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Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

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Original poster

Best area to stay in Cornwall

28 replies

Cloudtree · 04/05/2019 11:08

We are looking to have a week away in a cottage in cornwall somewhere over the summer but don't know the area at all. We've been looking at Fowey and also the area around Bedruthen steps. Can anyone who knows the area give any recommendations. Family of four DC 14 and12 both boys.

OP posts:

PhannyMcNee · 04/05/2019 11:10

Depends what you want to do, how far you’re willing to drive to do stuff and what you’ll want to do if the weather’s crap!

BeardedMum · 04/05/2019 11:11

The best beaches are in the south in my opinion. We love st ives and mousehole.

Bunnylady53 · 04/05/2019 11:12

It depends what you like doing. If you’re into surfing etc, head for the North Coast . There are loads of beaches near Bedruthan Steps. Fowey is pretty but gets extremely busy in summer & you don’t get surfing on that coast, more sailing & kayaking.

Original poster

Cloudtree · 04/05/2019 11:16

I think DH and the DC would certainly like to try surfing. I'm keen to do the Eden project and the lost gardens of heligan but we will have the car and are happy to drive around. A friend has recommended Fowey which is why we were looking there initially.

OP posts:

WeeDangerousSpike · 04/05/2019 11:16

St ives is nice. Falmouth too. Fowey is not very varied, although it's pretty. The parking there is absolutely extortionate if your accommodation doesn't have spaces.

How reliant do you want to be on a car? Do you want to be able to have car free days/meals so you can have a drink or are you happy to drive every day?

Maybe have a look at the train prices and timetables too to get an idea of what your options are by train.

PhannyMcNee · 04/05/2019 11:17

For sailing - Helford passage/Falmouth area
Surfing - north coast around Newquay, Rame peninsula in South East or Mounts Bay (Penzance/Marazion/Pras Sands)
Quaint touristy towns/beaches - St Ives, Fowey, Port Isaac, Padstow
Remote walking - Lizard peninsula
Museums - Truro, Bodmin, Falmouth, St Ives
Mining history - St Agnes, Redruth, Camborne area

That’s off the top of my head.

WeeDangerousSpike · 04/05/2019 11:18

I love Heligan. One of my absolute favourite places.

Eden project is horrifically expensive - check ticket prices so you aren't disappointed

WeeDangerousSpike · 04/05/2019 11:19

Newquay is quite boozy. Its very much a teen drinking town at end of exams etc.

Bunnylady53 · 04/05/2019 11:20

If you stay near Bedruthan Steps/Newquay, you can reach The Eden Project & Heligan in about 40 mins I’d say. The Eden Project is very expensive so check for deals online. Avoid Newquay towncentre in high season though! Awful!

WeeDangerousSpike · 04/05/2019 11:22

You definitely want the North Coast for surfing, but it's really not very far to go from south to north, so a day trip to a surfing beach is completely doable.

Original poster

Cloudtree · 04/05/2019 11:22

Ive been saving up the tesco clubcard vouchers for the eden project!

OP posts:

PhannyMcNee · 04/05/2019 11:23

Agree about Heligan - there and St Michaels amount are my 2 fave days out. Eden Project is shockingly expensive and I still don’t really ‘get’ it.

We’re in Falmouth so I’m biased but I love it here. It has a good train line, beaches, restaurants, sailing and a general buzz about the place. St Ives is super on a sunny day in February but rammed on a sunny day in August!!

Langrish · 04/05/2019 11:23

St. Ives, no question. Second, Fowey.

Langrish · 04/05/2019 11:24

Eden is magic. We watched it being built. Tim Smit (spelling?) persuaded people to pay to watch the diggers, clever chap.

Original poster

Cloudtree · 04/05/2019 11:33

I was hoping to be somewhere where we could walk to pubs/restaurants to eat in the evening

OP posts:

WeeDangerousSpike · 04/05/2019 12:01

Yup. Falmouth, St Ives, pad stein stow are probably your best options.

I'm in North Cornwall and we go to St Ives on holiday. It does get rammed in the school holidays though. Falmouth's bigger so more room to absorb the tourists iyswim.

Looe is nice too, like St Ives the beach is right in the town, so both are very convenient for lazy beach and eating days. St Ives has nicer boutique and arty shops.

Ricekrispie22 · 04/05/2019 13:01

We’ve had a great stay at Mawgan Porth which isn’t far at all from the Bedruthan Steps. Its between Newquay and Padstow. It’s got a blue flag beach with a surf school and there’s a decent go karting circuit. It’s half an hour from the Eden Project. www.mawganporth.info

notmrscookie · 05/05/2019 22:12

Spent today in Fowey.Yes it's nice ..very hilly and very little parking ...Eden project was fab for 6 hours .. We stayed in par which was 15 minutes max from project ..Not sure I would like to come in.August.

OutrageousFlavourLikeFreesias · 05/05/2019 22:32

St Ives is gorgeous, but the parking is utterly horrible (especially in school holidays). So make sure any cottage you book has an allocated parking space. Also, getting in and out of it to go anywhere else can be a nightmare in peak season.

Falmouth is my parents' home town and it's great - beaches, lovely town centre, lots of boat trips available to other places. Plus, about a forty-minute drive will get you to Perranporth and other good surfing beaches on the North coast.

Newquay is where the stags and hens go for a lovely drunken seaside stagger. Great if that's what you're after, but not exactly a family holiday.

I'd pick Falmouth, but I always do, so I'm biased

Pilotguy · 05/05/2019 22:46

Porthleven, good pubs cafes and restaurants, picturesque harbour, beach, walks in lovely countryside. Dozens of holiday cottages. Easy day trips to Falmouth, Lands End, St Ives, Gwithian’s enormous beach.
www.google.com/maps/search/Holiday+cottages+Porthleven/@50.083999,-5.3160131,17z

Original poster

Cloudtree · 06/05/2019 10:04

Any views on Marazion?

OP posts:

Langrish · 06/05/2019 10:54

Small, quiet, quite pretty but not a whole lot there. main road runs through it so can be very busy in summer. Huge beach and obviously spectacular views of the Mount. Not sure it’s an ideal base if you’re looking for a get there and stay on the beach sort of holiday (especially if the weather’s not great, it can be dead on wet windy days) but if you’re willing to go for day trips it’s convenient (and much cheaper usually) than staying in St Ives up the road.

FaFoutis · 06/05/2019 10:59

Marazion is a bit desolate, in a bad way.

Gertie75 · 08/05/2019 22:51

I love Perranporth, it has a beautiful big beach and pub actually on it which is great to sit outside and watch the sunsets.

There are plenty of lovely beaches nearby too such as Holywell Bay and Porth Joke which is usually quiet as you have to park and walk to it.

St Ives is crazy busy in the summer, we went on a day trip last year and decided to park and ride because the roads were gridlocked (this was June so not the main holidays either), we eventually found a spot on the beach and looking behind me at the prom you couldn't see a place where it wasn't 4 people deep.

Newquay isn't bad, a bit run down but most seaside towns are, the beaches are stunning and you have a choice of several, your sons would like Fistral if they fancy trying to surf.

Langrish · 09/05/2019 20:19

Gertie75

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