Road Trip Cornwall: Travelling Around Cornwall in a Quirky Camper

/

If there’s one good thing that has come out of the lockdown for me it’s a new found love for the UK and what’s on our doorstep.

For some unknown reason I’ve never explored Cornwall that much, Dev and I decided this year (pre pandemic) that we wanted to spend more time travelling round the UK. So fortuitously or in a state of climbing the walls in lockdown we took a gamble in the hope things would be opening up in July and booked a 10 day trip in a van through Quirky Campers.

We’ve been lucky enough to travel through Australia twice in a van, and it’s been my favourite type of holiday as you get to explore so much, and stop off at places that you otherwise would most likely miss via public transport or a car.

This was our first time hiring a van in the UK, I’ve followed Quirky Campers for a long time, they have a great selection of beautiful vans that are all owned by individuals and rented via the easy to use website.

We decided to go with Quincy, an old Fed-Ex van that has been converted with great attention to detail by Sam it’s owner, a very talented carpenter. The van has been designed head to toe in reclaimed timber, with soft furnishings, lighting (solar powered so you can go off grid), an incredible sound system and a kitchen and very comfy bed. It’s fair to say we completely fell in love with her, and it was a difficult parting at the end. 

Cornwall in the summer is glorious, salty air, long coastal walks that go for miles, fresh crab sandwiches and a lot of cream teas.

I read the other day that people who live by the sea are proportionally happier than city dwellers and I can completely understand. After months of being in a Bristol ( a city I love), the sea air and a much needed break away from the reality of this pandemic was very much needed.

We booked four different campsites, all were sparkling clean and following covid-19 restrictions and guidelines exactly. I was slightly nervous about all the shared public spaces but these were impeccably maintained and looked after throughout all our stay.

We started our trip in Port Issac near Padstow, and made our way down to St Ives and Lands End, then on to Lizard Point and finishing up in Portscatho before driving home.

We spent a lot of our days on foot walking along the coast, eating and cooking up meals in the van cause that is the joy and fun of camping. I’ve put down a full list of my favourite places we stayed, visited, ate in and loved. There are so many more we wanted to go to but I know this is the first of many trips to Cornwall and I hope it inspires your staycation travels this year.

Campsites

1. Rosebud Farm Touring Park, Bodmin

The campsite has a beautiful back drop of the countryside with a vast amount of space for each pitch.

This is an 18+ only campsite but allows dogs, they have a limited capacity so gets fully booked quickly.

Very clean site and toilets and shower block

Owners are welcoming but make sure to check the arrival and departure times as they are very strict on these.

2. Trevadra Farm, Sennen

This was one of my favourite locations as the campsite back’s on Gwynver beach.

It’s a very large site and again booking is essential, with clean and a large amount of facilities, on site shop and café and helpful staff

I would highly recommend it.

3. Little Trevothan, Helston

A nice clean campsite, it lacked in atmosphere compared to the others we stayed in but was very clean and a good base to explore from

4. Treloan Coastal Holidays, Portscatho

A family campsite, with a brilliant location as it’s walking distance to the nearby town and you can see the sea from your pitch.

Most of the pitches are on a hill, but you get used to it and the location makes up for it

Very friendly owners and a lovely atmosphere

Places To Visit

We preferred the coastal walk and less busy areas so this is by all means not an extensive list

1. Treemenheere Sculputure Gardens, Penzance

It’s got it all, beautiful art, dreamy gardens, a great café and really good coffee, a wonderful shop and probably the best selection of succulents in the country

2. St Ives

This was very busy so I wasn’t won over but it’s worth a visit.

Walk from the centre out to Carbis Bay and if the tide is low on to Porthkidney

Barabara Hepworth Scultpure Gardens and The Tate (sadly both closed when we were there)

3. St Michael’s Mount, Marzion

A lovely spot and nice beach if the sun is out in Marzion

4. Durgan Beach/Helford River

A great swimming spot just outside of Falmouth with a lovely walk from Durgan beach to the Ferry Boat Inn pub 

Walks/ Beaches- take the coastal path

  • Sennen Cove to Cape Cornwall- a beautiful wild stretch of the coast, take a picnic and drop in to St Just for a Moodmaid of Zennor ice cream

  •  The Roseland Heritage Coast

  • Constantine Bay to Harlyn – take a swimming costume and a picnic and stop off for a swim at Long Cove beach. There’s a good car park right next to Constantine Bay

  • Poltesco- Lizard Point- make sure you stop off at Cadgwith Cove for crab sandwiches at The Old Cellars, this was one of my favourite fishing villages.

  • Trebarwith Beach- Tintagel

  • Gwynver Beach near Sennen was my absolute favourite spot, there’s a car park nearby where you can pull up and watch the sunset.

Places To Eat/Drink

Padstow:

  • Paul Ainsworth Number 6- amazing value set lunch, c£30pp

  • We went to Rick Stein’s but I would say there are better places, not bad fish and chips but not the best

Newquay:

Penzance:

  • Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar- lovely local fish restaurant, worth a visit if your in the area or they do take away

  • Jelbert’s Ice cream

St Ives:

Falmouth:

Portscatho:

  • Tatams- Great coffee, pastries and take away pizza Thursday- Saturday

  • The Hidden Hut- it’s a MUST! We went back twice, make sure to get there at 12pm for when they start serving as it always sells out by 2/3pm

  • Melinsey Mill- run from a restored 16th century water mill. They do a good wood fired pizza night