Cornwall

Understand

Cornwall is a county within the United Kingdom. Prince William, by virtue of being heir to the throne, holds the title Duke of Cornwall, and his wife Catherine is the Duchess. The "Duchy of Cornwall" is a crown body that owns land in Cornwall, Devon and other parts of the UK. Although Cornwall was part of the Roman Empire, Cornish archaeological evidence points more to a neolithic culture than to a Roman culture. After the Romans left Britain, the Saxons invaded. The native Celtic population was not assimilated but was pushed westwards retaining their language and culture. In the year 936, King Athelstan fixed the River Tamar as the border of Cornwall. The modern border closely follows this ancient border. The Cornish language continued to be used in Western Cornwall until the eighteenth century. The modern English name of the county is thought to come from its old Celtic name, Kernou, meaning "the Horn", referring to its shape. The Celtic name was Latinised to Cornovia or Cornubia. When the Saxons gave the name of Wealas (foreigners) to the Britons, they singled out those who lived in Kernou or Cornubia by the name of Cornu-wealas; their country was thus called Cornuwall or Cornwall. Cornwall is called Kernow in Cornish, a Celtic language related to Welsh and Breton. Many street signs are both in Cornish and English.

In the 2021 census, 18% of people in Cornwall described themselves as Cornish rather than English, with that option being more popular among under-18s, with 42% of children identifying as Cornish rather than English, and 50- to 70-year-olds. Some nationalists have called for a Cornish assembly or government. Some, especially elderly people and young adults or children, might take offence to being called English, so avoid using the term and consider using "British" instead. A common term for tourists is emmet, a Cornish dialect word meaning "ant". The correct Cornish word for ant is actually murrian. Be aware of locals recommending "Porthemmet Beach": it simply means 'tourist beach', and it doesn't exist. Signposts, guides, and directions to Porthemmet Beach will direct you out of the county and into Devon. The Cornish have many significant saints. The pre-eminent patron saint is Saint Piran, whose flag, black with a white cross, is widely regarded as the national emblem of Cornwall and can be seen all across the county. It is flown from private homes and government and public buildings. Saint Piran's Day is widely celebrated on March 5 in Cornwall and amongst the Cornish diaspora around the globe. Cornwall was a contributor to the Industrial Revolution, being famous particularly for its copper and tin mining. Cornish miners have emigrated to many parts of the world to the extent that the Cornish claim that a mine is defined as being a hole in the ground with a Cornishman at its bottom. The Cornish mines pioneered the use of stationary steam engines to power the mines. The Cornish are extremely proud of their history and heritage, which pre-date the arrival of the Romans or Anglo-Saxons in Britain, and many Cornish people are loyal to their county. You may even see some Cornish people wearing kilts and playing Cornish pipes at cultural and other gatherings. Do not confuse the kilts with Scottish kilts. Cornwall is recognised as a separate nation by many international organisations, including the EU. One such popular organisation is Gorsedh Kernow, aimed at promoting Cornish culture and festivals such as the Gorsedd. Cornwall has a small but developing lesbian and gay community. Flamboyancy in men may raise some eyebrows (or frowns) but for the most part, is accepted. There is an annual Pride event in Newquay. Cornwall is a popular location for literature, television and film. Poldark, a series of historical novels by Winston Graham and Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier. Two TV adaptations of Poldark have been filmed in Cornwall, along with Treasure Island and other classics.

Visitor information

Visit Cornwall (Tourist Board) website

What's inside

Wikivoyage divides Cornwall into three regions. The Isles of Scilly are covered in a separate article.

