuine working fishing port, where town, such as the Eden Project, country parks. The creeks conceal gas light pioneer William Murdoch middle of Bodmin Moor, is the of Launceston’s community Wallis, Ben Nicholson, Christopher you can spend a day watching Heligan Gardens, Wheal Martyn and picturesque villages, waiting to be from Redruth. You can find out about location of Jamaica Inn. Cornwall’s throughout the ages. Other Wood and Barbara Hepworth are just harbour life. While you’re there, Charlestown Harbour, St Austell itself discovered, while the long South- our mining and engineering heritage most famous smuggling inn was highlights include a row of grand some of the many famous names do pop into the National Lobster is also worth exploring. A more recent facing beach of at nearby visitor attractions such as immortalised via Daphne du houses, below the castle, which were associated with the town. The major Hatchery to find out about the local development is the White River opens up fantastic coastal views. Heartlands and the engine houses Maurier’s novel. Smugglers began described by Sir John Betjeman as the contribution of this artists’ colony fishery and marine conservation. Shopping Centre, with its cinema, Points of interest at , on of East Pool and Agar Mines. You their illegal trade in goods such as loveliest Georgian street in Cornwall. to British culture can be explored restaurants, cafés and retail outlets. the Southern tip of the peninsula, should also take time to walk around through numerous exhibitions and include Penlee Battery – a disused the towns themselves, where you will galleries, which include the . Napoleonic fort which lives on as find many grand old buildings which a nature reserve. The villages of Main image: the beach at Bude echo their former prosperity as the You can find further details Cawsand and , sheltered The Lizard centre of this important industry. Look Top (left to right): view of Truro from of these local highlights and by the headland, were once popular Britain’s Southerly Extreme out for the annual Trevithick Day in Malpas, fishing boat coming into Looe many more via the Visitor with smugglers but today cater for Historic observations from mainland Camborne (April) and – in Redruth – harbour, Cheesewring on Bodmin Moor Information Centres in visitors with a variety of waterfront Britain’s Southernmost point have Murdoch Day (June) and the Mining Cornwall or near Lizard Point. pubs and restaurants. included – on 29 July 1588 – the first and Pasty Festival (September). Below (left to right): Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, Bodyboarding on www.visitcornwall. the North Coast, China Clay spoil heaps com/maps/visitor- - St Austell information-centres