3 Towns You Definitely SHOULD NOT Visit in Cornwall in Summer
…and I’m only kind of half joking.
If you read my ‘August in Cornwall is…’ blog post last week, you’ll have seen me mention how crowded it gets here during this season. I’ve already heard four separate stories this week from people who have spent 8 hours in their car trying to get back home into Cornwall and it’s only 1 week into August!
Trust me folks, it’s no fun.
There are definitely certain places that are worse than others though, and in particular, there are 3 towns that have well known reputations for being HELL-ON-EARTH-BUSY at this time of year.
…And yet, I may have visited every single one of them last week because SCREW IT, as a local I deserve to enjoy my county despite the traffic and crowds, right?? Here’s why they’re still worth visiting:
1. St. Ives
This beautiful harbour town with its cobbled streets and 3 stunning beaches is incredibly popular with tourists, and for good reason! It is the epitome of Cornish seaside living, with the iconic white and granite houses, independent galleries, shops & restaurants, and the big art deco landmark that is the Tate gallery.
^ The lovely Niki modelling for the camera so that I didn’t look like a total idiot on my own, THANKS GURL
The parking situation in St. Ives is no fun in Summer, for sure. There’s a large car park with overflow facilities at the top of town (it’s a LONG and difficult walk back up!) but if you get there later than midday it’s likely even that will be full. Just something to bare in mind!
It is, however, one of my favourite towns to spend the day walking around – icecream in hand – exploring little shops and getting lost in side alleys. The sea is always an incredible colour and you can’t help but take a quick paddle!
My fave time to visit: February or March – I love how the town feels during Winter; it’s empty but cosy at the same time somehow!
2. Newquay
Okay so I went in the evening at about 9pm last Friday, so the traffic and crowds weren’t as bad as they would have been during the day, but hey! Newquay definitely has the worst reputation for being incredibly busy during August, as it’s a very popular holiday destination for families and surf lovers alike.
If you do feel the need to head over for a visit, the only thing I can suggest is to get there incredibly early (like 8am early) and don’t try to leave until after 8pm! If you stick around these times then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy this fun town, with loads of shops, amazing restaurants and (of course) world famous beaches to explore!
My fave time to visit: April & May – visiting in Spring means you can still benefit from all the shops & restaurants being open for business, and the beaches being (potentially!) swimmable, but with less crowds!
3. Falmouth
Everyone knows how much I love Falmouth, but even for me it can be pretty daunting to visit during Summer! The roads to and from Redruth are single lane, and traffic can be a huge pain (especially thanks to the current Treluswell roundabout roadworks… WTF Cornwall Council?!), but once you’re there I promise it’s worth it.
Again, there are so many quirky shops and eateries to visit, but the harbour and beaches are something else! If you want to escape the crowds a bit, take a walk around Pendennis castle to take in the incredible coastal views, or just go chill on Gylly or Swanpool beach. They do get busy in August but where there’s a will to find a free spot of sand, there’s a way!
My fave time to visit: June or September – you still get the lively buzz of the town, but the traffic is not quite as bad.
Even out of season, my preferred way of visiting St Ives for the day is by train from Lelant Saltings. It removes all the hassle of parking in St Ives and it’s a great view as you round the coast.
I went to Newquay once. I wasn’t impressed. Perhaps if you stand on the beach, with your back to the town it’s much better. Or if you’re 16 and on your first holiday with the lads.
What’s Truro like in the summer? Is it also overcrowded? Or Penzance (a disappointing city centre – you could be anywhere)?
Hahaha oh dear your comment about Newquay is very funny :P
And yes the train is a great plan and much better for the town; I used to get the train to St. Ives with my mum in the summer holidays and it was a fun trip out!
Truro is usually not that bad in Summer because everyone is at the beach instead – it’s worse in December so I try to avoid it then! Penzance I’m not sure about the town itself but the traffic on the A30 from Hayle downwards is HELL so I can imagine it would take hours to get there at the moment.
It’s not just Cornwall groaning under the weight of high season tourism…
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/aug/10/anti-tourism-marches-spread-across-europe-venice-Barcelona
I visited Santorini in June, almost exactly 10 years after my first visit, and I saw a noticeable increase in tourist numbers. I thought I was avoiding the high season, but it was still so busy. 10 years ago, I had no problem setting up a tripod for photographs. This year it was difficult or impossible.
I’m also making a return trip to Iceland later in the year. Again, there are so many stories of how the country is getting overrun by tourists because the infrastructure for mass tourism isn’t developing fast enough – or isn’t desired.
That’s interesting! I’ve heard that Iceland are going to start restricting the amount of tourists they allow into the country because it’s getting too much!
I love Newquay so thank u for pointing out the positives rather than those that seem to want to find faults with the town. The scenery is stunning, what more can u ask for Geometry Dash? That is a music and rhythm game which I play every day.