Tag Archives: Cornwall

Six of the Best Sea Views in Cornwall

Cornwall is among the most beautiful locations in the United Kingdom. For this reason it is the most visited region for tourists from the UK and other countries. Many people come for the sandy beaches, others to see the marine life or witness the majesty of the rugged coastline. Everyone will agree that the scenery is breathtaking. There is nature aplenty with glorious views everywhere. Given that the area is so expansive, it pays to plan your trip before you go. Otherwise you will try to visit too many locations and your holiday will become crammed. To make the choice simpler, here is a list of some of the very best views in Cornwall.

(Image credit: Whitsand Bay, Cornwall. © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.)

1. Whitsand Bay

In good weather, the view across Whitsand Bay is magnificent. The sea in this part of Cornwall is deep blue and the sand almost white in the sunshine. Whitsand Bay is popular with surfers from all over England. The bay is backed by cliffs which stretch for miles along the far-reaching rugged coastline. far out will certainly give you a view of best granite rocks jutting out of the cliffs. It’s a great place to relax and admire the view of crashing waves and boats bobbing in the distance. For people staying in the area, there are some great hotels and bed and breakfasts. For those who want the freedom of their own property, while on holiday in Cornwall there are Fowey cottages for rent just along the coast a bit from Whitsand Bay.

2. St Michael’s Mount

Located just off-the shore from Marazion in South Cornwall is St Michael’s Mount. The first sight of St Michael’s Mount is imposing as it appears to jut pit of the sea, like a floating island. On top of the mount is a castle which can be visited by foot on a causeway at low tide or by a massive tractor at high tide. It is possible to explore the grounds and the interior of the castle at this property managed by the National Trust. The views from the turrets in all directions are spectacular. Visitors looking for accommodation will be spoilt for choice as there are many fine hotels and cottages all along the south coast, located in or just a short drive from Marazion.

3. Boscastle Harbour

The harbour at Boscastle in North Cornwall is another site to behold. Sandwiched between two high cliffs, this narrow harbour provides protection for a small sheet fleet of fishing boats. Alongside the cobbled quayside are an number of souvenir shops, cafes and galleries. If you enjoy the harmony of the countryside, the little village at Boscastle will certainly be your ideal sanctuary. For the best views in and around Boscastle, be sure to walk up the steep cliffs for breathtaking sea and coast. Old country inns, holiday lodges and hill-top campsites are some of the accommodation options nearby.

4. Porthcurno

Porthcurno has its spot in history as the starting point for the underwater telegraph line which stretches across the Atlantic Ocean to America. It certainly feels like you have reached the end of the land as you reach this most westerly location. This has to be one of the most scenic coves in the UK, with its white sand, hight cliffs and interesting rock formations. It; is an absolute delight and one of Cornwall’s best wonders. Just up the cliff path is the Minack Theatre where theatre groups put on outdoor performances in front of audiences seated in an amphitheatre carved out of the rock. This is often considered one of the best sea views in the whole of Cornwall. Try to stay here if you can in one of the Porthcurno cottages or seaside campsites at this dramatic location.

5. Perranporth Beach

This long stretch of golden sand shows Cornwall at its windswept best. This is archetypal Cornwall with crashing surf, long beach, sand dunes high cliffs. It feels like a wilderness and a most natural corner of the world. Perranporth is a lovely small town with loads of facilities and things to do. A great way to stay in the area is to rent a self catering holiday cottage or apartment in Perranporth. Most people staying in the area choose to camp at one of the many holiday parks, but there are also fine hotels and guest houses in the area. Swimmers and surfers will love the beach, while walkers can stroll along the coast path for view from the top of the sand dunes – where you may well spot a paraglider or two taking in the birds eye view of Perranporth Beach.

Six of the Best Restaurants in Cornwall

Whether you are on holiday or just enjoying the serenity of this beautiful peninsula, Cornwall is certainly a worthwhile destination for fine dining and eating out. The choice of restaurants and variety of types of food and beverages make this region exceptional. From serving local delicacies to unique tasty meals from all over the world, these restaurants are there to guarantee an unforgettable food experience that will make you want to come back for more. Naturally seafood is in abundance here, thanks to its seaside setting, so many restaurants have built their reputation on this type of cuisine. Without further ado, here is a review of six best restaurants in Cornwall which serve nothing less than the most excellent food you might ever experience.

