The Top Must-Visit Attractions in Cornwall UK

The brightly coloured villages including Boscastle, Bude, Padstow and St. Ives face the Atlantic and the coast produces great conditions for surfing, giving towns like Newquay a distinctive vibe. Torpoint Ferry links Plymouth with Torpoint on the opposite side of the Hamoaze. A rail bridge, the Royal Albert Bridge built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel , provides the other main land transport link. The city of Plymouth, a large urban centre in south west Devon, is an important location for services such as hospitals, department stores, road and rail transport, and cultural venues, particularly for people living in east Cornwall. There’s a small harbor and Port Quin is a popular starting point for kayaking trips along the coast. So, it’s no surprise many people flock to the south west coast, for summer and spring breaks or a weekend getaway.

The county contains many short rivers; the longest is the Tamar, which forms the border with Devon. The county is rural, with an area of 3,562 square kilometres and population of 568,210. The largest settlements are Falmouth , Newquay , St Austell , and Truro . With the exception of the Isles of Scilly, which has a unique local authority, Cornwall is governed by Cornwall Council, a unitary authority. The Cornish nationalist movement disputes the constitutional status of Cornwall and seeks greater autonomy within the United Kingdom.

We recommend hiring a car to get around Cornwall – while you can travel to Cornwall from London by train you will need a car to experience the best of Cornwall. Hot Air Balloon Flight – Enjoy a Champagne Hot Air Balloon flight over the beautiful countryside of Cornwall. Take in the stunning English scenery as you float effortlessly through the sky. Cornwall 5-Day Tour with Meneage Tours This 5-day private tour with our preferred tour partners in Cornwall have created a fantastic tour which combines the best that Cornwall has to offer. Fly to Newquay airport from airports around the UK including London Gatwick, Belfast, Aberdeen, and Manchester amongst others. Tip – Please note that in the summer months, the roads can be very congested so travel overnight or outside peak rush hours to avoid long delays.

Stunning Polperro is one of the best places to see in Cornwall for the beautiful stretch of coastline it sits on. This ancient fishing village is lined with old fishermen’s houses surrounding the small harbor with plenty of sandy beaches nearby. I’ve been visiting Cornwall almost every year since I was born and it remains one of my absolute favorite places in England to escape to. With jagged coastal cliffs, wild surfing beaches, and calm, sandy beaches for swimming, the beaches in Cornwall are varied. Cornwall is one of the UK’s best-loved holiday destinations thanks to its miles of golden sand beaches, dramatic cliff paths, and tiny fishing villages. This majestic National Trust castle is only accessible via a man-made causeway when the tide is out, which only adds to the ethereal air.

National Express operate a full service into Cornwall as far as Penzance, Megabuss also go to a few towns including Newquay and Falmouth. North Cornwall tends to be wilder, rugged cliffs, long sandy windswept beaches, a land of myth’s and legends… Tintagel CastleFor a magical day out take the family to Tintagel Castle. Richard Trevithick’s steam engine.At one time the Cornish were the world’s foremost experts of mining and a School of Mines was established in 1888.

Cross the narrow bridge to reach the eerie ruins on their jagged headland, before heading down to the sheltered bay below to explore Merlin’s Cave. Cornwall is largely a rural county, with fishing villages and small towns like Port Isaac , Newquay and St Ives being the most famous. Today, visitors can explore the fascinating history of mining in Cornwall by visiting museums, heritage sites, and even underground mines. During the 19th century researchers began to study the language from any remaining isolated speakers and in 1904 Henry Jenner published A Handbook in the Cornish Language which started the revival proper.