You can find the first two parts of the Southern England travelogue here:
England #1: The Journey, Canterbury and London
England #2: Windsor and Oxford

One thing you should plan for in the Cornwall region is time. A lot of time. This is mainly for two reasons: the time it takes to get from A to B and the many interesting sights.

It took us a whole day to get there from Oxford. It probably would have been faster, but we made a short detour via Bath (where we didn’t end up stopping) and we also wanted to drive along the coast by the sea while it was still light. Our hotel was in Newquay - a sweet, up-and-coming town with a sandy beach. Surfers have discovered the place for themselves, but it’s also a great base for water sports and exploring Cornwall for non-surfers. We spent three nights in a slightly older, but quite charming hotel. Due to its location, our destinations were usually only an hour away from our hotel, so it wasn’t too tiring when we came back in the evening and wanted to get something to eat.

We already noticed on the first two days that it gets light around 8:00 AM and dark again by 4:00 PM. So we got up early and were at breakfast promptly at 8:00 AM. The great thing? We also got to see the sunrise.

For our first day, we chose the southern part of Cornwall. First stop: St. Ives. In Cornwall, the towns are usually situated on cliffs. For us, this always meant we had to park above the town. After our explorations, we then had to go back up… St. Ives was no different, a beautiful fishing village. A sweet town center with a lovely promenade winds along the sea. Thanks to the low tide, we could walk by the sea, enjoy the weather, and later stroll through the alleys and visit the small shops.

Across Cornwall

From Land’s End and Tintagel

We continued on to Land’s End - the westernmost point in Cornwall. There’s a large car park and a hotel there, which is really beautifully located. At Land’s End, you can really experience the rugged coast of Cornwall. If you want to escape the crowds, a visit during the winter months is highly recommended. There was hardly anyone around and you could walk along the small footpath in peace.

Cornwall was another confirmation for us why we love to go on holiday with our car. You can experience nature much better. On the drive from St. Ives to Land’s End, nature motivated us to make short stops several times; the panorama simply had to be enjoyed.

The last destination of the first day? Lizard Point. Instead of the westernmost, now the southernmost point of Cornwall, also with a rugged coast. We made it just in time for sunset and could see the small piece of earth bathed in golden light - simply wonderful.

The next day, we headed north to Tintagel. It is said that King Arthur was conceived there by Merlin through a trick. The ruins could only be partially visited. The bridge to the small island with the castle was closed for renovation work. However, there was a (worn-out) path down to the beach. There, you could see a waterfall and Merlin’s Cave.

Afterwards, we had a classic English teatime with scones. Very delicious and also warming. But also rather heavy on the stomach. But no matter, the main thing is that it was tasty. Then we continued to Fowey, another small fishing village. After a short walk through the town, we rested a bit while watching the sunset and then made our way back to the hotel. We ended the day at a local fish restaurant. A bit chilly, but definitely delicious.

Our Conclusion

Is a holiday in Southern England worth it?

Kernic

Even though I find the Rosamunde Pilcher novels rather cheesy and hardly romantic, I can understand why Cornwall is regularly chosen as the setting for the stories. Cornwall is a very peaceful spot on our planet, which is also very romantic. The cliffs and the green hills simply look fantastic. In addition, there are many small towns that just invite you to relax. I could imagine a summer holiday in St. Ives. Sitting by the harbour or the sea and just reading a book. At the end of the world, you can forget the rest of the world.

Only the timing in winter was not optimal. Since it was light for a maximum of eight hours a day, time was tight. The distances aren’t great, but since there are only country roads in Cornwall, you don’t get from A to B very quickly. Driving on the left with a German car didn’t help either.

Nevertheless: I can recommend a trip to Cornwall to everyone. Be it with your own car, or by bus and train. Judging by the number of buses we saw, there seems to be a dense network. There are beautiful places and landscapes to discover, but Cornwall also simply invites you to pause, relax, and reflect.

Girlfriend

Cornwall has a truly impressive landscape. When you drive along the country roads, all you see is green and hedges. The picture is completed by the cliffs and the sheep. For me, it’s just the right thing to take a little break, feel the wind, and enjoy.

The food isn’t necessarily my thing, but if you want, you can definitely find alternatives. We think the tea time, on the other hand, is super great - but that’s probably because we’re not coffee drinkers.

I thought the timing of the trip was great - the Christmas decorations in the small towns and the good weather.

If you like landscapes, Cornwall is the right place for you.

We explored the south of England in the next part:
England #4: Southern England and the Return Journey