July in Cornwall – hell or holiday?

I was thinking of a week in Cornwall for a Birthday surprise for MrsWCA. There is a place available at the edge or Marazion by St Michael’s Mount that we have stayed at a couple of times. It is a lovely place but we have only been there out of season, or at the end of the holiday season.

Will it be all of the stereotypical ‘hell on holiday’ cliches with ‘overcrowding, queues for everything, miles of traffic and litter strewn everywhere’ or ‘just a bit busier than usual’?

only ever been once in summer.    never again.

a bit like lidl, aldi,primark and ‘spoons’ all rolled into one.

That is my felling based on nothing other than a general prejudice against the great unwashed. Just wondering if there were any facts to support it 🙂

Literally the worst place on earth, hardly any staff in restaurants.  I could go on for ages.

£7.50 for a cornish pasty.    nuff said.

First week of so of July, maybe. after that, no chance.

We go most years in summer (August usually). Busier than usual but wouldn’t go so far as to call it hell. We love it, although we spend most time coastal walks/beaches with the kids rather than in towns so maybe don’t notice it so much?

I’ve been down Cornwall all times of the year and I like peak summer the best. Far from hell in Summer imo.😁

Just allow for the popular attractions to be busy (but at least they will do me open) and more traffic on the roads.

Sounds like my blind prejudice was right then.

Bugger, now I need to think of different pressie for her

SuperScale20Free Member
Literally the worst place on earth, hardly any staff in restaurants.  I could go on for ages.

Please, do go on. I’m genuinely interested to hear how it’s literally the worst place on the planet?!

I know that bit quite well having stayed a bit east of there for over 30 years. It’s a quiet part to be honest. Marazion can be busy, the coastal path east is lovely. Great posh pub at Peranuthnoe, Victoria I think.. ? Porthleven also nice, can be busy. Park the car at Praa and walk . Park at Porth en alls (Prussia cove) and walk to Kenegy Sands, dip in to Bessys cove with your snorkle, throw yourself off the rocks at Enys Rock. (This is where we used to stay)

All much quieter than north coast ime.

We stayed in Helston in Aug a couple of years ago and it was fine. Went into St Ives for the day and it was hellish though

I’ve stay clear of st. Ives, but of a hole tbh compared to other places. I’d try looking at booking near it in lovely port area which would be scenic and more shall we say exclusive. Thinking near Mylor Bridge area.

Yep, avoid StIves. But if you do have to, get the train. Penzance is a bit of a dive but worth a wonder and a pint, Admiral Bembo.

We’ve been during Scottish school holidays – so first two weeks of July. I didn’t think it was overly busy. The campsite wasn’t anywhere near full and we weren’t affected by traffic jams. We went to the Eden Project and basically walked straight in, passing all the “it’s a 3 hour queue from here” signs.

Also been in July and August and it has been fine.  Busy, but not rammed.  Never had difficulty getting to or in anything, including St Ives.

This is where we used to stay, good aerial view of mounts bay. https://prussiacove.co.uk/?amp=1

Was in Marazion in August a couple of years ago. It was fine. St Ives was fine too as long as you didn’t want to park down at the front.

Pasties will be expensive all year round.

I live here…used to hate it, now I love it.

Don’t travel down on a Friday night or Saturday.

plenty of empty coastal spaces. Just do research and try to stay away from the touristy ones.

beware google maps and be prepared start early or to walk. The car park at pixies for example is at the end of a long narrow lane, on a Saturday mid season its toppers with cars with roofboxes attempt to reverse.

If you want seclusion go to Scotland and enjoy mull/islay/jura. If you want the beach life come to Cornwall

I was in South Cornwall early July last summer, unexpectedly. I had a great time. It’s quite a big place so not that hard to find space. At one point i was camped with a sea view and no other tents within site. I walked to the beach for the evening. It was busy with local scout and guide troops who were having there evening meets on the beach and playing games. What could be more delightful. The second evening i easily parked in Falmouth and walked into a pub found a table straight away. I had one if the best Pizzas I’ve ever eaten

I go down and visit friends and family every Summer. Yes, the touristy places are crowded to the point of being hateful, but the less popular places are fine and it’s lovely down there.

