10 Best Things to Do in Cornwall

West-facing Fistral Beach is exposed to Atlantic swells that are as consistent as they are dramatic. Whether you’re a nervous beginner or an experienced pro, the UK’s most famous surf beach delivers. Locals tend to congregate at the northern end of the beach where the waves come in steep and fast. The fickle Cribbar, where waves break perilously close to the rocks, is for advanced surfers only.

Cut your teeth in the middle of the beach where things are a lot more predictable. Leave an hour or 2 either side of high or low tide for reliably uniform lines of white water (excellent for novices) and the gently rolling waves that give intermediates an achievable challenge.

Follow the King Arthur trail in Cornwall and find the setting of the legend that has entertained us for generations. So the story goes, Excalibur, the King’s sword, was thrown into Dozmary Pool on Bodmin Moor. An inscribed stone-slab at Slaughterbridge marks the spot where Arthur ended the fellowship of the Round Table. 

But it’s Tintagel Castle, whose ruins span a gap between the mainland and a rocky headland, that’s the poster child for the King Arthur story. The 12th-century writer Geoffrey of Monmouth identified it as Arthur’s birthplace. This association with the Arthurian legend inspired the Earl of Cornwall to build a castle on the site in 1230 and ensures a steady stream of visitors to this day.

From Marazion beach, St Michael’s Mount looms large out in the bay. As the tide ebbs away, a cobbled causeway emerges, tempting walkers to cross the damp stones on foot. A castle that was formerly a 12th-century abbey built by Benedictine monks dominates the island.

Kids will love the tales of Jack the Giant Killer. A giant called Cormoran used to wade across the shallows and snatch grazing livestock. Jack snuck out to the island and dug a deep pit, blowing on a horn to trick the giant into running down the mount and fall into the well. Amusing tales aside, explore the island at leisure – if you get stranded by the tide you can always catch a ferry back to the mainland.

Singling out one beach from so many worthy challengers is a tough gig, but Kynance Cove is a standout. The west side of the Lizard Peninsula once inspired poet Alfred Lord Tennyson, who wrote of the cove’s ‘glorious grass-green monsters of waves’.

Brilliant white sand contrasts with dark rock and Tiffany-blue water to create a scene that delighted Victorian botanists and artists as much as it does 21st-century beachcombers. The cove encloses Asparagus Island, named for the plant that grows wild there. While The Parlour and The Drawing Room are actually landforms, there’s a café nearby for when you’re feeling peckish.

The B3306 connects St Ives to the village of Sennen, forming one of the UK’s great scenic drives. Providing sweeping views of the Bristol Channel to the north and moorland to the south, it hugs the shoreline for much of its route, giving the road its alternative name: the West Cornwall Coast Road.

A little beyond St Just, you can make a right onto the A30 for the arresting sight of the granite cliffs of Land’s End meeting the sweeping mighty blue of the Atlantic. Too touristy? For a quieter alternative, you can try nearby Cape Cornwall instead.

Revisit the age of steam with a ride on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. This 6-mile heritage line connects Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction. Dogs and bicycles are allowed on board and there are regular event days including murder mystery evenings and seasonal tie-ins.

While you might be satisfied with the view from your seat, it’s worth alighting at Colesloggett Halt for a walk in the nearby Cardinham Woods or at Bodmin Parkway for a stroll through the Lanhydrock Estate. Boscarne Junction is the gateway to the Camel Trail, where you’ll find the Camel Valley Vineyard at Nanstallon, just outside Bodmin.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan has been called “the garden restoration of the century”. Tim Smit led the project to bring the Lost Gardens of Heligan back to their former glory. When the army of gardeners that tended them set off to fight a different battle in 1914, the plants and paths they’d so lovingly tended were lost under a tangle of weeds and creeping ivy.  

These forgotten gardens were once part of the Tremayne family estate and reopened in 1992. Today, exotic planting showcases tree ferns, towering stands of bamboo, banana plantations and brightly coloured camellias.

The Eden Project skilfully repurposed the remnants of Cornwall’s industrial past by turning a disused quarry into a series of climate-controlled domes that house plants from across the globe. Inside, wander through structures which resemble giant upturned bowls of bubble wrap.

Protected from the elements, these domes house plants from across the globe. Absorb the scent of the lemon trees and olive groves of the Mediterranean Biome, or enjoy the lush planting of the Tropical Biome, dubbed the world’s largest greenhouse. Bring a refillable water bottle to cope with the warm temperatures inside and pack a picnic to make the most of the grounds.  

Minack Theatre is a clifftop amphitheatre that has much in common with the open-air theatres built by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Yet, this spectacular venue was born from more humble origins, the brainchild of am-dram enthusiast Rowena Cade. She moved to Minack Point and built herself a house. When the local theatre company were looking for somewhere more suitable to stage their productions than the village green, she offered them her garden.

The result was the Minack Theatre, hewn from the granite in the early 1930s. Since then, performers delivering classics fro the likes of Shakespeare and Dickens have had to compete with nature’s own spectacle – a magnificent, panoramic view over Porthcurno Bay.

Cornwall has long attracted several celebrity chefs but none more so than Rick Stein – the county has been his adopted home since the mid-70s. These days he puts his name to no fewer than 10 restaurants in the county, including traditional pub fare at The Cornish Arms in St Merryn.

His flagship, The Seafood Restaurant, is in the heart of Padstow, causing local wags to nickname the town Padstein. If you want to fit in, call it Padster. Regardless, the fish is freshly caught, making this as much of an essential stop for foodies as eating a Cornish pasty.