Cornwall is England’s most southwesterly county, quite small and not much income, aside from tourism. This is an area where locals can’t afford to buy homes, as prices have been pushed up by rich Londoners buying second homes, and leaving them empty most of the year.
The good news is that the mild climate (influenced by the Gulf Stream) creates a unique ecosystem, so some of England’s most wonderful flora and fauna area found here.
Lifeboat crew ask for people to keep dogs away from cliffs (they often have to rescue pooches). Many beaches are not dog-friendly year-round so check (some disappear at high tide).
The Town of St Ives
The town of St Ives is one of the most popular tourist spots that faces the north Atlantic Ocean. named after Irish 5th century princess St Ia (who was ‘carried to the shores of Cornwall’ on a single leaf, after a prayer to God!’ Known for its ‘pink painters light’,
St Ives is a hub for artists. The Tate Gallery offered ‘an insane amount of money’ to buy Cornwall’s most photographed ‘green door’ (over 200 years old with peeling paint). But the owners (who run the local bakery) decided to list it instead, so no-one can ever remove it!
St Ives is just 20 miles from Land’s End (you can take a notoriously slow open-top bus), a a 12-mile hike from St Michael’s Mount (no dogs allowed, due to lack of shelter in hot weather).
The Diverse Plant Life of Cornwall
Sea thrifts (vibrant pink flowers) cling to the cliff edges here, creating a picturesque scene. Coastal grasses sway with the breeze, forming a resilient blanket over the ground. These plants have adapted to the salty air and harsh winds, embodying the spirit of survival.
Step into Cornwall’s woodlands, and you’re transported into a realm of tranquillity and beauty. Bluebells carpet the forest floor in spring, transforming the woods into a sea of blue.
Mighty oak trees stand as silent guardians, their branches a haven for numerous creatures. These woods are home to an array of wildflowers, offering a colourful spectacle that changes with the seasons.
Cornwall is home to species you won’t find elsewhere. One such plant is the Cornish heath, a rare shrub with delicate lilac flowers. Found mainly in the western parts of Cornwall, it’s a symbol of the county’s distinct natural heritage. Protecting these plants is crucial to maintaining Cornwall’s ecological balance.
Wildlife in Cornwall
Always leave seals alone (pups cannot survive if spooked back into the sea, as their blubber is not thick enough to prevent freezing/drowning). Keep dogs away from seals, as seals often hide their pups in sand dunes (especially during breeding season). Read how to help our grey & harbour seals.
Birdwatchers flock to Cornwall for good reason. The county is a key stopover for migratory birds, making it a hotspot for avian enthusiasts. You might spot the majestic peregrine falcon soaring above the cliffs or the shy corncrake hiding in the grasslands. Along the coast, seabirds like the puffin can be seen nesting on the rocky islands.
Extraordinary Encounters with Cornwall’s Wildlife
Wild Treasures is a beautifully observed book by a wildlife photographer, on her close encounters with native wildlife in the Cornish countryside and by the coast. Over a year, get up close to all the creatures, with Hannah as your expert guide.
She regularly rises early each morning to go catch site of a creature to appear among a hedgerow, scurrying across open fields or taking flight across towering cliffs and sandy beaches. In these brief moments, she is able to see and capture animal behaviour, that the general public may not get to witness.
One thing I love most is the changing seasons. An old oak sheds its acorns on the forest floor, while wildflowers begin to bloom in early spring. We follow the clock of the natural world. The wildlife know this too.
The chiffchaff and the cuckoo are the first to announce the spring season as they welcome it in with their song. And the grey seal pupping season (coupled with the arrival of redwings) signify the return of the autumn and winter months.
In this book, the author shares her incredible stories and beautiful photographs, along with often funny meetings with Cornwall’s wildlife through the seasons.
From brown hares in spring to watching an otter cub hunt in winter wetlands, she even witnesses the unique bioluminescence of a glow-worm in summer. A remarkable diary and informative celebration of Cornish creatures.
Wild adventures found on every page! Her words both glue you to the story, but also encourage you to get your boots on and find these precious spectacles for yourself. Megan McCubbin
Author Hannah Stitfall is a wildlife presenter, who has presented on BBC Earth and Radio 4. She’s also a regular digital presenter on Winterwatch and Springwatch. She also leads seasonal wildlife watching safaris in Cornwall.
Cornwall’s Project for Nature and Wildlife
Tor to Shore is Cornwall’s most ambitious project yet, to protect the county’s amazing nature and wildlife. It is creating a Local Nature Recovery Network to span land and sea, essentially rewilding local areas and promoting sustainable farming practices, all underpinned by community volunteers.
Helman Tor is the main area to protect with its granite boulders and farmland surrounding Par River, along with the waters of surrounding St Austell Bay. At over 700 acres, this area near Bodmin features heathland, scrubland, bogs, ancient & wet woodlands.
It’s also home to endangered dormice and nocturnal beavers, whose dam-making skills help to prevent local flooding. The tor itself has beautiful views to both the north and south Cornish coasts on a clear day.
Local heathland habitats have declined by around 85% in just 150 years, so restoring them can help a range of local birds including cuckoos, yellowhammers, grasshopper warblers & stonechats.
The local willow tit is one of England’s rarest birds, and providing wet woodland habitats with mosses, lichens and ferns gives suitable habitats. Another species to benefit is the rare marsh fritillary butterfly, whose numbers are now endangered, despite being a common site in the last century.
As well as planting, funding will also pay for boardwalks to allow people to watch wildlife without disturbing wetlands, and creating fencing and restoring marine habitats in St Austell Bay.
Cornwall’s only (very small) City
Truro is Cornwall’s only city, with a small population of around 20,000. Its name means ‘three rivers’, and the former wealth of those in running tin mines can still be seen today with still-standing Georgian townhouses on the street named after MP Sir William Lemon.
His son Charles Lemon also became an MP and had a tragic life, with all his three children dying while young. The stunning cathedral was finished in 1910 and hosts many community events and concerts.
A Journey Through Western Lands of Cornwall
Trelawny’s Cornwall is the enjoyable story of a man whose first name is shared with one of Cornwall’s most celebrated saints (and surname is the name of the county’s anthem). So when a stranger challenges the Radio 3 presenter on his ancestry, he returns to the land of his boyhood to rediscover the place where he grew up, and confirm if he still belongs there.
If any member of my family was making a trip, I would beg to be allowed to call the British Rail inquiry line at Truro station, to clarify train times. It was a place I dreamt of working. Sitting, telephone headset on, surrounded by every timetable book and official railway document available, providing essential information to the travelling public.
One man treated every question with glee and enthusiasm. He thoughtfully considered and answered my demands to know about connects in the Midlands, dining cars to Norwich and through train-ferry tickets to the Isle of Wight.
I created an imaginary life for him – the shelves of his sitting room were filled with international timetables, his spare time planning trips, making the best use of the discounts offered by his International Railwayman’s Concessionary Travel Pass.
Part history and part memoir, this is a deep-felt exploration of Cornwall, to visit old mines and ancient churches, and sites to poets, musicians and architects.
He explores the Tamar river, explores the collapse of Methodism and the decline of the Cornish language. And the county’s sometimes lucrative (but sometimes destructive) relationship with tourism.
I can’t think of a more illuminating guide to Cornwall than Petroc, who loves it deeply and shares it generously. Reverend Richard Coles
Petroc Trelawny grew up on the Lizard Peninsula in the far south of Cornwall. He presents on BBC Radio 3 and was part of the commentary team for BBC coverage of the coronation of King Charles III and the funeral of Her Majesty the Queen.