Cornwall

Cornwall is as far from the madding crowd as you can possibly get if you head South-West and don’t want to get your feet wet.

Beloved of Enid Blyton fans who see it as a land of secret passages, smugglers’ coves and the scene of many a picnic with lashings of ginger beer, Cornwall is a dream destination for those who don’t live there but wish they did.

People travel hundreds of miles just to be in Cornwall, attracted by its endless beaches, unspoilt countryside, and that wonderfully pure fresh air.

Cornwall is a rare county in only having one city – but what a city Truro is! Its cathedral is a wonder to behold, while the little independent shops, cafés and restaurants are a refreshing culture-change from the same-old, same-old of most other cities. Palindromic visionary Sir Tim Smit helped turn the county, overnight, into a nationally-known destination when he created The Eden Project.

Not to be outdone, celebrity chef Rick Stein put Padstow on the map by opening his sea-food restaurant and fish-and-chip shop there, and suddenly Cornwall’s image and ambiance went decidedly up-market.

Few who have ever set eyes upon St Michael’s Mount in Mount’s Bay, St Ives, will never forget it – an almost Disneyesque castle perched atop a volcanic-looking hill in arguably the most glorious setting in the whole of the British Isles.

Lord St Levan and his family still live there on the tidal island, high above the waves and the causeway you can walk across when the waters part, owned by The National Trust is a must-see attraction.

Lovers of architecture and history will want to visit Caerhays Castle, a favourite of the late Queen Mother, as well as Antony House near Torpoint and Mount Edgcumbe House, sitting majestically on a hill running down through Britain’s first country park to the sea overlooking Plymouth across the Sound.

As a peninsula, Cornwall is surrounded on three sides by the sea, with beaches of many types including Newquay, known around the world as one of the premier surfing spots.

If you’re interested in folklore, ask the locals about Cornish pixies and the giants that allegedly bestrode the county in the mists of time gone by – and if it’s traditional Cornish culture you’re after, don’t forget pasties and clotted-cream teas (remember the jam goes on first!).

The coastline is punctuated with old tin mines and chimney stacks, while there can’t be many quainter fishing villages than those of Mevagissey or Gorran Haven.

And while you’ll understandably want to spend as much time here as possible, you’re just a short drive away from the bustling city of Plymouth with its nightlife, National Marine Aquarium, award-winning Theatre Royal, its Drake Circus shopping centre, the Hoe where Sir Francis Drake played bowls awaiting the Spanish Armada, and so much more.

Dartmoor is just beyond that, while the rest of Cornwall is there just waiting for you to explore it… if you can tear yourself away from the relaxing luxury of your lodge here, that is!