The Editors view.

 

Welcome to the Editors view page on our website. This gives us a chance to comment on items and events that have happened since we published this years edition of the magazine and also some tips on getting the most from your stay in Cornwall. As many of you will know, the Cornwall Tourism Magazine is the only publication of its type that is both free to the reader and distributed outside the country. In fact we distribute over 75% of the print run outside Cornwall because we want to show people who are thinking of coming down to us all the amazing things Cornwall has to offer. And if you think about it, there are a lot of things. Having a coast line on three sides gives us stunning beaches from smooth sandy beaches that go on forever through to stunning rocky beaches that take your breath away. Beaches that are world famous for surfing and waters that provide some of the best diving and fishing in the world. Please read the bottom section for more information on this.

 

The way it is.......

 

You will also see our comments on many things related to Cornwall and the tourism sector on this section as well. Although Cornwall is perhaps the most beautiful county in the UK, we are right at the bottom of it so this does present us with some logistical issues when attracting visitors to come on their holidays to us.The thing is, it is so worth you coming down to Cornwall, therefore, we will be using this section to try to seduce you into coming to see us.........Seriously though, Cornwall really is unique and very special and everyone should come down here at least once in their lifetime and preferably many more times. The climate is stunning, although occasionally the wilder weather does like to visit us too, but when it does, it brings its own style and beauty that is stunning to see. The lifestyle is very relaxed and serene and the scenery......Well breath taking doesn't really begin to describe that......You will have to come and see it for yourself to fully appreciate why we feel blessed.

 

 

 

 

 

Its a new year and we're feeling good.

 

Since the beginning of the year, we have constantly been asked by readers, newspapers and even TV news crews about the weather last year and if it will have an impact on the numbers of people visiting us this year. Well all I will say about last year is that if your name was Noah and you owned a big boat, you would have been very popular. The weather of course is totally unpredictable and the only way of knowing what it is going to be like is to stick your head outside and see for yourself on the day, but whilst everyone is thinking about the rain last year, let's not forget that we also had some very hot days as well. In fact, in the early part of the year Cornwall was in a near drought situation and there were some blisteringly hot days even in the wet periods. Just not a lot of them. But to just view things on the state of the weather is to miss an important point.

 

No one can deny that Cornwall has some of the most stunning scenery in the World. We have amazing sandy beaches, rugged coast lines, stunning inland locations ( Bodmin Moor for example ) and whether it is raining or not, you can still visit them. Yes, when its cold, wet and windy, walking on a lovely sandy beach isn't always the most appealing of activities, especially if you have an army of kiddies with you, but it is still better than sitting in your tent, caravan, hotel room or guest house. Cornwall is all about the total experience and if its wet, you do different things than if its sunny. And let's be honest, there is a lot of things to do and see. There are a number of attractions that are not weather dependent and if you are into surfing and sporting activities, well the rain doesn't really make any difference does it? So, all you have to do is be prepared for any rain and you can still have an amazing Cornwall experience.

 

Is 2013 going to be wet or dry?

 

The reason we had such wet weather last year was because the Gulf Stream currents, which bring us our warm climate, had moved down from north of Scotland to roughly the English Channel. The relevance of this is that weather bands ( that's clouds and storms to you and me ) follow the current and if it is lower in terms of latitude than normal, we get lots of rain storms following it. Clouds and storms are all formed from heat from the sea; in the UK's case that is the Atlantic Ocean. If the Gulf Stream was located north of Scotland, the cool air in the upper northern hemisphere would allow the clouds and storms to dissipate and dump their rain in the sea, and we get lots of nice sunshine. However, as it was much lower last year, the clouds dumped their rain on us. This also followed during the winter. Now despite what you may have heard, Cornwall didn't get as much of the rain as other places in the UK, however, if you were staying in a tent and got wet, that isn't really any kind of consolation, but the $64 million question is, what is it going to be like this year?

 

Obviously, we have absolutely no control over the Gulf Stream currents, so if they stay low, we could get a repeat of last year. There is a school of thought that says melting ice in the Arctic is pushing the Gulf Stream currents lower and we do know that the temp has increased in the North Polar regions, so maybe last year is the shape of things to come. The alternate view is that the movement of the Gulf Stream currents is perfectly normal and does happen from time to time, so it could very easily move further north again this year and the hot, dry weather will come back. In other words, no one knows for sure, but if you come prepared for some wet weather, you wont be caught out.

 

Looking for somewhere to stay in Cornwall?

 

When it comes to staying in Cornwall, you are seriously spoilt for choice. Just about every possible type of accommodation situation is catered for from hotels through to cottages, apartments, caravans, tents, Yurts and even Pods. We have looked at few of the options and written a short article to explain some of the accommodation options which you can read about on the Accommodation in Cornwall page. We haven't covered them all, that would require a reworking of War and Peace, but we have given you a sample of what is available. And as with all things, price ranges vary, so its best to look at a few options to see what your accommodation budget buys you.

 

How about dining out in Cornwall?

