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UK Tourist & Leisure Attractions - Cornwall

Belinda and Mike - follow our tourist travels in the UK

West Cornwall Holiday June 2010 - page 1

We figured the time was ripe for another holiday visit to Cornwall (last in 2002), this time to tour the far south west of this gorgeous part of England.  We found a secluded holiday cottage on the edge of the lovely village of Ashton, near Helston, and enjoyed a week of (mostly) warm and sunny weather.  In the first few days we walked from our Cornish holiday cottage to Rinsey and on to Praa Sands, and took the park and ride to beautiful St Ives.
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West Cornwall 1 | West Cornwall 2 | West Cornwall 3
 

Setting off from our Cornwall holiday cottage in Ashton
Our Cornish holiday cottage was located on the outskirts of Ashton (nr Helston) in Cornwall and on our first day we decided to have a car-free day and enjoy a walk to the popular surfing beach at Praa Sands and its mile of long golden sand.  The walk...

Checking the local Rinsey information on the notice board
...took us through Rinsey where we stopped to read this handy notice board about the area.  We'd done our usual pre-holiday internet research of course but a bit of local info is always handy too!  Come on Mike, the beach awaits!

Cornwall: taking a pic of Praa Sands across the fields
Heading right across the fields from Rinsey we caught our first glimpse of Praa Sands, so... time for a photo!  Come on Belinda, the beach awaits!

Seascape at Praa Sands in Cornwall
Hmmm... the weather was rapidly deteriorating as we approached Praa Sands - but the exquisite Cornish coast can never look dull.

Praa Sands in the Cornish summer rain
We sat on Praa Sands beach with our picnic... then legged it as the heavens opened, leaving the surfing and lifesaving event which was taking place to continue in the rain!  Meanwhile, we headed for a nice dry café at nearby Sydney Cove.

Praa Sands from Sydney Cove in Cornwall
A last look at Praa Sands then, this time from the other side of the beach at Sydney Cove.  We could well see how Praa Sands gets really busy on warm sunny days.  In fact, just as we headed back to the holiday cottage at Ashton the sun returned.

The Park & Ride train at St Ives station in Cornwall
Next day we took the Park and Ride (£4 each plus £2.20 to park at Lenant Saltings) to St Ives on a noisy, smelly, standing room only 'modern' diesel train.  Although we enjoyed some magnificent scenic views of the Cornish coastline along the way, next time we'd rather take our chances and drive to St Ives.

Cornwall: St Ives harbour front
St Ives is a very popular holiday tourist destination - even on a dull Monday morning in June.  With Tate St Ives, this Cornish town is strongly associated with the arts, pottery - and Cornish Pasties!  This is a look along the busy harbour front from the lifeboat station from where boat trips can be taken...

Boat trips from St Ives harbour?
...to attractions such as Godrevy lighthouse and Seal Island.  Despite the advertising boards here, no boat trips seemed to be operating and there was no notice to advise.  Maybe the low tide or cloudy Cornish weather put paid to them?

St Ives harbour front from the west side
Here's another look along St Ives harbour front from the other end.  Here many tourists were sitting on the benches looking out across the harbour - and closely watching them were the Cornish seagulls waiting to swoop down and nick people's pasties!

Fore street in St Ives, Cornwall
Just behind St Ives harbour front is Fore Street and thronged with tourists.  Although rather quaint, we couldn't shift the idea it was all a bit of a tourist trap.

A view of St Ives harbour looking towards The Wharf
Weyhey, the sun's come out!  And from thereon in that's where it stayed for the rest of our Cornish holiday.  St Ives really looked a lot better in the sun!

The Wharf, St Ives Cornwall
This is The Wharf and here in St Ives we lunched on the yummy Cornish Pasties.

 

During our holiday planning to Cornwall (and touring elsewhere in the UK) we've amassed many tourism resources for the areas and places we visit - you guys feel to check them out.

We've holidayed in Cornwall before - in 2002.  Back then we toured a different part taking in The Eden Project, Lappa Valley railway, a Cornish cider farm, Fowey, Camel Trail, Truro and Newquay.

 

Looking out at the north Cornwall coast from St Ives Head
Walking up to St Ives Head to bag a geocache we had a wonderful view of the rugged north Cornish coast...

View towards St Ives, Cornwall from St Ives Head
...and another wonderful view back towards St Ives from the St Nicholas Chapel up there.

Cornwall: looking across St Ives harbour
So, a last lingering look at Cornwall's captivating St Ives across the harbour before heading back to the holiday cottage (after enduring the ropey Park & Ride train once more!).

Porthminster beach, St Ives, Cornwall
Well, this view of gorgeous Porthminster beach in St Ives sure takes some beating!  And there's more like this as we continue our Cornwall holiday to St Michael's Mount and Mullion Cove >>>

We've also holidayed in Devon and Dorset in the West Country.