looking for recommendations for 3 nights away in Cornwall, ideally on the coast with views.

Soldato
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Hi guys.

My wife has never seen Cornwall, we've both got a few days off at the end of the month and I'd like to take her down for a few nights away. Ideally looking for something really picturesque, nice coastal vistas, nice beaches with nice walks etc.

I grew up in Plymouth as a lad and have very fond memories of days away in Cornwall, but it's been so long since I've been down there.

Any suggestions on area, hotels etc.

thanks
 
Can't remember exactly where but I do know Padstow was nearby. Went camping, hired bikes in nearby town and cycled all over including Padstow for lunch a nearby vineyard with a bar/wine tasting. If the weather behaves, absolutely beautiful.
 
With kids or not?

If it's just the two of you then Padstow has a lovely long beach you can walk on, around the bay at low tide. It's a nice little town on the coast with some lovely restaurants, but it's not cheap....

With kids, Perranporth is a better option IMO as the beach there has lifeguards, can be used at high tide, beach bars etc.
 
The Atlantic north coast of Cornwall has spectacular cliffs and vistas, amazing sunsets, great beaches for surfing and is generally more windswept. Some of my favourite places are Bedruthan Steps, St Ives (gets very crowded in peak season though), St Agnes, the surfing beaches around Newquay such as Perranporth (but not Newquay itself), Padstow (another tourist magnet during peak season), Port Isaac, Crackington Haven and Tintagel. There's some great cliff top walks in the area around Bedruthan Steps, Portreath and Port Isaac (to name but a few, there's great coastal walks everywhere really).

The Channel south coast has more sheltered coves, fishing villages and lots of twisty roads. Not so many beaches. Some good places to visit would be Mevagissey (gets very crowded at peak), Looe, Marazion & St Michael's Mount.

Inland Cornwall has all manner of wonderful places too, but since you're after coastal stuff it's harder to recommend.

The Lands End and Lizard peninsulas, plus Bodmin Moor are a landscape all unto themselves, with a more barren charm. But given the journey times probably best avoided on a short 3 day visit (well worth it if you have longer though).

Personally, if I had only 3 days I'd go somewhere relatively accessible on the north coast and use that as a base for exploring along the clifftop walks and beaches.

I have a photo gallery dedicated to Cornwall which might help scout out a few locations.
 
Cornwall doesn't start for me until you're West of Penzance. If you don't mind walking there are some great walks around Penwith with amazing coastal scenery. The TV series Poldark is set and filmed around the tin mines at Botallack. There are nice beaches nearby at Sennen and Porthcurno, plus a number of small secluded beaches which will require a walk to get too but well worth it.

A bit further away there is a huge beach at Gwithian near St. Ives and a few on the South coast at Prussia Cove and Praa Sands.
 
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I quite like Fowey, although I've not really stayed in many other places in Cornwall. It has good views of the bay and plenty of places to eat/drink and you can take boats out or go on boat trips. There is a nice cove there and I believe Dawn French bought a big house next to it because she found it so lovely.
 
Fowey is nice ^

Have stayed at The Old Ferry over the river in Boddinick which has great views and also camped nearby. Really nice area but then that's most of Cornwall really.
 
Everywhere.... Literally tons of places to go. If you have the chance I also recommend a day trip to Isles of scilly. That way you can fly over cornwall from newquay and get a bike and ride around the island it's fantastic. Surrounding areas of St.Austell have loads of little coves and places to go, Mevagissey is nice, fowey / Boddinick, Roseland headland on the way to truro from st.Austell or you can duck in and out of the coves after Mevagissey to st.mawes. Lost garden of heligan is just outside mevagissey and the eden project is worth a look in st.austell.
 
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Ah yes, Fowey is lovely too. But it's another place that gets overwhelmed with tourists in high season (but then again, that's true of most of Cornwall's picturesque locations).
 
i like it around the st agnes up to crantoc section of coast ,but its nice around here as well ie tintagel port issac polzeath padstow(had an awesome surf at harlyn yesterday) and bodmin moor also used to go down and park at mawnan smith church and walk on the coast to falmouth
 
Thank you guys some cracking info there. I used to surf Newquay when I was in my teens so kinda know to stay away from there lol. Will look to base ourself somewhere West of Redruth to be able to access surrounding areas.

What's the best beach to go to on the north coast? Anywhere cracking for sunset walks and a watch of the sun going down?
 
What's the best beach to go to on the north coast? Anywhere cracking for sunset walks and a watch of the sun going down?

Near Newquay but Crantock is a good beach, I proposed to the soon to be Mrs there at Sunset, everytime I've been there in the evening it's been deserted.
 
Back from 4 nights camping tomorrow
Me and gf went as she went to uni in Falmouth

Kynance Cove - beautiful, I have pics
Perranporth - best body boarding we found
Falmouth - beautiful city I want to live in now
Maenporth - beautiful quiet little beach with some private coves if you swim/kayak to them

Will provide pics later
But for scenery kynance was the best
 
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If you want west of Redruth then Penzance would be a good base. Being situated in Mounts Bay you could vist St Michael's Mount, which is well worth a visit. Nearby you have the fishing villages of Newlyn (my home town :D) and Mousehole. Around 20 minutes travel gets you up to the North coast where you can visit Geevor tin mine and the views from the North coast are gorgeous. Go west and you can visit the open air Minack Theatre at the beautiful Porthcurno cove. Carry on from there and you will reach Lands End which you can see some beautiful sunsets. There are a great many lovely coves to visit such as Sennen Cove and Lamorna Cove. If you go down the eastern side of Mount's Bay you pass through Marazion, Praa Sands, Porthleven, Helston, Mullion, Goonhilly Downs Satellite Earth Station (which used to have a visitor centre but I am not sure if that's still open) and finally you will end up at Lizard Point, the most Southerly point in the UK mainland. Further east is the port of Falmouth from where you can take a nice river cruise up the River Fal to Truro, our capital City. All over Cornwall there are museums celebrating our heritage including many mining and fishing ones, several art galleries including the Tate at St Ives and if you like walking then the coast path will give you some of the finest views in the UK. The downside is that accomodation is expensive, especially at this time of the year but it is the same throughout Cornwall.
 
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