10 weird and wonderful places to visit in Cornwall

10 weird and wonderful places to visit in Cornwall

From Arthurian legends to dramatic moorland landscapes, we share the best places to visit in Cornwall for a quintessentially English break.

Cornwall may not compare to diving in Djibouti or volcanoes in Vanuatu, but it holds a special place in my heart. It was in Cornwall that I took my first trip away from my parents (aged 10 in a residential school).

In fact, visiting Cornwall was my second holiday ever. I had never hiked, never camped and had rarely seen a beach, so Cornwall was a total novelty.

There was some rain and a few muddy sandwiches, but overall the quirky sights and expansive viewpoints stirred something within me. They showed that breadth and beauty (and a little compassion) abound here at home.

Whether you choose camping, glamping or holiday cottages in Cornwall, this stunning piece of English coast is perfect for nature. Opt for these weird and wonderful Cornwall attractions for a quintessentially English experience.

1. St. Michael's Mountain

Accommodation: Marazion Cottages Further information: stmichaelsmount.co.uk

St. Michael's Mount is a rocky tidal island in Mount's Bay in Cornwall. The picturesque mountain is home to a medieval church and castle, as well as a small community of 35 residents. It is connected to the town of Marazion by a paved causeway, which can be crossed at low and high tide.

alt=“St Michael’s Mount is one of the most famous attractions in Cornwall”>Valery Egorov/ShutterstockSt. Michael’s Mount is one of the most famous attractions in Cornwall

St. Michael's Mount was historically linked to Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France, when it was given to the Benedictine Order of Mont Saint-Michel by Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. Both islands have the same characteristics, although the Cornish side is much smaller; 57 acres compared to 247 acres.

St Michael’s Mount is one of 43 unbridged tidal islands that you can reach on foot from mainland Britain. Needless to say, it is one of the most iconic attractions in Cornwall.

2. Minack Theater

Accommodation: Porthcurno Cottages Further information: minack.com

The Minack Theater has been named one of the most spectacular theaters in the world. Carved into the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic, this dramatic venue welcomes 110,000 people to its shows every year. Another 170,000 visitors come just to look around and enjoy the extraordinary views.

alt="The Minack Theater is one of the best things to see in Cornwall">Tomasz Wozniak/ShutterstockThe dramatic Minack Theater

The Minack was founded in 1931-32 when Rowena Cade, a resident living at Minack House on the clifftop, decided to create a venue for local theater enthusiasts to perform The Tempest. She and her gardener Billy Rawlings created the stage and lower terraces of the theater and the premiere took place in August 1932.

The theater developed over the following decades and is now a professionally equipped venue that performs both amateur and professional theater.

3. Bodmin Moor

Accommodation: Bodmin Moor Cottages Further information: visitcornwall.com

Bodmin Moor has countless claims to fame. It lies within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an Area of ​​Outstanding Natural Beauty, a Site of Special Scientific Importance and an International Dark Sky Park. Additionally, it was used in the hit series Poldark for scenes from Ross Poldark's Cottage Nampara along with characters on horseback.

• alt=“ Bodmin Moor ist eine der besten Sehenswürdigkeiten in Cornwall“>
• alt=“Der Cheeswring on Bodmin Moor ist eine interessante Sehenswürdigkeit in Cornwall“>
• alt=“Die Hurlers in Cornwall“>
• alt=“Das Bodmin-Gefängnis ist ein eindrucksvoller Anblick in Cornwall“>

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Dozmary Pool, Cheesewring, Hurlers, Bodmin Jail

Bodmin Moor offers a variety of interesting attractions including Dozmary Pool, said to be the home of the Lady of the Lake. According to legend, King Arthur rowed here to the lady of the lake and received the sword Excalibur.

Other features include the curious geological formation of the Cheesewring, the standing stone circles of the Hurlers and the eerie former prison of Bodmin Jail.

4. Merlin's Cave at Tintagel

Accommodation: Tintagel Cottages Further information: visitcornwall.com

Said to be the birthplace of King Arthur, Tintagel's epic clifftop castle has been occupied since Roman times. In the coastal cliffs below the castle lies an achingly atmospheric sea cave that, according to tradition, once housed Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legend.

alt="Merlin's Cave is the stuff of Cornish legend">Vivvi Smak/ShutterstockMerlin’s Cave lies beneath the cliffs of Tintagel Castle

The cave is 100m long and extends below the headland on which Tintagel Castle stands. Whether you believe the legend of Merlin or not, his cave is a sight worth seeing.

