Cornwall, England (Cubert Jan 17-24 / St Agnes Jan 24-26, 2022)

If you prefer rugged cliffs, rolling green pastures, wide sandy beaches, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, and cold but uncrowded surf to the city then forget about London and head to Cornwall. Here the roads are narrow with hedges along each side and the trees often arch over the roads creating woodland tunnels with scattered light falling through the branches. Driving at night is an adventure as you weave down the dark and tightly winding roads and make your way through quaint old villages and past a myriad of roundabouts.

#1 Surfing at Fistral Beach

Newquay is the home of surfing in the United Kingdom ever since four Australian teenagers brought the sport here in 1929. One of the main beaches in Newquay, Fistral Beach, is a wide expanse of sand between two rocky headlands topped by green fields. The width of the beach varies greatly between high and low tide to a degree I have not seen in many other areas but seems to be quite common in Cornwall since the slope of the beach is relatively gradual. On the northern side of the beach is a cafe, some shops, and the Fistral Beach Surf School. There you can rent boards – soft/hard/longboards/shortboards, wetsuits, hoods, gloves, and boots. They also have surf lessons and changing rooms. There are public restrooms available as well with hot showers though you do have to get tokens for the showers. The surf here is fairly consistent and I surfed there almost every day from January 18-26, 2022. The water is around 50F/ 10C in January so a 5mm wetsuit with a hood/gloves/boots is recommended. Make sure you synch the hood around your face as it makes a significant difference in preventing the icy water from washing into your hood during a duck dive. Also remember to insure that your boots and gloves are tucked under your wetsuit. I thought I would freeze but it was actually quite reasonable with the proper gear and an hour to hour and a half surf was fine before I started feeling the cold creep into my fingers and toes and thoughts of a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate started sounding better and better. The photos above were from nice days with minimal wind and smooth rolling waves. They do not convey the cold and wind very well so here is a video of a windy morning with a cold drizzle and sloppier waves from the onshore wind.

I really enjoyed surfing at Fistral and would highly recommend it but there are many beaches along the coast and each is exceptionally beautiful. I also surfed at Mawgan Porth north of Newquay where the swell bounces off the rocky cliff and creates an excellent wave with a bit of a further paddle out.

#2 Headland Hotel – Tea or Brunch

On the northern side of Fistral beach is the historic and majestic Headland Hotel that hosted King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in the 1900’s and the Prince of Wales and Princess Royal more recently. Its history stretches back to 1897 and it was even used as a hospital during World War II. Check out the tumultuous and interesting history here. This hotel is dog friendly and the perfect place to have a tea or brunch and look out on the ocean and surfers on Fistral Beach or watch an epic storm. They also have a highly rated spa and wellness center. There is a trail around the back of the hotel that leads to a small white building at the tip of the Towan Headland where you can relax and watch an amazing sunset.

#3 St Ives, the Tate St. Ives, and the Ancient Chapel of St Nicholas

St. Ives is a coastal town south of Newquay set on a crescent shaped beach. The town is quaint best explored by foot due to the very narrow streets. There are many little shops and restaurants and a culture of art centered on the Tate St. Ives which is a nice little modern art museum right next to the beach.

However, I most enjoyed the spectacular sunset at the beach. The beach faces north so the sun sets over the western headland and makes for a wonderful walk. If you head to the east, you can hike up to St. Nicholas Chapel.

St Nicholas Chapel is ancient but it is unknown when exactly it was built. It’s possible that a chapel has been there since the 5th Century (so 1,522 years ago). The current stone building can be dated back to the 14th century during medieval times. It is perched at the end of the promontory point and makes for a wonderful place to sit and take in the scenery. When we went, a group of graduate students were there playing guitar and singing songs as the sun went down. Of course we joined them and did our best to sing along. It was a wonderful way to spend the evening!

#4 St. Michael’s Mount

The photo does not capture the magnificence of this unique castle. St. Michael’s Mount is a tidal castle so the stone walkway that Bi is standing on with Sydney in pack is only visible during low tide. At high tide, the walkway is completely submerged underwater leaving the Castle completely separated from the mainland on an island. The island and castle were purchased by Colonel John St. Aubyn who was appointed as Captain of St Michael’s Mount during the English Civil War. The Mount stayed in the Aubyn family as a subsidiary home for over 200 years and is still managed by the St. Aubyn family and the National Trust. The castle was closed at the time we visited but it is usually possible to walk about the gardens or eat at the cafe on the island. The history of the island is long and storied. During the 6th century it is said that an 18 foot giant named Cormoran lived on the island and terrorized the nearby villages stealing cattle and children. A courageous farmer’s son named Jack heroically lured the giant into a concealed pit and slew it with a massive axe freeing the villages from the terror. The mount played a role in many wars from the War of the Roses to the Napoleanic Wars and to warning of the Spanish Armada. (See wikipedia on St Michael’s Mount)

Across the channel from the mount is a comfortable, upscale restaurant, hotel, and bar called the Godolphin with an unobstructed view of the mount where you can relax and gaze out the window as the tide gradually changes over time.

#5 Lizard Point

If you enjoy coastal hiking trails then you will absolutely love Lizard Point. It is the southernmost point on mainland Great Britain and has a long history of shipwrecks on the rocky point as well as heroic lifesaving efforts. One of the most famous occurred in March, 1907 when the SS Suevic smashed into the reef during a gale. The local lifesaving teams worked tirelessly and courageously for 16 hours rowing out to the ship to rescue all 456 passengers including many babies onboard.

There is a narrow dirt trail along the cliffs here that extends in both directions from Lizard Point and I have a feeling both directions are wonderful but we took the path westward towards Kynance Cove. The meandering path leads along the clifftop and past pastures of grazing ponies. The views in all directions are spectacular and I imagine that the sunrises and sunsets here would be phenomenal.

And that’s my Top 5 from our travels in Cornwall, England!! It was my favorite area in England so far and I enjoyed it immensely. The natural beauty, rugged landscape, wide sandy beaches and quaint picturesque villages make this area a fantastic place to explore.