As we drove along the south-west of England coming from Wales in the north, we took in many beautiful destinations in north and south Cornwall and Devon. There are castles, beautiful landscape, pretty villages, rugged coastlines and lovely roads too.
Two gems in Cornwall – Tintagel Castle and Minack Theatre stood apart from the rest and need a mention.
TINTAGEL CASTLE
Located on the Tintagel island-peninsula next to the village of Tintagel in North Cornwall is this amazing Tintagel castle.
(If you have read the “Last Kingdom” series of books by Bernard Cornwell, you will recognise the name.)
There is stunning scenery and dramatic views, as well as history and myths at this castle that is perched high on the rugged coast of north Cornwall.
The way you access the castle is itself quite dramatic!
Things to do at Tintagel Castle
– Walk the steep downward path leading to a spectacular bridge between two high cliffs. The thought of having to climb up this steep path on our return was a bit scary.
– Cross the bridge leading to the headland while enjoying stunning views of the valley and streams of little waterfalls below. This is not for those with fear of heights.
– Once you have reached the headland, walk amidst the ruins and remains of the 13th century medieval castle. You will find viewpoints and lots of signboards with write-ups on legends and myths of King Arthur. There are several steps going up and down – some with support and others with no support to hold.
– Take loads of photos of the ruins and views – totally breath-taking.
– Finally, when you have reached the top of the headland, take a break, sit down on the very windy platform and take more photos and enjoy the awesome views.
– Now start the downward climb – not easy but a good workout for your legs.
– There are lovely cafes and restaurants waiting to provide you your well-deserved meal!
A side trip: RHS Garden Rosemoor
This enchanting garden is just half an hour’s drive from Tintagel Castle. If you love gardens, flowers and planting displays, you will enjoy this extensive garden that is nestled in the beautiful Torridge valley and surrounded by woodland.
MINACK THEATRE
A magical open-air theatre built into the granite rocks at Porthcurno in South Cornwall right by the waters and crashing waves!
It is located en route to Land’s end driving through several long winding roads.
Background:
This unique theatre was designed and created by Rowena Cade who lived at Minack House that overlooked Porthcurno Bay. The idea of the theatre and its creation started from as early as 1929 progressing through the years. The theatre is registered as a Charitable Trust and is now run by a local Management team.
Minack theatre is open to visitors throughout the year except from June to September when plays produced by UK based and visiting companies from the USA are staged at this venue.
All the architecture at Minack theatre looks like stone, while most of it is made from concrete and cement.
Things to do at Minack Theatre
– Choose some of the viewpoints/ balconies to take in the spectacular views of the steps leading to the theatre right below, and the surrounding sea and rocky cliffs.
– Climb down the rather steep steps to reach the bottom next to the theatre and the sea. The location and views are simply magical.
– Admire the architecture and the setting of the theatre
– If you are lucky or had planned before, experience a live show. (you may have to make a booking in advance).
– When you are done, climb up the steps and enjoy some coffee and light snacks at the café with awesome views.
Side Trips
While you are in southernmost Cornwall, you might want to include two other destinations – the popular Land’s End and the lesser known Mousehole – both within short drives from the Minack Theatre.
Land’s End
Also known as Pedn-an-Laaz in Cornish, Land’s end is the most westerly peninsula located at the south-west tip of England. It is a popular landmark and a well-known British tourist attraction. It is composed of granite mass and rugged cliffs at the scenic coast. The Longships lighthouse is a marker showing dangerous reefs about a mile from the headland.
Things to do in Land’s End
– Take your photograph standing next to the signpost that says ‘Land’s End”. Mind you, there is usually a queue for this!
– Walk along the many cliff top trails taking in the great views.
– Explore the West country shopping village
MOUSEHOLE
An interesting village and fishing port in Cornwall, Mousehole (pronounced “Mowzel” by locals) is located a few miles south of Penzance on Mount’s Bay.
It was known as Porth Enys (port of the island) in the past and it has been the main port from 13th to 16th century.
The village has a maze of narrow streets, many of them with steep inclines, quaint houses and lots of boats bobbing at its small harbour.
A word about driving in Mousehole: The roads here are some of the narrowest like in many small villages in England and Wales. Almost all of them are single track roads, some one way and others two way – but all the same width! Look out when suddenly a rather big bus appears in front leaving no room for you to duck!
Things to do in Mousehole:
– Take long walks along the fascinating harbour of Mousehole, enjoying the views of the coastline.
– Explore the beaches here – the harbour beach and a pebbly beach in Newlyn.
