Cornwall

The Cornwall flag.  Yes, it does look like a pirate flag.

Better late than never I suppose . . . today's post documents the trip we took in the spring of 2012 to Cornwall.  This was our last road trip before child #2 was born . . . and it was a doozy.

Earlier that week, we had heard reports of bad weather- really bad- and feared the worst.  But, we had little option; our reservations were set, and there wasn't a better time to do it.  Amazingly, in the end only one day of our trip was rained out (discussed later)- every other day, it would rain while we drove from sight to sight, and stop when we arrived.  This happened multiple times, on multiple days.  It was unbelievable- we felt very blessed.  Anyway, on to the journey.

The Drive Down

The first thing you'll notice about Cornwall is simply this: it is far from Yorkshire.  Really far.  And it seems farther when you're traveling with a 2-year-old and a rather pregnant wife.  For that reason, we took a few days to drive down.  On the way, we stopped at Warwick Castle and Glastonbury.

Warwick Castle
Nice place- but expensive and somewhat commercial-feeling.  Not bad, though.

Glastonbury
There are two main things to see here: the abbey ruins (rumored burial place of King Arthur) and the Glastonbury Tor, a hill that they think is really old.  You can see both in a few hours.

In Cornwall

We took Cornwall in stages, spending a night in Bude on the way down, but spending most of the nights in Perranporth.  A map of what we saw is below.  I'll discuss them in the order they appear on the map- not in the order we saw them.

Tintagel Castle
Cornwall has a lot of Arthurian connections, and Tintagel Castle is Arthur's rumored place of birth.  Not much in the way of ruins remain, but the scenery is fantastic.  Lots of stairs/hills; no place for strollers.  Yes, those are palm trees in England.  Recommended.

Bedruthan Steps
Cornwall is beautiful coastline . . . so enjoy it.  One of the best places to do so is the Bedruthan Steps.  Note the absence of fences; keep the kids close.  We enjoyed the classic car "show" in the area, too.

Newquay Beach & Aquarium
Our day in Newquay featured some of the worst downpours I've ever experienced . . . no exaggeration.  The aquarium was "meh;" the beach looked like it might have been nice.

Perranporth Beach
We stayed here and enjoyed the town/beach a bit . . . Cornwall beaches differ from ones like, say, Ocean City in a two main ways: 1) the water's too cold, so wetsuits are highly advised; 2) rock formations dot the beaches, and are beautiful.

Truro
A nice little town, with a "modern" cathedral.

St. Michael's Mount
We saw this from a distance, on our way home, in the pouring rain.  Accessible only at low tide, like its counterpart (Mont St. Michel) in Normandy, it looked pretty nice . . . but frankly, having been to the French version, we think the English one can be skipped.

Land's End
There's one reason you go to Land's End: to say "look, I'm at Land's End!"  Take a picture, leave.  It's touristy, gimmicky, and there are better coastlines to explore.  But you'll go there, just like I did, and for the same reason: to check the box.  Plus, let's be real: you drove how many miles down there?!  Yeah, you may as well.

Minack Theatre
Watching a play here would be amazing . . . if the weather cooperates.

Kynance Cove
More beautiful coastline . . . park and hike for hours.  In good weather.

Cadgwith
I forgot to put this on the map, but I think it's near Kynance/Lizard Point.  Pretty, hilly, small, thatched roof here and there . . .

Lizard Point
This is the southernmost point of England.  It's pretty, but not as pretty as the other coastal sites.

The Arthurian Centre (Slaughterbridge)
I forgot to put this on the map, but that's okay; you shouldn't go.  I'm an amateur Arthur enthusiast, but even I was disappointed.  The Centre appears to be a combination of a historical site of questionable validity and a middle school project of mediocre quality.  They have a stone- the so-called Arthur's Stone- that's okay, but I question the importance of it, since it's left on a river bank.  Also, they claim the battlefield of Camlann (the last battle of Arthur) is there . . .

Final Thoughts

Cornwall is beautiful, windy (saw some sideways trees, permanently bent by the constant force), and well worth the trip.  We missed touring a mine (for which Cornwall is famous), but that aside, we were well pleased with our adventures.  So get out your hiking boots, drive on down, and enjoy the scenery (and scones with clotted cream).  I leave you with a note of caution: the roads and hedges are famous in Cornwall, for good reason.  Yes, that's our car below . . . and yes, that's supposedly a two-lane road.