THE JOURNAL
Watergate Bay Hotel. Photograph by Mr Ben Rowe. Courtesy of Watergate Bay Hotel
The food, art and music festivals and events to check out in the county at the far end of England’s Westcountry .
Beyond Cornwall’s unbreakable association with Poldark, pasties and Mr David Cameron’s louchely attired staycations, the southwestern corner of the UK can also lay claim to wild landscapes, world-beating cuisine and a fiercely independent creative scene. With artsy towns sitting alongside fishing villages, sleek hotels complementing cosy B&Bs, and imposing eco-domes competing with industrial tin mines for visitors’ attention, the English county perfectly pairs the raw and the refined.
It might still be too chilly to sport your swim shorts, but spring is when Cornwall really starts to sing. Its microclimate brings out subtropical blooms across the county, and you can take advantage of vast stretches of white sand ahead of the frenzied summer season (but reach for the neoprene if you’re braving the water). What’s more, this spring Cornwall welcomes a wealth of new launches, revived institutions and revered annual events. Here are five reasons we’re heading to the southwest coast this spring.
THE ART SCENE
Photograph by Mr Ian Kingsnorth. Courtesy of Tate
The picturesque harbour town of St Ives has strong form when it comes to artistic output. A talented set of potters, painters and sculptors, including Ms Barbara Hepworth and Mr Ben Nicholson, relocated to the town in the first half of the 20th century. The St Ives School, of which they were members, left a lasting legacy on the town and its attractive warren of narrow streets. The Tate set up shop in St Ives, overlooking Porthmeor Beach, in 1993, which added some global clout to the Cornish gallery scene as well as championing local talent. Following an 18-month refit, Tate St Ives reopens this month with two new exhibitions, expanded gallery spaces and the addition of a permanent collection, all of which more than justify the journey.
THE FOOD
Photographs courtesy of Coombeshead Farm
Helford River oysters, Camel Valley’s sparkling wines and Blue Anchor beers are just some of the exports that are reviving the reputation of Cornish cuisine, which will be showcased at the Porthleven Food Festival in April. The lively harbour town hosts a three-day celebration that bridges the worlds of food, music and art. And the ubiquitous Cornish pasty is never far from reach. Elsewhere, Pitt Cue owner Mr Tom Adams and Ms April Bloomfield from New York’s The Spotted Pig are the latest restaurateurs, following Messrs Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver, to open a Cornish outpost. Coombeshead Farm near Launceston is a restaurant and B&B that serves up prize cuts and locally foraged ingredients, and spring is the perfect time to catch its 66 acres of rolling farmland at their best.
THE THEATRE
Photograph courtesy of The Minack Theatre
Carved into the cliffs around the corner from Land’s End, the Minack Theatre is one of the world’s most amazing stages. A short walk along the cliffs from Porthcurno Beach, the outdoor stage was built by hand in the 1930s and overlooks the Atlantic. As well as plays this spring by Messrs Dylan Thomas, Hans Christian Anderson and Bertolt Brecht, the Minack puts on regular performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Should you get bored of the bard, you can always turn your attention to the crystal-clear night sky.
THE ACCOMMODATION
Photograph by Luke Hayes. Courtesy of Watergate Bay Hotel
Over the past few years, Cornwall’s high-end hotel offering has improved significantly, with canny hoteliers upping their game to cater for a new wave of cosmopolitan tourists. The Scarlet Hotel brought eco-credentials to Newquay in 2009, but now the town’s north-coast neighbour, Watergate Bay, is catching up. The revamped Watergate Bay Hotel overlooks one of Cornwall’s prime surf spots and offers sleek suites, a range of dining options, including Mr Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall restaurant, polo on the beach and the Extreme Academy surf school.
THE MUSIC
Photograph by Mr Michael Bowles. Courtesy of Port Eliot Festival
It was only a matter of time before the boutique festival scene found its way down the M5 motorway. Cornwall now boasts a pioneering schedule of events where natural beauty features high up on the bill. Forthcoming festivals include Electric Beach in Newquay in June and, further inland, the Eden Sessions line-up includes Foals, Bastille and Mr Bryan Adams. The Port Eliot Festival, also in July, is now something of an institution and unites literature, music, food and fashion with a dose of wellbeing on the side. We’re sold.
electricbeachfestival.co.uk; edensessions.com; porteliotfestival.com