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The photographs on this page are kindly supplied by South West Tourism
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Rugged coastlines, ancient sites, legends, castles and grand country houses - all part of Cornwall's unique charm. This peninsular county, bordered only by Devon, has qualities unrivalled by other counties that attract visitors from all over the world. It is a place apart from the rest of the country, steeped in history spanning back over 3000 years from the sites of Neolithic man to be found in the many historical monuments right through to modern day man where the Eden Project has become one of the most visited tourist attractions in the United Kingdom. Cornwall has much to offer holiday makers from glorious sandy beaches (some with excellent surfing conditions) to rugged moorland landscapes. Just a few of the many wonderful towns and villages worth visiting in Cornwall: Bodmin Bodmin was once the county town of Cornwall (which has since changed to Truro) and it was the only Cornish town to be recorded in the Domesday Book. Bodmin possibly originated as a religious settlement, with the original church built in the Norman period. There was also a large abbey, but only a few remains can still be seen today. The towns main buildings are of granite and it is set on a hill overlooking the moor, made famous by Daphne du Maurier. There are many good walks and interesting places to visit on the moor including a hike to the highest point named “Brown Willy”, and the second highest point of Rough Tor for their superb views. Closeby: Siblyback Lake for watersports, Pencarrow House (National Trust property), Lanhydrock (with golf course)
Boscastle Boscastle is a tiny picturesque port a few miles along the coast from Tintagel and is the setting for one of Thomas Hardy’s novels, “A Pair of Blue Eyes”. Sadly the recent flooding caused a great deal of damage and disruption but the villagers stand firm and are building what was lost. It is still a great place to visit. Falmouth Falmouth, as the name suggests, is set on the mouth of the estuary of the river Fal and grew after Henry VIII’s building of Pendennis Castle on the headland. On the opposite bank of the river facing Falmouth is St Mawes which also has a castle. Mevagissey A really quaint Cornish town siuated on the coast, with narrow streets, loads of gift shops, plenty of places to eat and drink and well worth a visit. Attractions to visit include the Folk Museum and the World of Model Railways Exhibition. At the end of June each year you can witness “Feast Week” with singing, dancing and other entertainments – this is a very busy time for Mevagissey. Close by you will find Lost Gardens of Heligan. Penzance Penzance is a great little town with some terrific shops and eating-houses. It has a port and from here you can take trips by ferry to the Isles of Scilly. Here at the harbour you will discover some very interesting buildings, one of them being the Dolphin Inn. Here, it is believed, Sir John Hawkins was housed during the war with Spain and it was also the place where the Judge Jeffreys trial took place. There are some historic buildings in Chapel Street including the Union Hotel (where Nelson’s death was announced) and the Turk’s Head, possibly the oldest pub in England. St Austell St Austell grew from the 18th century due to its china clay industry but it is now a popular holiday destination with its proximity to many of Cornwall’s best beaches. It is also close to Cornwall’s largest visitor attraction, the Eden Project – which is a must, if you are in the area. Tintagel Strongly associated with the legends of King Arthur, Tintagel is a very popular tourist attraction, with its castle ruins perched on the rocky outcrop above the north Cornish coastline. The coastline is stunning in this area, so even if you are not keen on the “tourist trap” the walks along the coast are worth the traffic cues.
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