<h1>Cornwall - my top 10</h1>
<h5>With a mild climate and 422 miles of coast, Cornwall is famed for its world-renowned beaches which make a popular destination for families and surfers alike. But with castle ruins, old tin mines, quaint villages, and the famous Cornish pasty, there is much more to Cornwall than a trip to the seaside. This blog focuses on my top 10 of west Cornwall, arguably one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK.</h5>
<h3><strong>1. St Ives </strong></h3>
<p>The north coast fishing town of St Ives (map - 1) is, in the main, a good a base from which to holiday. The town is built on a narrow peninsula fringed with sandy beaches. Radiating out from the idyllic harbour are a maze of quaint cobbled streets lined with fishermen's cottages, original shops, and a rich artistic heritage. I say 'in the main' because of the seagulls - getting a pasty snatched out of your hand just as it enters your mouth pales into insignificance when compared to the sound of the gulls screeching long into a summer's night, if you don't have good earplugs then consider staying out of town, I kid you not. </p>
<p>While in St Ives consider a trip to Seal Island, located around 3.5 miles (5km) west of St Ives, which as the name suggests it is home to a colony of grey seals, and a trip of the scenic railway to St Erth, which opened in 1877. </p>
<h3><strong>2. Bedruthan Steps Beach</strong></h3>
<p>In my view this is Cornwall's most dramatic beach (map - 2). It gets its name from the huge slate outcrops scattered along the beach and not the inordinate number of steps you need to go down to get to the beach. It is said that the outcrops were put there by Bedruthan, a giant, and used as stepping stones to achieve a short cut across the bay. At low tide the beach stretches for over a mile with plenty of interesting nooks and crannies, but the cliffs are dangerous as are the tides and there is a good deal of potential to become cut off at high tide. Access to the beach can get closed for significant periods as a result of rockfalls. </p>
<h3><strong>3. Tintagel</strong></h3>
<p>Tintagel Castle (map - 3) came to prominence as a fortress for medieval Cornish chieftains, its attachment to Arthurian legend forged by the historian and chronicler, Geoffrey of Monmouth, who was the first to suggest that this towering stronghold was the birthplace of King Arthur within the pages of his magnum opus <em>Historia Regum Britannae</em>.<br></p>
<p>Those wishing to visit the ruins of the 12th century Norman castle should park in Tintagel village, and then walk half a mile along uneven track to <em>Tintagel Head</em>. The castle sits on the other side of a deep chasm with a cantilever footbridge connecting the headland to the castle - the bridge is a quite an impressive feat of engineering, reinstating a medieval crossing that was present between the 14th to 17th century. The property is owned by National Heritage, during holiday periods advance bookings are required.<br></p>
<h3><strong>4. Cornwall's many other beautiful beaches and coves</strong></h3>
<p>One is spoilt for Cornish beaches (as long as it is not raining). Even though the sea is warmed by the effects of the Gulf Stream, the water temperature only reaches a maximum of 18 degrees Celsius in the summer, so if you want to enjoy a prolonged period in the water a wet suit is recommended. The following is just a few of our favourites:</p>
<ul><li><strong>Kynance Cove </strong>(map - 4) - with its striking serpentine rock and stack formation towering above fine, almost white sand, Kynance is considered to be one of Cornwall's most picturesque places. Accordingly, it gets busy </li></ul>
<ul><li><strong>Porthcuthno beach</strong> (map - 5) - in terms of raw beauty few beaches can match Porthcuthno; near white sand, crystal clear turquoise water, and an amphitheatre of rugged granite cliffs as a backdrop. Again, Porthcuthno gets busy, and the car park fills up early. Close by is the Minack theatre</li></ul>
<ul><li><strong>Portheras Cove</strong> (map - 6) - a west Cornwall adventure would not be complete without a foray down to Portheras Cove, situated along one of the wildest stretches of the UK's coastline. Situated between Pendeen and Morvah, Portheras Cove is not the easiest beach to find, hence it is much quieter than some of the other beaches. The beach can be reached by a short walk from Pendeen Lighthouse </li></ul>
<ul><li><strong>Gwithian Bay </strong>(map - 7) -<strong> </strong>a large sandy beach close to St Ives with rockpools, dramatic cliffs, rolling dunes, and often a good surf </li></ul>
<p>If you are going for the 'surf', which is not something that I claim to have experience in, then Fistral Beach in Newquay is said to be the best. In terms of families though, Newquay is <strong>not</strong> the place to stay. </p>
