I would appreciate any tips you can provide regarding traveling in Cornwall and Wales.
Is it easily doable by public transport?
If I have to choose just one area (about 8 or 9 days trip), what would you recommend?
Should I stay in one area and do day trips or would it be better to find accommodation in different places.
The trip will probably take place at the end of June. We are considering flying to Bristol from the 20th June to 1st July and we usually enjoy a combination of historical sites, towns and some nature too.
Beautiful places!
They are both somewhat accessible, depending where you are and what you want to visit. We have travelled both, exclusively with public transport. We did a sit in Newquay, and from there we were able to see everything on our list, such as Penzance, Port Isaac, Tintagel Castle, Padstow & Bude. We couldn’t get to the South of Cornwall with public transport though, as this was too far (to get from Newquay to Truro & Falmouth, for example). But for me, Port Isaac, Penzance & Newquay were the top of my list and I was really happy that we could see them all with the busses. There is a bus line called the Atlantic Coaster and another one called the tinnie (or something like that) which we used a lot, and they are large double decker ones, some with an open top roof which was really nice as we went through the narrow country lanes.
For Wales, we did a sit in Newport and could easily see Cardiff from there, and we did another 2 sits up north in Rossett & Oswestry, from which we could easily see Wrexham, Chester, Shrewsbury & Llangollen. We were lucky enough that one of my fiancé’s fishing buddies was able to take us on a car trip to Snowdonia, which was incredible and we wouldn’t have been able to get there with public transport. It really depends what area of Wales you want to see, but it’s too long to get from the south to the north of Wales with public transport for just a single day trip, so I’d suggest you pick an area and see the attractions nearby. Some places in Wales are quite remote, so just check what’s accessible via public transport first.
June weather for Cornwall was lovely - we had clear skies and warm weather every single day! Summer in Wales was very wet & windy - it bucketed down non stop the whole time, but we still made the most of it
Thanks very much for your useful advice.
I won’t be petsitting during that period so we’ll be more flexible to take longer trips or even choose two or three spots for accommodation.
Hope you have a wonderful time! Cornwall was my favourite - it’s really pretty there
If you’ve ever seen the show ‘Doc Martin,’ Port Isaac doubles as ‘Portwenn’ in the show - it’s a really picturesque little town and definitely worth a visit! It’s also where the movies ‘Fisherman’s Friends’ are filmed.
@Newpetlover Cornwall, Devon, and the Pembrokeshire Coast (and Snowdonia, Lake District, Scotland…) are among my all-time favorites in the UK. I’ve walked the entire South West Coast Path, as well as the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path (and pretty much every other National Trail in the UK - haha). I simply love Cornwall. If I were to die unexpectedly while traveling, I hope it would be here, as this is where I’ve left my heart.
Now to your questions. It’s difficult to choose a single place, but fortunately, Cornwall is very small, and you’re never far from the coast. I believe I’ve read that you can reach the coast within 20 minutes from anywhere. Public transport, in my honest opinion, is rather poor there. It depends a lot on whether you go during the season or not. In summer, you might have better luck, but it’s also quite crowded then. I usually go there with my own car. But you need to know that they drive on the left, and the lanes are often single-track. When there’s oncoming traffic, you need to know how to reverse. I’m always surprised that many Brits aren’t very good at this.
There are accommodations aplenty there, as it’s the top holiday destination for Brits. But remember, it’s an island, and the British are numerous, so you need to book quickly during the season. Wales is much more remote, but of course, everywhere beautiful gets crowded, so it’s the same there.
My favorite place is down in South Cornwall or the Exmoor, Lorna Doone Valley, but it really depends on what you want to do. Don’t miss out on Cream Tea!
Oh, and by the way, I would recommend late April, May. Usually the best weather in Cornwall. Sommers are wet but warmer. Wales is wonderful! The Brecon Beacons are a dream!
Cornwall and Wales are both great places to visit . However 8-9 days is not much time to visit both and do them justice - try to see too many sights and you will spend most of the time travelling as there aren’t many fast roads . So pick a few highlights .
Nature - Wales has stunning coastline , beautiful waterfalls, caves and breathtaking mountains .
We had a lovely holiday in Cornwall on a THS house sit last year , we visited many beautiful sandy beaches and coves . We saw seals on this beach …
Historical sites - Wales has more than 600 castles - you can even stay in some of them -
St Fagans National History of Wales is a museum of welsh life it is near Cardiff and well worth a visit. Over 40 original buildings from different historical periods have been re-erected in the 100-acre parkland, among them houses, shops, pub, a farm with welsh breeds , a school, a chapel, a blacksmith , a water mill and terrace of miners cottages . Welsh trades and crafts are showcased here.
