Published February 21, 2012
Cornwall is about much more than glorious beaches and stunning countryside, dramatic headlands and water sports. It’s a county rich in ancient history, which is why people who love exploring the chequered past of the United Kingdom love it so much. Here’s some guidance for history buffs to help make ordinary Cornwall cottage holidays something a bit special!
Whether you pick Cornish self catering accommodation on the coast or inland, there are masses of amazing places to discover. Mining in Cornwall began in the early Bronze Age, more than 2000 years ago, and finally ended in 1998. Signs of the county’s long and impressive mining history are visible all along the coastline: zinc and tin, lead, copper and more.
The unique geology of Cornwall means precious metals and other rare and useful substances abound. Take tin. At one time the county was the world’s primary location for tin mining, culminating in the famous School of Mines, established in 1888. Today Cornwall’s tin reserves are practically exhausted, which is why so many Cornish tin miners took their expertise and knowledge abroad, landing in places like America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Today there’s no tin mining in the county but you can see the signs of it everywhere you look.
There’s the Geevor Tin Mine Museum for a start, sixty seven acres set on the stunning North Atlantic coast and one of Britain’s biggest and best preserved mine sites. It’s a feast of beautifully maintained collections and listed buildings which together illustrate the tale of Cornwall’s exciting industrial mining past. The museum runs events throughout the year to cater for holiday trade, local schools and history groups.
Around 1000BC the Celts, warrior-like settlers from Europe, settles in Cornwall, bringing with them matchless iron forging skills . They farmed, mined, smelted and worked tin, copper, bronze and iron. The most famous of their ancient settlements lies at Chysauster, near Penzance, where you can still see their stone walls, grinding stones and fireplaces.
The Romans landed in 55BC but failed to make much of a mark on Cornwall, settling in Exeter. The dangerous River Tamar, Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor kept them at bay and also had the effect of keeping other raiders from elsewhere away. Cornish self catering cottages are a wonderful base for exploring the incredibly long and dramatic history of mining in Cornwall, an industry now dead and gone, but which has left an indelible mark on the landscapes, people and personality of Britain’s favourite staycation holiday destination.
Published January 10, 2012
Cornwall is a county of dramatic contrasts, offering a wide variety of habitats and environments where an equally wide variety of wildlife, flora and fauna thrive. Here’s just a few of the amazing creatures and plants you might come across in and around your Cornish holiday cottage.
There’s birds, seals, shellfish, crustaceans, butterflies and moths, mammals and reptiles, from the commonplace to the rare. Urban foxes are as common in Cornwall as any British county and you may spot families of foxes playing together at dusk, or hear them calling to one another in the mating season. The Wood White butterfly is a rare creature often spotted in summer and the magnificent Death’s Head moth, so named because of the remarkable skull-like markings on its thorax and abdomen, can be seen – and heard! – flapping around gardens and wild areas, a huge insect the size of a small bird.
The best Cornish holiday homes have private gardens planted with indigenous and cultivated plants. You might spot what you think is a humming bird, but take a closer look and you’ll probably find it’s a Humming Bird Hawk Moth, a tiny jewel-like creature that sips nectar from flowers via its long, flexible tongue. And the woods and fields are full of badgers, bunnies, squirrels, shrews, dormice, voles, rats and mice.
Wherever there’s fresh water there’s a chance you’ll spot stunning dragonflies, the larger of which have a wingspan of four inches and iridescent bodies in bright blue, bright green or honey brown striped with yellow. There are Demoiselle flies too, also called Damsel flies, smaller versions of the dragonfly in vibrant scarlet, turquoise or emerald. Ponds also attract frogs and toads, newts and water beetles, water skaters and water boatmen, leeches and dragonfly larvae.
Nip outdoors at dusk and you might see beautiful little bats flitting around catching insects as the sun slips below the golden horizon. Bats don’t get in your hair. They’re completely harmless, fascinating little beasts and on a quiet evening you can even hear their tiny jaws snap as they capture tasty insect life on the wing.
Cornish self catering accommodation is also ideal for bird watchers, with a wealth of sea and land birds plus occasional exotic migrating birds blown off course by storms. There’s seals and lizards, adders and grass snakes, ferns, seaweeds and endless drifts of delightful wild flowers like mallows, sea pinks and orchids. Plus numerous beautiful lichens, fungus, toadstools and mushrooms.
Cornwall is a county richer in wildlife than many, perfect for people who enjoy spotting rare and unusual flora and fauna as well as those who adore loafing on the beach or surfing the Atlantic waves!
Published May 10, 2011
There’s loads to do on rainy days in Cornwall in your holiday home itself, provided you plan ahead and take books, games and entertainment with you. These days the best Cornish self catering accommodation has broadband or WiFi and satellite or cable telly as standard. Alternatively you can always throw caution to the wind, don your cagoule and head outdoors whatever the weather.
What’s the best gear to take with you if you want to take the county by storm and make your Cornwall holiday accommodation a base for the adventures of a lifetime?
Wellies are excellent for rock pooling when it’s too chilly to go barefoot. But they’re terrible for walking in. Your socks inevitably gather into a sweaty clump around your toes, which is horribly uncomfortable. And if you walk in wellies with bare feet for any distance they slop about and rub. Short walks on the wonderful Cornish coastal path don’t require you to spend a bomb on pukka walking boots. Sturdy trainers are fine and often much lighter. But you’ll need proper boots if you plan stalwart long distance walking because they support your ankles. With boots it’s good to wear a pair of thin cotton socks under a thick pair so you’re less likely to get rubbing and blisters.
Cagoules are hardly the last word in sartorial elegance but they’re perfect to keep the wet and wind out. A light one will do for summer but because winter in Cornwall can be wild, a heavier waterproof might be best for off season breaks. Zip fronts are much better than over-the-head versions because you can unzip to cool off without having to stop and undress. Wear a cotton t shirt, thin wool jumper and thick zip-up wool cardigan in winter so you can mix-n-match as you warm up and cool down. Plus, layers help trap warm air.
And you can’t beat a hat! Whether you’re hirsute on top or fashionably bald, have big hair or a sleek, short crop, the sun can burn your scalp. Wear sun-proof hats in summer. And thermal, waterproof hats in winter. When it’s really cold and windy a hat with furry ear flaps fits the bill beautifully.
If you don’t wear glasses already, you can keep the wind out of your eyes off season – enjoying the spectacular scenery in comfort – with ‘no prescription’ specs. Which might sound silly buy walking west along the coastal path against a stiff prevailing gale really can bring the tears to your eyes!
Best of all, Cornwall holiday accommodation is ideal for all-weather holidays because unlike a tent, B&B or hotel room, you’ve got masses of space to store and dry your wet weather gear. Just one of the reasons it’s such a popular choice all year round.