Welcome to From Coast to Coast of Cornwall

This is an area of contrasts, from the heartland of Cornwall’s mining past to the coasts and estuaries of its maritime history - and present leisure playground.

Falmouth and the Fal Estuary are a delight to boat owners - from those who sweep round the Fastnet Rock with all sail set to those who potter round the tree lined river creeks in their dinghies. If you enjoy being by water and watching boats and wildlife then this is the place to stay.

If the wind is stronger than your boat (or your courage) you can stay in the more sheltered creeks such as Restronguet. You may even prefer to sit it out in The Pandora Inn or Smugglers Cottage - and we would certainly not blame you for that. But if the weather is fine, the winds light and the days long an excursion up the river to Truro or even across the estuary to St Mawes may well be the order of the day. If you don’t have your own boat, then one of the launches or ferries which run in the estuary will give you the true nautical feel of this area.

For the last few years in Cornwall much of the talk has been of the St Austell area and the Eden Project. Another major new tourism initiative is The National Maritime Museum in Falmouth. Right in the heart of the town, on the waterfront that has played such a significant part in our country’s naval history, you will find exhibits and displays calculated to delight the heart of anyone with any interest in shipping and the sea.

Roseland is a lovely peninsula with delightful villages and beautiful countryside - again you are never far from a glimpse of the estuary or the sea. You may have gone across to St Mawes by ferry or crossed higher up the river on The King Harry Ferry. Whichever route you chose you are in a pleasant wooded country, never far from the sea but not as totally aware of it as if you are in or around Falmouth.

If the Fal estuary typifies the sheltered anchorages and havens for shipping of the south coast, then St Agnes is truly representative of the rugged north coast, with its inhospitable cliffs (but very hospitable people!) and tiny harbours. There are wonderful clifftop walks here, forming part of the South West Coastal Path which runs from Minehead in the north to Exmouth in the south. But it doesn’t have to be all strenuous exercise. Beneath the rocky cliffs you will find many beautiful sandy coves and beaches where you and your family can simply lie in the sun and relax. But do watch the tides and make sure you can always get off the beach again.

Throughout the area you will see many engine houses and chimneys, evidence of Cornwall’s important mining history. Rich in minerals, Cornwall has produced many famous engineers and inventors who developed new ways of extracting the county’s mineral wealth. Local bodies have done a great deal to preserve this part of Cornwall’s heritage. But not all the copper and tin came from deep underground. You can also see tin streaming carried out in the locality in exactly the same way as it has been done for centuries. A piece of jewellery or giftware made from tin produced in this way makes a wonderful souvenir of your Cornish holiday.