The Isles of Scilly, 40 km west of Land's End, are often considered part of Cornwall, but are covered in a separate article due to more involved travel arrangements needed to get in and around them. 1 Land's End — the most westerly point of the English mainland: beyond lies the Isles of Scilly and the Atlantic Ocean 2 Lizard — the most southerly point in Britain 3 Bodmin Moor — a bleak moor to the east of Bodmin made famous by Daphne du Maurier's book Jamaica Inn

Getting there

By plane

'Cornwall Airport Newquay ('NQY IATA) lies north-east of Newquay, with year-round flights from destinations throughout the UK and Europe, including some London airports. Some routes operate on a seasonal (usually summer only) basis. 'Land's End Airport ('LEQ IATA) is between Land's End and St Just, around 6 mi (9.7 km) by road from Penzance. It is a small airport with flights arriving from the Isles of Scilly. In next-door Devon, a small number of flights operate into Exeter ('EXT' IATA) from UK and European destinations, including from resorts along the Mediterranean and in the Canary Islands. Stagecoach bus 4A links Exeter Airport with Exeter St Davids railway station, for trains to Cornwall. Further afield:

Bristol Airport (BRS IATA) is a large international airport, with arrivals from a large number of destinations throughout Europe. The Bristol Flyer A1 bus route connects the terminal building with Bristol Temple Meads railway station, for trains to Cornwall. London Heathrow Airport (LHR IATA) is one of the world's largest international airports, with flights arriving from across the UK, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. It is around 200 mi (320 km) from Cornwall's border with Devon by road. By coach, use National Express routes 404/406/504 direct to various destinations in Cornwall. By train, use Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line services to London Paddington railway station and change for Great Western Railway services into Cornwall.

By ferry

Plymouth lies near Cornwall's boundary with Devon. International ferries arrive into Plymouth from:

Getting around

By bus

Thanks to Transport for Cornwall, all bus tickets are interchangeable across the different companies (except certain town buses in St Ives and Fowey). The Cornwall All Day ticket allows unlimited travel for a calendar day. As of 2025, day passes are £8 for adults and £5 for under-19s and £3 singles, regardless of age. Payment is by cash or contactless. Real time information and timetables can now be found through Transport for Cornwall (most reliable for real time info), Transit (flaky & unreliable at times, and only buses) or Citymapper (shows all public transport in Cornwall, yet sometimes unreliable for real time info). Buses only serve designated stops when in towns; otherwise, you can flag them down anywhere that's safe for them to stop.

By train

CrossCountry Trains and Great Western Railway operate regular train services between the main centres of population, the latter company also serving a number of other towns on branch lines. For train times and fares visit National Rail Enquiries. The Cornwall Ranger ticket allows unlimited train travel in Cornwall and Plymouth for a calendar day. As of 2023, this costs £14 for adults and £7 for under-16s. There is also a new Pay as you Go smartcard system for Cornwall, run by GWR but valid on all trains in Cornwall.

By ferry/boat

In certain areas of Cornwall, ferries exist. They can be considered largely separate from other public transport as they are run by private companies. Ferries in the Fal River can be travelled on using a 'Mussel Card' visitor's ticket allowing for unlimited travel across the ferries at £27.60 for an adult and slightly cheaper prices for children. Foot passenger only

See

Cornwall boasts many attractions for the traveller, many lying outside of cities and towns amidst the Cornish landscape:

