Cornwall

Destination Information

"Go deep sea fishing or try your hand at catching sea bass from the beach followed by a cliff top walk to enjoy the stunning views” - Living Edge Magazine, August 2011.

Cornwall has some of the wildest and most dramatic scenery in Britain, with an incomparable choice of beautiful beaches. With gently shelving sandy beaches that are ideal for family holidays, hidden coves backed by steep cliffs, and excellent conditions for surfing, sailing and a variety of extreme water sports, there is truly something for everyone. Cliffs, coves, castles and caves that until 100 years ago were the domain of smugglers, blur the lines between history and legend.

Inland, heather and gorse-covered moors studded with the remains of Cornwall’s heritage, including Bronze Age and Early Christian sites, are a lure to walkers and include the granite towers and stone chimneys that are all that remain of the tin-mining industry that dominated Cornwall for over 4000 years. Walkers also have no less than 500 miles of coastal footpaths to explore.

Capital city

Truro

Population

535,300 in 2012

Language

English and Cornish

Currency

GBP

Events and festivals

Mousehole Christmas Lights

The Cornwall Film Festival at Newquay

The British Surf Film Festival at Newquay

Newquay Fish Festival

Padstow Christmas Festival

Obby Oss day in Padstow

Falmouth Oyster Festival

Telephone dialling codes

+ 44

Internet domain .uk
Electricity

240 V

History

The history of Cornwall begins with the pre-Roman inhabitants, including speakers of a Celtic language that would develop into Brythonic and Cornish. Cornwall was part of the territory of the tribe of the Dumnonii which included Devon and parts of Somerset. After a period of conflict with the Kingdom of Wessex, it became part of the Kingdom of England by the late 11th century and was eventually incorporated into Great Britain and the United Kingdom, yet maintained an independent language and culture into the Early Modern period. To this day Cornish people are very proud of where they are from, and have a strong sense of their own heritage.

Climate data for this region.

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