Are you planning a trip to Cornwall but are not sure where to go and don’t want to miss out on the best bits? With Amy’s family living in West Cornwall, we have spent loads of time in this beautiful county and have established our own favourite places, from beaches to coffee shops to quaint little villages. Here is our guide to spending a week in West Cornwall doing all of our favourite things!
Admittedly, the weather in Cornwall can be pretty unpredictable so you may need to switch the days around to suit the weather you get. But also, we think Cornwall in the rain really is just as beautiful - throw on a raincoat and some wellies and you'll be good to go!
Day 1: Wild swim at Nanjizal tidal pool
Visit Land’s End (if just to say you have been there - it’s very touristy!) and walk along the coast path to Nanjizal. Alternatively, if you’re not bothered about saying you’ve been to Land’s End we recommend parking at Porthgwarra - another remote beach - and walking the coast path to Nanjizal from there.
Definitely pack your swimming stuff as on a clear, calm day Nanjizal has the most beautiful tidal pool - perfect for a cold water dip. Ideally, you want to be there at low to mid-tide to swim in the tidal pool but also have some beach to walk along and maybe even have a picnic.
Day 2: A snorkel and a beach bonfire
Go snorkelling at Prussia cove, a beautiful, secluded rocky cove tucked away between Praa Sands and Perranuthnoe. The car park is pretty small so try to get there early, then enjoy feeling like you’re going somewhere special as you weave your way down the narrow path to the beach.
In the evening, head to Mounts Bay to see the sky change colour with the sunset and enjoy views over St Michael’s Mount. Plus, have a bonfire on the beach or maybe even a swim if you’re keen! If you head a little further along Mounts Bay out of Marazion and in the direction of Penzance, you come across a council car park at Long Rock where you can park for free after 6pm - much better than the expensive privately owned car park nearer Marazion town itself.
Day 3: Visit picturesque Porthleven
Spend a day in beautiful, picturesque Porthleven - a little fishing village with a harbour, a few lovely gifts shops and some great market stalls on certain days of the week. Porthleven also has loads of great eateries; from trailer takeaways to cosy harbour-side pubs or fancy restaurants. You need to spend a week in Porthleven to eat your way through all the options to be honest!
Our favourite thing to do is get a coffee from Origin Coffee at the harbour head and then walk through the village and along the pier to sit and watch the surfers. On a calm day, Porthleven is also lovely for a paddleboard or a swim, either off the beach or in the outer harbour.
Day 4: Admire the iconic Kynance Cove
Kynance is one of those very popular places you’ve probably seen pictures of but that can be absolutely packed if you go at the wrong time. Our best suggestion is to get there early in the morning, at a low tide, so you beat the rush and can have the beautiful fresh sand and turquoise sea to yourself.
Explore the caves, climb the rock stacks and even walk up on to the cliff top for views down onto the beach. Be careful though, the far part of beach gets cut off at high tide so make sure you don’t get too carried away when admiring the views! There is a large National Trust car park and a little cafe down by the beach where you can grab a coffee or a snack to enjoy with a view.
Day 5: Wander the streets of quirky, quaint Falmouth
Explore the quaint streets of Falmouth with its quirky cafes and trendy gift shops. To be honest, I don’t know if we’ve ever visited Falmouth without picking up something to take home from one of these gift shops! After exploring the streets, grab a pasty and sit on one of the benches down near the harbour. Once you have finished in the town, make sure you drive round past Pendennis point for impressive views over the estuary and reach Gyllyngvase beach for a swim or to watch the waves. You could also grab a drink at Gylly Beach Cafe, situated right on the beach.
Day 6: A trip to Cornwall isn’t complete without a surf
Head to the North Coast and Godrevy beach, with its extensive sand dunes and iconic lighthouse out to sea. This is where Amy spent a summer learning to surf and it will always be one of our favourite spots. New to surfing? If so, take a surf lesson with Gwithian Academy of Surfing - guaranteed lots of laughs and fun in the sea! After this, warm up with a hot chocolate from Godrevy Cafe. If you can, sit upstairs with views over the dunes towards the beach.
Day 7: Explore the pretty town of St Ives
Of course, a trip to West Cornwall wouldn’t be complete without a visit to St Ives. We often like to combine this with day 7 - surfing along the coast at Godrevy.
St Ives is another of those places that gets absolutely packed during the holidays so you have to try and pick your moment. Either go early in the morning or into the evening. Even better, visit around December when it's quiet and all the Christmas lights are out!
Parking is limited here so you might find you have to park further out and walk in but we think this is a nice way to make sure you see more of the town anyway! Explore the streets, browse the shops, sit by the sea with an ice cream and watch the boats come and go. Do watch out for the seagulls though - we've never known seagulls as hungry and feisty as those in St Ives!
Day 8: Bonus day - A walk and a pub lunch by the Helford Estuary
Bonus day! If you, like us, can’t help but cram as much in as you can and find you are left with an extra day, our final recommendation is to do a walk around the Helford Estuary. We love the contrast of this with the beaches of the open coast. Following your walk, visit the water-side Shipwrights arms for a delicious pub lunch.
So there you have it! We think Cornwall has so much to offer and is truly one of the best places for a UK holiday. To be honest, we could (and probably will!) write another blog with a load more of our favourite places soon... We’re also sure there is so much more we have yet to discover, so feel free to share your favourite places in the comments - we would love to hear them!
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