1. The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow

The seafood restaurant is located in Padstow and dates back to 1975 when one of the top chefs in the country, Rick Stein and his wife Jill, came up with the idea of serving up freshly caught shellfish and all other types of fish to the Cornwall residents. Since then, the restaurant has grown to earn reputation as one of the most classy and high standard restaurants in the country. Up until now, the restaurant still holds the reputation of serving fresh and delicious meals and fish including Oysters, Mussels, Langoustines, Sashimi, Indonesian fish curry Turbot and Lobster. When it comes to offering the best services as well, this restaurant is not left behind. This is one of the restaurants where you expect VIP treatment from the moment you get in, to the moment you exit.

2. Burgers & Fish, Padstow

Staying in Padstow, nobody should end an holiday here without visiting Burgers & Fish. This Padstow restaurant specialises in creating high quality, exotic, gourmet burgers and fresh fish dishes cooked over a charcoal grill. It’s meat is sourced from local organic farms and the fish comes straight from the sea, landed at Padstow Harbour just yards from the door of the restaurant. This is a fun, trendy restaurant suitable for all the family, serving high quality food at affordable prices. This new restaurant has quickly become one of Padstow’s most popular restaurants.

3 Fifteen Cornwall, Watergate Bay

This beachside restaurant adopts fuses Cornish, Mediterranean and Italian cuisine to bring an air of sophistication to the north Cornwall coast. So if you admire the classy Italian lifestyle and exceptional dishes, then this is the restaurant to be. The menu is literally out of this world; which includes juicy steaks, chargrilled fish, and wood-fired vegetables among other scrumptious meals. This is one of the classiest restaurants in Cornwall with prices to match. But this is all in a good cause because it is a training restaurant for aspiring young chefs developed by Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Foundation.

4. Outlaw’s Restaurant

This is the headquarters of the michelin starred chef Nathan Outlaw and his growing collection of eateries in Cornwall and in London. This restaurant is remarkably stylish and with exceptional modern delicacies. It is located on the northern cornish coast at the St Enodoc hotel in Rock and holds two stars in Michelin guide. Outstandingly, this restaurant was also ranked the fourth finest restaurant in the “good food guide.” Nathan Outlaw has an excellent reputation in serving fresh local seafood including the monkfish, cured brill, mackerel and salmon. Here, the menu is not complete without celery and Tunworth cheese, which are accompanied with the finest wines from Cornwall, France and USA. A visit to this thrilling restaurant will absolutely make your dining experience in Cornwall forever memorable.

5. Zacry’s Restaurant, Watergate Bay

This new restaurant at the Watergate Bay Hotel, near Newquay, is absolutely outstanding. In essence, this restaurant adopts and combines the classic brasserie style with the Cornish attitude to give you a spectacular experience. The menu is inspired by contemporary American cuisine, local and international dishes. Again, this restaurant overseen by executive chef Neil Haydock promises freshly cooked food sourced from local farms and fishermen. A visit to this coastal restaurant would not be complete without sampling one of its sumptuous fish dishes. All this gives it a higher reputation and certainly deserving to be among the best restaurants in Cornwall.

6. Paul Ainsworth at Number 6

And at number six is Paul Ainsworth at Number 6. This restaurant is located in Padstow and it is widely known in the due to the great publicity it gets from its professional owner Paul Ainsworth, who hosts a television show Great British Menu. Remarkably, this restaurant holds a very prestigious Michelin star as the best restaurant for contemporary British dishes. On the menu, you are likely to find exceptional meals including Porthilly oysters, local fallow deer and pork among others, which is served with quality wine. If you are looking for a serene and elegant environment, then this is definitely the restaurant that you should consider at the top of your list.

For more information and inspiration about places to eat in Cornwall check out the top restaurants as rated by Trip Advisor: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g186234-Cornwall_England.html

Making the Most of a Family Holiday in Cornwall

Planning a family holidays can be a laborious job. It becomes your task to ensure that everybody in the family will enjoy what you choose for them to do. This can be exceptionally tough when you have children at different ages , with different interests and expectations. This is why Cornwall is such a great destination for family holidays. It ticks all the boxes in terms of quality accommodation, amazing beaches, plus fun attractions and activities to keep everyone happy for at least a week or two.

It pays to research a holiday in Cornwall well in advance. There are loads great services and online guides packed with information about Cornwall. One such website is Visit England which presents a great round-up of the best things to see and do in the county.

Typical family holidays Cornwall typically include long stints at the beach or a tour of popular attractions. However, in recent times, there has actually been a growing trend for families to stay somewhere where there is a wide choice of holiday activities and things to do. As well as strolling on the beach and swimming in the sea, family members can partake in different activities like mountain biking, fishing, surfing, coasteering, river kayaking and rock climbing.

As for family accommodation in Cornwall, you will be spoilt for choice. A popular way to holiday in Cornwall is to hire a self catering holiday home, such as many of the high quality lodges, Falmouth cottages and beachside apartments on offer in amazing locations near the coast.

