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Original poster

To have never been to Cornwall - am i missing out?

122 replies

MoominMamma15 · 15/05/2023 16:12

So many people have said about how amazing Cornwall is, i’ve never been - its a good 6 hour drive away from where we are depending on where in Cornwall. That’s a heck of a drive in my opinion but if it really is that amazing im open to suggestions of where to go?

Im used to heading more Dorset way with the likes of Poole (sandbanks, Weymouth, Durdle Door etc).

What are others opinions on Cornwall?

OP posts:
PurplePineapple1 · 15/05/2023 16:56

Nily4567 · 15/05/2023 16:25

Massively overrated IMHO - Devon & Dorset much nicer

Completely agree with this.

Original poster
MoominMamma15 · 15/05/2023 16:56

Thats a good point about doing a stop over hadn’t thought of that.

Like some of you have said about going in peak time (avoiding) we’re restricted by term times as have school age kids.

perhaps it’ll be on the to do list when kids are older and hubby and i can go alone :)

i do love Dorset i have to say. I haven’t even ventured into Devon!

OP posts:
londonrach · 15/05/2023 17:00

No and I grow up near by ...it's too busy. If no one there and it's not raining it's lovely but so is Wales, Scotland, Devon, Dorset, Norfolk and Northamptonshire and other coastal areas...sorry not been to all coastal areas yet...I'm happy to hear of some I've missed out as not been to yet.

Snoken · 15/05/2023 17:02

Went once in early September, loved it. Went back the following July, hated it. We had nice weather both times, but the level of overcrowding (which I contributed to) made it not worth going for me. I feel claustrophobic in most of England though, except for places like Yorkshire. When I lived there I loved driving north on the motorway and there were just less and less cars the further you went.

trailrunner85 · 15/05/2023 17:08

Depends when you go. In the summer, it's nice enough if you like endless traffic jams, very overpriced and slightly crap pubs, and identikit hordes crowding the streets, kitted out in top to toe Seasalt and Joules.

There are much nicer beaches elsewhere in the UK, which are also far less stressful to get to.

It's a shame because Cornwall is really beautiful, but just impossible in school holidays now. It wasn't always like this - in fact I think it's got much busier since Covid.

switswooo · 15/05/2023 17:15

I love Cornwall, both in the summer and winter. It feels like a different country in some parts.

To have never been to Cornwall - am i missing out?
To have never been to Cornwall - am i missing out?
microloewe · 15/05/2023 17:18

Have you ever been to Pembrokeshire? If you have them no you are not missing out on anything. Exactly the same but cheaper and less crowded.

waterlego · 15/05/2023 17:20

Parts of Cornwall are very nice but it takes aaaaages to get there (especially in school holidays/bank hol weekends). I’m in the South East so you’d be forgiven for thinking it wouldn’t take that long from here. SatNav suggests 5 hours but I’ve never managed the journey in less than at about 6.5 (apart from the time we drove through the night which is really only worth doing if you’re going to stay there for a week or so).

I’ve been several times in the summer and always had awful weather! Properly awful- cold, wet and windy. I know that’s luck of the draw for UK holidays.

We can get to Dorset in about 2.5 hours or less so we tend to stick to that. Lots of lovely landscape and beaches there to enjoy and some great campsites.

Muddygreenfingers · 15/05/2023 17:20

I'd love to go to Cornwall.
I live in Yorkshire though, and being honest it's as easy if not easier going abroad instead.

We've considered it a few times but ended up going to Italy or Greece as we'd rather fuck about in an airport and sit on a plane than drive for 8 hours.

Redlarge · 15/05/2023 17:27

Cornwall is beautiful but very touristy and can be a bit stuck up. I personally prefer North Devon

Onesipmore · 15/05/2023 17:29

@switswooo is That Carbis?

mickeymight · 15/05/2023 17:30

North Cornwall OK we were living near Bude.
Every time we visited South Cornwall, we asked ourselves WHY? did we bother.
Eden Project lacking in real information compared with any good museum.

Lovecatsanddogs · 15/05/2023 17:31

I much prefer Devon the Scilly Isles are worth a visit though. My DS is finishing a year leaving in Cornwall and am hoping to never return!

