A Blog about Cornwall's Hidden Places & Untold Stories
We are very used to hearing about the Cornish taking advantage of bounty brought to its shores by the ferocious sea. Tales of crowds of the opportunistic, greedy, and probably at times desperate, inhabitants swarming over a beached vessel and plundering all they can. Stripping a ship, and sometimes its crew bare, before the arrival […]
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Here we are on the verge of going to Cornwall. This time tomorrow we shall be stepping onto the platform at Penzance, sniffing the air, looking for our trap and then driving off across the moors to Zennor. Why am I so incredibly and incurably romantic about Cornwall? – Virginia Woolf, 22nd March 1921 Some […]
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Which came first – the carving or the legend? It’s almost impossible to say for sure. There are other stories of Cornish mermaids at Padstow, Lamorna Cove, Seaton, Cury and Perranzabuloe. But the legend of the Mermaid of Zennor seems the most deeply embedded in the psyche of the Cornwall. And is one of the […]
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Nobody visiting Zennor should fail to take the path leading to Zennor Head. Sunk at first between highbanks, it soon gains its freedom and superb views open out. The sea beats furiously against the feet of the massive headland and the lichen covered rocks, heather-topped hills and the endless succession of coves and forelands to […]
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The view of Godrevy Lighthouse on its little off-shore island is one of Cornwall’s most iconic. From wherever you see it, along the coast from St Ives to Gwithian and beyond, the image leaves an impression. It’s one of Cornwall’s most photographed landmarks, drawing artists, poets and writers to it from the time it was […]
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Monoliths, quoits, cairns and circles of stone, Cornwall is home to more megalithic sites per square mile than anywhere else in Britain. Of the 20 or so stone circles that remain today many more have been lost or destroyed. Cornwall’s stone circles may not be as large or dramatic as those found in other parts […]
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“Half hidden at the end of secret pathways, stumbled upon near old streams, nestled at the bottom of remote valleys far from modern-day roads and cottages, Cornwall’s holy wells are places of peace and contemplation, and refuge from the strains and pressures of 20th century civilization.” -Cheryl Straffon. In his book Secret Shrines Paul Broadhurst […]
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In Cornwall we really are blessed with some of the country’s finest coastline and it’s most beautiful beaches. There are literally hundreds to choose from. We have prehistoric beaches, beaches with shipwrecks, lots of shipwrecks. Beaches with smugglers, beaches with treasure and romantic rock carvings. There are so many fascinating stories. But one such beach […]
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The vast majority of our ancient monuments in Cornwall are quite plain. They may be dramatic in their setting, their age or their size but they often demonstrate to us the effects of the elements more than the mark of the hands that built them. There are, however, a few exceptions to this. Places in […]
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Cornwall is a paradise for birdwatching. The county’s position, stretching out into the Atlantic, surrounded by hundreds of miles of beautiful coastline, means that not only is it an ideal stopping off point for many migratory species but it often has unusual visitors. Birds that have been blown off course or over-shot their intended destination […]
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