– Enjoy a coffee or a drink at the many cafes and pubs along the harbour.
If you love driving, Southwest England is a great place to explore. Fairly short distances, an abundance of natural beauty, and hidden gems undiscovered by many tourists. Perfect!
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Stunning views! The heights would scare me a little, but would be worth the view!
Talk about gems! These look like absolutely stunning adventures! I will definitely be saving this for inspiration for my next trip. I love how you included your photos and mentioned the cafes – always important to grab some snacks after a climb like at the Theatre.
So many fun things to do in Cornwall! I would especially like to check out Land’s End. I love visiting lighthouses, so it would be very cool to see, even if it’s from far away. Mousehole also looks so cute and quaint!
I’m very excited to plan a trip to this part of England next year. There are so many historical places that I want to see – thanks for sharing!
It is, without a doubt, a real gem in Cornwall! The Minack Theatre is well worth the climb to see the azure crashing waves and spellbinding views from the top. My adventurous side would come out here, too, with the exhilarating high steps at Tintagel Castle. Thank you for sharing this lovely trip with us; I had a great time reading it.
I love this area of England! I’ve never heard of these spots though, so I’ll have to check them out next time I’m there 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Love all these beautiful Cornwall gems in southwest England. Would love to explore and go hiking here.
I love your photos! It really inspires me to visit Cornwall and its gems. That’s exactly what I love, so saving all these places for future!
I’ll take the steep path to Tintagel Castle for that amazing view. Taking picture by the Land’s End is hard to miss, too. And thanks for telling us how to pronounce Mousehole. I got it wrong all this time.
These are some breathtaking views, gems indeed! I really liked the fact that you mentioned some really cool cafes. The photographs are absolutely stunning, I’m planning a trip to England super soon and wouldn’t miss a chance to visit these absolutely stunning places in Cornwall. Bookmarking this for future!
I’ve never heard of Mousehole and now I want to visit! I love hidden gems with tight roads. Heights do scare me, but so worth it! Enjoyed this read!
Wow, Tintagel castle looks so amazing! I would get dizzy walking on that bridge up there. I would love to do a long road trip in England. I have been there several times but still haven’t managed to see anything else but the capital. The coastline looks so beautiful and everything there is so green. Love it!
I have fond memories of Cornwall. I did visit Minnack theatre too. I found it so fascinating. Too bad I didn’t manage to watch a show there. I did a daytrip to Land’s End and stopped by at Minnack Theatre too. Unfortunately I missed visiting Tintagel castle. The castle and its views are just so so gorgeous. I came across the Eden project in the RHS Garden but unfortunately had no time to visit.
You are so right about those ruins. They are totally breathtaking against those natural backdrops. I loved the outdoor theatre in particular for the few viewpoints that I can see. I do hope that if I ever get there, I get to experience a live show.
This is dreamy! Both these sites i.e. Tintagel Castle and Minack Theatre look stunning. Beautiful views all around. Would love to explore the UK countryside someday.
This seems like a good spot to explore over a weekend plan. Though heights scare me but I wouldn’t mind going here and explore
I haven’t been to Cornwall yet, but it’s on my bucket list, as the scenery is incredible. To my dream list, I add two gems in Cornwall, Tintagel Castle and Minack Theatre. They are spectacular. I would love to take pictures there. The scenery is both dramatic and poetic. And the history is so rich. It’s a very inspirational post!
We definitely need to plan a long road trip and plan some time in the Cornwall area. We love the rugged coast and the idea of visiting castles along the way. The Minack Theatre would be a great spot to plan to visit when a live performance is scheduled!
This is simply amazing: The sceneries, the antique structures, and always the waters in the backdrop. I think I have to overthink my concept of always going to warm, tropical, or at least Mediterranean places. England has so much beauty to offer – apart from mesmerizing London 😉
Cornwall is that part of England I have not visited along with the Lakes Diatrict. And Tintaga Castle, Minar Theater, Land’s End, and the Mousehole Harbor are definitely things to see. Might just go back to complete the country.
I love touring around castles and there are so many in England. I haven’t visited any of the places you mentioned but they look lovely. I would love to get back to Europe, thanks for the inspiration.
Cornwall is a part of England I have always wanted to visit. Your photos are stunning and capture well the essence of the area. I am parking this for the future!
This all sounds incredible! I love the backdrop and views, but to be able to see a play production at the Minack theater would be awesome!
I love the rugged coast of southwest England. It was quite rainy and overcast when I was there.
This sounds like the perfect roadtrip idea! Adding this to my UK bucket list!