Cornwall and Devon

I spent a week in Cornwall with a vehicle and did just fine. I honestly can’t imagine getting to see Cornwall without it. Sure, there are a lot of narrow roads, but having the ability to see the countryside and stop where I wanted was great. What I wanted to see was very spread out, and Cornwall’s public transportation does not get you everywhere. But I guess it depends on what you want to see...
I really enjoyed Tintagel, Minack Theatre, Mousehole, and St Michaels mount. St Ives is a popular destination, however I preferred the smaller, less touristy areas.

I would take a train to Exeter and then rent a car. This area is easily done with a car and allows you much more flexibility than any other mode you have mentioned. You can see what YOU want to see for as long as you would like and stop at those little, unexpected places you find in a place like this. Parking is easy in rural England so as long as you are already comfortable driving there I would say get a car and go!

Cornwall with a car is a necessity for me . I like the idea of taking the train as far as Exeter and then hiring the car , On the trips that I have made to Cornwall , I picked up the car at Heathrow and drove , but I made a number of stops along the way , thus breaking up the drive . There is a lot to see , you need to read up and make your choices accordingly . The Tin mining history and the impact on the Cornish economy was fascinating . As well , the small village of Coverack on The Lizard was a charming place . This book , by Mark Kurlansky has a fair amount of information about the fishing industry in Cornwall ., and its parallel to that in Gloucester , Massachusetts - https://www.amazon.com/Last-Fish-Tale-Atlantic-Gloucester-ebook/dp/B0017T0A30/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2041EN8VJ7NPE&keywords=the+last+fish+tale&qid=1562446637&s=gateway&sprefix=the+last+fish%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1

Following this thread. We are planning a trip to Devon and Cornwall next June and would prefer not to rent a car. Also considered Rabbie’s Tour, but pace was too fast. Others tour company suggestions or private guide suggestions?

There are some places you can reach via public transportation (like St. Ives), so perhaps a combination of do-it-yourself and a private tour? I very much enjoyed the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project. Both are large and time-consuming. I would not have wanted to pay for a guide's time while looking at all those plants! I managed to visit both while staying in Mecagissey, but there are probably more convenient bases.

I like art and decorative arts, so I was happy to tolerate the other tourists in St. Ives since I was enjoying window-shopping so much.

I also liked the larger, non-coastal, Truro, which has good transportation links.

Thanks for all the great advice. I did find a multiway tour of the area on Viator, but liked the rabbles tour better.

If we take the train to Exeter, what train station would be more convenient to catch the train, after our arrival at Heathrow in the AM from the USA?

Check National Rail UK for the station , but I'm pretty sure it's Heathrow terminal 5 to Exeter St Davids

Heathrow hast its own rail station. Actually different stations for each terminal The trains only go into London, but you have a choice of the tube or a dedicated train to London Paddington. In your case the latter is better as trains to Devon and Cornwall also use Paddington station.

Heathrow isn’t a convenient entry point if you want to go to Cornwall/Devon.

Consider flying to Dublin or Amsterdam and get a connecting flight with Flybe direct to Exeter.

According to Mapquest it is a three hour drive from Heathrow to Exeter. Not sure that taking the train into Paddington then heading out to Exeter would be a better option.

I think that driving three hours in a jet lagged state would be most unwise

I just checked this again , between the trip into London , and Paddington to Exeter , it's the same three hours ,and much safer . Also , no issues over possible bad traffic enroute , which could slow you down considerably

Thanks for the advice. I have driven in England right after a transatlantic flight twice before with no problems.
I am so hyped about our trip that I don't get sleepy. It appears that the road down to Exeter probably doesn't have heavy traffic based on our earlier trips driving in SW England.

It appears that the road down to Exeter probably doesn't have heavy
traffic based on our earlier trips driving in SW England.

Er... is this a joke? I’m not sure what time you’re doing this trip but on any weekend during the summer holidays it can be absolute hell on Earth. Devon & Cornwall remain pretty much the most popular destination for British holidaymakers staying in the U.K. Roads down to the SW in the summer are notoriously clogged with traffic.

From Heathrow, either take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and take the train to Exeter or the bus from Heathrow to Reading and pick up the train there.

Thank you, This Person.

Our previous visits to England were in May and October and we drove a bit on that highway (not all the way to Exeter) and traffic was light.

Perhaps the train is a better idea.

I hope traffic in Cornwall and Devon in the Summer won't be like the M25.

I'd strongly recommend the train to Exeter vs. driving there after flying overnight. The excitement of arrival doesn't improve the reflexes, peripheral vision, or skills needed to drive safely in an unfamiliar car on unfamiliar roads. Now if you're one of those lucky people who gets enough sleep on flights, that's another story.

Devon and Cornwall are best seen by car, especially if you're comfortable driving on the left. There's lots of traffic, especially in summer, and most of the roads are hilly and curvy. As England narrows westward toward Land's End (which I suggest skipping), it's broken up by hills and valleys running roughly north-south. This means lots of up, down and around as you drive east-west. It also helps explain why the Romans never conquered this part of Britain. The little cliff-bound harbors at the ends of those valleys facilitated fishing, smuggling, and the nefarious practice of setting out lights to lure ships onto rocky shores, followed by looting. Fishing still happens but otherwise Cornwall has cleaned up its act. ;-)