England 2025- Cornwall on repeat
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| Sunrise in Newquay |
When we went to Cornwall in 2023 for the first time I didn’t know what to expect. You can research all you want but some things are just left to chance- like the weather, the crowds, parking, whether the things you want to see will have unscheduled closures, the list goes on. I tried so hard not to have expectations and honestly that’s the best way to go because our first time there was marred by an unexpected storm, the closures of castles, fog so thick you could see barely 5 feet in front of you, shrouded views and turbulent brown seas. Did we have a good time? Yes, we did. But the only thing I really rated in Cornwall was Tintagel and St. Michaels Mount. I wasn’t overly impressed. I didn’t understand why it was known for its summer crowds and massively overpriced real estate. Honestly I didn’t mind if we didn’t return.
When we were planning our 2025 trip to the UK it was supposed to be to the Highlands of Scotland and a quick jaunt to my in-laws in the Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire area. So it might come as a shock to you, as it did to me, that we found ourselves back in Cornwall without a Highland cow in sight. So, how did this happen?
Rewind to 2024 in the early planning stages of said trip. I was feverishly researching Fort Willams and the western highlands when my husband gave me a look I’ve seen many times before. He was about to put forth a proposition. One he assumed I would not be in favor of, hence the sheepish smile. What he didn’t know is I was not married to the idea of Scotland and therefore open to said proposition. He wanted to return to Cornwall. He had been there as a child and had very fond memories and he wanted to redeem Cornwall in both of our eyes. He was hopeful that the weather might cooperate, that we might see the fabled turquoise water, the sparkling sea reflecting the sunlight, the soft light of St. Ives and just maybe acquire a suntan while feeling a light ocean breeze.
I was optimistic that we might be able to retrace some of our steps but this time in good weather. That’s kind of a lot to ask, as England’s weather is quite changeable and unexpected. You can have a heavy storm with flash flooding in the summer months or a heatwave in spring that sees soaring temperatures and no relief. Honestly we’ve experienced both. Sometimes you just have to cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Luck was with us, because the weather was truly fantastic our entire trip. Cornwall was showing off- blue skies, sunshine, warm temperatures, and that stunning turquoise sea!
The only negative thing I have to say about Cornwall this time around was the road construction which lead to detours and accidental trips up someone’s private driveway. Apparently spring is when England decides to do it’s road repairs- we have run into it on every trip. Our route to Cornwall the first time was via main roadways so that part of our trip didn’t stick out in my memory. This trip it was noteworthy. Like, “document it on video because you think you might have an accident” noteworthy.
Let’s be honest, these are country lanes not main roads, but try telling that to GPS and the Cornwall Council. We had many a harrowing experience on Cornish roads this time around. In fact we almost had a collision, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Our drive from Stonehenge to Newquay was 3 hours of glorious beauty. I’ve said this before but there isn’t much more beautiful to me than the English countryside on a sunny spring day. Our route this time was completely different to the first time we came which gave us a chance to see new areas, but also to experience the infamous narrow Cornish roads we didn’t traverse the first time.
Driving between Stonehenge and Cornwall
Our first run in with these narrow roads came at our first detour from road construction. GPS decided our best bet was to travel a back road near St Austell which was a great introduction to how the roads would be all week. It was absolutely stunning but nerve wracking. We were so fortunate not to meet anther car on the road because this one had no turnouts.
Once in Newquay we had the added adventure of finding our airbnb. The hosts did their best to give us directions but honestly we kind of found it by accident. Once we knew how to get there it was easy, but the first few times it was chaos and really stressful. I wish I had taken a video of unlocking the parking bollard. I’m sure these exist here in the states but I had never had to navigate them before. For those that don’t know what a parking bollard is, it’s a metal pole (sometimes quite decorative) that either sinks into the ground and disappears if it’s electronic or in our case, it has a lock and key. Once the lock was removed you pushed the pole on it’s hinge taking it from upright (and blocking the parking space) to laying flat on the ground so you can drive over it. This feature is absolutely necessary in a place in Newquay. The parking is quite scarce and people will break the rules and park in your private spot in a heartbeat. We were so lucky to have this guaranteed space every time we left and came back. This is one of the main reasons we booked the flat.
Our drive through Newquay to get to the airbnb
One of our frequent past times in the late afternoon was watching people navigate the incredibly tight parallel parking spaces across the street from our building. The English are masters at parking. We didn’t see a single vehicle bumper get hit and watched some incredibly tight maneuvers. I have always said if we get to move to England, we will either not have a car or we will have a Fiat 500 because I have no confidence in my driving skills on this small isle and I want the tiniest car possible.
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| A screenshot of my Instagram story, illustrating the packed parking spaces |
Finding just the right airbnb in Newquay was actually harder than you’d think. Having a parking space was non-negotiable. We have learned the hard way in the past. Many of the listing did not include a parking space so by default the one I finally chose rose to the top. Let me tell you, it was the best place we could have chosen. Upon finding it and parking, I was very skeptical. Yes, it was directly across the street from a gorgeous beach, yes it was convenient to restaurants, coffee shops and grocery stores. There is no other way to say this than to be blunt. The outside was kind of shabby. Broken glass near the door, empty food containers littered the drive and the buildings definitely looked wind battered. The thing I should have remembered from experience is the English coastlines get beat up- wind, and salt air are not kind to paint and metals. It’s the interior that matters. We got through the common area, which also made me question my choice, but once we got into the courtyard I breathed a sigh of relief and knew we had made the right decision. Behind that worn exterior was an oasis of sorts.
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| View from the bay window of the flat |
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| The exterior of the building-you can see the parking bollards. |
Walk from the door of the building to the beach
Walk from flat to the coffee shop. So close!
Our flat was on the top floor and the view alone was worth the cost. I would stay in this flat again in a heartbeat. In fact if we find ourselves back in Newquay it’s the only place I want to stay. I dream of being able to park myself on the chaise lounge, facing the bay window, good book in hand- stopping to look up at the view and lose myself in it.
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