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I think I've visited nearly every area in the UK except Cornwall. So we have 10 days free in July and we're going to go. Having never been before, I'm after any helpful advice on where we should visit / what not to miss etc. No children, just me, partner and the dog 🙂
We like coastal, beaches, walks/hiking and pubs. I've literally just read that Cornwall have restricted times when dogs are not allowed on beaches during the summer months. I'm hoping this doesn't apply to them all?
Not fussed about cycling this time - we can take the bikes no problem if there's some nice off road routes. Again any suggestions welcome!
We want to get down to Lands End, if anything just to tick it off the list. I'm thinking 4 destinations over the trip?. It'll take us about 7 hours to get down there.
Go before the school holidays if you can. Gets a bit mental after that.
After arriving at Lands End and quickly leaving, head to Porthcurno and visit the telegraph museum by the beach, take a walk over Pedn Vounder cove to Logan Rock grab a beer at the Logan Rock Inn then maybe take in a play at the open air cliffside Minack theatre on the evening. Also check out Sennen Cove before moving on.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Rock
https://www.cornwall-beaches.co.uk/west-cornwall/pedn-vounder.htm
If you’re going to Logan rock inn which is a great little pub the campsite at treen right next to it is great. If you’re in a camper and the campsite is full when you get there you can stay in the village field next door for up to 2 nights if you pay the old guy in the house next to the toilet.
Treen/ porthcurno is a real end of the eart( place but really lovely feel to it.
Sennen cove is nice as mentioned above. We also like gwithian and there are a couple of campsites in the village worth a look. Also the north end of the bay the pub/ cafe place does overnight stops for campervans for a tenner on the field/ car park.
Lizard is worth a look as well. Mouse hole is nice. Loads of places. If I think of any more I’ll post again. I’m off to bed.
Many beaches have seasonal dog bans but they're typically the main tourist ones and there's probably about a hundred beaches without dog bans, and as you've a camper this shouldn't really bother you: the better beaches don't have bans anyway. There's a number of web sites that list the beaches and whether they have bans.
The Lizard is lovely. The Roseland is also lovely and also has some lovely chilled beaches on. Caerhays is a great quiet beach with a cafe that also does occasional evening events (pizza nights, drive-in cinema, etc).
Random suggestion: St Nectan's Glen is worth a stroll. The coast paths on the western tip are dramatic, Botallack Mine and so on. Bodmin Moor may be small but shouldn't be ignored ( https://cornishbirdblog.com/tag/bodmin-moor/ for pointers).
If you do bring a bike you could do one of the shortest Coast to Coasts in the country, along the old mining railway from Portreath to Devoran (though a great ex-mine with great riding, but no marked trails). The Camel Trail is pretty enough as it hugs the coast from Padstow before going through woodland (good riding in those woods, but no marked trails). The coast paths are awesome to ride on but they'll be way too busy in July.
Tintagel
Auntie Avice’s Pasty at St Kew Highway petrol station, best in Cornwall ( if you’re a meat eater )
There's a nice little campsite in Polruan, it's just over the Fowey estuary and right on the south west footpath.
They limit the amount of pitches available to prevent overcrowding.
Been a regular visitor to Cornwall for 30 years - probably easier to say the 'honeypot' areas best avoided at busy times are Land's End, Mousehole, Newquay, Padstow and St Isaac.
For camping near Land's End, try Kelynack near St Just. Cape Cornwall is a nicer walk than Land's End, far more scenic and less busy. It's a great walk around to Botallack and back.
Further along on the north coast is Chapel Porth and the walk along Wheal Coates and up to St Agnes Head and back - even on a typical wet, misty Cornish day it can be quite spectacular. There are lots of mine trails along the coast in this area which makes for some interesting MTB riding.
Perran Sands is a great beach walk, but can get busy so head around to Holywell Bay instead and walk around to Crantock Bay for a pub lunch and walk back.
Another great spot just north of Newquay is Bedruthan - check the tide times though!
Down by the Lizard, Kynance Cove is a good walk, but busy- far quieter if you start head north around Soapy Cove.
Another couple of nice spots are Polruan and Lerryn.
@jambo, depends where you go and when you travel.
under the cover of darkness, maybe. but if I had the choice of going in the holidays or a couple of weeks before, I know what I'd choose. and I only live 5 miles from the border...
actually, I'd choose september. crowds have gone, water is still warm, summer flat spell is usually over.
Bude. Ftw.
Another vote for Gwithian. I'm sure when we have parked by Sunset surf you can take the dog down the beach. We have been there is the school holidays and it was fine. It's the towns that go mad. The the granite cliffs off the far west are great as is Tintagel
The walk from St Agnes via Chapel Porth and to Porthtowan if you're feeling fit is pretty epic, yes.
I'd say Bedruthan is worth two visits, or a long visit. This is it not a long time after low tide:
At high tide the beach is entirely cut off, which is why the steep steps down have lots of warnings about being off the beach two hours before high tide.
The Hidden Hut on the Roseland does great food and is another lovely beach.
If you like a bit of mining history and have seen all the coastal side already then Kennel Vale is a nice stroll through the ruins of an old gunpowder works.
The Dynamite Valley Brewery is in the same village and have an open bar/food on Saturdays.
I'm a big fan of Gwithian but the Red River Inn there is currently closed for a refurb which is a shame as their beer and food selection was always very good. The little Mexican place in Hayle is excellent if you are that way.
We are heading back in a few weeks. We almost always stay in North Cornwall and venture South at least twice. Kynance cove is on the list this time, keep meaning to go but never have. My recommendations:
Bude and its crooklets/Summerleaze beaches are great but a mile or two north there are others like Duckpool. Crackington Haven is a great spot. Further down, Padstow and Rock are great but the main reason we love them are the beaches are so vast and dog friendly and never seem busy - keep going round the coast and there are some lovely basic campsites with more secluded beaches. Further down and Lewinnick Lodge does good ale and a fab cream tea. My favourite beach is Lusty Glaze.
Explore
As an ex-local of West Penwith (born and raised in Trewellard) I highly recommend avoiding Lands End like the plague....
Cape Cornwall is much better.
Walk from Mousehole to the Logan Rock. If you can get a space at Treen campsite its one of the best.
Pizza down on Sennen as the sunsets.
Tinner's Arms in Zennor - walks along the coast from there neither direction are beautiful.
Gwithian for surfing.
Blue Bar in Porthtowan for lunch then walk to St. Agnes (pop to the Finisterre shop whilst you are there.)
Pasties from Philps in Hayle.
Ice Cream from Jelbert's in Newlyn - and grab an early evening seafood tapas from Mackerel Sky next door)
Good cream tea at Perranuthnoe
Much more - I agree with most of the above recommendations
Another vote for Tintagel, and the coastal path between Tintagel and Boscastle is pretty stunning, well worth a hike.
Oh the rum bar in Polzeath too 😉
Watching this thread with interest. Heading to Boscastle in summer when I’m back from Perth. Haven’t been there for 20 years or more but used to head down a lot to see grandparents. Can’t wait to take my kid back and do some of the walks that I used to do at her age 🙂
Cornwall in July!? Are you mad?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-45147541
I think i'd head for Wales in July..
Devon😉
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