Hunt for a giant’s heart at St Michael’s Mount
A bloodthirsty giant named Cormoran used to sleep under the sea near St Michael’s Mount, just off the coast at Marazion, and when he was hungry, he’d rise from his watery bed and steal the villagers’ cattle for dinner. Folklore says that a brave young man named Jack put a stop to the giant’s greedy pilfering by luring him into a trap. Take a boat (or walk at low tide) from the mainland and spend a day on the mount, where there’s a castle and garden to explore. You can find out more about the story of Jack and Cormoran, and you can even hunt for the giant’s stone heart.
Taste history in a stargazy pie
The excellently named stargazy pie is eaten on 23rd December in honour of local hero Tom Bawcock, who braved treacherous conditions to bring back a catch large enough to feed the hungry villagers of Mousehole, a Cornish fishing port. The pie is made up of eggs, potatoes and fish, usually pilchards, whose heads protrude dramatically from the surface. Visit Mousehole to have a look around, it’s also home to the fantastic outdoor Minack Theatre, which is well worth a visit. After your day out, buy the ingredients, and have a go at making the pie yourself.
Play with witchcraft at Boscastle
The witches in Cornwall used to operate in secret covens, undetected by their neighbours. In the 1600s, they’d dig “witch pits†that, 400 years later, have been discovered by archaeologists. At Boscastle, the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic will tell you all you need to know about these secretive beings.
Read King Arthur’s story in stone at Tintagel Castle
King Arthur’s story â€" of the boy who drew the sword from a stone to rule a nation â€" is a tale of tales, and most of it happened in Cornwall. Visit Tintagel Castle to learn more about Arthurian legend from stories written in stone dotted around the ruins, and look for wizard Merlin’s face hidden in the rocks on the beach below â€" by a cave he’s said to haunt.
Look out for Cornish piskies on a wildlife trail at the Lost Gardens of Heligan
Piskies (or pixies) are mischievous fairy creatures that pop up in plenty of Cornish folk tales, leading children into wondrous â€" and sometimes perilous â€" adventures. They’re to be found among plants, flowers and woodland, so anyone on the lookout for one could do worse than to start at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, a former secret garden turned public treasure, now home to ornate restored pleasure grounds, a jungle (complete with ropewalk bridge) and a tree that was once a giant witch’s broom.
Listen for the Whooper while learning to surf at Sennen Cove
Sennen Cove was a place where intrepid sea dogs would set sail, and the Whooper of Sennen Cove was their guardian spirit. The Whooper would help seamen by conjuring up a magical mist and emitting a whooping sound whenever a storm was on its way â€" to warn seafarers against going out in perilous conditions. Today, learn to surf at the cove with local surf school Sennen Surfing Centre, and be sure to listen for the Whooper while you’re riding the waves.
Chase the beast of Bodmin Moor on a bike
Formerly a railway line, Cornwall’s Camel Trail is an 18-mile largely traffic free, surfaced and virtually level multi-use trail which passes through some of the most spectacular countryside in the south west. Part of the trail runs from Wadebridge to Bodmin, and those who don’t scare easily can do a two-hour bike ride that takes in Bodmin Moor, famously home to the elusive beast. Even if you don’t spot the monster, you’ll see plenty of Cornish scenery, and either way you can treat yourself at the end with a Kelly’s ice-cream â€" a Cornish favourite since the 1800s â€" sold widely throughout the county.
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