POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN CORNWALL

Cornwall is the southernmost county of the British Isles, and therefore has a relatively warm and sunny climate. However, being unprotected from the Atlantic it also has more extreme weather. The average annual temperature for most of the county is 10.2 to 12 degrees Celsius, with slightly lower temperatures on the moors . The county has relatively high rainfall, though less than more northern areas of the west coast, at 1051 to 1290 mm per year . Most of the county enjoys over 1541 hours of sunshine per year . Cornwall is a county of England's south-west peninsula, lying west of the River Tamar. Cornwall's county town and only city is Truro.

Cornwall, being exposed to the full force of the Atlantic Ocean, is composed entirely of resistant rocks, as less resistant rocks have been eroded away. The centre of the county is largely Devonian sandstone and slate. The north east of the county lies on Carboniferous sandstone. Cornwall is particularly known for its igneous outcrops, which include the granite of Bodmin Moor and the areas around Camborne and Land's End, and the dark green serpentine of the Lizard Peninsula. The granite forms high treeless moors on which sheep graze, and the characteristic Cornish cliffs.

Cornwall is famous for its pasties (a pastry dish- traditionally a Cornish Past contains meat and vegetables, often peppered), but saffron buns, Cornish Heavy (Hevva) Cake, Cornish fairings (biscuit), Cornish fudge and Cornish ice cream are also quite common.

Main towns and cities in Cornwall are:

Bodmin, Boscastle, Bude , Camborne, Charlestown, Coverack , Falmouth, Fowey , Hayle, Helston , Launceston, Liskeard, Lizard, Looe , Marazion, Mevagissey, Mousehole , Newlyn, Newquay, Newtown , Padstow, Penzance , Redruth , Saltash, St Austell, St Ives, St Just in Penwith, St Mawes , Tintagel, Truro Wadebridge

ATTRACTIONS

Bodmin and Wenford Railway , Bodmin Moor , Carn Euny , Carrick Roads , Chûn Castle , Chûn Quoit , Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Eden Project , Godrevy Island , Goonhilly Downs , Gweek seal sanctuary , Kynance Cove , Land's End , Lanhydrock House , Lanyon Quoit, The Lizard , Loe Pool , Lost Gardens of Heligan , Mên-an-Tol , Minack Theatre , Mullion Cove , Pendennis Castle , Penlee House, Poldhu , Polperro , Museum of Submarine Telegraphy , River Fowey , River Looe , Roseland Peninsula , South West Coast Path , St Mawes Castle , St Michael's Mount , Tintagel Castle , Trelissick Gardens , Truro Cathedral

TRANSPORT LINKS

Cornwall borders the county of Devon at the River Tamar. Major road links between Cornwall and the rest of England are the A38 which crosses the Tamar at Plymouth via the Tamar Bridge, and the A30 which crosses the border south of Launceston. A car ferry also links Plymouth with the town of Torpoint on the opposite side of the Hamoaze. A rail bridge, the Royal Albert Bridge, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1859) provides the only other major transport link.

By Car
Travelling to Cornwall by car is easy. From the north, simply use the M5 southbound and follow it to the Westcountry. From the south coast choose the A30/A303.

By Train
Train travel is a great way to arrive, as you'll pass some great scenery, and you're doing your bit for the environment!

Travel direct to Cornwall from Paddington and Waterloo (London), Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham.

By Air
Newquay Airport offers regular scheduled flights to London Gatwick Airport with onward connections to the beautiful Isles of Scilly.

Regular bus and taxi services, and car hire available, Newquay Airport is ideally placed to explore the rugged Cornish coast, Cornwall's beautiful gardens, the world-famous Eden Project, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and of course the Tate Gallery in St Ives.