it's Cornwall for me
If you are as avid a follower of Dua Lipa as I am, you’ll know she recently decided to avoid the glitz and glamour of Mediterranean wildfires to come Cornwall for a week away. I may be biased but, there’s no better place she could have chosen.
The most south westerly county, (Dutchy, more accurately) is awash with possibilities. To simplify your planning, and no doubt enrage some Cornishmen, I’m going to split it into three areas: the North Coast, the South Coast and West Cornwall.
The North Coast is place of contrasts. If the reader had the misfortune to have gone to English public school in the 00s, you may have spent your formative years chasing Downe House girls around the dunes of Daymer Bay or Polzeath. Armed only with a “European drivers’ licence” and a six pack of Smirnoff Ice, some found this heaven. But times have changed. The battered Range Rovers of Rock have been replaced by smarter Volvos, and the charming bungalows have been knocked down, replaced with altogether gaudier arrangements. But the charm of the Camel Estuary persists.
The beaches and turquoise sea are as child friendly as they come, but food has become the star. The Mariner’s Arms, once a notorious underage drinking hole, has been taken over only somewhat successfully by Paul Ainsworth, The Dining Room is a more upscale Michelin affair, but the real gems are Four Boys and Fee’s. Crossing the estuary on the Black Tor ferry, you’ll reach Rick Stein’s kingdom of Padstow. The famous chef has five restaurants in the small town, with The Seafood Restaurant standing as the original and probably best.
Paul Ainsworth’s grander No. 6 comes highly recommended by the tires. At the more casual end of the scale, Prawn on the Lawn is a lot of fun. Slightly further up the coast, Boscastle’s The Rocket Store is definitely worth a trip. Sleeping-wise, an AirBnB is probably your best bet; back in Rock, I’d recommend the St Enodoc Hotel. Heading West down the North coast, you come to The Pig at Harlyn Bay. I’ve never stayed there but hear very good things about the lobster shed. Beyond that, you arrive at Newquay. If your passion is binge drinking and lairy school leavers, then head on down, but I might give it a miss…
If you know your spinnaker from your jib, then the South Coast might be the place for you. The Helford, St Mawes and Falmouth have some of the best sailing in the UK and also some of the best places to stay. The Nare is Cornish luxury at its best, and The Idle Rocks and Tresanton aren’t far behind. The latter two have fine restaurants, and I’d highly advise popping into the Rising Sun for a pint. One of the stars of the show is The Hidden Hut, one of Cornwall’s worst kept secrets just up the coastal path from St Mawes at Portscatho. Their daily lunches are worth a hike, but their legendary feast nights are the real draw. They release their bi-monthly events at the beginning of the summer, so keep an eye open, as they often sell out fast.
Heading further West, you get to the charming fishing town of Porthleven. The Ship Inn is a perfect drinking hole to antagonise locals with your upcountry accent, as you watch the storms roll in. Kota and its younger sibling, Kota Kai, are two of my favourite Cornish restaurants; they’re run by the charming Jude Kereama. For a light lunch, The Mussel Shoal is a shack serving delicious local seafood. If you’re heading that way, you’ll drive across the Lizard, the most Southerly point in the UK. This has some of the most beautiful coastline in the world, and it is well worth lacing up your Meindls and hitting the path with vengeance. Trelowarren has wonderful eco-cottages and a spa; it’s an ideal base for your walking adventures!
Finally, the crème de la crème, West Cornwall, my neck of the woods. This is proper Cornwall. None of the upcountry, second homes, been to London types. This is the Cornwall of mining, fishing, wrecking. It’s wild but majestic and obviously where Dua chose to base herself. You can hop on the train at Paddington and, without even blinking, arrive in Penzance five hours later.
The food is outstanding for such a small area. As you come into Penzance, the first thing you see is the spectacular St Michael’s Mount. The sister island-based fortress to Mont St Michel in France, it is one the National Trust’s most prized properties. Walk the causeway at low tide and climb up through the vertical gardens to see where the bastard Spanish Armada were first sighted. They have a dining room that hangs above the sea, which will no doubt be a nice feature if they ever chose to Air BnB it.
Newlyn is a proper thriving fishing port, and, as you’d expect, fish is king at incredible places like Argoe, The Tolcarne Inn and the slightly overhyped Mackerel Sky. Mousehole (pronounced Mowzell) up the road has two more restaurants worth visiting: 2 Fore Street and The Old Coastguard. It’s a real chocolate box village that has slightly been ruined by second homes. Moving along the coast, you get delightful little coves and beaches to dip your toes in the toasty 15-degree sea. The Minack Theatre by Porthcurno often features some of the most amateur dramatics you’ve ever seen but is carved into the side of a dramatic Cornish cliff. Bring a picnic and admire the dolphins in the background rather than paying too much attention to their latest depiction of the Mikado.
Heading round past Lands End (a plastic-y, tourist attraction you’d better avoid), you get to Sennen, a great surfers’ beach with an unparalleled sunset over the sea (and a terrible beach restaurant that has unbelievable potential if anyone has a spare mill to spend on it). On towards St Ives is the Gurnards Head. This is where I’d advise people come and stay, as it’s a beautiful spot on the coast. Next to some incredible walks and with delicious food, it’s the perfect place to bed down. Rumour has it the gloobles Editorial Director is among their loyal customers… Zennor is a stop on one of the many walks you can head off on from here; look out for the mermaid in the church and treat yourself to a Moomaid ice cream.
Finally, St Ives, one of Cornwall’s best-known towns. It can be hell in the summer—to give some context, they’ve now made it illegal for new-builds to be second homes. Outside of peak times, though, the charming cobbled streets, selling all kinds of boutique-y knickknacks, have good shopping. The Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum are always worth a visit for any artsy types, and Porthmeor and Porthminster are two of the nicer town beaches in the UK. The Porthminster Beach Café is must-visit. Nab the last seafood curry before Judy Dench does! On the subject of beaches, Lelant and Gwithian, either side of the Hayle Estuary, are great places to spend a sunny day. If you walk half a mile across the golf course away from the car park at Lelant, you might be rewarded with a glorious mile stretch of flat sandy beach all to yourself.
The other bit of insider knowledge for Cornwall is around timings. As it’s the UK’s premier seaside spot, you may think July and August are a no-brainer, but I disagree. If you are yet to experience the miracle of childbirth and not yet a slave to the school holidays, June and September are the time to come. The weather is often better, and Cornwall’s sometimes delicate infrastructure isn’t being as stress-tested quite as hard.
For all you horticulture vultures, March may be even better. If you remember your geography, you’ll know the gulf stream (as of writing) flows right alongside Cornwall. This gives it some of the most spectacular gardens to visit. Heligan, Lanhydrock and the Eden Project are good most of the year. Caerhays, Trewidden and Trengwainton really flourish in early spring, showing off an unmatched collection of magnolias and camelias.
So, if you’re bringing a spade, secateur or sand wedge, Cornwall has something for you. Just make sure you put jam before cream, me ansums!
Will Bolitho
He may hail from deepest Cornwall, but we’ve rarely met a man with a more global reach than Will. Singapore, Vietnam and London have all been lucky enough to count him amongst their residents, but, really, he’s at home wherever he goes. When he’s not chasing down perfect dumplings, checking on his favourite Turners at the National Gallery or regaling dinner party guests with riotous tales of trips gone right (and very, very wrong), he runs a TikTok-focused social media agency from his perch in Notting Hill. Come to our friend Will for inimitable itineraries, ideal spots for long lunches and supremely cool hotels.
