Boscastle

Boscastle is a traditional picturesque village hidden in a steep sided valley where the river Valency and Jordan meet and enter the beautiful natural harbour. From the harbour the visitor can explore the beautiful surrounding area with its ancient woods, the old village of Boscastle with cottages dating back to the 15th Century, the site of the Norman Castle and the medieval strip farming system which is still in operation on the cliff top. Walk along the quayside and follow the footpath up and follow around to the left and you’ll eventually come to the lookout. The location of this vantage point gives unrivalled views of the rugged coastline. The National Trust owns the harbour area and the village green is the focal point for the whole village with summer fetes and fairs. Within the harbour area are craft & gift shops, a former watermill, tea gardens and a Museum of Witchcraft, which houses the world’s largest collection of witchcraft related artifacts. Established over 50 years ago the museum is unique and fascinating.

The nearest bay north of Boscastle is the small sheltered sand and shingle beach at Crackington Haven, which is surrounded by high cliffs and has many rock pools to explore. Dog restrictions apply during the summer. To the south are Bossiney Cove and Trebarwith Strand, which is a large sandy bay, with lifeguard cover during summer months.

Old inns such as the Napoleon, dating from the 16th century, and the Cobweb, once a warehouse are both full of character and will welcome you. They both have live music on most Friday and Saturday nights. The haunted Wellington Hotel has folk music on Mondays and Cornish singers on Wednesdays, keeping age-old traditions alive.

There are many things to see in and around Boscastle like the Boscastle Pottery, where the world’s only dedicated ‘mocha-ware’ maker works. Visitors can watch trees grow on the pots as if by magic. Nearby is the church of St Juliot, worked on by the novelist Thomas Hardy. Hardy met his wife Emma in Boscastle. Fishing & scenic trips can be arranged out of the harbour between March – October. Annually there is the Boscastle Festival of Food, Arts and Crafts Festival held around the first weekend in October.