Some lovely spots in Devon and you save yourself an hour or two’s driving

We stayed in Marazion in August about 7 years ago. Had a lovely time.

Bugger, now I need to think of different pressie for her

Squirrel fur coat?

Try and avoid arriving or leaving on a Saturday as that’s when the majority of people will be arriving or departing, helps reduce the time spent in traffic.

dip in to Bessys cove with your snorkle, throw yourself off the rocks at Enys Rock

Mrs WCA wants a holiday not a long wait in A&E! (Though there could be the excitement of a helicopter ride).

New section of the a30 might be done by then so it’ll move the bottleneck a bit closer to lands end.

until some tool inevitably flips a caravan.

Echo the ‘avoid St Ives’ comments. We’ve got family between the Falouth-Penzance area, with in-laws having a holiday home (yeah, I know…) in Helston. We’ve stayed a few times in July/August, both before and during the English school hols. It’s fine. Yes, areas can get busy but generally haven’t experienced major issues.

Some nice biking – gravel-style – along the coastal route too, if that matters (we’re apparently a biking forum?)

Won’t be as quiet as out of season but It’ll be OK.

Allow a couple of extra hours for travel and don’t venture far when you are there.

And normal rules apply – walk more than 200yds from any car park and the crowds thin out rapidly.

Make sure you book any popular eateries well before you arrive.

It depends on when in July you are going and what you plan on doing when you are there. From 3rd week in July onwards it will be very busy. I wouldn’t say it’s hell tho. Traffic will be very busy, car parks will be full in the popular areas and restaurants will need booking in advance.
But if you don’t go to the stupidly busy places then you’ll be fine.
I’ve holidayed during school holidays in Cornwall for years and mostly do walking, beaches and cafes or eating at the accommodation. There’s plenty of quieter places to go.
Even St Ives can be manageable if you are prepared to park at the top car park and do some walking or get the bus.

Went to Cornwall a couple years ago, granted in September, we heard so many horror stories. “They hate tourists” “You’ll never find a pitch even in September” “The roads are rammed”.

It was a fantastic time, driving was easy, locals extremely friendly and easy to find a pitch we never booked just rocked up.

Early July will probably be much the same, a few retiredees and shift workers enjoying their hols.

Was down in St. Ives during the first couple of weeks of July last year. Yes, it’s a bit busy, but totally tolerable. During the English school holidays likely to be a different matter. There’s a lot of Cornwall to escape into if you’re finding one spot too busy. I had a fantastic day’s road/gravel riding from St. Ives: perfect quite roads, a bit of local history, awesome scenery and one or two ice cream stops. Beware the gulls: they’re super adept at stealing your posh gourmet pasty.

“Was in Marazion in August a couple of years ago. It was fine.”

I was there late July a couple of years ago and it was fine too.  I’d go again and I am usually crowd avoidant.

I’ve been to the St Ives area 20 times in the  last 25 years, always in the first  two weeks of July to coincide with that golden period where it’s the Scottish school holidays but the English school holidays haven’t started.
It’s always been perfectly fine.  Only problem with crowds we’ve ever experienced have been with school trips to Flambards.

Flambards is no more..

Flambards is no more..

Reopens 1st July according to the website

And don’t forget to buy pasties from Annie’s just up the road. Gert lush!

(https://www.annspasties.co.uk/)

Always important to remember that Cornwall is the ONLY UK holiday destination.

May be less busy this year as UK holiday bookings are down this year – which is probably why the accommodation you like is still available in July.

Just had a look at Flambards website. The kids loved it when they were smaller. It looks like all of the big rides are going 🙁