South-West England Devon or Cornwall

Jase

Jase

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Just looking for some ideas for a break at the start of July.

My original intention was to go where I usually ie North Wales and Lake District which would involve a fair bit of hiking/climbing. But due to a leg injury I don't think that will be an option at this stage and I wouldn't want to push it if it has only just got better by then.

So I'm looking at somewhere I haven't been before and considering Devon or Cornwall. Although I will get out taking photos at sunrise/sunset I want to know there is plenty to do in the day, your typical tourist stuff and maybe a zoo/themepark etc.

Any suggestions on which would offer the best variety (and some examples) and where would be a good place to stay? I always look forward to my evening meals so a good selection of restraunts/pubs would be nice :)

Thanks
 
Assuming you have a car or motorbike I would stay on the Devon/Cornwall border somewhere near the A30. Launceston/Okehampton or at a push Tavistock. You will be close to Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor and about 30 mins from North Coast and 45 mins from South Coast. You are pretty much no more than an hours drive from anywhere in Devon or Cornwall. All have a reasonable selection of Pubs/restaurants but it is best to ask the locals. Avoid tourist traps like the Jamaica Inn cause they are overpriced and crap!
 
Dartmoor Zoo is worth a visit. Small but good for photography - some of the enclosures clear views of the exhibits without wire in the way; you shoot over a moat or a big drop.
Paignton Zoo is bigger and not too far away from Dartmoor (which is itself somewhere worth a shot or 2...)
Our favourite part of Cornwall is the Tintagel/Boscastle area, possibly because it's easy for us to get there. The Port William at Trebarwith Strand has rooms but whether they have any vacancies is another matter.
 
I love the western end of Cornwall with the coast and tin mines. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed visiting the telegraph museum at Porthcurno. Really interesting place if you like technology stuff.

Are you set on Devon and Cornwall? Pembrokeshire is a bit like Cornwall with a similar rugged coast but without the stupid number of visitors.

If you want to see potential Pembrokeshire locations have a look a Drew Buckley’s website. He has a photograph location guide book too.

www.drewbuckleyphotography.com

I’m hopefully off to Tenby myself in a weeks if COVID rules allow. Looking forward to a bit of coastal photography.
 
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rob-nikon said:
I love the western end of Cornwall with the coast and tin mines. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed visiting the telegraph museum at Porthcurno. Really interesting place if you like technology stuff.

Are you set on Devon and Cornwall? Pembrokeshire is a bit like Cornwall with a similar rugged coast but without the stupid number of visitors.

If you want to see potential Pembrokeshire locations have a look a Drew Buckley’s website. He has a photograph location guide book too.

www.drewbuckleyphotography.com

I’m hopefully off to Tenby myself in a weeks if COVID rules allow. Looking forward to a bit of coastal photography.
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I live in Pembrokeshire :)

That's actually one thing that has put me off visiting Devon/Cornwall as it looks too much like Pembrokeshire, lol. Tenby is a few minutes away for me so I often have a bag of chips there in evening and walk along the beach. It is pretty busy already but not too bad.

Baloo said:
Assuming you have a car or motorbike I would stay on the Devon/Cornwall border somewhere near the A30. Launceston/Okehampton or at a push Tavistock. You will be close to Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor and about 30 mins from North Coast and 45 mins from South Coast. You are pretty much no more than an hours drive from anywhere in Devon or Cornwall. All have a reasonable selection of Pubs/restaurants but it is best to ask the locals. Avoid tourist traps like the Jamaica Inn cause they are overpriced and crap!
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I have a car so that's not a problem. Thanks.

Nod said:
Dartmoor Zoo is worth a visit. Small but good for photography - some of the enclosures clear views of the exhibits without wire in the way; you shoot over a moat or a big drop.
Paignton Zoo is bigger and not too far away from Dartmoor (which is itself somewhere worth a shot or 2...)
Our favourite part of Cornwall is the Tintagel/Boscastle area, possibly because it's easy for us to get there. The Port William at Trebarwith Strand has rooms but whether they have any vacancies is another matter.
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Thanks, I'll check those out.

St Michaels Mount, is about the only place I had on my list to see, hopefully that isn't too far,
 
Jase said:
I live in Pembrokeshire :)

That's actually one thing that has put me off visiting Devon/Cornwall as it looks too much like Pembrokeshire, lol. Tenby is a few minutes away for me so I often have a bag of chips there in evening and walk along the beach. It is pretty busy already but not too bad.

St Michaels Mount, is about the only place I had on my list to see, hopefully that isn't too far,
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That would be a proper ‘staycation’ then

I haven’t been to Cornwall since we went at half term in October 4 years ago. It was pretty busy then. We used to go to Cornwall on holiday in the 90s. It was busy but not like it is now. I think anywhere in the UK is going to be very busy until foreign holidays start up again without the near for expensive tests.

If you want that photo of St Michaels Mount the tides and sunset times have to align perfectly. Some nice tin mines on the coast at Bollack and Wheelcoates near St Agnes.
 
I live in East Devon, we are about an hour from Dartmoor, we have the Dorset coast not too far away, we obviously have the East Devon coast on our doorstep and you can get to the north coast and Exmoor in about an hour or so.
 
Never been there but i suspect St Ives and surrounding areas would be nice but probably full of tourists
 
Jase said:
hopefully that isn't too far,
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Nowhere in Devon and Cornwall is very far in terms of miles but in terms of time, a 5 mile journey can be a couple of hours if there's a localised problem!

TBH, I'd expect most of C&D (reversed the initials 'cos D&C sounds ... wrong!) to be pretty rammed this summer - more than most years.
 
Joining in with interest as I am heading to Cornwall in early June (Clowance Estate about mI’d point between Falmouth and St Ives) for a week with my wife.

Photography and Golf are high on my agenda so looking to get some “honeypot” shots without spending too many hours stood in strange locations with my tripod for company as my wife is not the most patient of people where cameras are concerned.

Last time I was in Cornwall was 41 years ago pulling a Sprite 4 Berth with my 1.3 MK 3 Cortina (complete with CB Radio - yes, I am that old)

Looking forward to it immensely.
 
Baloo said:
Assuming you have a car or motorbike I would stay on the Devon/Cornwall border somewhere near the A30. Launceston/Okehampton or at a push Tavistock. You will be close to Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor and about 30 mins from North Coast and 45 mins from South Coast. You are pretty much no more than an hours drive from anywhere in Devon or Cornwall. All have a reasonable selection of Pubs/restaurants but it is best to ask the locals. Avoid tourist traps like the Jamaica Inn cause they are overpriced and crap!
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I agree with @Baloo you'd get the best of both by staying near the border, plenty within easy reach on both sides.
 
Nod said:
TBH, I'd expect most of C&D (reversed the initials 'cos D&C sounds ... wrong!) to be pretty rammed this summer - more than most years.
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D&C doesn't sound wrong to me, it's one of the better publishers of photography books IMO.
 
I am going in July so would love some suggestions on good abandoned tin mines!

The West of Cornwall has the rugged coastlines - where we stay (Fowey/Lostwithiel areas) is very nice but not quite the same.

I reckon it will be very busy though as very little accomodation left.
 
cambsno said:
I am going in July so would love some suggestions on good abandoned tin mines!

The West of Cornwall has the rugged coastlines - where we stay (Fowey/Lostwithiel areas) is very nice but not quite the same.

I reckon it will be very busy though as very little accomodation left.
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Rinsey Head is a less known tin mine straight down A30 from Fowey.
 
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