One excellent way to enjoy a visit to Cornwall is to stay in one of the many holiday parks. These parks lie in gorgeous areas and are combined with wonderful destinations with a vast array of vacation activities. Aside from that, the majority of these holiday parks offer comfortable mobile homes and lodges suitable for families of all sizes and tastes.

If you can combine these lodgings with onsite activities such as golf, basketball and swimming, youngsters your family holiday will likely be perfect. Holiday parks generally provide inexpensive and cost effective activity offers for families as well. If you are looking for something even cheaper, another thing that you can consider is to go on camping trip. This is another activity that even very young children will certainly enjoy.

Cornwall offers a great introduction to camping, particularly for families who have actually never done it before. In Cornwall there are numerous camping sites that can accommodate you during your family holiday offering varying degrees of comfort and leisure. As well as being a great way to get the family together, it teaches kids about enjoying nature and experiencing the great outdoors.

If this is too wild for your household, then a good Cornish family hotel might be up your street. While typically more expensive than other forms of accommodation, hotels offer a better level of service and comfort so you can relax and enjoy your time away as a family. Many family hotels in Cornwall have pools, renowned restaurants and evening entertainment. Hotel stays mean you will feel refreshed on holiday and enjoy your time away with your family. There are great hotels in Cornwall for families including the Sands Resort at Porth, Watergate Bay Hotel near Newquay and St Michael’s Hotel in Falmouth.

Whatever you and your family fancy doing on holiday, it certainly pays to do your research. This way everything is likely to go smoothly and you all get to enjoy your holiday and time together as a family.

The Best Wedding Venues In Cornwall

Getting married in Cornwall is big business. The place prides itself in having amazing venues that make it a worthy place to celebrate your dream wedding. A series of options is available depending on your budget, taste and scale of celebration. Most venues that are fully licensed for civil weddings usually offer complete packages starting from the start of the ceremony to the evening reception. If you decide to marry in a registry office or a church, then you will be free to choose any venue irrespective of whether or not they have a civil wedding license. Here are the best wedding venues in Cornwall.

Alverton Hotel, Truro

The Alverton hotel is the perfect venue for your d-day with its traditional, individual style. Its amazing gardens provide a stunning backdrop for your dream wedding. From small wedding ceremonies in the library to larger affairs in the Great Hall, you are assured of a great day to remember.

The hotel was once a convent and still boasts some stunning interior architecture, mullioned windows and towering sandstone walls. It is among the grade 2 listed buildings of special historical interests. With such a unique venue, you are sure to enjoy the solemnity of a great traditional wedding while making your big day personal to you at the same time.

Mesmear, near Polzeath

Mesmear is another magnificent boutique wedding location in Cornwall that presides over the beautiful cliffs capes near Polzeath. Affordable luxury accommodation and first rate facilities imply that couples are assured of a memorable and spoil-some day at a spellbinding coastal locale.

Their top chefs and other wedding guru work with you to tailor a special menu that suits your tastes. A wide range of areas can be tailored and personalized to meet all your needs, whims and visions. The venue is undoubtedly ideal for a stylish start to marriage life.

Many people choose Mesmear as the venue for their wedding for the amazing photo opportunities it affords. This rural location on the coast between Polzeath and Rock is distinctly Cornish with many backgrounds and settings to make a couple’s wedding photos come alive. Once they have this venue lined up, all they then have to do is find a wedding photographer Cornwall and they can take away a stunning album of memories of a perfect wedding day.

Polhawn Fort, near Torpoint

This amazing historic fort with lovely gardens, own beach and wide lawns is only a four hour drive from London. The secluded port is exclusively yours for 3 or 4 days, to combine a stress free wedding and a vacation in complete privacy, croquet, play tennis or swim. It’s located right at the end of Rame Head, near Torpoint, offering unparalleled wedding photo opportunities for wedding couples.

The fort looks out across hundred miles of ocean, across the rugged folds and crags of the Cornish coastline. A granite spiral staircase and a drawbridge lead directly into the Napoleonic Hall-an ambient venue with vaulted windows and ceilings overlooking the beautiful sea. All bedrooms are strategically located over 2 floors facing the ocean. Big ceremonies can take place in the Grand Hall that is capable of hosting up to 125 people while smaller ceremonies can take place in the Emperor’s room that is capable of hosting 30 guests.

Couples really are spoilt for choice for wedding venues in Cornwall. This is just a small selection with many other scenic locations waiting to be discovered up and shown the dramatic Cornish coast and in the rolling countryside between the north and south coasts. No wonder so many couples choose to get married in Cornwall.

Metro Cornwall

Cornwall Guide