on 15/04/2020
Cornwall is the only county in England that has one bordering county, which is Devon.
The county of Cornwall is the westernmost part of the South West Peninsula of Great Britain. The southernmost point of Cornwall is The Lizard and the southwesternmost point of Cornwall is Lands End.
Cornwall only has one city, Truro. It is one of the smallest cities in the UK, with a recorded population of 18,766 in the last census.
Truro has a relatively modern cathedral, which was completed in 1910 and is one of only 3 cathedrals in the country that has 3 spires.
Truro was granted city status in 1877. Bodmin was Cornwall’s former county town until its Crown Courts moved to Truro.
The Cornish flag is the flag of the Cornish patron saint, Saint Piran. The flag has a black background and a white cross in the middle. Saint Piran was a 6th-century Cornish saint and is the patron saint of tin mining in Cornwall. This Cornish patron saint is celebrated each year on Saint Piran’s Day, which falls on 5thMarch.
Arguably one of the best things to come out of Cornwall is the Cornish pasty! Pasties were originally made to be eaten by the hard-working Cornish tin miners. The pasties were half savoury and half sweet, with the crust used as a handle and was disposed of afterwards, as for the miners to not eat any of the dangerous chemicals on their hands.
Today, the traditional Cornish pasty consists of a pasty case (shortcrust or flaky), beef skirt, potato, swede (turnip) and onion. Each year, approximately 120 million Cornish pasties are made. The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) state that a Cornish pasty can only be called a Cornish Pasty if they are prepared in Cornwall.
Cornwall is usually around 4-5 degrees warmer than the rest of the UK due to it being on the eastern edge of the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream moderates the climate of Cornwall, making the weather typically milder than the rest of the country all year round.
The sea temperature scales rom 5-24°c depending on the time of year. Cornwall is truly a great place to visit, whatever time of the year!
Click here to discover some of the best holiday cottages in Cornwall
Across 422 miles of coastline, Cornwall has over 300 beaches. It has one of the most beautiful and varied coastlines in the UK, split across two different coastlines, the north and south coast.
The North Cornwall coast features the popular beaches Summerleaze in Bude, Fistral in Newquay and Perranporth beach. The Atlantic Ocean on this side of the coast creates fantastic conditions for surfing. Fistral beach in particular is world-famous for its fantastic waves, perfect for surfing!
Cornwall’s south coast is located on the English Channel and has more sheltered beaches, which can be perfect for water sports on calmer seas. Beaches on the south coast include Falmouth’s Gyllngvase, Porthpean in St Austell and Looe.
There are 8 Blue Flag beaches in Cornwall in 2020. The Blue Flag is awarded to beaches that meet a high environmental standard and also have high quality standards. The beaches in Cornwall that have a Blue Flag status are: Porthtowan, Porthmeor, Widemouth Bay, Gyllngvase, Trevone Bay, Carbis Bay and Great Western Beach. Click here to read our blog on Cornwall’s Blue Flag beaches!
Cornwall is one of only a few counties in England that has no motorways.
The road transport network in Cornwall consists of 3 main A-roads, the A30, A38 and A39. The A30, which runs all the way from Exeter to Penzance, is known for being the main corridor into the South West.
You can also get to Cornwall via train, with the Cornish Main Line ending at Penzance. What better way to travel to your favourite coastal destinations than along the local train lines with beautiful sceneries of glorious beaches and picturesque valleys.
Cornwall also has one airport, Cornwall Airport Newquay, which is located just outside of Newquay. You can fly to and from a number of destinations within the UK, as well some European locations. These include Faro, Allicante and Dusselforf.
