Ground-floor apartment. One super-king-size bed with free-standing bath and Smart TV. Shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC. Kitchen/diner
The Dolcoath copper and tin mine, the deepest in Cornwall, is located in Camborne, a mining town that was once known as the “Queen of Cornish Mines.” Heartlands, a 19-acre community space in Camborne, Cornwall, is a free place for visitors to explore the history of Cornwall, browse art and craft projects, stroll through the gardens, and enjoy a picnic or lunch at the Red River Café, which serves a variety of cuisines.
There is a town trail to follow, or you can spend the day at the museum before shopping and drinking at the many pubs and restaurants in the area. There are numerous Cornish beaches within ten minutes of Camborne, including Portreath, Gwithian, and Porthtowan. Nearby Land’s End, the Lizard Peninsula and Truro are all within an hour’s drive of Camborne, making them ideal for day trips.
With its sweeping beaches, rugged moorlands, hidden woodlands, and rolling countryside estates, Cornwall is a superb destination if you want to spend some time bird watching on holiday.
One of the best spots is Hayle Estuary Nature Reserve, managed by the RSPB. This rich wetland habitat attracts a variety of birdlife, including teals, wigeons, and goosanders. While winter offers the highest numbers, spring and early summer also bring migrant waders such as oystercatchers, dunlins, and whimbrels to the tidal pools and marshes.
Marazion Marsh, also managed by the RSPB and overlooking the iconic St Michael’s Mount near Penzance, boasts Cornwall’s largest reedbed. It’s a haven for species like chiffchaffs, Cetti’s warblers, little egrets, and grey herons. Bitterns are regularly recorded here, and birds of prey, including sparrowhawks and buzzards, are often spotted too.
For a variety of songbirds and raptors, head to the Rame Peninsula near Cawsand. This beautiful area of tidal creeks, sandy beaches, and peaceful farmland attracts goldcrests, firecrests, warblers, and buntings. You may also glimpse birds of prey such as hobbies, merlins, peregrine falcons, and, if you’re lucky, the rare hen harrier.
At Stithians Lake, a large reservoir, breeding birds like little grebes, coots, and moorhens are common. Waders such as greenshanks, ruffs, and curlew sandpipers can also be seen foraging along the muddy banks.
Not far from St Ives, St Ives Island, actually a headland between Porthmeor and Porthgwidden beaches, is a top spot for seabird watching, especially in autumn. Huge flocks of skuas, terns, gannets, fulmars, and auks pass by, alongside waders like purple sandpipers, whimbrels, and turnstones.
Finally, no trip to Cornwall would be complete without exploring Bodmin Moor. This dramatic granite moorland, scattered with ancient ruins and rich in wildlife, is especially rewarding in spring and summer, when skylarks, stonechats, wheatears, and sedge warblers arrive to breed. In autumn and winter, the moor plays host to thousands of golden plovers, along with snipes and the more elusive jack snipe.
