Shepherd's huts near Falmouth

Falmouth’s picture-perfect location is befitting of its popularity. Verdant headlands slope down to a trio of sandy beaches, cobbled lanes lead the way to artisan shops and cafés, and fishing boats line the marina. Explore the seafront Pendennis Castle, visit the National Maritime History, then cruise over to St Mawes in a water taxi. There are plenty of ways to get outdoors, whether walking or cycling along the coast, fishing or bird-watching around the Fal Estuary, or coasteering, kayaking, and surfing at the beach. Campsites dot the surrounding countryside, making it easy to escape the crowds.

You’re unlikely to run out of things to do while you’re on a camping holiday in Falmouth. The beaches alone can keep you occupied for days: there’s Castle Beach with its rock pools at low tide, Gyllyngrase and its crescent of golden sand and Swanpool on the edge of a nature reserve—and they’re just the beaches within walking distance of the town. You can, of course, take to the water; swim, surf or SUP to your heart’s content and, if you haven’t got your own gear for watersports, there are plenty of outdoor companies with equipment to hire and the expertise to teach you the ropes. There’s more sea-salt flavoured fun to be had in taking a boat trip out to sea, visiting the National Maritime Museum and eating out – perhaps at one of Rick Stein’s eateries. In town, you can browse the independent shops, visit the Falmouth Art Gallery and stroll through the sub-tropical plants of Kimberly Park Gardens.

There are more impressive and exotic plants at Trebah and Glendurgan Gardens in nearby Mawnan Smith and, on the outskirts of town, you can visit Pendennis Castle. You can take a boat to the town of St Mawes, where there’s another castle on the other side of the estuary, or go up-river to the Cornish city of Truro with its Gothic cathedral. Lizard Point, the most southerly point of England, is about 20 miles west of Falmouth and the Eden Project is 30 miles northeast of here.