Great to know you’re planning to visit Cornwall and Wales @Newpetlover. Public transport is doable but you may be limited with where you can go. You could hire a car for a few days but keep in mind the lanes are narrow!! However, a car allows you to visit some of the quaint villages that are just beautiful.
In Cornwall, I love the seaside village of Polperro near Looe in the south. Like Port Isaac on the west coast, it has become a tourist destination but it is just lovely. I was fortunate to hear the Fishermen’s Choir there - wow. Both Cornwall and Wales are known for their Men’s choirs so, if you have the opportunity, do have a listen.
The Minack Theatre in Porthcurno, down near Penzance, is a real gem and you may be lucky to get tickets to a performance.
You could easily spend your 8-9 days solely in either Cornwall (and Devon) or Wales and maybe have 4 nights in one location then move to another location for 4 nights in the same county. This gives you time to really enjoy day trips without being on the move.
Wales is beautiful and far less populated than Cornwall. Obviously Snowdonia is stunning and if you book ahead, you can take the little steam train up it for glorious views (it can also be very cloudy up there too)! Castles are aplenty so take your pick! Both Cornwall and Wales have many gardens open to enjoy, some National Trust, and others private.
Wherever you decide to go, you’ll have a wonderful time. Fingers crossed for the weather as it could be anything, even though it’s summer
Everyone has given wonderful tips & suggestions for places to visit etc so no need for me to add any more!
My main suggestion would be, since you are flying in and out of Bristol and its a short trip, would be to rent a car at the airport rather than relying on public transport. You will have so much more freedom to roam around and you’ll be able to see and do so much more!
Thanks for your contribution.
I know a car would help visit more places but it would also add a level of stress that we’re not willing to take. At this stage, we’re more relaxed and don’t plan a lot of activities every day.
As a former resident of many years, my vote would go to Cornwall.
You have two coastlines which are quite different and the public transport is pretty good. The west coast mailnline terminating at Penzance has many good stopping points where you can either take a branch line or local bus to the many charming towns and villages. The new mid Cornwall line will take you from Newquay to Falmouth or vice versa.
With that thought in mind, must see places for me would be St.Ives and The Eden Project(shuttle bus from St.Austell station). Other strong contenders are Newquay for it’s beaches, Falmouth and Looe for being quaint seaside towns and Truro for it’s cathedral. There are many other delightful places to go such as Fowey, Port Isaac and Polperro but are longer bus journeys. If you like walking, then do try and include some of the SW coastal path.
For me, towns with little merit are Bodmin, St.Austell, Liskeard, Redruth and Cambourne.
Good luck with your research.
For 8 or 9 days, I would choose Cornwall. It’s easier to get around than Wales and probably easier to get to if you are flying into Bristol. I like Wales (it’s closer to me) but prefer short trips of about 3 to 5 days in one area.
Both are fab. Wales will be quieter than Cornwall for tourists and Pembrokeshire, Snowdonia, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons and all the beaches on The Gower are amazing. I lived in Hay on Wye the town of books and it is super cute. Even there though it’s 40 mins from a train station or one bus an hour. Wales is lovely and quiet exactly because it’s hard to navigate BUT very tricky with no car so if that’s the deal breaker then Cornwall. That train line @Goodboyjakey talks about has fab views out to the coast on a lot of it down to St Austell (it’s also one of the ones that if you can get an advance first class ticket cheaply it’s well worth it). Endless things to do and you’ve had loads of good recommendations, enjoy! #cornwallcruising
I live in Wales and I simply love Pembrokeshire: Tenby is my favourite town and you can get there by train quite easily. I can’t find any pics of my own, but take a look at this video:
Saundersfoot is also lovely.
When it comes to Cornwall, St. Michael’s Mount is definitely my favourite spot, when you are there you feel like you are in a fairytale.
Hi I’m from st Ives Cornwall and don’t drive.
If you’re looking to stay in west Cornwall and take the buses a single journey no matter the distance is £2 and a day pass for multi bus trips is £8. The main bus areas are Penzance, Camborne and Truro and all the town buses lead to these stations to change for different routes. Dogs are allowed on buses.
The trains are a good way to get to major towns too but more expensive.
So yes Cornwall is doable on public transport to a degree, but the buses may only be two an hour, so it’s not quick.
I wish you a lovely pet sit in either location.
