Newquay is by far the most popular holiday resort in Cornwall, and is famous for its beautiful sandy beaches, its surfing, its numerous hotels, pubs and bars, and its lively nightlife. It has a permanent population of around 20,000, but this is vastly increased during the holiday season.

Several hundred years ago the town didn't exist, and there is no mention of it in the Domesday Book, although one local house (now a bar known as "Treninnick Tavern") is included. But the natural curve of the headland around what is now Newquay Harbour provided protection from bad weather and a small fishing village slowly grew up in the area. By the 15th century this was called "Towan Blystra". "Towan" means sand hill or dune in Cornish, and "Blystra" means blown. But the anchorage was exposed to winds from the north-east and in 1439 the local burgesses applied to Edmund Lacey, Bishop of Exeter, for leave and funds to build a "New quay" from which the town derives its current name. The construction of the current harbour started in 1832. Up to the early 20th century, the small fishing port was famous for pilchards and there is a white-painted "Huer's Hut" above the harbour from which a lookout would cry "Hevva!" to call out the fishing fleet when pilchard shoals were spotted. The town's present insignia is two pilchards. The real pilchards (now known as Cornish sardines) only survive in limited stocks, but a small number of boats still catch the local edible crabs and lobsters.

Like so many English seaside towns, the real growth of Newquay as a holiday resort started after the railway reached the town in 1876. Several major hotels were built around the end of the 19th century, and the three churches in the town were also built then. Many larger houses have since been converted into hotels, and many other new ones have been built. It is said that the town now has some 140 hotels. Newquay now extends as far as three miles from the original harbour.

Tags:   Cornwall North Cornwall Newquay Newquay harbour harbours quays fishing boats Cornish towns coast cliffs beaches

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We first came on holiday to Lyme Regis about 25 years ago, and it has been a firm favourite ever since. The land around the town is extremely unstable, and this has meant a lack of development. The town therefore retains its traditional charm. The promenade dates from the Georgian era, and must be one of the first in the country. In the distance on the right, behind the town, are the cliffs known as Black Ven. These are forever falling into the sea and continually unearthing a rich supply of fossils, something that Lyme Regis has become famous for. Mary Anning, who lived in the town in the early 1800s and is renowned as the greatest ever fossil hunter, discovered the fossilised bones of numerous marine reptiles including the ichthyosaur and plesiosaur. Her finds led to a scientific reinterpretation of the early history of the earth.

Tags:   Dorset Lyme Regis Sandy beaches coast seaside English towns cliffs promenades fossils Mary Anning Black Ven

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Portscatho is situated on the beautiful Roseland Peninsula in south-west Cornwall. It is a delightful small seaside village with an excellent pub, a village shop where they sell wonderful pasties, a chapel and a tearoom. There is a small fleet of inshore fishing boats which mainly fish for crabs. We've had a number of very enjoyable holidays here, initially renting a beautiful old Edwardian house on the cliff-top (out of shot to the right), and then a smaller cottage near the end of the harbour. It is always a pleasure to return here.

Tags:   Cornwall Portscatho Cornish harbours fishing boats Cornish villages Roseland Peninsula

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Looe was once the twin towns of East and West Looe, divided by the Looe River. At high tide during the holiday season several mall boats run a ferry service across the river to East Looe, saving a walk via the bridge of probably half a mile. Judging by the light it is late afternoon and I would imagine the ferry service has ended for the day. Other boats tied up alongside the quay at West Looe normally include fishing boats and glass-bottomed boats which are used to explore the undersea life around Looe Island.

Tags:   Cornwall Looe West Looe small boats Looe River

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This little antique shop is in Fore Street (the equivalent of the high street) in East Looe in south-east Cornwall. Many of the buildings in this part of the road date from the 1600s, though subsequent alterations can make them appear to be more recent, but in this case the old timbers tell the story.This ancient alley leads through to the harbour and the riverside fish market, and may well have been used by smugglers.

Tags:   Cornwall Looe East Looe alleys narrow alleys Explored

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