About 30 miles west of Lands End (Cornwal) are the mysterious and little known islands called the Isles Of Scilly. As you might expect, the isles have a very mild climate and is populated with sub-tropical plants.

Tresco Abbey Gardens, Isles of Scilly 

The Tresco Abbey Gardens are a to host over 20,000 exotic plants. These plants would stand no chance on the Cornish mainland. However  even in the middle of winter more than 300 plants will be in flower. The abbey gardens are home to species from 80 countries, ranging from Brazil to New Zealand and Burma to South Africa.

Cornwall in Isles of Scilly 
The Isles of Scilly are well worth a visit, though be warned that holiday makers are not permitted to bring cars. This means that there is very little traffic here, even in the highest populated region of St Mary’s.

The once populated Samson is an interesting place to call,  now deserted, it has only the remains of ancient cottages.

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Wessex Holidays

Wessex Villas - Accommodation in the south West Of England

Cornwall saw an “invasion” from the Celts during 1000 BC  the Celts were warriors from Europe and were largely the ancestors of current day Cornish folk.

Devon is believed by many historians to be one of the very first places in England to have settlers. Indeed, Dartmoor (a National Park in the centre of Devon) still offers a lot of prehistoric sites of interest. Further it’s from Plymouth that the Pilgrim Fathers first set sail to the Americas ? and also where Sir Francis Drake went off to battle the Spanish Armada.

Dartmoor also is home to some of the oldest structures in England  primitive buildings & remains include stone circles, burial mounds and ancient settlements.

While the Roman invasion of Britain left Cornwall largely untouched the same cannot be said of Devon. The Romans took over much of current day Devon - including a port at Topsham and a legion at Exeter.

The Romans were no longer controlling Devon by around 400 and by 800 it had fallen under the rule of Wessex (King Egbert).

During the 14th & 15th century, Devon was under serious threat from the French who raided the Devon coastline.

Food & Drink In Cornwall ? Great Pubs, Good Food And Drink!

It?s true that the Cornish enjoy their food ? so much so that Cornwall & Devon are known almost as much for their culinary offerings as their stunning scenery and coasts.

The famous Cornish Pasty is just one of the local edible treats available in this charming English county. The Cornish pasty is a tasty puff pastry that?s stuffed with beef steak (or mince), onions, potatoes and seasoned with pepper. It must be tried (assuming you?re not a vegetarian) at least once during your visit to Cornwall.

Famous starters include Kiddly Broth, a soup made with onions, bacon and hard bread as well as nettle soup (yes, it?s made from real nettles).

Fish & Chips is a famous English dish ? however, the Cornish use beer to make theirs and it certainly makes for an interesting variation of standard fish and chips.

Star Gazy Pie is a pastry made with pilchards (herring or mackerel can also be used), boiled eggs, bacon, onions and white wine.

Fancy something sweet? Cornish sweets include Cornish Cherry Choclets (a mix of chocolate, syrup, cherries and butter), Cornish Splits (made from sugar, milk, flour and lard) and Figgy ?obbin (a baked treat consisting of raisins, milk, sugar and flour).

As you?d probably expect by now the Cornish also have their own signature drinks. These include Aunt Ellys Nog (a mix of eggs, cream, vanilla, sugar and milk), Cornish Mine Punch (rum, brandy, lemons and sugar) and Cornish Spiced Mead.

Other foods that Cornwall is known for are the rich Cornish fudge and ice cream and Cornish Hevva Cake.

Weather In Devon & Cornwall ? When To Go

While Cornwall and Devon enjoys some of the mildest weather anywhere in the UK, summer-time still remains the peak time to visit.

Cornwall experiences the mildest winters in Great Britain ? rarely does it snow in winter and summer days tend to be wonderfully warm and sunny.

In Cornwall, May is a very good time to visit, and all months up to July enjoy around seven hours of sunshine a day.

The Obby Oss Summer Ceremony In Cornwall

If you happen to visit Cornwall during May Day then a visit to Padstow is highly recommended to witness the all but mad event of Obby Oss. This strange ceremony is performed every year in order to ?welcome summer? (something that perhaps the rest of Britain should consider).

During this colourful and noisy procession, two large masks representing horses are paraded through the town accompanied by musicians playing the ?Obby Oss May Song?.

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Much will depend on where you wish to be based, and of course what your needs are.

Cornwall & Devon have many reasonably priced Bed & Breakfast lodgings ? here, you get a comfortable room (often the home of the owners which offers a very nice homely feel) usually with an en-suite shower and standard amenities such as (basic) TV. A choice of breakfast (traditional English or continental) is included in the price of the room and some B&B?s offer dinner as an optional extra. This is great because the holiday-maker has the choice of exploring the town and sampling some of the local cuisine without having to be confined to the B&B at dinner-time.

For those in pursuit of luxury, there are a good choice of quality hotels available. Many of these offer excellent facilities (such as pools & gym) and depending on location may offer breath taking sea views. Expect plush interiors and satellite TV from the better hotels. Standard hotels (2 or 3 stars) are not as fancy and are similar to B&Bs in the standard of accommodation offered.

If you?re planning to stay for a week and have a family or group then you may wish to stay in a holiday cottage instead. Cornwall & Devon have a huge range of holiday cottages that can be rented (usually) for a week or more. You can rent a cottage in a peaceful countryside setting, a quiet fishing village or overlooking the sea ? the choice is yours! Holiday cottages in Devon & Cornwall typically cost between ?500 to ?1,000 a week (depending on location & standard).

Finally, if you?re planning to hire a caravan & go camping, there are plenty of caravan & camp sites scattered all over Cornwall & Devon.

River Cruises Along The River Dart & Wildlife Cruises Along The Devon Coast

One of the most charming activities while visiting Cornwall & Devon is to take in a cruise along the River Dart. Typically the cruise will start from Dartmouth and end at the lovely town of Totnes. The River Dart is one of the most beautiful estuaries in Britain ? and a cruise provides the holiday maker with an opportunity to drink in the rich tapestry of history, wildlife and pure scenic beauty all in one go.

For example, a pleasure cruise from Dartmouth to Totnes would allow the holidaymaker to see the following:

? Village of Dittisham. ? The lovely, old cottages of Duncannon. ? Sir Walter Raleigh?s boat house. ? Dame Agatha Christie?s estate. ? Greenway Quay. ? Stoke Gabriel. ? Sharpham Vineyard.

Alternatively, you could also take a wildlife cruise where your tour boat sails along the immaculate Devon coast to catch breathtaking views of basking sharks, leathery turtles, falcons, bottlenosed dolphins, shearwaters, grey seals, and much more. This is a wonderful experience, although the tours only take place between May and July.

Great Steam Train Rides Across Torbay?s Beautiful Coastline

For one of the most scenic train rides to be found anywhere, try the Paignton to Kingswear (Dartmouth) rail journey. Your steam locomotive starts from Paignton Station and initially chugs past Paignton Sands and Quaywest Water Park.

The rail journey not only takes in the spectacular Torbay coastline but also runs through the wooded hills along the Dart Estuary. Initially, this most picturesque of British rail journeys goes up a steep and rocky hill offering some wonderful views of the Devon coastline. After going past Churston, the train runs inland and proceeds along the Dart Valley before reaching Kingswear. From here, passengers have the option of visiting Dartmouth via ferry.

It?s also possible to combine your rail journey with a pleasure cruise and coach ride and enjoy a fascinating journey that stretches out over the entire day.

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Cornwall Genealogy and Family History links and resources.

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