The Cornwall Blog

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...

One of the best things about being in Cornwall is Spring, the flowers tend to open here first and the stunning gardens we have dotted around are full of rhododendrons and magnolia. A sight to behold!  It really is lovely after the destruction of the recent storms seeing these beautiful gardens recover. Pencarrow House and Gardens , just outside Wadebridge, lost a massive 50 mature trees in storm Eunice, so tragic as the gardens are wrapped in ancient woodland and a joy to explore. With a slightly delayed opening, 21st March, the team at Pencarrow are busily getting the gardens ready again for the public to enjoy. Pencarrow really is a Cornish gem, still family-owned the estate is full of ancient history and worthy of an explore. The gardens are a wonderful mix of woodland (where you can just make out an Iron Age fort), the Italian formal gardens which are so peaceful and there's even a secret grotto thought to be a romantic meeting spot! There is a garden trail for the kids and chi...

We've taken quite a battering in Cornwall with storm Eunice, and storm Franklin may well bring more damage. Thankfully I've only had sleepless nights and flickering lights but many around me have lost power and lost tiles. My mum's greenhouse, plastic, twisted into quite an impressive modern sculpture. Thankfully no one I knew has been hurt. I can't say I ventured out myself to get any photos but I have sought out some who have. With waves dwarfing defences and monolith trees crashing leaving chaos in their wake, there has been no shortage of drama.  Here are a few pictures that capture the storm perfectly.  Tom Cox caught on camera this casualty of storm Eunice, a tree in Bude thankfully fell away from the road. From The Guardian .  The post office on St Martins, the Isles of Scilly took a great picture of the crashing waves. From the BBC . Poor Porthleven always takes a battering, wonderfully moody photographs from Cornwall Lives ' Greg Martin. A little bit of fun...

Ok this might not be the most seasonal of blog posts, but just in case the dreary cold has got you hoping for sunny times, here is a really wonderful way to see Cornwall. Picture this; the allure of the open road, the vintage camper, breath-taking beaches and quality family time - sounds rather perfect to me! Wild and Free Cornish Campers are a little company based in Wadebridge, North Cornwall, who offer the chance to do just that, borrow Pip the beautifully restored T2 WW camper and take off! This stunning retro classic is not just for surfers. 'Pip' is a 1974 VW Westfalia and sleeps 4, the company provide pretty much everything you might need (even a bluetooth radio and sat nav!) for a lovely, movable, holiday in Cornwall.    I do love these camper vans, a friend had one when I was at art college in Plymouth and we would all pile in for an adventure. Pip has been thoughtfully and beautifully restored and the family-run company seem to have thought of everything, you can te...

Photo credit Bazil Arden via Wild Swimming Cornwall Have you been caught by the wild swimming bug? Yes I know it is December but for some the shock of the cold is part of the fun! I am relatively new to swimming in the sea to be honest, but walking to my favourite cove with just a couple of friends and only wildlife for company was sublime. The wetsuit helped, I loved bobbing around with the birds, the stillness, the peace and quiet and the exhilaration of it all.   Photo via Wild Swimming Cornwall If you are thinking of embracing winter wild swims in Cornwall, it's good to be informed, there are actually quite a few groups and clubs you can join to make sure your are being as safe as possible. Swim Wild Cornwall can give you training to build confidence and help you swim safely. The open sea can be challenging, especially in winter, luckily Cornwall we have lots of tidal pools, which offer more security and just happen to be beautiful to boot! A few favourites are the Song of the...

With the shorter days and darker evenings it can feel like the animals have it right, time to hibernate! There are some things worth venturing out for though, take The Lost Garden's of Heligan and their annual Night Garden event. Such a great idea, the famous Liverpool Lantern Company create these amazing displays throughout the garden taking you on a trail of 'oohs' and 'aahs'.  The lighting helps you appreciate this varied garden in a completely different way. The natural planting is transformed by striking projected images while owls, hares, butterflies, robins and foxgloves all play their part in capturing imaginations. It's brilliant for kids, wheelchair friendly and outdoors, so handy when it comes to reducing covid risk too. You can book a slot at their website, ensuring everyone can wander at their own pace.  

Surely the best thing about Autumn is the trees - woodland walks, that crunch under foot and the golden leaves highlighted by low October sun. I love this time of year, getting outdoors is a necessity!  But there is actually something helpful we can be doing whilst we tread through ancient woodland (where are your favourites? I love Cardinham and Respryn), get involved with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Autumn Seed Search .  The idea is to sign up, get informed and collect seeds that fall to the ground and help them grow into saplings, eventually to be planted. Normally wildlife does a pretty good job of this, birds especially spread seeds far and wide (I have a few trees in my garden that just appeared!) but in Cornwall we are short of trees so it's time to give nature a helping hand. Their website is informative, with videos showing you what seeds to collect each month and how to look after your seed and sapling. Signing up also helps them track what is growing where. This m...