Our Travels: Cornwall, England

All of us at World Words are lucky enough to count ourselves as very well-travelled. It’s our greatest passion, and our wanderlust is at the heart of everything we do – and everything we write. Between us, we’ve crisscrossed the globe, venturing to incredible destinations and far-flung hidden treasures whose names are difficult to pronounce.

Naturally, then, the Our Travels blog series is something dear to our hearts, as it allows us tell our personal travel stories. Regular readers of this blog will already have heard our tales from such varied places as Belarus, Oman and Japan. Yet sometimes we venture only a couple of hours from home, to explore what’s right on our doorstep.

In this month’s blog, staff content writer Samantha Wilson recounts a long weekend with her family near Fowey in the heart of Cornwall. That’s in the south west of England, for the uninitiated. Scroll down to read all about her trip.

Sam with her pet beagle and two-year-old daughter on the River Fowey in Cornwall.

Why I went to Cornwall
I went to Cornwall on a long weekend break with my husband, two-year-old daughter and floppy-eared beagle in search of some peaceful rural family time amid the county’s untamed nature, flowing rivers and beautiful beaches. The promise of bucolic villages, Cornish cream teas, buckets and spades on the sand and nostalgic little fishing ports beckoned. We thought we would ease ourselves into camping with a toddler by choosing a stay in a rather plush shepherd’s hut, complete with kitchen and flushing toilet. Okay, okay, so it wasn’t really camping at all.

My highlight of the trip
One sunny afternoon, we found ourselves in the tiny hamlet of St Winnow, on the shores of the River Fowey. The river wends its way through the Cornish countryside like a great silver ribbon and melts into the sea at the busy little harbour town of Fowey (where, on another day, we watched a plump seal glide between the wooden fishing boats whilst we munched on fresh fish and chips). After ambling through St Winnow’s picturesque churchyard, we picnicked on the river shore to a backdrop reminiscent of the Norwegian fjords (albeit on a slightly smaller scale). We spent that afternoon canoeing along the pond-like tidal waters and watching rabbits scamper along the banks.

What else I love about Cornwall
There is a delightfully slow pace to life in Cornwall. It has a rugged landscape, with harsh winters and spectacular storms, yet it’s this wild beauty that gives it its unique sparkle. The coves and long beaches are either lapped by turquoise seas or hammered by rolling bubbly surf; the hills either kissed by warm summer breezes or thrashed by whistling winds. Tiny stone hamlets, hardy fishing villages and busy little towns exist amid the nature with no desire to tame it. For me, Cornwall is about strolling along impossibly narrow country lanes, slipping on boots for a spectacular coastal hike, drinking hot chocolate on the beach and getting to one with nature. The surfing, boogey boarding, coasteering and canoeing opportunities are also boundless – though not what we were after this time.

Bear in Alaska

A view out over St Winnow, a pretty little town and civic parish on the River Fowey.

Why you should go
If you love the great outdoors, Cornwall should be way up there on the bucket list. Go to experience some of the most picture-perfect landscapes, traditional stone villages and ancient traditional culture in England. Lace up your hiking boots, brace the chilly waters with a surfboard, or grab a paddle and take to the rivers. Or just sit and watch the brightly-coloured fishing boats tootle in and out of the sheltered ports as you enjoy hot tea with fluffy scones.

How you can visit
Cornwall is at the southernmost tip of England and is served by the small Newquay International Airport. There are direct flights from around the UK, Ireland and Germany. Exeter International Airport in neighbouring Devon offers a bigger choice of flight destinations, though is quite a bit further afield – especially if you’re heading further west in Cornwall. There are also good rail and road links to London, although roads can get heavily congested in summer.

At World Words, we’ve written lots of travel content about England – you can read some of our blogs, feature articles, itineraries and city guides on the country here. Or keep up to date with all our latest news on Twitter.

– Article and photography by Samantha Wilson.

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