Cornwall.... The England you didn't expect to meet

Cornwall travel

 

Windsor, Salisbury, Stonehenge, Stourhead Garden

Kingdom of castles, the beautiful and luxurious palaces inhabited for centuries by kings, queens and duke of the city and kept order, the breathtaking coastal scenery, landscapes green pastures and endless wind-swept moors.

From the densely populated suburbs of London to the infinite spaces and desolate dell'Exmoor.

From the warmth of the people of Cornwall and the countryside, the cool people of the City.

Un'Inghilterra surprising, with many, many places to visit in a week that can only be touched. A thousand-year history, from 3000 BC until today, a country in continuous evolution, where tradition is combined cleverly to progress.

A defect, its roads clogged highways, narrow, winding lanes and the provincial. Fortunately, just down the car just to relax and forget the stress of traffic in the quiet city in the endless moors or along the endless coastal walks, where the paths separate landscapes from high mountains to the beautiful white beaches almost Caribbean.

Immediately at the first impact we understand what we would have waited for 7 days on the road British trafficatissime, from highways to the narrow streets of Cornwall.

And so, leaving Luton, we queued at the long line of cars that traveled the M1 heading south, taking a hiccup. Nothing compared to what we expected at the Windsor: one hour to travel 300 meters because of an accident.

Stress traffic is immediately forgotten just arrived: in fact in the town of Windsor, although it is much frequented by tourists, is a certain peace and tranquility along the narrow streets overlooking the River Thames where there seems to be back in the Middle Ages.

We are now to be missed and impressive Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world again, where the royal family still spends much of holidays.

The entrance is from dizziness (£ 13.50), is fortunately the only place we visit is not included in our card GB Heritage Pass (7 days € 58) which provides access to almost all the palaces, castles, archaeological sites in Britain, not just saving.

Purchased the ticket (low row) and past the metal detector, we are moving towards the St George's Chapel, an imposing Gothic church used as a Royal Mausoleum, where you will find among others, the tomb of the Queen Mother. The interior is very striking, with its long nave and the Royal Vault, the real-time where there are some graves. Before you pass out from the Albert Memorial Chapel, a magnificent chapel and decorated to the smallest details.

Then we head to the Royal Apartments; to visit them, as there are two files: one, no tail, only allows access to the apartments, while the other provides a row of 40 minutes and log on to the first Queen Mary's Doll's House The house of dolls. Salute dolls from outside and we set the only visit of the apartments visited, we realized the great power and wealth of the British monarchy over the centuries, perhaps like no other.

It passes from George's Hall, used for official receptions, the most intimate rooms of the real, walking with great awe and admiration for the elegant salons crossing.

At the apartments there is in front of the facade of the castle with a wonderful view of the overview of the entire residence and its gardens infinite, through the Long Walk, walk 3 miles.

From the center of Windsor, across the footbridge over the River Thames, accessed all'adiacente town of Eton, famous for his college.

Let's go back in your car and cross the region of Wiltshire, the roads tend to become more narrow, but traffic is always maintained, even if the queues have disappeared. We arrive late afternoon at

Salisbury

Here we have the first impact with the British B & B: all with a great sense of hospitality units at present despite the size of the structures and the sharing of certain premises.

At our arrival, when shown the room, the owners make us sit in the garden and offer us tea with biscuits, which also can be prepared at any time since all the rooms have the equipment to prepare tea, coffee, chocolate .

Before dinner we walk to Salisbury, a delightful town with a typically English, together with monuments and buildings truly remarkable. The main attraction is the fabulous Cathedral, one of the most beautiful and interesting of the United Kingdom. Outside what is impressive is the magnificent spire, the tallest in England, with its 123 meters. The interior is sumptuous and solemn with the nave 70 meters long. From here you access the kiosk and the beautiful Chapter House, which houses the best preserved original copy of the Magna Charta. Inside you can see the oldest working clock in the world (1386), although it seems that everything except a clock. The part that strikes more of Churches UK is in my opinion, the choir, which is characterized by small lights permanently on.

