Boscastle: Witchcraft, Walking And Wildlife!

If you are planning a holiday, whether caravanning or tent camping in Cornwall, make sure you take advantage of the beautiful attractions all along the North Cornwall Coast. Only 16 miles from Bude is the lovely village of Boscastle, which is the only natural harbour for 20 miles on the North Cornwall coast.

Although Boscastle is no longer a trading port, it remains a thriving community with lots of visitor attractions. The village itself, set on the side of the Valency valley with its quaint cottages, oozes charm. The High Street has many buildings with stone and slate porches and huge slate flagstones in their gardens. Spend a few hours exploring the former water mill, the Museum of Witchcraft, the pretty tea gardens and the many craft and gift shops – perfect for picking up a few mementoes of your trip. Don’t miss the 16th century Napoleon inn and the former warehouse known as the Cobweb, which is a popular inn known for its family-friendly environment and selection of real ales from local Cornish breweries.

Boscastle Harbour Scene

A Boscastle Harbour Scene, July 2006

The Museum of Witchcraft boasts the largest collection of witchcraft related artefacts in the entire world and is a fascinating way to spend a couple of hours if you are interested in witchcraft.

St Juliot Church is one of the must-sees of the area. The 19th century novelist Thomas Hardy worked on it while he was still working as an architect. In fact, Hardy met his future wife Emma in Boscastle, and set significant parts of his novel ‘A Pair of Blue Eyes’ in the surrounding area.

puffin

Puffin image by John Edwards from http://www.publicdomainpictures.net

Walking is the best way to make the most of the sights in and around Boscastle. Whether you just want a gentle stroll along the Cornish Coastal Path or fancy something a bit more adventurous such as a climb down to the pebbly Strangles Beach, there are many great options for local walks. Head south along the coast and walk through Willapark, which has been a defensive site since the Iron Age, or make your way to the breathtaking Forrabury Church.

The Bude to Boscastle walk is described in detail on this page on the Cornwall Guide website.

The always popular boat trip out of Boscastle takes you down the North Cornwall Coast towards Long Island. Keep your eyes peeled for razorbills, guillemots, seals and puffins.

After the flash floods of 2004 destroyed a huge part of the National Trust-owned ancient village, hard work has gone into restoring it to its former state. Restoration is now complete and Boscastle is well worth a visit while you are tent camping in Cornwall.

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