We are planning on traveling to the Cornwall area in September. I am wondering if there is a more centralized place to stay for three or four nights and then to travel around from there. Also about how many days should I plan to spend in the Cornwall area, as we are planning to travel further on the southern coast of England. We will be doing our own driving.
Posted by
3124 posts
Truro is fairly centrally located and I think it makes a good base.
https://www.visittruro.org.uk/
It's hard to advise you on how many days to spend without knowing your interests and your overall time allotment, but I'd want to spend at least 3 days (4 nights). I've noticed that the RS guide to the Great Britain barely mentions Cornwall, which is understandable since their approach is to winnow out the less popular locations, but there is still an awful lot to enjoy in Cornwall.
http://www.letsgocornwall.com/
When I traveled to Cornwall I had one top-priority destination -- St. Michael's Mount -- and I wasn't disappointed. It was magical.
https://www.visitcornwall.com/things-to-do/attractions/west-cornwall/marazion/st-michaels-mount
Posted by
OP
Coatesville, PA, USA
6 posts
Thank you so much for your quick response, we are planning on spending about three or four days there, since we have two weeks overall in England. Our interest mostly is history and yes St. Michael's mount is one of the destinations I don't want to miss. We're also looking to hit into Tintagel and as Poldark is one of our favorite series I'd like to see some of the history associated with that series as well. I will have to give Truro a look and thank you for the links, I will check them out as well. Any other recommendations you were anyone else can make I would greatly appreciate. Also any hints to driving in that area as I am from the United States and I'm dealing with a little bit of trepidation on driving in England.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
I think Truro would be a good choice, especially since you want to visit both the north and south coasts of Cornwall. Be aware that it takes longer to drive from place to place there than the mileage alone would suggest. Roads are narrow and crowded.
We liked St. Michael's Mount very much -- took a boat over and walked back on the causeway because of the tides.
Left-side driving requires constant attention, especially when making turns so you don't automatically head into the wrong lane. Automatic transmission helps make it easier, but can be hard to find and usually puts you in a bigger car, which can be a disadvantage on those narrow roads. I found (after several difficult days) that it helps to lean over to the right so you're looking almost straight along the center line. This helps you see how far the oncoming cars are to your right, and avoid huggng the left side of the road to the consternation of your copilot.
Posted by
Hampshire, England.
1075 posts
Some helpful hints on driving:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g186338-i17-k6722631-Driving_in_the_UK_for_Americans-London_England.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMQtO6qhkIo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Diu1k_5H45k
Please read the relevant sections of the Highway Code:
http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/uploads/3/2/9/2/3292309/the-official-highway-code-with-annexes-uk-en-12-04.pdf