Cornwall - 91 Attractions You Must Visit
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About Cornwall
One of the UK’s favourite summer destinations, holiday makers flock to Cornwall for its sandy beaches and surf-ready waves but look beyond the coastline and you’ll be rewarded with world-class galleries, fantastic food and many one-of-a-kind attractions.
Types of Attractions in Cornwall
Activities Around
List of Attractions in Cornwall
Porthminster Terrace
Iconic Buildings
Porthminster Terrace is a beautifully presented late Victorian property with views into the harbour from the rear and views to Gwithian & Hayle estuary.
Prideaux Place
Iconic Buildings
Palaces
Prideaux Place is a stunningly beautiful Elizabethan manor house that overlooks the picturesque fishing harbor of Padstow in North Cornwall. Fourteen generations of Prideaux have lived here and each generation has added its own contribution to the house and its historic garden. This beautiful mansion sits on the hill above the busy harbor of Padstow and the grounds boast some of the finest views over its ancient Deer Park and the Camel Estuary to Rock and Bodmin Moor beyond.
Readymoney Cove
Beaches
Readymoney Cove is a south-east-facing sandy beach to the south of the harbour town of Fowey. It was flourished with cliffs close to the mouth of the River Fowey and bounded and also one side is the renowned St Catherine's Castle. Reasonably safe bathing within cove, but not in the Fowey Estuary. However, can be water pollution after storms and heavy rain. Above the cove is the former coach house which was the home of author, Daphne du Maurier, for a few years during the Second World War.
Restormel Castle
Iconic Buildings
Old Ruins
Restormel is one of the most remarkable castles in Britain. The present circular structure, built in the late 13th century, was a luxurious retreat for its medieval owners and was twice visited by Edward, the Black Prince. Today the remains of the castle rooms reveal clues to its past grandeur. Large fireplaces, high windows and the Great Hall, used for gatherings, give a sense of the once luxurious surroundings. It offers fantastic views across the valley of the River Fowey and is a favourite
RHS Garden Rosemoor
Botanical Gardens
A beautiful and enchanting garden nestled in the beautiful Torridge Valley and home of Tarka the Otter and located within half an hour of Dartmoor National Park. Surrounded by woodland, the garden is rich in variety throughout every season and features inspiring planting displays enhanced by the natural beauty of Devon. One of the iconic attractions in this area which attracts a number of tourists.
River Lyd
Lake/ River/ Ponds
The River Lyd rises at Lyd Head by Corn Ridge to the north of Woodcock Hill. It's a flat, boggy landmass that's relatively difficult to walk across. There are the remains of extensive peat works to the southeast of Lyd Head including the evocatively named Bleak House.
Royal Cornwall Museum
Museums
The Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro holds an extensive mineral collection rooted in Cornwall's mining and engineering heritage. The museum holds an internationally renowned mineral collection rooted in Cornwall’s mining and engineering heritage. With over 300,000 heritage objects in the care of the Royal Cornwall Museum, there is plenty to keep you enthralled during your visit.
Saint Ives Bay
Beaches
St Ives Bay is a crescent-shaped expanse stretching for 6 miles from the Island, near the centre of town, around to to Godrevy Head and the world-famous Godrevy lighthouse. This three mile stretch of golden sand contains Gwithian beach popular for surfing. To the west, the quieter more sheltered Porthkidney Sands adjacent to the village of Lelant is a tranquil and unique location.
Saint Michael's Mount
Islands
St Michael’s Mount is a tidal island and as there are no boats running this year, all visitors must access it by foot. At low tide the causeway opens and all ticket holders can walk across to the island and stay there until the tide comes back in again around four hours later. The harbour village, shops, castle lawns and takeaway outlets will be open for ticket holders to enjoy.
Sandymouth Bay Beach
Beaches
A gorgeous National Trust beach, just 15 minutes north of the town. When the tide is out, the fantastic sandy beach is exposed and it is often much quieter than the other main beaches. It is very popular with both families and surfers and is set against a dramatic backdrop of sheer cliffs. Sandymouth is a National Trust beach and has a large, manned, car park with 200 spaces at the top of the cliff. This lovely beach has its own waterfall and is serviced by a seasonal café, toilets, and surf-hi
South West Coast Path
Outdoors- Other
1 Day Treks
The South West Coast Path ranks alongside New Zealand’s Milford Track, Chile’s Torres del Paine trek and Alaska’s Chilkoot Trail as one of the world’s most awe-inspiring hikes. The 630 miles of Coast Path is the walk of a lifetime, taking in breathtaking heritage, wildlife, geology and scenery along the way, from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset. The final section of the path was designated as a National Trail in 1978.
