In DestinationsEurope on 19/05/17
Minack Theatre with its grass and stone amphitheatre overlooking the stone stage, with the cliffs, blue sea and distant coastline in the background

Cornwall & Devon, UK

“Nature is impersonal, awe-inspiring, elegant, eternal. It’s geometrically perfect. It’s tiny and gigantic. You can travel far to be in a beautiful natural setting, or you can observe it in your own backyard.” Gretchen Rubin

Padstow village centre with a little cafe terrace, cobbled streets and small shops trading from old stone Devon cottages

These two counties have an ongoing dispute as to whether the cream or jam goes first onto a scone, so they will baulk at me putting them together in on one blog.  But from the perspective of a Grockle (outsider to you and I) they collectively make up the most beautiful corner of the UK, so it’s worth visiting both.

Cornwall and Devon offer quaint fishing villages lined with cobbled streets and old cottages, rolling hills and beaches so stunning that in summer, you’d barely believe you were in the UK.  And of course cream tea (tea and scones) can be found at every corner.

These counties bloom in summer, all the shops, beach cafes and restaurants re-open to offer what is, in my view, the perfect holiday.  But pick the towns and villages you visit carefully.

St Ives beach at sunset, the sand is pink, the water purple and the sky blue. In the background there is a green grassy hill and people are playing on the beach

Cornwall

At the south western tip of the UK, Cornwall has a strong fishing history that’s still thriving today.  This is the home of the Cornish pasty, a traditional meal of meat and veg encased in pastry that causes as much debate and division as scones – are their origins Cornish or not?  To add carrot or not??  Either way they are delicious and well worth a try.

Recommended destinations:

St Ives is one of Cornwall’s most popular towns, and for good reason.  While the centuries old fishing industry is still present, it’s also now popular with artists for its beautiful landscapes and unique natural light.

Minack Theatre mid performance, the stage is lit and the sea is visible in the distance

The headland has four fantastic beaches, a Tate art gallery, delightful art and gift shops in the rabbit warren of tiny streets and plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants.  The whole village is accessible by foot and the train station makes it a viable destination by public transport, even from London.

Porthcurno hosts the Minack Theatre.  An outdoor amphitheatre made of rock and grass overlooking the sea, you can watch live theatre here for around £10, with your own picnic and wine and the sound of crashing waves beyond the stage.  It’s one of my top experiences in the UK.  Porthcurno village itself is tiny, a great spot to get away from it all.  In general, the smaller villages offer character and authenticity that deliver a truly British experience, well worth a look.

Padstow harbour, a natural harbour with day fishing boats moored up, against a backdrop of old stone Devon cottages, trees and blue skies

Padstow is a traditional fishing village on the west coast, the Rick Stein fish restaurants here are so famous the village is often referred to as ‘Padstein’.  Although dominated by wealthy second home owners, it is still charming and beautiful.  The village offers great food, lovely walks and bike rides on the nearby Camel Trail, and there are vineyards nearby selling delicious local wines.  A ferry runs over the River Camel to Rock, a hamlet popular with the rich and famous for its beauty and seclusion.

Sennen Cove, a tiny village of small Cornish cottages with a life boat station, surrounded by green hills and overlooking a craggy coastline

Sennen Cove is tiny and charming, with a great glass and art gallery, small beach and great views.  Worth a stop if you’re driving past.  As for other villages, I hear Fowey and Tintagel are also worth a visit, they’re on my list!

Word to the wise: avoid Lands End.  It is what it says, the most south westerly point of the UK and a bit of a landmark, but you have to pay around £5 to park your car, visit a paltry visitor centre and stand on the edge of the land.  It’s an embarrassment to UK tourism.  Also be wary of Newquay, although still a popular surfing village with world renowned waves, the non-surfing crowd these days tend to be young, rough and rowdy.

A sandy cove with a few people sunbathing on the beach and against the rocks, with the sea in the background

Devon

Devon is on the way to Cornwall and it’s worth stopping on the way.   While perhaps not quite as quaint as Cornwall, Devon has plenty to offer.  The beaches on the north shore are my favourite spot, while Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks have some beautiful walks and old stone circles.

There are some lovely harbour towns on the south coast and the county has a suitably strong reputation as a sailing destination, protected from the rougher seas of the west coasts of Cornwall and Devon.

Recommended destinations:

Woolacombe taken from the southern hills. The small town is surrounded by hills and overlooks a big sandy beach and clear seas

Woolacombe’s beach was voted best in Britain by TripAdvisor reviewers for 2015 and 2016, and deservedly so.   The three miles of sand offer plenty of room for everyone, with easy waves for beginner surfing or bodyboarding and good facilities nearby.  The town itself is a mish mash of architecture, so while it isn’t the prettiest, it’s compact size and layout makes everything accessible with just enough shops and restaurants to service a week’s holiday.   This is one of my favourite spots in the region.

Just down the road from Woolacombe, Croyde is a pretty village set back from the beach with a few tourist shops and traditional English pubs serving great food.  A circular walk from Woolacombe to Croyde takes in the beach and villages with country lanes in between, gorgeous, especially on a summer’s day.

Exeter city is full of lovely old stone buildings built around the River Exe.   One of the nicer cities in the UK, it’s surrounded by countryside with fantastic views, riverside walks and a sprinkling of watersports on offer.  A good stopping off point on your way to/from the delights of Devon and Cornwall.  Overall, this is my favourite part of the UK and on my list of potential retirement destinations.  This region keeps drawing me back and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

  • Exeter cathedral, a big church with ornate stonework and windows Exeter
  • Exeter hills, with ancient gravestones overlooking rolling green hills and small villages Exeter surrounding areas
  • St Ives waterfront with rocks leading into clear seas on a sunny day St Ives
  • A view over St Ives harbour with cottage roofs in the foreground and the town in the background, taken late afternoon as the sun sets, the town looks golden and the sky is blue and pink St Ives
  • St Ives shoreline with clear waters, the harbour and town in the background St Ives
  • St Ives
  • St Ives
  • St Ives Harbour, taken from the sandy beach, there are small day boats on the sand and in the natural harbour, with the town in the background set against a blue sky with wispy clouds St Ives harbour
  • St Ives beach in the middle of the day, the sand is yellow, the water an array of blues and the sky blue with wispy clouds. In the background there is a green grassy hill and people are playing on the beach St Ives
  • St Ives beach taken from an outcropping, with old houses in the background surrounded by trees and fields St Ives
  • Sennen Cove shoreline with fishing boats tied up on the beach and waves crashing in the background Sennen Cove
  • Minack Theatre
  • Woolacombe beach taken from the north, green hills and a huge beach with only one row of houses visible Woolacombe beach
  • Salcombe
  • The Shell Shop - a small shop with every kind of shell in every kind of design, outside strings of shells are on display Padstow shops
  • The coastal path from Woolacombe to Mortehoe, green hills, a tiny mud path and moody cloudy skies with the sea breaking against a rocky shoreline Footpath from Woolacombe to Mortehoe
  • Barricane beach at sunset, the sky is purple, blue, orange and pink and the sea leads into the cove, a lovely purple colour
  • Woolacombe taken from the southern hills. The small town is surrounded by hills and overlooks a big sandy beach and clear seas Woolacombe
  • Salcome houses overlooking winding streets with the sea in the background Salcombe
  • Salcome Bay after sunset. Taken from the hill overlooking the bay, there are Cornish cottages in the foreground and boats on the water in the background Salcombe Bay
  • Map of Cornwall