It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the wonderful county of Cornwall.

Did the name of my blog give it away?

I grew up here between the ages of 3 to 16 years old, and since then have lived in Bristol and Surrey. And while Bristol is a decidedly awesome place to live, I chose to make Cornwall my permanent home in 2014 by buying a house here.

So why exactly do I love the Cornish life quite so much? Find out below:

1. The Beaches

^ Gylly Beach in Falmouth – voted our top fave beach!

A totally original reason, I know, but how could I not include this? As you’ll know, Cornwall is home to some of the most stunning beaches in the country, so if you’re a sand/sea/watersports lover like myself it is the best place ever!

Here’s a list of the ultimate best beaches in Cornwall, in case you were wondering!

2. The Community Culture

^ Great Estate Festival in Scorrier, nr. Redruth

I’ve never seen a community quite like Cornwall’s in any other part of England. It’s not just the fact that everyone seems to know or be related to everybody else (let the jokes ensue), it’s the sense of neighbourly love from everyone you meet.

It’s like being part of a really big, open club, where everyone’s like “Ahh, you live and work in this tiny, isolated county too? Then we must support each other like there’s no tomorrow!“. And our recently granted ‘minority status’ just makes this tight-knit community tighter!

There are always so many events and festivals going on throughout Cornwall; I usually use the What’s On page on VisitCornwall or go through Facebook local events to keep up to date.

3. The Countryside

^ Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Marazion

There are many beautiful areas of countryside around the UK, from the National Parks to the Scottish highlands, and we are lucky that Cornwall is one of those places with a huge amount to offer! We have more National Trust/Heritage sites than I can count on two hands, and each one is stunning in its own unique way.

Some of my favourites include:
– Glendurgan Gardens
– Enys Gardens (the bluebells in Spring are incredible!)
– Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens
– Trelissick Gardens

4. Family

(Source)

One of the reasons I bought a house in Cornwall was because my close family live here too, and that’s really important to me. It’s also a fantastic place to bring up a family if that’s where you are in your life, and I know this first-hand having been lucky enough to spend my own childhood here.

Stevie from A Cornish Mum regularly writes about what it’s like having children in Cornwall, and great places and things to do with the kids!

5. The Relaxed Atmosphere

^ Kayaking around Durgan on Helford estuary

I don’t want people to think that Cornish people don’t work as hard as others because they’re always ‘out surfing’ etc. because that simply isn’t true. People here work just as hard, but the workplace atmosphere is (in many cases!) much more flexible and friendly.

Many companies in Cornwall have ‘flexi-time’, because they understand that allowing them to leave 3pm to making the most of the sunshine with a beach BBQ or river kayak is fine as long as their work gets done! Living in Cornwall is their motivation, so why deny them that?

6. The Importance Placed on Sustainability

^ On a wild camping adventure with Cornish Wave

Because nature and wildlife are such a huge part of every day life here, everyone really cares about protecting the environment. Villages get together on a regular basis to do local beach cleans and conservation, and there are many different charities set up to protect our woodland and our waters. I am a Surfers Against Sewage member as I think they do great things to help clean up our oceans!

If you’re planning to visit Cornwall, I’ve written a bit about how to visit as sustainably as possible, because it’s something all of us are really passionate about.

7. Childhood Memories

^ St. Ives – I have lots of childhood memories of coming here with my mum

Buying a house here meant that I could still visit all the places (beaches, towns and parks) that I enjoyed going to when I was growing up, and where I created some wonderful childhood memories!

8. The Independent and Small Businesses

^ Potager Garden, a small independent garden cafe outside Constantine

The ‘relaxed atmosphere’ mentioned above not only comes from the location, but also the size of the companies. Don’t get me wrong, there are some big, internationally successful businesses based here, but the majority you’ll find in Cornwall are small or independent companies who support each other and enjoy the small, family feel.

It feels like there are so many entrepreneurs and start-ups in Cornwall at the moment too, which is really exciting to be a part of!

9. The Living Expenses & House Prices

(Source)

Now I’m not saying that Cornwall is the cheapest place to live in England (there are some extremely expensive areas here!), but compared to London or inner city living, it’s pretty good value! This is also reflected in Cornish salaries, but again, people usually come here for the atmosphere and work/life balance, not to become billionaires.

Read my post on Property in London vs. Cornwall.

10. The Pasties!

Okay, yes, Cornish people get pretty weird when it comes to pasties – I mean, we have a Cornish Pasty Association that campaigned for nine years to give Cornish pasties ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ status! That’s pretty obsessive…

But Damn it, they’re so good.

 

Please note that I did not write this to start arguments on whose county is the best (even though we are definitely better than Devon), but I would still love to hear why you love where you live too!

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