Kynance Cove
Porthcuthno Beach
Portheras Cove
Gwithian Bay
<h3><strong>5. Land's End</strong></h3>
<p>Land's End (map - 8), approximately nine miles west of Penzance, is the most westerly point of the English mainland and the closest to the North American continent. On a clear day the Isles of Scilly can be seen on the horizon - a group of small, yet very beautiful, islands of which five are inhabited and the remaining 100 are home to sea birds. Closer to shore is the Longships Lighthouse, just over a mile out to sea, while in the distance, about six miles to the south-west, can be seen the Wolf Rock lighthouse. It is fair to say that the Land's End complex with shops and family attractions is a major blot on the landscape - I would like to have seen the minutes of any planning meetings!</p>
<h3><strong>6. St Michaels Mount </strong></h3>
<p>Take a journey of discovery from sea level to summit. Follow in the footsteps of pilgrims and a legendary giant, explore the ancient harbour village, climb the cobbled path and ascend to the castle at the top of the island.</p>
<p>During holiday periods St Michaels Mount (map - 9) gets busy so book ahead - tickets for the boat trip and entry on to the island need to be booked through the <a href="http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk" style="background-color: initial;">National Trust website</a>. You will have to pick a time slot for the short boat trip to the island, return trips are not booked in advance with tickets being purchased on the island. <br></p>
<h3><strong>7. The Minack Theatre </strong></h3>
<p>The Minack (next to Porthcuthno beach - 5) may look as if it’s been there forever, but it’s actually less than a hundred years old. Minack means a rocky place, ‘meynek’ in Cornish. If you’d been here in 1931, standing where the stage is now, you’d have been clinging to a sloping cliff, knee deep in gorse, with a ninety-foot drop to the sea below. </p>
<p>The Minack is a living theatre in every sense. Perched on the rugged cliffs of South-West Cornwall, the Minack welcomes over a quarter of a million people each year to enjoy the stunning ocean views and experience the magic of live performances, which include plays, musicals, opera, music, and children’s events. Tickets need to be booked in advance, and take a cushion to sit on - natural seats made from rock don't tend to be overly comfortable! The theatre is in the open so on a good weather day the evening performance takes place with the back-drop of a sunset and a starry sky; however, on a bad weather day ...... </p>
<h3><strong>8. Tin mining </strong></h3>
<p>The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape is a World Heritage Site. The site was added to the World Heritage List during the 30th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Vilnius, July 2006.</p>
<p>Close to St Ives is the St Just area, home to a number of fantastic attractions such as the Geevor Tin Mine in Pendeen (map - 10), which was a working mine until 1990. At Geevor you can go underground in a real 18th century tin mine, explore interactive displays, see the mineral gallery and take part in mining activities. Nearby you will find the National Trusts Levant Mine and the iconic engine houses' at Botallack.<br></p>
<h3><strong>9. The villages and food of West Cornwall </strong></h3>
<p>Other than St Ives there are many other beautiful villages in Cornwall that a worth a visit including Rock, Port Isaac, Mousehole, Mevagissey, Senen, and Polperro, an unspoilt fishing village a few miles from Looe. One village that did disappoint was Padstow, once famed for Rick Stein's cookery program, we found this very over-commercialised and far from quaint. </p>
<p>In terms of food, you can't escape Cornwall without feasting on the famous Cornish Pasty, of which there are endless varieties. </p>
<h3><strong>10. The Eden Project </strong></h3>
<p>We did not get a chance to visit the Eden Project as we were blessed with a week of wall to wall sunshine, however, it is good to have wet day plans - after all, despite of the mild climate, Cornwall is one of the wettest areas of the UK, with the town of Truro being the seventh rainiest city in the whole of the UK. </p>
<p>If you do get a wet day then the Eden Project is a probably a good call, although it is not for everyone. Situated in the south-east of Cornwall, and built into an old china clay pit, the Eden Project consists of a selection of biomes - these giant greenhouse-like structures are made from inflatable plastic cells that are supported by steel frames. The unique structures allow for the creation of artificial climates, enabling a myriad of native plants from tropical and desert environments to thrive. It is best to book ahead during holiday periods, including for the zip wires, if you fancy a ride. </p>
