Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly

Book excerpt: Thoroughly updated and significantly expanded in this new fourth edition, Bradt’s Cornwall & The Isles of Scilly (Slow Travel) is the most well-established guide to a perennially popular British county. Offering in-depth exploration of both frequently visited and less-well-known destinations that will interest locals as much as newcomers, it is written in a friendly, engaging style and includes up-to-date listings of the best (and sometimes least obvious) places to eat, drink and sleep, appealing to all budgets. Long popular with discerning travellers and foodies, the boom in staycations and coverage in TV dramas such as Poldark mean that Cornwall enjoys ever-increasing acclaim as a healthy, wholesome destination. Few places offer such geographical diversity: rugged, storm-lashed north coast and wide, sandy beaches favoured by surfers lie barely a few miles from the south’s sheltered creeks, coves and exotic gardens. Wild moorland is dotted with Neolithic standing stones and mining heritage. And, just 28 miles from Land’s End, the Isles of Scilly offer an exhilarating blend of tropical exoticism and wild isolation. Cornwall thus possesses an enduring appeal as a year-round destination for visitors of all ages and interests. But such popularity makes it all too easy to overlook the diverse character of the county and its less obvious destinations – which is why taking a Slow approach is so rewarding. As local residents have discovered, treasures of all kinds are revealed when you ditch the car and start investigating what lies immediately beyond the doorstep. Explore the ‘Cornish Alps’, the lonely Rame peninsula, secret beaches or stone circles lost amid remote-feeling uplands. Glimpse the future of sustainable technologies at the Eden Project. Listen to world-class musicians playing in tiny rural churches. Celebrate the comeback of the chough, Cornwall’s emblematic bird. Wander around Bodmin Moor’s Kerdroya, a classical labyrinth built of Cornish stone hedging. Discover where oysters are still harvested in the traditional way and where the best Cornish ice creams, pasties and cider are made. The ideal companion for a visit, Bradt’s Cornwall & The Isles of Scilly (Slow Travel) is an invitation to imbibe the region’s rich, diverse delights.