This series will cover a range of UK-based trips that are relatively easy to take from London.
Clear waters, soft sands and keen surfers. There are very few places in the UK that can tick these three off; however, Cornwall has buckets (and spades) of it.
Sitting a five-hour drive, or train journey, from the capital, Cornwall boasts coastal walks that wouldn’t look out of place in Australia or Italy. For those craving a beach holiday, this area in England’s South West is a great alternative to heading abroad.
The below suggestions are based on my trip to Perranporth, but there are many other famed Cornish towns worth a visit, such as St Ives, Padstow and Newquay.
Coastal walks
The aforementioned coastal walks are arguably the area’s biggest draw. The Perranporth to St Agnes walk - part of the much larger South West Coast Path, which encompasses the whole Cornwall area - will take you past craggy coves and up across wild fields, all the while with stunning sea vistas to your right. I could wax lyrical about this walk, but they say a picture paints a thousand words, so here are two.
Pubs
At the end of our walk, we rewarded ourselves with a drink and an ice cream - yes, ice cream in a British October because it was that good. Despite its pretty beaches, Cornwall is obviously still the UK, so a good ol’ pub is never far. Of course, you can opt for the pub grub classics - your pie and mash, your burgers and chips - but why not take advantage of your seaside location? The oysters here are pretty good, as are most fish and chips options. We visited The Perranporth Inn and Summer House, and in St Agnes, The Railway and The Driftwood. Most pubs are dog-friendly, but be sure to ring up and check before.
Cornish pasty
From one meal to another. You can’t visit Cornwall without eating a Cornish pasty! Traditionally, the buttery, flakey pastry is filled with a warm steak, onion, swede and potato filling. Of course, I had to do things a little differently: on our coastal walk, we stopped on a bench overlooking the sea to eat our (still warm) pasties, mine being pork, onion and apple. Absolutely delicious!
Cyder farm
All the walking and eating will no doubt make you thirsty; a couple of hours at Healey’s Cyder Farm is a must. Here, you’ll learn how proper Cornish cyder (not cider) is made, and get to sample a wide selection of fruity, tart and flavoured cyders, as well as apple juices, wines, jams and sauces. I waddled away feeling very full, but very content, from all the bubbles.
Outdoor pool
What is a holiday destination without an outdoor pool? Summer visitors, you must check out Jubilee Pool in Penzance. With one heated pool (though previous visitors have described it as more lukewarm than hot) and another natural saltwater pool, it will make your staycation feel as if you’re abroad. However, I must confess, although we bought our tickets, the low October temperatures did scare us away this time.
As soon as it is safer, I am looking to return to Cornwall once again. Check back for updates to this piece!