The Cathedral is united by a beautiful park in the Close, fenced land around the Cathedral. The Close of Salisbury is considered the most beautiful of England, with medieval buildings arranged in rows. The center is characterized by beautiful pedestrian ways in which the Sabbath is held on the market and take their name from products that were sold in antiquity, as Fish Row or Silver Street, and lead to the beautiful square in Market Square.

The next morning begins with the classic English breakfast, truly magnificent: the "Full English Breakfast" consists of a large plate typically contains eggs, sausage, bacon, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, combined with fruit juice, toast, jams often made house, tea, coffee, fresh fruit and syrup. A great way to start the day off on the right foot and to save, as the lunch becomes superfluous.

Today we expect the transfer longer: 350 km to reach Cornwall. Few miles from Salisbury, stopping first at:

Stonehenge, perhaps the most famous prehistoric site in Europe, the tour stop in England, and for this reason that the visit should be scheduled or opening (9am), or better still at sunset when the light of only creates an almost magical effect with huge stones.

The site dates back to 5000 years ago and is composed of several circles by enormous vertical monoliths than in the past had probably intended to be an astronomical calendar. Indeed, the iron horse interior is aligned to the sunrise at the summer solstice and sunset at the winter solstice.

It was estimated that the monoliths, heavy four tons, were transported for about 30 km from 600 people: two stones aligned was a stone laid horizontally to form several circles Horseshoe. The visit of the site is really fascinating, a truly mystical place. Stage and we continue to:

GARDEN Stourhead, magnificent gardens to visit along a 3 km trail that winds around a lake in a valley characterized by beautiful landscapes, rare plants and small temples decorated. A really nice walk and relaxing in this vast park, perhaps the most beautiful in the world. At the end you can also visit the Palladian-style residence.

We continue towards the south-west of England along the A30, two-lane road for the direction of travel, which often becomes a single lane, creating traffic jams for many who head toward the busiest in the Saturday morning to the south, the Sunday afternoon to the north. Fortunately we walk towards the south on Sunday, and we just see the long queues on the other side!

A mid-term we make a detour to go through a stretch of Dartmoor NP, a long expanse of green hills, from landscapes and relaxing. We absurd some roads, where if I had not had the gps would have thought that I lost somewhere. And instead emerge directly opposite to our destination: the Castle Drogo. We stop for a pleasant picnic lunch lying in the middle of the meadows of the hills that surround the castle. The exterior, all in stone, does not affect that much, much better interiors, fully furnished with period furniture. The landscape outside is really pleasant, green uninhabited no boundaries, only small remote villages.

Then we return the A30 until you reach Penzance, one of the best known of Cornwall, the main goal of our journey.

Cornwall

Land of legends, mysteries and traditions. Of pirates, artists and poets. Unspoiled landscapes, white beaches, majestic cliffs. As a small and charming villages, pastures infinite expanses of meadows covered with flowers.

In the past, his point to the West has taken the name of Land's end, the end of the earth. And looking down from the endless ocean rocks that many ships did fail, is not that hard to imagine that this is really the point where the land ends.

The county of Cornwall has always considered a nation in itself: and it is really so, and in this area seems to have been another England, for landscapes, for the style of housing for the kitchen, for l ' ancient language spoken for the crystalline sky when the days are clear of clouds.

Paradise for lovers of trekking which can travel the South West Coast Path for 600 km of trails overlooking the sea, surfers, attracted by the winds and waves constantly powerful, painters and writers, enchanted by the breathtaking landscapes, from nature lovers that can dive into the endless natural beauty that the region offers, for lovers of beaches with small coves and wide sandy bays which compete with the most beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean. And yet elegant but small towns, castles overlooking the sea, friendly people and smiling.

Cornwall offers so many attractions that alone would require a minimum stay of two weeks. But time is always as tyrant, and unfortunately requires a tedious selection of the most famous, are often aware that the smaller towns and less known to give the most thrilling sensations.

