Introducing Cornwall
You can’t get much further west than the ancient kingdom of Cornwall (or Kernow, as it’s often referred to around these parts). With the longest stretch of continuous coastline in Britain, this is a land whose history is intricately bound up with the sea, and all around the county’s shores you’ll discover remnants of its maritime heritage. There are tiny fishing ports, old smuggler’s inns and sturdy granite breakwaters, not to mention countless beaches and sweeping bays once filled with pilchard boats, gill netters and seagoing schooners. Although fishing is still an important industry, these days tourism is by far the biggest trade, and it’s not hard to see what keeps the visitors coming back year after year. From the secluded coves and tree-clad creeks along the county’s southern coast to the wild grandeur of the north coast cliffs, Cornwall is one of Britain’s most breathtakingly beautiful counties. It’s also an intriguing mix of old and new, where futuristic greenhouses and world-class galleries meet crumbling mines and ancient market towns. Although many of the old industries may be gone, there’s a real buzz in the Cornish air these days – after years of economic hardship, this is definitely a county on the up.
Sights in Cornwall
Activities in Cornwall
Newquay & the North Coast
If Padstow is Cornwall’s Cannes, then Newquay is its Costa del Sol.
Falmouth
The maritime port of Falmouth sits on the county’s south coast at the end of the Carrick Roads, a huge river estuary that empties out into the third deepest natural harbour in the world.
Cornwall destination guides
St Ives
Tucked into the coastline of a glittering arc-shaped bay, St Ives was once one of the county’s busiest pilchard-fishing harbours, but it’s better known these days for its longstanding reputation as the centre of the Cornish arts scene.
Hotels in Cornwall
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Cornwall
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Cornwall
Apartments in Cornwall
West Cornwall
West Cornwall contains some of the county’s wildest scenery, a classic landscape of sea-battered cliffs, churning surf, crumbling mine-workings and wheeling gulls.
Need to know
Entertainment in Cornwall
Newquay & Around
Shopping in Cornwall