A Cornwall Calendar

There's really no bad time to visit the far west. With its spectacular coastline, gardens, museums, galleries and fabulous food scene, there's always something to do but if you're trying to decide when to book your next holiday, here are some of our annual highlights.

Spring

Cornwall is famous for its spring gardens. Think camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and daffodils galore. Some of our favourites include Trengwainton on the outskirts of Penzance and further afield, Trelissick, Trebah, Heligan and Caerhays.

Come April and May, it's all about the bluebells. Nearby Godolphin always puts on a spectacular display and the bluebell festival at Enys is glorious.

Foodies might like to mark May in their calendar with both the Porthleven Food Festival and St Ives Food and Drink Festival taking place that month. Both are within easy striking distance of our properties.

Summer

As the weather begins to warm up, it's the perfect time to get in or on the water. There are plenty of spots for surfing, swimming or paddle boarding nearby.

Summer is also a great time to enjoy some outdoor theatre (The Minack or Penlee Park Open Air Theatre are brilliant) or attend one of the dozens of festivals that take place in Cornwall over the summer. From performances by big name artists to sea shanties, there's something to suit everyone.

Penzance highlights include the celebrated Golowan Festival - 10 days of arts, culture and parades to celebrate midsummer. If books are your bag, the town's literature festival takes place in July and always attracts interesting authors.

Autumn

Autumn is my favourite season. The weather is often warm and there's still plenty going on. St Ives Festival is a September highlight with two weeks of art, music and creativity at venues across the town. Penzance hosted its first food festival last year in September and it was fantastic. Fingers crossed for another one this year. Literary types will enjoy the Falmouth Book Festival which will take place in October this year and, of course, I'll be running another reading retreat at the beginning of the month. There are a couple of places left if you'd like to join me. Find out more here.

Winter

Winter is surprisingly busy in the far west, especially in the run-up to Christmas. There are always lots of Christmas fairs if you're looking for unique gifts. Mousehole's famous Christmas lights display is always worth a visit while Penzance celebrates midwinter with its Montol festival. If you'd like to see the New Year in with a bang, St Ives hosts one of the biggest New Year's Eve fancy dress parties in the UK fireworks display over the harbour.

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