Within the 208 m² of the Bodmin Moor, is King Arthur's Hall, a megalithic monument and Brown Willy, the highest point in Cornwall at 417 m (1,368 ft). Dozmary Pool is a small beautiful lake where, according to legend, King Arthur was entrusted with the sword Excalibur. There is also a reputed Beast of the Moor, a large wild-cat that haunts and stalks at night, but is similar in fantasy to the Loch Ness Monster, in that no one can prove it exists, though sightings, theories and track-marks abound. The Eden Project, near St Austell, a fabulous collection of flora from all over the planet housed in two 'space age' transparent domes. The Lost Gardens of Heligan - near Mevagissey, 80 acres (32 hectares) of stunning landscaped scenery with a huge complex of walled flower and vegetable gardens Tintagel Castle legendary birthplace of the famous King Arthur and seat of the kings of Cornwall. Earl Richard of Cornwall and King of the Romans built the present medieval castle at the site. Ongoing excavations are revealing a Cornish royal seat of the period 400 to 700 AD. Minack Theatre is an outdoor theatre built by hand into the side of cliff over looking the ocean; between the villages of Porthcurno and St Levan, the theatre includes a museum and offers tours when there are no performances. The Tate St Ives, one of the four Tate galleries in the UK - Modern Art The National Maritime Museum Falmouth. Home of the National Maritime Museum's small boat collection and other exhibits. Mining heritage is evident across the county in the remnants of former tin and copper mines as featured in the 1975 and 2015 TV adaptations of Winston Graham's Poldark. A large selection of Industrial Heritage attractions includes: Geevor Tin Mine, Poldark Mine, King Edward Mine and Crown Hill Mines, Botallack. Communication heritage: due to its geographical location, the county formed the backdrop to major advancements in communication. Visitor sites are The Marconi Centre and the Telegraph Museum at Porthcurno. Rising above the Lizard Peninsula can also be seen the large dishes that form part of the Goonhilly Satellite Earth station.

National Trust properties

Antony House near Torpoint: an 18th-century house set within a magnificent landscape garden, still home to the Carew Pole family. St Michael's Mount, Marazion, near Penzance: a rocky island crowned by medieval church and castle, home to a living community. Cotehele - St Dominick, near Saltash: an atmospheric Tudor house with Medieval roots, a mill on a historic quay, a glorious garden with valley views and an expansive estate to explore. Godrevy - Gwithian, near Hayle: stunning mix of long sandy beaches, high cliffs, and smugglers coves.

Do

The South West Coast Path runs along the coastline of Britain’s south-west peninsula. The Cornish section is supposed to be the most scenic (unless you talk to someone in Devon, in which case the Devon part is most scenic). It is particularly scenic around Penwith and the Lizard. The trail takes walkers to busy towns, remote cliffs, beaches, heaths, farms and fishing villages. Walking along it is a great way to experience the region in all its variety. (Walking the entire path takes several weeks, walking on a choice part of it is easier.) The Camel Trail is an 18-mile (29 km) off-road cycle-track following the scenic estuary of the river Camel from Padstow to Wenford Bridge via Wadebridge and Bodmin. The Cornish Film Festival is held annually each November around Newquay. Cornwall, in particular Newquay, is the UK's surfing capital, with equipment hire and surf schools present on many of the county's beaches, and events like the UK championships or Boardmasters festival. Cricket: Cornwall CCC play in the National Counties Cricket Championship, the tier formerly known as "Minor Counties" below the first class competitions. They don't have a permanent ground but play at various venues including Camborne, Falmouth, Truro and St Austell.

Eat

Cornwall has become famous for its Michelin-starred seafood restaurants, with Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein opening swanky restaurants in the county/country. Cornwall may have the most distinct and finest cuisine of all Britain, and a number of regional specialities, such as:

Savoury

Cornish Caudle Chicken Pie. Cornish Pasty. A semi-circular pocket of soft or flakey pastry, usually filled with meat, turnip, onion and potatoes with a crimped crust to hold whilst munching. Traditionally, the pasty was held by the crust due to the miner's dirty hands and then discarded to avoid ingesting poisonous materials such as lead. (updated Mar 2017) Gevrik cheese. A soft, full-fat goat's milk cheese. Its name means Little Goat in Cornish. (updated Nov 2017) Hog's pudding. A spicy thick white sausage which is sliced then grilled or fried. (updated Mar 2017) Seafood. Cornwall has a long tradition of seafood specialties including crowled pilchards, salmon cake and fish cream stew. (updated Mar 2017) Squab pie. A mutton pie with a shortcrust pastry lid. It should be made with at least one layer of onions, followed by alternating layers of sliced apples and mutton chops. (updated Mar 2017) Star Gazey pie. A mixed fish, potato and egg dish with fish heads 'escaping'. The pie is cooked as part of traditional celebrations for Tom Bawcock's Eve, but is not generally eaten at any other time. (updated Mar 2017) Yarg cheese. A semi-hard cow's milk cheese made in Cornwall. It is covered around the outside with nettles. An alternative variety is covered with wild garlic leaves. (updated May 2023) Vegetarian food. Easy to find in Cornwall - even in tiny towns with just one pub there is frequently a meatless option. (updated Mar 2017)