Do you no doubt St Michael's Mount, practically a photocopy of the most renowned Mount Saint Michelle in Britain. A rocky island that with the high tide is separated from the coast, while at low tide the beach is a huge form where you can stroll, and the water appears as if by magic a cobbled path that emerges among the algae, and leads to the castle high on the cliffs on the island. The phenomenon happens twice a day, about every 12 hours. The twelfth century castle includes a beautiful garden, elegant, and at its foot a number of houses built entirely of stone. In the case of high tide, the castle can be reached by boats which are loans to the port when there is low.

S. Michael's is located a few miles from Penzance, the main town, which can be a good starting point for visiting the area, offering excellent accommodation, mainly in small B & B, many of which are located in beautiful Georgian residences.

Here is a beautiful pedestrian promenade along the seafront, where there are many restaurants that spoil fresh fish and shellfish, a swimming pool "derived" from the sea, and many craft shops flanked by art galleries.

Perhaps the most spectacular area is the Lizard Peninsula, which extends into the extreme to the point where the lighthouse. From here fabulous trails that lead to the various bays. Do not miss what is port Kynance Cove (40 min. From Lizard Point, just minutes from the parking lot), a beautiful bay reached by a breathtaking journey that seems to be in the high mountains, through pastures and meadows filled with flowers that leave suddenly replaced by a white beach, and huge rocks and crystal clear turquoise waters. It seems to have arrived at a shelter at 2000 meters, instead we are on the beach!

In addition, we enter instead Penzance in peninsula to the West of England, a circular road takes visitors to the area, known as Land's end, stopping at various vantage points. First stop the Minack Theater, according to some the most spectacular open air theater in the world. Entirely of stone and nestled on the cliffs, it offers a breathtaking view of the beautiful beach of Porthcurno, white sand and the sea of indescribable colors, and across the peninsula where the rocks seem to take on a reddish color. A steep path leads to the beach, considered one of the best ten of the world. The evening will be held here still plays, though in summer you must book well in advance because perpetually "sold out".

If you happen to watch a show in the evening, bring a ski suit, because here in the upper atmosphere often blows cold ....

We continue along the peninsula, where it first encounters the village of Land's end, and Bay Sennen Cove. My advice is to directly reach the second, leave the car and proceed on foot along the path that connects the two locations (about 1 ½ hours return).

Sennen Cove is a small village with a beautiful white beach at least 4 km. Take the path that leads to Land's end is something fantastic, always overlooking the sea, surrounded by meadows covered with ferns, heather and flowers, almost always driven by a strong wind: this is because when they get to say you can be reached at "End of the World." To symbolize the place, a sign of having arrived in the most west of the United Kingdom, and the distance from New York, about 5000 miles I believe. But centuries ago, the cartel was not there, and everyone thought that after this point, the land was truly over. Not hardly believe it!

Continuing in the car in the tour of the peninsula, the next location you find is St Just, village whose homes are entirely constructed of granite. Just a few kilometers and we reach the town more attractive to this stretch of coast: St Ives. Famous for its art galleries, there are over one hundred, spread with narrow cobbled streets and hanging from the port to go back on the hill offering extraordinary views of the bay and its three beautiful beaches of white sand, which at low tide seem endless: Porthminter is perhaps the most beautiful, with the rear of Victorian houses on the hill overlooking the beach. But Porthmeor, view from the promontory of "The Island" is really impressive and huge, just think that from the beach to the sea you must walk at least five minutes in the sand ... Complete the old village pub, churches, elegant houses with facades full of flowers. A charm.

Completely changing the area, we move in the north of Cornwall, where some of the most enchanting.

Do not disappoint us at all the famous Tintagel, being stormed by tourists, but with an extension such that they can find a walk alone on the trails to the peak of the cliffs, even in August.

The center is really nice although a little crowded, but the main attraction are the ruins of Tintagle Castle, positioned on top of a promontory, reached along a steep trail and stairs carved into the vertical rock. Legend has it that in this place there was an ancient fortress where King Arthur was born. The ruins are a few small boulders, but the location is nothing short of incredible. Lying on the lawn overlooking the sea from the cliffs, even a ham sandwich with stale seemed an unforgettable meal.

