Welcome to North Cornwall

Newquay was definitely one of the first Cornish towns to cater for the family holiday - and today it is still very much a town where families can enjoy a traditional seaside break, with all the bright, noisy trappings that are so popular with children and young people. But Newquay has another claim to popularity - it is one of the premier surfing locations in the country.

Those with a slightly quieter disposition will probably find the towns around the Camel estuary more to their taste - in so doing they will be in the excellent company of John Betjeman, who loved the area.

Padstow has its ‘obby Horse and just outside Camelford is the home of the North Cornwall Show, but at any time of the year the small boats on the estuary and the lovely wooded valleys inland will make a trip this part of the County a delight.

Wadebridge has become very much a centre for the arts and you will find galleries and craft shops to browse in and hopefully buy something which will give you pleasure, and remind you of the area, long after you have returned home.

Boscastle

At Tintagel, on the rugged north coast, is the site of the headland castle, high above the wild waves, where legend tells us that King Arthur was born. It has claims to being the place of his last battle and death. So much so, Arthurian legend has a strong hold on the imagination - based on some facts, embroidered by poetic imagination and linked to religion and mysticism it does have all the ingredients required to capture our interest. Many books - both fact and fiction - have been written about Arthur and Merlin. Films, television series and videos have flickered across large and small screens. Arthur’s only real rival as an English popular hero is Robin Hood - but his story lacks the mystical and religious elements that give Arthur such a broad based appeal. Possibly more swashbuckling but certainly less meditation and magic!

Certainly an area to stay a while in and absorb the atmosphere. But it is not all desperate deeds and high tragic drama. It is also a country of small wooded valleys, beautiful country houses and sleepy market towns. The churches are some of the finest in Cornwall - and the people some of the friendliest. Sandy coves around Bude & the farthest reaching coastal views in Cornwall (from Trevose Head) are only another part of the picture.