The Cornwall Blog

Charlestown harbour It was so lovely to have my brother visit in December. We enjoyed some proper sibling time, revisiting a few favourite haunts and indulging his passion for good coffee and beer. I thought the best plan was a little tour of some fine local establishments, enjoying the wonderful views in between the showers. Having grown up in Cornwall, my brother is no stranger to these parts, but these days it is a modern metropolis that he calls home. Well, Coventry actually, up country. Trips down here are rare but thoroughly enjoyed by us all, so I was glad to hang out with my kid brother and catch up. Coffee and cobbles in Charlestown The first chance we had to head out together came on a soggy and rather cold Saturday. He is not a great early riser, so my first thought was coffee. We headed to Charlestown and managed to squeeze into Short & Strong, where my brother thoroughly enjoyed a V60 pour-over coffee. I had a vegan hot chocolate with ha...

What we refer to as 'clay country' in Cornwall is the rugged landscapes that sits above St Austell. A landscape that has been mined and carved since the early 18th century. The richness of this landscape was discovered by William Cookworthy, and the fine white china clay is still mined today. There's a hotchpotch of villages with tight-nit communities where rugged hills provide far-reaching views and dug out valleys provide pools of turquoise waters.  After a stunning drive through these villages on a sunny day I wanted to delve a little deeper into the history, and what you can do here. When we first moved to Cornwall over 20 years ago, my dad joked that the little clay mound seen from many vantage point was my mum's 'mountain'. She had always wanted to live near mountains, and it seemed finally she would be! This relatively little mound is part of the legacy of an industrial past, but it's the glistening water-filled pits that really catch the eye on a sun...

I am completely loving this Spring weather! It was a really lovely Easter weekend in Cornwall, and as the holidays roll on the sun is still smiling on us.  One of the best ways to enjoy the landscape is definitely by bike, we have lots of trails all over the county that make use of the disused railway lines or tram ways. A place I want to explore more is the Pentewan valley, it always looks so inviting when I drive past the cyclists below peddling along the pretty river, it is actually really ideally located for cycle hire in Cornwall .  Pentewan itself is a lovely little village, two cafes that provide delicious ice cream and gorgeous cakes. The pub as well is always popular and looks the perfect spot for a cool shandy on a sunny day, watching the ducks in the pond.  At the holiday park you have Hubbox, such a yummy burger bar that I often return to with friends. Right on the beach, you can't beat it for location. The other asset this pretty village has is cycle hire. Th...

We have just had a beautiful October half term with warm sun and golden leaves. Sadly this can't always be guaranteed in Cornwall! There is still plenty to see and do in November. I think the real benefit to living in somewhere as picturesque as Cornwall isn't just those balmy summer days, but the rogue and surprising sunny moments gifted to us out of season. Walking on the beach as the sun dips behind the gently bobby horizon is truly special. Or exploring the ancient woodlands and wild moorland with those slightly hilarious long-haired cows, not a soul in sight.  As well as Cornwall's natural benefits, the cultivated ones are a treat in November too. True, many of our gardens are at their finest in spring or early summer, but Pinetum gardens in St Austell was actually designed as a winter garden and well worth a visit. With leaves a blaze with autumnal colour, bright berries, stunning bark, colourful foliage and sweet smelling...

When I first wrote this post in July 2018, Cornwall was basking in glorious sunshine and I had Cornish wine on my mind. Long sunny days, epic sunsets and something cold in a glass – it felt like a pretty good combination. The weather may be rather less dependable, but the idea still stands. Cornwall has become increasingly well known for the quality of its food and drink, and our vineyards are very much part of that story. So I thought it was time to revisit one of the original stars of this post, Camel Valley, and add another Cornish winery that has caught our eye since – Knightor. Camel Valley Vineyard, near Bodmin Camel Valley has been producing wine in the Camel Valley since Bob and Annie Lindo planted their first vines in 1989. Their son Sam later took over as winemaker, making this very much a Cornish family story as well as a wine one. The awards have certainly followed. Camel Valley wines have collected national and international medals for decades, but...

Archive note: This article was first published in November 2017. The event details, prices and fundraising figures below relate to that year. Beer had become big business, with the popularity of local varieties and more unusual brews giving drinkers an enormous amount of choice. In November 2017, St Austell Brewery hosted its popular Celtic Beer Festival deep within the brewery’s historic cellars. With almost 200 ales, stouts and lagers available, including many award-winning beers, it promised to be quite an event for anyone who enjoyed discovering something new. Visitors could expect familiar favourites such as Tribute, Proper Job and Korev, alongside new and limited-edition beers created especially for the occasion. Best of all, the profits went to the St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust, supporting causes across the South West. At the time of the festival, the event had helped to raise £186,000. Entry t...

Deep beneath St Austell Brewery, its historic cellars were transformed for the 18th annual Celtic Beer Festival on Saturday 26 November 2016. The festival brought together almost 200 ales, stouts and lagers, including St Austell favourites such as Tribute, Proper Job and korev. Live bands performed throughout the day and into the evening, while the brewery said that all profits would support its charitable work across the South West. Beer and live music in the brewery cellars The Celtic Beer Festival offered the chance to try familiar favourites alongside guest beers, limited editions and rather more adventurous brews, all within the atmospheric surroundings of the brewery’s Victorian cellars. A long tradition of Cornish brewing St Austell Brewery traces its story back to 1851, when Walter Hicks began working as a wine merchant and maltster. He later started brewing at the Seven Stars Inn in St Austell, before the business moved to i...

Tall ship at Charlestown The cycle trail around Pentewan Historic St Austell The Eden Project If you have ever visited Pentewan you would know what a sweet village it is. Delicious ice creams, great pubs and a beautiful sandy beach, what more could you want! Well from Pentewan Cycle Hire you can rent a bike and explore even more of this great county. There are many routes to choose from, cycle to the traditional fishing port of Mevagissey , or to the world famous Eden Project or even see the tall ships at Charlestown . The Lost Gardens of Heligan Around Pentewan Mevagissey Ideal for a one day hire, see Cornwall from a different angle. They provide a large range of quality bikes and accessories for hire and purchase. There are just so many routes all catering to different levels, all from this beautiful corner of Cornwall. Pentewan Cycle Hire The Pentewan Valley