St Catherine's Castle
Iconic Buildings
St Catherine's Castle is a Henrician castle in Cornwall, England. It is one of a pair of small artillery forts built by Henry VIII in the 1530s to defend Fowey Harbour. It was modified in the 19th century during the Crimean War and again during the Second World War when it became home to an anti-aircraft gun and an ammunition store. One of the iconic location which paves light to the history of Cornwall.
St Mawes Castle
Iconic Buildings
Old Ruins
St Mawes Castle is a four-story artillery fort, like its counterpart across the bay, and was built in the 1540s as part of the largest national coastal defence programme since the Roman era. It stands solidly above the rocky coast, once a deterrent to hostile ships that might have sought to venture up the river passage. The castle continued in use as a fort through the 18th and 19th centuries.
St Nectan's Glen
Outdoors- Other
St Nectan's Glenis an area of woodland in Trethevy near Tintagel, north Cornwall stretching for around one mile along both banks of the Trevillet River. It is a place where animals and birds play amid a mysticism of fairies, piskies* and spirits, serenaded by the wonderful sound of bird song. There are also two additional waterfalls and a beautiful walk to explore, leading through ancient woodland full of ivy clad trees along the banks of the River Trevillet as it sparkles and gurgles busily o
Summerleaze Beach
Beaches
Summerleaze Beach is Bude’s central hub of sand, surf, and sun, and it’s the first port of call for many visitors. The river, with its bobbing fishing boats, flanks the wide, sandy beach that is sheltered by the impressive breakwater, making the beach particularly popular with families and surfers. Summerleaze is also an unusually interesting beach with a large breakwater complete with a tower protecting a small harbour and the mouth of the Bude canal with its massive lock gates.
Tate St Ives
Art Galleries
Old Towns
St Ives, a small Cornish town on the southwest coast of England, perhaps seems an unlikely site for a major art gallery. However, its artistic connections date back to Victorian times when numerous artists came to St Ives to paint, attracted by its special quality of light. The iconic gallery overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and showcases some of the best-loved British artworks of the twentieth century alongside an ever-changing program of exhibitions embracing the best of British and International
The Loe
Beaches
Lake/ River/ Ponds
Loe Beach is a half-mile shingle bank that separates the Loe, the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall, from the sea. The fishhook-shaped Loe lies at the heart of Penrose Estate, a bucolic, National Trust–managed park perched atop Lizard Peninsula, mainland Britain’s most southerly point. It is within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is considered a classic Geological Conservation Review Site.
The Lost Gardens Heligan
Botanical Gardens
The Lost Gardens of Heligan belonged to the Tremayne estate evolving and becoming more extravagant with each passing generation. One head of the household inspired the jungle gardens, while another requested that giant rhododendrons be cultivated. The gardens include aged and colossal rhododendrons and camellias, a series of lakes fed by a ram pump over 100 years old, highly productive flower and vegetable gardens, an Italian garden, and a wild area filled with subtropical tree ferns called "The
The Milky Way Adventure Park
Theme Parks
With over 110,000 sq feet of indoor fun & acres of outdoor activities, this multi award winning attraction is the biggest all weather, family day out in North Devon. Named Devon's Large Attraction of the year by Visit Devon and #7 in the UK by TripAdvisor in 2016, it’s fun for parents as well as kids, and there are no hidden extras: all rides, shows and play areas are included in the entrance fee.
The Minack Theatre
Man-made Structures- Other
The Minack is a unique open air theatre perched on the cliffs high above the Atlantic ocean carved into the granite cliff and set in glorious gardens overlooking the spectacular panorama of Porthcurno Bay. Panoramic views of the coastline from this theatre on the headland are truly spectacular. A summer season of plays run from May to September featuring a mix of classic drama, music and opera in what has to be one of the world’s most beautiful settings for a theatre.
Map of attractions in Cornwall
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For more information about Cornwall, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwall