Newquay, Cornwall: Holidays, Beaches, and Surfing

Surfing at Fistral beach
Image by Geoff Tydeman

Newquay is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall, and is known as the "Surfing Capital of the UK".

Newquay was originally a fishing village catching mostly pilchards, but these days only a small amount of edible crabs and lobsters are caught by the local fishermen. In the last century, the town has blossomed as a holiday resort, with its population swelling five times at the height of the season.

Newquay is particularly popular with families, due to its ten long sandy beaches, and with surfers, due to the powerful, hollow waves and good sized swell at the Fistral Beach.

St Ives, Cornwall: Holidays, Art, and The Tate Gallery

Porthminster Beach, St Ives
Image by Chris J Dixon

The seaside town of St Ives, Cornwall, is situated on the coast of the Celtic sea, in the South-Western corner of the county.

Originally a thriving fishing port, St Ives is now primarily a popular holiday resort, boasting a rich artistic culture. Many artists live and work in St Ives for the perceived quality of the air and of the light.

The town is well known for its four beaches, for its many galleries, including the Tate Gallery, St Ives, and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, and for its sub-tropical climate.

The Eden Project, Cornwall

The Eden Project, Cornwall at night
Image by Neil Kennedy

The Eden Project in Cornwall, the most popular visitor attraction in the region, attracting more than a million visitors a year. It is 1.25 miles from St. Blazey, and 3 miles from St. Austell, the largest town in Cornwall. It is housed in an old Kaolinite (clay) pit.

The Eden Project, which is run as a charity, aims to both provide an entertaining and educational day out for all the family, as well as running social  and environmental projects, research into plants and conservation, and providing memorable learning experiences for students of all ages.