Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
UK travel

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

Original poster

Cornwall too busy and too expensive!

108 replies

clarasara · 07/05/2022 20:58

Last went to Cornwall about 15 years ago.
We are looking to go in August but everyone keeps telling me how much it has changed and is super busy. Our friends go alot and said they were shoulder to shoulder in Padstow.
Can only go in August as a teacher and as we live in the North don't want to travel all the way down to find it too busy! Bloody expensive too.

My husband doesn't think it's worth the long drive and to pay over inflated prices. Just want somewhere the kids can go on a nice beach, be abit warmer than Yorkshire and lots to do!
Any other recommendations?
I love Cornwall though but hate the drive.

OP posts:
PattyMelt · 07/05/2022 22:16

Oh Heck we are all booked for Cornwall in August, never been there before. We live in North Wales and it's madness in the school holidays here. At least I now know what to expect.

MerryMaidens · 07/05/2022 22:20

You're risking it with the weather in Cornwall in August tbh. It's frequently stormy and rainy.

I'm from Cornwall and we can't afford to visit in the school holidays anymore (exception of Feb half term) unless a relative will houseswap with us. But not everywhere is as busy as Padstow etc. The Roseland has lots of quieter spots.

NotMeekNotObedient · 07/05/2022 22:33

Another reccomendation for the south coast- Bournemouth/Poole/Weymouth/Studland. Close to the New Forest too and loads to do down there. Nearer and stuff much closer together.

But it doesn't have the same feel as Cornwall.

Hotcuppatea · 07/05/2022 22:36

clarasara · 07/05/2022 21:14

I have heard it is beautiful at Tenby. Have you been?

Show quote history

Tenby is stunning. As beautiful as any place I have been abroad. In fact the whole of the Pembrokeshire coast is bloody gorgeous. I had a lovely time in St Davids a few years ago and had some great days out around there. Google The Blue Lagoon.

ballsdeep · 07/05/2022 22:42

PattyMelt · 07/05/2022 22:16

Oh Heck we are all booked for Cornwall in August, never been there before. We live in North Wales and it's madness in the school holidays here. At least I now know what to expect.

It is ten times worse on a bad day

ReadyToMoveIt · 07/05/2022 22:47

PattyMelt · 07/05/2022 22:16

Oh Heck we are all booked for Cornwall in August, never been there before. We live in North Wales and it's madness in the school holidays here. At least I now know what to expect.

Having been to both Cornwall and north Wales in August, Cornwall is in a league of its own in terms of sheer volume of people. And the price of everything.

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 07/05/2022 22:47

Pembrokeshire is beautiful. I would avoid Tenby in August though - Saundersfoot is much nicer.

There are lovely beaches in Pembs although lots of them, although easy to reach, may not have facilities.

Because the weather can be unreliable there are lots of things to do if the weather is not so good as well.

TheABC · 07/05/2022 22:48

I live in Cornwall. The last two years have been ridiculously busy thanks to Covid but we're expecting it to be quieter this year, now people can go abroad. My favourite time of year is May and September. The locals go to the smaller beaches that are off the beaten track in the summer and take sandwiches.

TomDaleysCardigan · 07/05/2022 22:50

Weymouth in August is equally hideous in terms of volume of people

Wrongkindofovercoat · 07/05/2022 22:51

@PattyMelt whereabouts have you booked ? It really isn't that bad, you just need to do a bit of research and can't expect to tip up and find empty beaches or carparks in the height of Summer.

Wrongkindofovercoat · 07/05/2022 22:58

@TheABC we managed to make it down for the last two years, yes it was a bit busier in August, we had to give up trying to park in St Ives at 2o'clock in the afternoon, but went over to Penzance for a few hours and came back and got parked up without any problem, bonus for me because I love Penzance !

fucketyfuckwit · 07/05/2022 22:58

I live in Cornwall- I go to France for 2 weeks in August to avoid the crowds.

Gregsprinkles · 07/05/2022 23:14

Don't go to Pembrokeshire, it's awful.

Original poster
clarasara · 07/05/2022 23:20

Wrongkindofovercoat · 07/05/2022 21:49

We have to stick to the school holidays due to DC, it is busy in Cornwall in the same way that any pretty seaside place in the UK is busy during the Summer holidays, ( if you are in Yorkshire, think Whitby, Scarborough, Filey, Saltburn during the Summer) it really isn't just a SW phenomenon.
It will be more difficult to drive around and park and there will be more people there trying to do all the same things you are trying to do, the same goes for South Wales, North Wales, Norfolk, Dorset, Devon etc
Have a look at Barmouth and the surrounding area, thats a lovely place and not too long a journey from Yorkshire, bit of something for everyone and a bit cheaper than Cornwall. Smile

Love them all!

OP posts:
Original poster
clarasara · 07/05/2022 23:22

Gregsprinkles · 07/05/2022 23:14

Don't go to Pembrokeshire, it's awful.

Why??

OP posts:
Mif4 · 07/05/2022 23:23

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Ridiculousradish · 07/05/2022 23:24

Cornwall is hell in August.

Ridiculousradish · 07/05/2022 23:26

I live here. I don't go out much in the Summer hols. We head to the beach in the evening when most people leave for their tea. If we go out for the day we leave really early and avoid the popular places. I'm really hoping this Summer will be quieter.

Gagaandgag · 07/05/2022 23:28

MissBattleaxe · 07/05/2022 21:01

North Wales has incredible beaches and the crowds are nothing like Cornwall. Harlech beach is 5 miles long and totally unspoilt. You can stand in the sea and look back at an 11th century castle. There's a nice caravan site a few miles away called Duffryn Ardudwy that has its own beach.

It’s beautiful there!

SpeedofaSloth · 07/05/2022 23:28

Pembrokeshire is astonishingly beautiful.
I do love Cornwall too, though.

doggiescats · 07/05/2022 23:34

I would recommend Devon or Wales ..Cornwall is lovely but Devon and the Pembroke coast really is beautiful .

vintagebeehive · 07/05/2022 23:41

I won't be going to Devon or Cornwall again until DC are out of school as it's far too busy for me.

Wales is the answer.

1dayatatime · 07/05/2022 23:50

I frequently go back to Cornwall to see family but I have actively avoided going in August for the last 10 years.
Places like Padstow and St Ives are effectively now theme parks.

So going to Cornwall in August is a bit like spending ages and ages in a traffic jam to get to an overcrowded theme park, with overworked and badly treated staff and where you are charged high prices for food , drink , everything (why? because you're in a theme park!)

The only thing conceivable worse than going to Cornwall in August is going to Cornwall on the August bank holiday weekend

Personally I would opt for North Wales, Gower and Pembrokeshire .

pastypirate · 08/05/2022 00:04

I'm Cornish. I'm from penzance. We have a van at mullion and have regular school holidays there. We go to st ives on the train park and ride now and then but it's a bit manic.

Padstow you can keep and central Newquay but cornwall has plenty of lush places that arnt jammers all the time.

SzeliSecond · 08/05/2022 00:43

I wouldn't bother if we didn't have family to visit. We are NW and the 6.5 hour drive takes 11 hours at least in summer. It's horribly busy and very expensive. Going abroad would work out cheaper if we didn't have accommodation provided. North Wales is a great shout from NW England

Swipe left for the next trending thread