Heaving though it is in high season, Cornwall is one of England’s prettiest regions – yes, even on the myriad rainy days. And, if you’re in the UK, it’s worth making time to visit – the Night Riviera Sleeper from London is a luxurious, if expensive, way to travel.

Three Cornwall Must-Dos

Tintagel

Tintagel castle is ruined – extremely ruined. Yet if you’ve heard the stories of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, or even watched the Monty Python parody, the rugged, clifftop site is a must-visit – because, according to a 12th-century chronicler, this once-prosperous, long-abandoned Dark Age settlement was where he was born. The ruins, sadly, date back to the 13th century, long, long after Arthur.

Land’s End

It’s always exciting to visit the furthest extent of any country, and the most westerly point of the UK mainland boasts dramatic cliffs, signs for posing for photos, and some more or less ropy tourist attractions. It’s a great spot for a clifftop stroll, with particular resonance for Britons, who use the phrase “from Land’s End to John O’Groats” as a measure of distance.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

The Eden Project makes a better botany choice when visiting Cornwall with kids, thanks to the range of fun and educational activities on offer. But these dramatic, mainly Victorian gardens, complete with productive flower and vegetable gardens, and elegiac tributes to foreign garden styles, are a splendid place to explore for the day.

Three Cornwall Must-Eats

Cornish Cream Tea

A British institution, the cream tea, at its simplest and best, comprises: scones (perhaps a couple including dried fruit), clotted cream, strawberry jam, tea with milk and possibly sugar, and occasionally some butter. Cornish clotted cream is a UK standout, and – tourist cliche or no tourist cliche – you really should make the effort to have a cream tea while you’re there.

Cornish Crab

South-West England’s fishing industry was once the largest in the UK – and by the 1600s Cornish fishermen were heading all the way out to Newfoundland. Today, it’s still a mecca for seafood fans of all kinds, and if you try one thing – though I’d recommend you splurge on much more – make it Cornish brown crab, simply dressed in the traditional English way.

Fish and Chips

Stodgy, filling, nutritious and cheap, the Cornish pasty was one of the earliest forms of fast food, and long predates the sandwich: it’s well worth trying an authentic, meat-free version, though you’re unlikely to enjoy it. Order one to try alongside a round of fish and chips: look for a chippie that still uses lard to cook their chips, opt for haddock over cod, and add the malt vinegar before the salt to stop it washing away.

Image credits: Remains of Tintagel by Maniple on Wikimedia Commons and Cream Tea by Shane Global on Flickr’s Creative Commons.