5. Restormel Castle

Accommodation: Bodmin Moor Cottages Further information: english-heritage.org.uk

Perched on a hill overlooking the River Fowey, Restormel Castle is an unusually well-preserved example of a circular keep, a rare type of fortress built in the 12th and early 13th centuries. Only 71 examples are known in England and Wales, of which Restormel Castle is the most intact.

alt="One of the most impressive sights in Cornwall">Fair useRestormel Castle is one of the most dramatic sights in Cornwall

Restormel was built by Edward the Black Prince, the first Duke of Cornwall, although he only stayed there twice. Today it is maintained by English Heritage and offers one of the best picnic spots in Cornwall, with 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside.

6. The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Accommodation: Mevagissey Cottages Further information: heligan.com

The Lost Gardens of Heligan were created by members of the Tremayne family of Cornwall from the mid-18th century to the early 20th century. The magnificent gardens fell into disrepair after the First World War but were carefully restored by an army of gardeners and volunteers.

alt="Heligan is one of Cornwall's most unusual sights">4kclips/ShutterstockAn unusual sight at The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall

Now restored, the gardens are a horticultural wonderland of lawns, lakes, highly productive vegetable gardens, fruit-filled greenhouses and 'The Jungle', a wild area teeming with subtropical tree ferns.

Heligan is home to two figures made of rocks and plants known as Mud Maid and Giant's Head. It also has Europe's only remaining pineapple pit - warmed by rotting manure!

7. Eden Project

Accommodation: St Austell Bay Cottages Further information: edenproject.com

Built in a crater the size of 30 football pitches, the Eden Project's vast biomes - the world's largest greenhouses - are considered one of Britain's modern architectural wonders.

alt="Cornwall has the largest greenhouse in the world">Anna Jastrzebska/ShutterstockThe vast biomes of the Eden Project

The miniature ecosystems in the bubble-shaped biomes allow the cultivation of various plants, from Rafflesia flowers and banana trees in the rainforest biome to lemon trees and olive groves in the Mediterranean biome.

However, Eden is more than just a giant garden. It offers a unique insight into the relationship between plants and people and our dependence on nature.

8. Men-an-Tol

Accommodation: Penzance Cottages Further information: visitcornwall.com

Men-an-Tol, Cornish for 'stone of the loch', isn't the best thing you'll see in Cornwall, but it's worth a visit if you're in the area. The ancient monument consists of a circular central stone (approximately 1 m high and 1.4 feet wide), two flanking stones and a fallen outlier. Men-an-Tol is 3,000 years old and is another example of Cornwall's exceptionally rich heritage.

alt="No one knows the purpose of this structure in Cornwall">Paul Nash/ShutterstockThe mysterious Men-an-Tol in Cornwall

The purpose of Men-an-Tol is unclear. Suggestions range from astronomical alignments to healing stones. The central stone is said to be an effective cure for rickets: children must go through the hole three times, while adults must go against the sun nine times to relieve their pain. Well, it's definitely worth a try...

9. Carn Brea Castle

Accommodation: Portreath Cottages Further information: wikipedia.org

Carn Brea Castle was built as a chapel in 1379 and was extensively converted into a hunting lodge by the Basset family in the 18th century.

alt="A fairytale sight in Cornwall">Richard Griffin/ShutterstockA fairytale castle in Cornwall

Built on a promontory of huge, unhewn boulders, Carn Brea is considered a "Folly" castle, a building built primarily for decoration, but whose appearance suggests another purpose.

Today Carn Brea Castle is used privately as a restaurant, complete with its own listing on TripAdvisor. Of course it is one of the most atmospheric places to eat in Cornwall.

10. Endland

Accommodation: Porthcurno Cottages Further information: visitcornwall.com

We couldn't possibly suggest weird and wonderful places to visit in Cornwall without including Lands End.

alt="A common stop in Cornwall">MNStudio/ShutterstockOne of the most famous attractions in Cornwall

It is on this rugged headland that Cornwall (and indeed the rest of Britain) comes to a watery halt. Granite cliffs dip into thundering white spray while expansive views stretch to Longships Lighthouse, the Isles of Scilly 28 miles away and beyond to North America.

There are many tourist attractions in the immediate area, but the Land's End coastal path remains as wild and stunning as any in Cornwall.

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Cover photo: Valery Egorov/Shutterstock

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