Choosing not to take an arduous five-hour train journey and so staying in Cornwall instead this Easter break? We’ve got you covered. Having a break from lectures – and finally having some good weather – is the perfect excuse to explore some of the most beautiful parts of Cornwall.
1. Swanpool Beach
Let’s start small. Swanpool beach is only a ten minute walk along the coastal path along from Gylly beach and is just as stunning. There is a small café on the beach, as well as the opportunity to hire out paddleboards and kayaks. On a sunny day it can be slightly less busy than Gylly, making it the perfect place to relax away from the crowds that race down to the beach the second the sun comes out. Also, those little beach huts are beyond adorable.
2. St Ives
This beautiful seaside town is roughly a 45-minute drive from Falmouth, but it’s also perfectly accessible if you don’t have a car; by taking a train from Truro you can then change at St Erth for a smaller branch line that delivers you right onto the beautiful pale sands of St Ives. There are plenty of quirky shops to explore in the town if beaching it isn’t your thing. That being said, Porthminster beach on a sunny day is so temptingly pretty it can be easy to lose an entire day paddling in the crystal-clear shallows.
3. The Eden Project
If the Cornish weather is being its usual unpredictable, turbulent self, then taking refuge inside the Eden Project’s Mediterranean and Rainforest biomes is a great way to at least pretend it’s warm outside. You can reach the Eden Project from Falmouth by taking the train to St Austell and then taking a short bus ride.
There are various events that take place at Eden throughout the year, so it’s always worth checking ahead of time to see what will be there. There are also demonstrations by staff dotted around in and outside the biomes that change each time you visit; it’s definitely the kind of place that benefits from visiting more than once, and having an Annual Pass enables you to visit again for free any time within the year. You can find out more here on their offical website.
4. Hayle Beach
The beach at Hayle is slightly harder to get to without a car – the train station isn’t particularly close to the beach. However, if you can make it down there, it is definitely worth the trip. With beautiful grassy sand dunes and a long stretch of soft sand, it makes the perfect spot for an afternoon barbecue with friends. And if that afternoon happens to extend into an evening, the sunsets at Hayle on a clear day are unbelievable.
Happy exploring!