Insider’s Cornwall: where and when to go to beat the crowds, pick up a bargain and discover its little-known beaches
Skip the line Cornwall receives five million visitors a year, but most come in the summer when the narrow roads and beautiful beaches can be very busy. However, off-season, in the fall and winter, you’ll find endless activities, minus the honking horns. As the locals say: the real summer starts in September.
Line of sight Ever tried parking in St Ives in August? Don’t bother. Out of season it’s much easier, and there’s nothing like having Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture garden to yourself (entrance £8, tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives). See the studio where she carved her iconic pieces before walking over the hill to Tate St Ives to enjoy contemporary art in a curved white building overlooking the equally stunning Atlantic Ocean (admission £12).
Kynance Cove is a short drive from Hotel Polurrian on the Lizard
Coastline Become a world leader at the Carbis Bay Hotel, home of the 2021 G7 Summit. The Californian-style beachfront lodges are named after the countries whose heads were hosted in each hotel (doubles from £265, B&B, carbisbayhotel.co.uk). Look seaward and see leaping dolphins and seals sniffing the air.
Landline Cornwall once produced half the world’s tin, as explained at the Geevor Tin Mine Museum near Penzance, a World Heritage site (entry £20.50, geevor.com). Get the thrill by donning a helmet and going underground through dark dripping tunnels once used by miners, then recalibrate with a cream tea in the cozy café.
Wavy line Winter is all about crashing waves under gloomy skies, best enjoyed on the Lizard Peninsula, home to mainland Britain’s most southerly spot, Lizard Point. Hotel-wise, Polurrian on the Lizard, not far from spectacular Kynance Cove, maximizes ocean views with panoramic windows in the lounge and a wrap-around terrace for the Shearwater Suite (doubles from £119, B&B, polurrianhotel.com).
Waist Cornwall is foodie centric, with Falmouth at the heart of the youthful culinary transformation. Angus Bell, who trained under Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche, sets the bar high with locally sourced produce at Restaurant Mine (restaurantmine.co.uk – Dua Lipa is spotted here), while the Chintz bar (thechintzbar.com) next door has the best cocktails and parties in town. The freshest oysters, picky chunks and bougie beer? Head to The Seafood Bar (verdantbrewing.co) by the harbour, while lunch at Slice (sliceofcornwall.com), a few miles away in an ancient forest, is a must: stone-baked sourdough wraps with homemade sauces and thick slices of beef or chicken. For more traditional dishes elsewhere in Cornwall, try Ann’s Pasties (annspasties.co.uk) in Porthleven or the Rectory Farm Tea Rooms in Morwenstow (rectory-tearooms.co.uk).
Shipping line Expand your seafaring knowledge at Falmouth’s Maritime Museum (entrance £18.50, nmmc.co.uk), with exhibitions on pirates and the vibrant historical community of the Cornish coast. Stay at St Michael’s Resort, known for its spa and food (doubles from £127, B&B, stmichaelsresort.com).
Dateline In 1989 Bob Lindo and his wife Annie planted their first vines in Camel Valley, near Bodmin, and today the same family produces award-winning sparkling wines. Visit the tasting room for a glass of Annie’s Anniversary Brut (camelvalley.com).
Treeline The Eden Project in Bodelva is buzzing during the school holidays, but out of season is the perfect time to visit – and the rainforest dome is always warm (admission £38 online, edenproject.com). For other tempting garden walks, explore the winding paths of Trelissick, a National Trust estate, near Truro (entrance £15, nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/trelissick) or the magical Lost Gardens of Heligan, near St Austell ( entry £24.95) try. , heligan.com).
Family line Multi-generational holidays are on the rise and Cornwall is ideal, especially if the grandchildren are still toddlers. Fowey Hall (family rooms from £200, B&B, luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk) has something for kids, from an on-site nursery to spa treatments at Little Ishga; or try the Bedruthan hotel in Mawgan Porth (family rooms from £155, B&B, bedruthan.com) above the beach – excellent for winter walks.
Next week WELLNESS: dance your way to a happy brain
