West Cornwall
This spectacular stretch of cliffs along the road between Portreath and Gwithian are where you'll find the steepest drop in Cornwall: all 88m of it, plunging sheer down from grassy clifftop into churning surf. It's notoriously prone to landslides: in 2011 a massive 110,000-ton chunk fell off into the sea (you can find a video of it online).
The area is owned by the National Trust, and there's a little seasonal cafe beside the car park serving drinks, ice creams and snacks.
28.66 MILES
Looking like a cross between a lunar landing station and a James Bond villain's lair, the gigantic hemispherical greenhouses of the Eden Project have…
9.76 MILES
Looming up in the middle of Mount's Bay and connected to the mainland at Marazion via a cobbled causeway, this abbey-crowned island is an unforgettable…
5.56 MILES
After an 18-month, multimillion-pound refit, St Ives' most illustrious gallery reopened its doors, complete with a monumental exhibition space that's been…
19.32 MILES
A mile north of Lizard Point, this National Trust–owned inlet is an absolute showstopper, studded with craggy offshore islands rising out of searingly…
6.86 MILES
This wonderful medieval house and garden was the family seat of the Godolphin family who, during the 17th and 18th centuries, were one of Cornwall's great…
24.7 MILES
This is Cornwall's real-life secret garden. Formerly the family estate of the Tremaynes, Heligan's magnificent 19th-century gardens fell into disrepair…
14.79 MILES
Grandly located at the head of the Fal estuary, 4 miles south of Truro, Trelissick is one of Cornwall's most beautiful aristocratic estates, with a formal…
7.12 MILES
Two miles from St Agnes is one of Cornwall's most beautiful coves, Chapel Porth, a wild, rocky beach framed by steep, gorse-covered cliffs, owned by the…
1.67 MILES
These wonderful side-by-side beaches join up at low tide to form one epic stretch of golden, flat sand. At the eastern end is the small, National Trust…
2.23 MILES
The 101-hectare country park of Tehidy formerly belonged to the Bassets, one of Cornwall’s four richest tin-mining families, who made their fortune from…
4.09 MILES
For many years since the closure of its mines, the rugged country between Camborne, Redruth and Pool was a watchword for deprivation and industrial…
4.45 MILES
This mining centre near Redruth is an ideal place to get acquainted with Cornwall's once-great industry. At the heart of the complex are two massive…
4.46 MILES
If you're into mining heritage, this historic mine is a must-see. It's changed little over the last hundred years, largely because it was used as a…
4.5 MILES
While the crowds throng for Gwithian and Godrevy, savvy locals head for the opposite side of the Hayle Estuary, properly known as Porth Kidney. Though not…
4.71 MILES
The huge expanse of tidal flats around Hayle is a twitchers' paradise, and an important RSPB reserve. It's worth visiting whatever the season: in winter,…
5.03 MILES
This longstanding family attraction (founded in 1973) focuses on birds – there's a wide spread of feathered inhabitants, including macaws, cockatoos,…