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How to Explore Cornwall, One Charming Coastal Pocket at a Time

Cornwall rewards travelers who resist the urge to rush, choosing instead a few towns, coastal walks and very good meals.

It’s easy to compare Cornwall to other scenic, charming destinations. The sailboat-filled harbors of Falmouth and St. Mawes evoke the shores of Cape Cod. The rugged northern coast, with its sweeping headlands, feels like Northern California. The charming villages and narrow roads could be part of the Cotswolds or Yorkshire. The affluent areas of Mawgan Porth and Rock suggest the Hamptons or Newport. Cornwall’s waters are filled with lobster, like those in Maine. 

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Trying to liken Cornwall to somewhere else, however, only serves to diminish the varied scope of the picturesque region. The British county, located on the southwesternmost tip of England, spans around 1,375 square miles, stretching 75 miles from the remote point of Land’s End in the south to the border with Devon in the north. It’s known for coastal towns like St. Ives, Newquay, Falmouth and Penzance, but Cornwall also encompasses inland villages, forested nature reserves and swathes of hilly farmland. It is comparable in size to Rhode Island, making it a challenge to explore without months of dedicated time.

But it is not impossible to experience Cornwall in a week, or even over a long weekend, as I did in July. It’s a destination best enjoyed in smaller pockets, where you can more fully explore a specific area or a group of towns over a few days. We spent a night in St. Mawes at the historic Idle Rocks, which offered an opportunity to see Falmouth, and then drove onward to the north coast, where The Pig at Harlyn Bay was the perfect base to eat in the culinary mecca of Padstow and to walk the scenic Trevose Headland. Cottage Orné, in the countryside near Looe, provided easy access to the towns of Fowey and Polperro and to the eco-centric gardens at The Eden Project—a must-see in Cornwall. 

“The best thing to do is to find a base and use it,” says Tim Batchelor, hotel director at The Pig at Harlyn Bay, an upscale property set in a historic manor house. “Quite a few people come down to our area for around four days, and then maybe go down to St. Ives for four days.”

Navigating a trip to Cornwall doesn’t need to be overwhelming—there are a few things to know that can help guide you. Here are the best tips for visiting the region, from when to go to what to eat.

Cornwall is filled with possibilities. It can feel daunting to determine where to go, but a little research goes a long way. Specific areas in the region are known for certain things. For example, Padstow has a vibrant culinary scene thanks to prominent chefs like Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth and........

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