Am I unusual that Cornwall didn't really do it for me?

[Stillwaitingforsummer]

Just that. OK the weather wasn't really great which didn't help, but the scenery wasn't as stunning as I had expected. I think Wales is more stunning,and the lake district.
Did I miss something?

The South West Coast Path is stunning. Lots of Cornwall is very, very busy and horrible. We parked in Looe in July and walked along the coast to Polperro. Looe itself was crowded and pretty unpleasant, but as soon as we'd walked five minutes out of town we were on a beautiful, virtually empty path. Polperro is cutesy but also very busy. I think you just need to know where to go and what you want to do. We like coastal walking so we do that. The best beaches are usually pretty inaccessible (you know, down 200 cliff steps) and so never too busy. But that's no good if you've got mobility problems, obviously.

When I visited the tide was out. It wasn't pleasant. Loved the caves. But the town is too narrow and incredibly busy. It's a working town.

Cornwall is not very dog friendly either.

Unlike The Lakes and N Yorks folk who recognise that walkers often have dogs with them and still welcome your custom

I liked Falmouth , but dh said it was ' too narrow' and 'too steep' !

Must be a pain actually living anywhere that is a tourist trap though - you just want to get on or go to work or go the shops and there are loads of other people mowing you down and clogging up the car parks faffing around or just wandering around!!

DP and his family plus lots of our friends are obsessed with Cornwall and love going time and again. It's ok and nice to have a break and all that but I just cannot understand the wanting to go to the same place and do all the same things every single bloody year.

Our friends are there again now posting on FB about how great it is to be back in Newquay (shudder).

I love St Ives but have only been when it is sunny. I would think differently if it was raining all the time. I am going in September and staying in the quaint Downalong bit. Have to make restaurant bookings because it is still busy in September and restaurants are busy. I love the light in St Ives and the beaches and the crab sandwiches. Great for people (and seal) watching.

Padstow is a massive (busy) letdown but I like going for the dolphin boat trips. A certain chef has taken over the town with two many businesses. A bit greedy if you ask me. Fowey is okay for a little river trip. I can see why the locals get wound up. The shops cater for tourists, not much for locals.

The coast in Cornwall is spectacular but the interior can be run down. It is a very poor county without the tourism. The high hedges in the country lanes are claustrophobic. Devon is nice - they have the edge on countryside.

Cornwall is not my favourite, but have soft spot for St Ives. I love Yorkshire Dales and Scotland. Spectacular.

puppy, i couldnt wait to drive out of Newquay !!

Newquay - eugh.

But you clearly didn't go to Kynance Cove - I was blown away (not literally).

i don't go to Newquay ever. There's a half decent soft play place on the outskirts and that's the closest I go . Or I drive right past and go to Crantock.

NT membership is very handy alround here.

Yes, NT card is a good thing to have with you.

St Michaels Mount is NT (with charge for boat if causeway not available) but gets ridiculously busy, particularly if the gardens are open. They are not open all the time so when they are it is mayhem.

I agree. There are some lovely parts of Cornwall, but it's far too busy in the summer holidays. Give me Pembrokeshire or Brittany any day for beautify sandy beaches.

I much prefer Dorset. TBH, now I live in Dorset I really struggle to appreciate going on holiday anywhere and am always pleased to get home!

West Bay is like winding Padstow back in time before the Boden-set took it over and Lyme Regis is much nicer than Newquay (although it does get horribly busy too).

Dorset is gorgeous.

My family and I have been to Dorset on our holidays

I love Lyme Regis for pretending I'm Anne Elliot - deffo can't do that in Newquay.

Try walking around Godrevy and tell me the scenery there isn't stunning.

I have had nice times in Cornwall but it's more effortful to enjoy it than most other coastal areas because it is just too small. I feel like there should be an amnesty week every summer where noone is allowed into Cornwall and the locals get to enjoy it themselves.

I would always choose Dorset and i personally am a fan of the Cote d'Opale between the euro tunnel and Boulogne.

I live in Falmouth and I love it here. Surely it's well known that it's going to be hellishly busy and usually wet in August? Isn't Cornwall famed for being wet and windy? It's bloody beautiful when the sun shines though.

I know we rely on tourism down here, but fuck me it's tricky sometimes. People come down in huge cars completely unable to navigate the narrow roads. Decide they want to surf, get into the water completely inexperienced and often endanger themselves and others in the process. Drink too much and end up puking and pissing in the streets. Leave horrendous rubbish everywhere. Get pissed and fall into the water, thus needing the RNLI to come and fish them out, and clog up our one an only hospital.

It's a bit testing at times.

On the plus side, come September most people have gone home. The weather is better and there's still just about time for beach days and camping!

I like Dorset too, both the coast and the inland. It's so much better.

Scarborough is a real treat. It's literally at the end of a very long road. Northumbria is also bleak and beautiful. (And great fish supper).

Also, the food down here is great, and I say that as a vegetarian. I can only imagine it must be even better if you eat fish. We are very lucky here to have some amazing restaurants.
Where are you all going?

I live in Cornwall! Would i come here on a holiday? Probably not... I find Scotland prettier if I'm being honest. When it's sunny you feel like you're in some sort of sub-tropical paradise . But i agree it's very far away from everywhere and it can get BORING. To be fair this has been the worst summer Ive seen for a very long time, so maybe that has something to do with your disappointment.

Mmm The Shack Stack is worth the (half hour) trip to Falmouth for me

It is totally pissing it down right now. It has made for a trying summer with two ore-schoolers

That's because you've never been to the Wheelhouse @Thursdaylastweek !

It's on the list (for autumn obviously ) now though, thanks for the tip revolution!

This year seems to have combined crap weather and an unusually high volume of tourists, presumably down to the weak pound. Certainly there are more cars with foreign plates on the roads than normal. And it is tough, living here- obviously you expect the beaches to be more crowded, but struggling to find somewhere to park at the supermarket and enormous queues every time you want to fill up with diesel are wearing.