DayGarden · 15/05/2023 17:33

Years ago it was a bit of a hidden treasure but now it is just horrendously busy everywhere.

We used to live there but moved as it just became unpleasantly crowded and is even busy in winter. My parents still live there so we go back occasionally and I’m always happy to leave. The parking is horrendous, roads a nightmare as they can’t accommodate the volume of traffic or are single lane. Due to insta there are no hidden/secret places to escape the masses any more. It’s also become very gentrified…everywhere is so poncy and pretentious now, all geared up for the mass of middle class tourists it attracts. Totally different place now to when I was younger 😟

Mrsjayy · 15/05/2023 17:36

MoominMamma15 · 15/05/2023 16:22

Hmmm think i’ll stick to the Dorset coast then. Good mixture there and only a few hours away for us!

interesting though, thanks all x

We love Dorset I'm in Scotland and visit most years .I have been to Cornwall and I wasn't blown away tbh.

Rhea43 · 15/05/2023 17:36

We went from central Scotland for 2 weeks when our DD was 3m old- from mid- late September. We loved it. Spent a night in air bnbs in the Cotswolds on the way down and then in Cheshire on the way back. Spent about half the time visiting different places and the rest mooching around the part we stayed in. Was a nice time of year to visit - still some tourists so there was a bit of an atmosphere in places but not so many that parking or traveling was an issue!

Movinghouseatlast · 15/05/2023 17:36

It depends where you go, but parts of Cornwall really do look like the Mediterranean and I haven't seen that anywhere else in the UK. For example Fowey, Polperro, St Ives are just stunning. The scenery of the coast path is really gorgeous, truly breathtaking. Amazing food in these places too.

Choccablocca · 15/05/2023 17:38

I've never been either and when I've been tempted to give it a go I talk myself out of it due to the long drive there, extortionate price of accommodation and how busy it is - I have seen photos of St Ives in August and it looks horrendous.

I'm happy to stop at Dorset and maybe try Cornwall once I've retired although then I'll probably prefer a holiday in Spain where the weather is more guaranteed.

BeanCounterBabe · 15/05/2023 17:38

I absolutely love Cornwall but I know it really well and can find quieter spots even in August. I’m from just over the Tamar and would always choose Cornwall over Devon. There is something more mystical about it somehow. DH is from Pembrokeshire so I know that area really well. Beaches are gorgeous but a lot of the towns are even more run down than Cornwall. Less choice if accommodation and more expensive than Cornwall as less available.

FrownedUpon · 15/05/2023 17:43

I think Cornwall has a unique vibe. I love it, but also love Devon. There are some amazing top end restaurants in Cornwall, which we struggled to find when we went to Wales.

User14528564 · 15/05/2023 17:45

We only generally go out of season, DF lived there and he died inJuly, we went down for 2 weeks in the school holidays to sort out his stuff and it was horrendously busy. Nice out of season though.

midsomermurderess · 15/05/2023 17:49

I would say no. I went about 10 years ago, it scratched an itch. But I live close to some very lovely coastal villages, not that far from some marvellous mountains, hills and glens and sea lochs, so it felt like a long way to go for, well, not that much. If you live in the Midlands or the south east, maybe it has a stronger appeal. I dunno, for a traditional bucket and spade holiday.

Sunnycornwallanddevon · 15/05/2023 17:50

The braying Seasalt clad lot put me off

Julen7 · 15/05/2023 17:51

I live in Cornwall, moved to north coast 2 years ago and I love it and wouldn’t live anywhere else now. However we still well away from popular beaches, roads, restaurants in peak times as they are completely overrun. Just stay at home or go up country & see family at those times.

RavenclawDiadem · 15/05/2023 17:54

We are much further away - it takes us 8.5 hours from Glasgow to where we went in COrnwall. We went twice, once in our October half term and once as soon as the schools broke up for summer so end June/beginning July. Nice and quiet. Love Cornwall and we had a lovely time exploring and going to the beach. Can imagine it's quiet different in the height of the English school holidays.

On the flip side though, it always amuses me how people say Scotland is "so far" when Glasgow is less than 4 hours from Leeds, less than 5 from Birmingham and 7 hours drive from London.