The Cornwall Blog

Way down in Penzance we have Penlee House, internationally renowned for its collection of British art, in particular, from the Newlyn School of artists. It was in 1997 that the gallery received a much needed refurbishment and has consequently become a leading regional museum. This month until the 3rd of June the gallery and museum are running an exhibition entitled 'A Casket of Pearls: Celebrating 20 years of collecting' . You can see how their collections have developed over the two decades with a chance to view fine and decorative art, social history, photography and archaeology. There is also free family fun with drop-in workshops every Saturday from 2.30pm-3.30pm, great to get the kids involved! Oh and you can get a locals pass too. Do check out their website to find out about the Newlyn School of art , fascinating to think in 1884 this little fishing village could count 27 skilled artists among its residents!

Cardinham Woods capture that childhood magic. Just outside Bodmin you can find the beautiful tall trees of this Cornish woodland. There are four walking routes of varying challenges, ideal for taking the dogs or exhausting hyper children. Mountain bikers too flock here for the three clearly marked cycle trails of different difficulties, you can even hire bikes on site (though you do need to book in advance). The highlight for me is the Woods café, delicious home made food and tempting cakes are just what you need after being oh so healthy and tiring yourself out in the fresh air. If you would rather sort your own food then by the river you can find picnic areas and static BBQs, ideal for family or group gatherings. One of the trials, Lady Vale, is pushchair friendly and there is a little play area that kids will love too. You do need to pay for parking but we always find a day at the woods puts a smile on everyone's face! You can find out more about Cardinham Woods...

We have just had our shortest day (yay) but we still have a long way to go for those bright summer evenings. The dark nights call for cosy nights in, or for glamorous nights out! For a break from the norm head to Truro's Hall for Cornwall and be entertained by ballet, live music and theatre. What caught our eye is the classic ballet of Swan Lake showing on the 18th and 19th of January. Tchaikovsky's score is sensational, the story of Odette who is fated to be a swan by day and a princess by night, meets Prince Siegfried and a story of love unfolds in this well-loved piece by the St Petersburg ballet. You can also find tributes to Fleetwood Mac, Elvis, Abba and The Beach Boys Story! Something for everyone in Cornwall's largest theatre.      

St Austell Brewery are hosting their 18th annual Celtic Beer Festival in the depths of their ancient cellars. There will be almost 200 beers to sample, along with favourites Tribute, Proper Job and Korev. Live bands will be playing day and night and 100% of the profit goes to the breweries charities in the South West. Taking place on November the 26th it proves to be a must for beer lovers out there. The brewery itself was founded in 1851 by Cornishman Walter Hicks, and the company is still family owned and independent. According to their website - and it is changing all the time - they have produced 981,792,168 pints since 1851! Find out more about the festival here.

The kids may well have gone back to school but Cornwall is still buzzing with plenty to do. This month we have a food festival in Truro, a fish festival in Newquay, and a design festival at Trereife House - and Looe hosts its music festival! Looe is a vibrant harbour town and once a year down on the beach crowds flock to hear a real variety of bands in this much loved festival. This year the Fun Lovin’ Criminals are taking to the stage where previous acts have included The Darkness, Reef, The Stranglers, Levellers and Seth Wakeman to name a few. Its an eclectic line up of national and international bands with music workshops and live music on every corner of this seaside town. And in some what of a change of direction, Laurence Fox, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway in ITV drama Lewis will be seen heading out on his first tour at the Looe Music Festival. Bringing indie sounds from his debut album Holding Patterns . As the festival grows year on year so does the fringe...

There is so much to do in Cornwall in August! When the weather is like today (a scorcher) then the coast will always be a pull but there is always so much to do inland too. Take the Cornish Steam and Country Fair, previously known as the West of England Steam Rally. Located at the Sithians show ground outside Truro, the fair first took place back in 1955 with just six steam engines. Today over three days you can see almost 100! So what can you expect? Plenty of shiny brass, vintage cars, tractors, motor cycles, heavy horses - the list goes on. You can also see how things worked on a farm in way back when. There are dog agility shows, brass bands and a traditional fun fair! Something for everyone. Running from the 19th to the 21st of August 2016. You can find out more at their website.

Not long now to the first North Cornwall Gin Festival ! Hosted by Wadebridge Wines , in the heart of the North Cornish town, on the 23rd of July. The festival charges a small entrance fee and provides 50 different gins to try! This promises to be a truly grown up affair with interesting and unique stalls, fresh lemon and limes and herbs, exclusive chocolates, live music and lawn games. You can find out more at the Wadebridge Wines Facebook page, or check their website .