 

Obviously a lot of people stay in self-catering accommodation when they come to Cornwall and do their own cooking, etc. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't go out to one of Cornwall's amazing restaurants, pubs or other dining venues. Cornwall is constantly voted as one of the top dining locations in the UK and with good reason. We have some amazing chefs here, people like Rich Stein, Nathan Outlaw, Paul Ainsworth, Tom Hunter, Nigel Tabb. Olly Jackson, Ben Prior and many others. But you don't have to go to a famous name to get good food in Cornwall, you will find excellent food all over Cornwall from small costal village restaurants through to hotels, Bistros, Cafe's, pubs and many, many others. Every type of cuisine is catered for ( excuse the pun ) and you can also get take-away's from classic Fish and Chips through to Balti, classic Indian, Chinese, Thai, Pizza's and others, so whatever your palate, Cornwall has something very special to offer you. We have had a look at what is on offer and written an article about eating out in Cornwall which you can read here Dining out in Cornwall. We haven't covered them all, but we have given you a taste of what's out there and why Cornwall's food is so stunning.

 

Our beaches.

 

Of course, the main reason people come to Cornwall is because of our stunning coastline and our gorgeous beaches. To this end, we have listed many of the best ones ( but not all of them ), which you can read about and see images of on our Beaches in Cornwall page. Cornwall is blessed with a large number of sandy beaches, most of which are family friendly, although you may have to scramble down and over some rocks to get to them. We also have a number of more rugged beaches which may not be suitable for your kiddies, but are just as exciting as the sandy ones. You also get stunning views and most of the family beaches have life guards on duty ( in the holiday season ), so they are safe. But like all things to do with the sea, you just have to be careful and use your common sense. Of course, Cornwall is very famous for its surfing beaches and if you are a surfer, you are seriously spoilt for choice and if you want to learn how to surf, there is an abundance of Surfing Schools who will teach you how to ride the waves. You can read more about surfing in Cornwall on our Go Surfing in Cornwall Page. Again, we want you to both enjoy your surfing experience and to come back again, so please be safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beaches and more......

 

But Cornwall isn't just about our beaches and the sea, we also have equally stunning scenery inland, a unique Tin Mining heritage that has now gained World Heritage status through the Cornish Mining World Heritage organisation and of course we have hundreds of lovely little villages, historic towns and harbour areas and some of the best food available anywhere. ( See the Rick Stein interview here ). We have an extensive range of accommodation providers covering the whole spectrum from B & B's, Farm and holiday Cottages, Holiday Parks, Camping and Touring sites, Hotels, Apartments, Guest houses, Hostels, etc, and you can also stay in a Yurt and TeePee. In fact Cornwall has everything for everyone and it isn't just a Summer location, you can stay all year round and experience Cornwall in the Autumn, Winter and Spring.

 

Bodmin - Moor is more........

 

For example, if you visit Bodmin Moor in the Autumn, you will find it a very different place to the Summer version. You will find rich the colours of Autumn, the faint wispy mists that give it is unique haunting look and feel. But don't worry, there are no ghosts there,just a beautiful landscape that will take your breath away. And it isn't all moorland either, there are Tors, hills, lakes and rivers and one of the most enjoyable things about it is that you can actually hear the silence and feel the space and freedom it provides. Its the same with the beaches. Having such a diverse and dramatic coast line, the seasons bring many different aspects to our beaches.

 

Beaches through the seasons.....

 

In the Summer, the sea can just trickle in on the low tides on the sand or wash upon our stone and rocky beaches where the clear blue water mixes with he foamy white surf and produces an endless beauty of its own. Come to the same beach in the Winter where the waves are churned up and you can fully experience the stunning and compelling wildness that only huge waves crashing onto a Cornish beach and shore can produce. It is nothing to fear, it is something to revel in and indeed many thousands of people come to Cornwall in the Winter months just to experience this. Including us.

 

Legend has it........

 

Of course, Cornwall is also famous for its locations such as St Michael's mount which legend has it was created when two Giants decided to throw rocks at each other. If that is true, I am glad it was a long time ago...... There is also the association with King Arthur and his Knights and legend has it that Cornwall was the scene of many of his battles and where he died. We are also famous for some TV series, Doc Martin ( filmed in Port Isaac ), Poldark ( also filmed in and around Port Isaac ), the Rosamunde Pilcher German series of TV programmes and lots of other TV programmes and a surprisingly large number of movies. Its natural beauty makes Cornwall and ideal location for filming.

 

Read all about it.....

 

We could easily fill 20 pages listing all the things Cornwall has to offer, which is why we publish the magazine and you find information on most of the towns, villages, beaches attractions, activities and beautiful locations that our lovely County has to offer inside it. As you will see we have put a fully readable electronic version of the magazine on the website, however, the best way to read the magazine is in hard copy, so if you would like a copy, and join the many tens of thousands of people read our magazine, just email us here magrequest@cornwalltourismmagazine.com and it will be our pleasure to send you one.

 

 

 

 

Our business methodology is very simple. We are promoting Cornwall as an all year round holiday destination and to do this more effectively, we need your local stories and feed back from your visit to Cornwall which we will post on a dedicated page, so please send us your thoughts and any tourism related local stories or your feedback on your stay in Cornwall. We will publish them on the website every two weeks and we will give the best story of each fortnight a free Cornwall Pass so please send your stories and information to us on editor@cornwalltourismmagazine.com and we will publish them for you.