Pictures of Cornwall

Looking over to Fowey taken from St. Saviours Hill, Polruan, Cornwall, June 2006.

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About Cornwall

Think of Cornwall and immediately there springs to mind a vision of Atlantic rollers tumbling over jagged rocks to lash against towering cliffs. This is Cornwall's northern coast, which for centuries has taken a pounding from the turbulence of a 3,000 mile ocean. This part of Cornwall is dominated by Celtic mystery, tales and legends of King Arthur and his dramatic legendry castle perched on a rocky outcrop above Tintagel. In stark contrast to the south lies a softer channel coast of a more gentle nature, it has stormy seas, but these are less significant for here although the coast encompasses a wealth of headlands, there are the flat estuaries of the Helford, Fal and Fowey Rivers.

Wedged between Cornwall's coastal waters is a hinterland made special by a wealth of magnificent gardens where the growth of exotic plants and flowers is encouraged by a pleasant mild climate. But inland Cornwall still has dramatic landscapes of which Bodmin Moor is one. The moor is a place of high peaks and mystic pools, it has hauntingly beautiful places such as the Golitha Falls where the River Fowey tumbles from the high granite uplands, flowing through wooded valleys to join with the sea. But when storm clouds gather the moor appears sinister and forbidding. Even more extraordinary are the countless stone relics found among the moor-land wastes, they may not be as imperious as Stonehenge, none-the-less, they hold the secrets of a Cornwall of 4,000 or more years ago.

Here in this land of many contrasts visitors will find enchanting fishing villages, picturesque stone cottages, quaint harbours, vast beaches, historic churches - some standing close to the sea, and a myriad of ruined mines perilously perched above the wild Atlantic ocean. Small coves and almost white sandy beaches can often be found lying peacefully at the end of a winding leafy lane, undisturbed by the passing of time and looking as if no man has been there before.

St.Ives is a painters paradise, Penzance tingles with legends of pirates, Newlyn harbour is often delightfully crowded with trawlers, Zennor is the perfect "stone village" and Newquay and Bude offer superb surfing, excellent sands, and a wealth of places to explore. St.Nectan's Glen, a peaceful wooded valley filled with birdsong is made more vibrant by a fall of foaming water tumbling through a hole in a stone basin, this is a tranquil, "off the beaten track" spot, with magical views all around.

Palm trees flourish in the Roseland peninsula's sheltered climate, St.Mawes is dominated by Henry VIII's mighty castle, at St.Anthony's Head a lighthouse guides sailors to the safety of the Carrick Roads, and Portloe lies at the foot of a valley leading into Veryan Bay - this is every bit the quintessential Cornish fishing village with boats hauled onto the beach. At Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula changing light off-sets the natural colours of the serpentine rocks, these form a dramatic backdrop for the cove's pale sands. Near Lizard Point in spring-time the ancient Church of St.Wynwallow has snowdrops and daffodils growing from its graves, here too, there is a lighthouse to guide vessels round the oft storm-ridden point.

Of its strange customs, Cornwall's ancient Floral Dance still survives in the old town of Helston, and a spiders web of narrow lanes lead through matchless green countryside to the beautiful Helford River, with its oyster beds, sailing boats and wooded banks. A footpath takes you through the woods to Frenchman's Creek, made famous by Daphne du Maurier.

So here you have it all, lazy days on quiet sandy beaches, fishing in and around quaint harbours, surfing in the wild Atlantic, sailing in the coastal waters of the channel whilst exploring pretty creeks, investigating a wealth of ancient sites, enjoying sights and sounds of age-old Cornish customs, viewing magnificent coastal moonscapes or watching the sun rise while the gentle surf trickles over your feet. Yes, there is the "new" Cornwall with its flamboyant surfing beaches, crowded bars and newer attractions, such as the amazing Eden Project, but for the many it will always be the quiet enchantment, prettiness of the countryside, quaint coastal villages with tumbling streets and old inns. Above all of this, it is the grandeur of rain lashed tempestuous seas leashing their might against huge granite cliffs that will call you back to this mysterious land time and time again. For it is simply unforgettable! (add/update description)

See below for all the best towns & attractions in Cornwall, or see a selection of our Cornwall photographs on our picture tour of Cornwall..

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Recommended towns & villages in Cornwall

Bodmin in the county of Cornwall
Historically fascinating and naturally beautiful, this area of North Cornwall has so much to offer. Equidistant from both the...
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Charlestown in the county of Cornwall
This lovely little port hugs the rugged south Cornish coast overlooking picturesque St. Austell Bay. There has long been a...
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Constantine Bay in the county of Cornwall
Constantine Bay lies south of Padstow, and just a short distance from Trevose Head. Here visitors will find a marvellous...
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Padstow a Picturesque Village in the county of Cornwall
Padstow has become a phenomenon of the latter half of the 20th-century when Chef, Rick Stein, together with his endearing little...
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Penzance in the county of Cornwall
Romanticised in a lively 19th-century Operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan which was first performed in Paignton, Devon in 1879,...
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Perranporth in the county of Cornwall
Originally, hundreds of years ago, in the Middle Ages, this enchanting sea-side resort was an industrious tin and copper mining...
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Polkerris a Picturesque Village in the county of Cornwall
An attractive curving harbour wall puts a protective arm around an assortment of gaily painted boats and yachts moored whilst...
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Polperro a Picturesque Village in the county of Cornwall
Jagged rocks rise as if to guard the entrance to the picturesque harbour of this enchanting fishing village which has for decades...
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Portreath in the county of Cornwall
The blossoming of Portreath began when Francis Basset, a member of one of Cornwall's wealthiest families, built a pier in 1786 to...
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St Just in the county of Cornwall
Attractive town dominated by its historic parish church, superb town clock and the handsome building of the Wellington Hotel...
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