Places to Get Active in Cornwall

During the summer months the UK's south west county of Cornwall is popular with visitors eager to experience the sun and landscape, and ultimately get away from the trappings of modernity. With its long coastline and abundance of rural land, it is unsurprising that Cornwall is well known for being a top destination for certain sporting activities. What follows is a short guide of where to head towards should you be interested in surfing, sailing, walking or playing golf in the area.

Surfing
With more than 600 kilometres of coastline to choose from, it makes sense that surfing is one of the most popular pastimes in Cornwall, both for visitors and those who live in the region. The north coast is typically more well suited as it can benefit from swell far out in the Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, there are many popular beaches such as Fistral in Newquay and Polzeath near Wadebridge where amateurs can learn at the numerous surf schools around or simply in the presence of lifeguards. Whereas, those who are a little more experienced tend to avoid the crowds at quieter locations along the rugged coast.

Sailing
If the north coast is exposed and wave-battered, the Cornish Riviera of the south coast is comparatively sheltered and peaceful. The Carrick Roads and the Helford Passage near Falmouth are some of the most picturesque areas where the freshwater of the county's rivers meet the sea - and best explored by boat. The nearby Roseland peninsula is popular among boating amateurs and enthusiasts alike - and harbours at Fowey and Mousehole are as famous for their appealing setting as much as their connection to the sea.

Walking
In 2009 The South West Coast Path was named as one of the world's greatest tourist attractions by Lonely Planet, suffice to say that the county's diverse coastline offers walks of varying levels of intensity and plenty to see along the way. Walk some of the highest cliffs on the north coast near Boscastle and St Genny's, or venture to the westernmost and southernmost points of the country at Land's End and The Lizard. Inland, Bodmin Moor offers more than 200 square kilometres of rolling hills to explore on foot including the highest point in the county: Brown Willy.

Golf
What better way to take in some of Cornwall's most stunning vistas and fantastic landscape than with a couple of rounds of golf? With around 40 clubs across the region it's impossible to go into too much detail here, however some fine examples include: the award-winning Bowood Park, the three lake course at Tehidy and the oldest club in the region, West Cornwall - which overlooks the fantastic St Ives Bay.

Article Source: TravelFreeGuides.com

About the Author

Sam Southern writes about Cornwall self catering, hotels and places to visit in the region. For more details about staying in the area visit: http://www.killanoon.co.uk/

by: lw

Total views: 0 Word Count: 465 Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 Time: 11:32 PM - 0 comments

Publish/Share this article

To use this article on your site click here to get the HTML code |
Remember: The article body, title, author bio and links may not be changed or removed. By publishing this article, you agree to all the terms in our Terms of Service.

Rating: Not yet rated