A few km beyond worth a small village of Boscastle, made infamous for having been completely destroyed by a flood in August 2004. Now the houses have been rebuilt and the atmosphere has returned to once a fjord penetrates the coast until you reach the first houses and the mouth of a stream, surrounded by green hills, pastures and mountain huts.

A typical Irish countryside here on the fringes of England.

A little further you see the cliffs of Hartland Point, which marks the border between the beautiful north Cornwall and another pleasant surprise: the region of the Exmoor Somerset NP.

If you plan to leave for Cornwall, begin to warm up the muscles of your legs and abandoned the car as much as possible to visit these places without addressing pleasant walks, it's getting to a shelter on top of a mountain by cable car!

Exmoor NP

Possible that one of the most beautiful places in England is one of the unknown? Yet just a hundred miles from Tintagel, one of the most frequented by tourism.
Of course this applies to foreign tourists, because the British know very well, and almost beginning to believe that no advertising specially to keep the secret intact.
Coming from the "confusion" in Cornwall seems to be reached in an isolated place, where even the streets are not clogged.

Exmoor offers the visitor a day, replete with breathtaking views, wonderful walks, small but charming villages, entirely covered moorland heather, and a sense of peace and quiet breathing in each corner.

In just a few kilometers we pass from the steep and majestic cliffs in the valleys populated by sheep, deer and ponies, free to graze undisturbed in the territory. The roads, always close, is incredibly spectacular, with the ups and slope almost alarming (in many case more than 20%). Exterminated through heathlands first, then increased to peak on the sea crossing and finally sweet rolling hills, interspersed continuously from villages and towns where it seems to relive the different historical epochs, from medieval Dunster, Lynton to Victorian, from wild and primitive Selworthy.

Another striking feature is the intense green of vegetation, even in summer when rainfall is unusually low, el'immensa stain of wildflowers that covers all of the hills.

Coming from the south, the first town you encounter are the "twin" Lynton and Lynmouth. Are close, but the first is situated on the sea, the latter almost in the mountains. The impressive height difference is bridged by the Cliff Railway, which allows you to move between the two locations. This is a funicular railway which has become a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, as the two cars using the only pressure to get on and off the rails on the slope breathtaking.
A walk to Lynmouth is really nice, situated in a beautiful valley traversed by a river, sea and green hills, with narrow streets full of shops and an intense aroma of caramel, specialty of the place.
Behind him, overlooking the sea, is Lynton: The main street is characterized by beautiful Victorian houses and continuous views of the sea and cliffs.
From here you have beautiful walks, the most characteristic is the one that leads to the "Valley of the Rocks", where bizarre rock rise to peak at the ocean. Along short paths you can reach some top, walking in sheep, ferns and heather. The view from the top is nothing short of magnificent and dominates the entire valley crossed by the streets, with the sea that is the background to the hills of a green.
Going long the streets of the park in an easterly direction, between continuous ups, meet first Porlock, a small village famous for the cottage roof, and then with a short detour on a narrow road one reaches Selworthy, which was also used as a set film views its special homes.
From here, the road enters the wildest area of the park, endless wind-swept moors, where it leave the car for a few minutes and drive aimlessly, even briefly, the wonderful paths through meadows covered with flowers completely, with crude sheep and horses that graze freely. Unfortunately we are unable to see the famous Exmoor ponies, who live only in this park.
Last resort you'll find, is the medieval Dunster. The main road is marked by ancient buildings and beautiful cottage and go up to the castle, which overlooks the whole country. His visit starts from the gardens, and beyond the walls and go inside, where you can visit the beautiful rooms with beautiful fireplaces and elegant furnishings.

A few kilometers and the magic dell'Exmoor suddenly disappears, returning on busy roads British ends so that a day was to be only for transfer, and was instead found really wonderful and quite unexpected.
If you go to England to visit Cornwall, on the way to make a detour back and not miss this little gem.