The cream of Cornwall

On a spring visit, Elaine and Joe Ormerod take in some of the South-West's most popular tourist spots

WHICHEVER TIME of the year you choose to visit Cornwall, you’ll always be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. But in summer it has a justified reputation for being busy, so we chose to tour in May, hoping that it would be quieter, with spring weather.

We made two overnight stops en route, before finally arriving at the Caravan and Motorhome Club site at Treamble Valley, near Newquay. This pretty campsite, set in a wooded valley, is laid out in individual pitching zones, giving a secluded feel.

I was pleased to see there were plenty of pitches available and we took one next to our friends Helen and Roy, who had arrived there the day before.

Hugging the coast

On our first day, we parked with our friends in Newquay, in a Cornwall Council car park that is free of charge until 17 May – another bonus of visiting early. Nearby was a view of the harbour and Newquay’s fabulous beaches, Towan, Great Western and Tolcarne. The most famous, Fistral, was a short walk away. This long stretch of shoreline has some of the best waves in the world for surfing.

Unfortunately, just as we arrived, the rain came down, so we sought shelter at Fistral Beach Bar for coffee. The weather didn’t stop keen surfers riding the waves!

We moved on to Perranporth, where Helen had seen a café the day before that offered converted beach huts for outdoor dining. But when we arrived, we found a notice on the door – ‘Closed due to rain’. We did find an ice cream parlour, but we were already wet and cold, so instead, we bought pasties from a shop and ate them in the car. Perhaps a downside of touring earlier in the season?