Sweet

Cornish Cream Tea. Plain scones with clotted cream and jam or treacle washed down by a pot of tea, traditional in Cornwall to put the jam on first then the clotted cream, unlike Devon who put cream first then jam. (updated Mar 2017) Cornish Ice Cream. Distinctly yellowish in colour, and rich in flavour, on account of high buttermilk content. Kelly's in particular is a popular brand of Cornish ice-cream, that often uses Cornish words in their marketing. (updated Mar 2017) Cornish Clotted Cream. Clotted cream is a very thick cream that is required to make cream tea scones. Rodda's of Redruth are Cornwall's largest producer. (updated Jun 2018) Cornish fudge. Locally produced fudge is often made with clotted cream or buttermilk. (updated Nov 2017) Cornish rock candy. Locally produced rock candy. (updated Nov 2017) Cornish Gilliflower. A unique cultivar of apple, that was found in a cottage garden in Truro in early 19th century. (updated Mar 2017) Cornish fairings biscuits. Traditional ginger biscuits made with cinnamon and other spices. (updated Mar 2017) Figgy 'obbin. Type of raisin cake. (updated Mar 2017) Heavy Cake (Hevva Cake). Lardy cake made with fruit. (updated Mar 2017) Saffron Cake (Saffron Bun). Fruit loaf flavoured with saffron, saffron being historically popular in Cornwall. (updated Mar 2017)

Drink

Ale & beer

Cornwall has three main breweries which are available to drink in most pubs in Cornwall:

Skinners is based in Truro. Tours of the brewery are available for details. Sharps in Rock produce Doom Bar beer. They have a shop at the brewery for details. St Austell Brewery, in St Austell, have a museum and shop. Swanky beer is an Australian-Cornish bottle-conditioned beer that has been reintroduced from South Australia's Copper Triangle (which has one of the largest Cornish communities abroad) back to the homeland.

Cider

Cider is also popular in the region.

Sleep

Main article: Sleep Cornwall has a large range of tourist accommodation, ranging from 5-star luxury hotels to B&Bs, guest houses and hostels. There is also a large number of serviced holiday cottages that can be rented from anything from a long weekend to upwards of a month. There are Tourist Information Centres (TICs) in most major towns. These are normally run by the local council and can check the latest availability on the day to save having to phone around a number of B&Bs and guest houses. They are unbiased and won't express an opinion on accommodations, more than giving its tourist board rating and facilities.

Stay safe

Visitors to Cornwall should at all times be aware of the unpredictable and dangerous nature of some of the tides and currents around the Cornish coast and seek advice from local lifeguards before swimming or surfing. There is a small chance of getting great white or tiger sharks off the south coast, but don't let this worry you as they are very very rarely seen, and there have been no known attacks. Cornwall's roads become very dangerous in summer due to the influx of tourists to the region. The local infrastructure is very poor and often cannot cope with the traffic. Drive sensibly and with caution. Be very alert when driving at night as some roads, especially the A39 in North Cornwall, contain sudden hairpin bends that are deceptively sharp and are not illuminated by street lighting. There is also a risk of running over nocturnal wildlife. Use your headlights' full beam where possible and err on the side of caution. Newquay in the summer attracts tens of thousands of tourists, and with that inevitably comes increased crime during the months of June, July and August. Assaults and muggings are particularly common, usually at night and often down on some of Newquay's many beaches. Crime rates are mostly low in Cornwall, but there are some impoverished areas of some towns where crime is more common. Occasionally, outsiders can attract attention in local pubs, but this is no worse than in other areas of the country.

More pictures of Cornwall

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.