Cornwall Full
Looking at the local news today and seeing the effects of the hot weather and huge numbers of visitors I wonder if some places are getting too crowded and whether it will get worse or maybe it is just the exceptional weather this year? It's not so good now the rain has arrived, but people are still getting stuck on the roads round here in the SW, total traffic overload around the M5 junctions and coastal roads.
see HERE
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Cornwall has many attractive Coastal Villages,towns, coves and bays. Of course it will be busy with tourists. We always found it best to go there outwith the main School holiday period. That's when it's possible to enjoy what Cornwall has to offer.
K
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My daughter lives in Crantock village and anyone having been there knows how narrow the road is from the A3075, she says minor accidents are a daily thing and its nigh on impossible to negotiate Newquay.
I am visiting her soon but she tells me to hang off until end of September beginning of October as the main artery through Cornwall is a nightmare.
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It's always been busy in July and August, but I suspect there are a lot of first time visitors this time, this year, who possibly have little concept of how tiny some of the roads are, especially to places like Porthcurno! Saw a photo of Perranporth Beach, absolutely packed!
Dales up here are similar at times. Small roads, gorgeous villages, tourist magnets, traffic queues everywhere. I hope the businesses are profiting, and hope locals can grit their teeth a few more weeks........
Meanwhile, it been glorious up to today here in Northumberland, we had a beach to ourselves for a short while yesterday..............rain now though.......
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This is why we hardly set foot outside the door during peak times.
This is the time to stay at home and enjoy our house and garden and we have the rest of the year to get out and about.
I suspect the north of Scotland will soon be in the same situation.
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The heading should say "some parts of Cornwall full" . Try the Strangles or Tregardock beaches.
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From the photos the beaches look awful with families packed in like sardines. We always avoided beaches except out of season. Maybe our children feel disadvantaged!
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In the I newspaper yesterday they came up with beaches considered to be quieter this included Hive in Dorset which is always packed at this time of the year. I wish they hadn't suggested some of the others it will be standing room only soon! I don't think some potential visitors have grasped the concept just how busy the SW has become.
When I lived in Cornwall the beaches at Porthcurno and Nanjizel where just about useable but we learnt awhile back not to attempt them now.
I agree with TW the "500" in Scotland will soon be on overload due to the constant tourism adverts.
Anyway be warned, the journey down here is becoming a marathon in itself.
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I wonder what is being done to alleviate some of the problems by improving the access roads and more parking? The whole West Country seems starved of investment?
David
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When we're down here, which is very often, we tend to let the weather decide for us. So on hot sunny days we avoid beach areas. In fact I tend to avoid beaches all together except in winter, thougH Mrs M will insist on surfing when she gets the chance. For us it's a 5 minute drive to Penhale Dunes from where we can walk the coastal path in either direction or, like today, head past Truro to the tiny hamlet of St Clement and walk from there. It's great to be here and there are lots of quiet spots if you know where to find them, but I'd hate to be travelling down at busy times or have to head for the tourist hotshots.
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Not long ago it was being posted on here that the sites were "empty " out of the six week West Country frenzy,which happens every year so I do not think there is a case to put large amounts of money for what is a short season, and i do not think the locals will want more "blighting" their normal peace full existence
There is talk of putting a bridge to the IOW and those on the island are really against it as it would mean they would be like Devon and Cornwall are now except it would be all year
As people in Norfolk and Suffolk do not really want any motorways going there
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Unfortunately, they can’t create parking if space doesn’t exist, David. The A30 access to Cornwall has been improved considerably in the last 15 years or so - they move the bottle neck further on each time a new section is dualled. There’s very little can be done to improve the narrow lanes though as we are a peninsula and could easily end up as one huge car park/road covered in tarmac.😀
I don’t believe we are starved of investment. There’s always scope for more of course but Cornwall, an inherently poor area, has received massive investment by way of European grants and it has made a difference. It’s something that could be sadly missed post Brexit. However, who is to fund the road and car parking schemes? Us local Council Tax payers or national Government from taxpayers money? Hmm, let’s not go there, eh!
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The traffic flows in and out of Cornwall are tidal and the herd travels together - but my daughter came down from Birmingham on Black Friday when all the schools broke up, and by leaving home late that evening she had a completely clear run and was here in the house with us by 11 pm. With a caravan or Motorhome the trick is to choose a site with an arrivals area for you at that time of night. They do exist. And as I said earlier, quiet parts of the county exist too.
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With the collapse of the pound against the Euro it will only get worse....
We used to take 3 foreign holidays a year (flying abroad)..........
For the forseeable future we have said we will just van in the UK and have no foreign trips planned for next year at all.....
I wouldn't mind betting we are not the only ones....
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with the uk traffic like it is, we will just avoid it more and more....spending more time spending the euro...
many items in shops 'over there' cost the same (or less) in euros as we pay in pounds....so, even at €1.10 to the pound, any uk 'budget' you bring (converted to euros) will be worth 10% more...
other than fuel, which was almost on a par, and tomatoes(!) which were silly prices, things we eqal or slightly cheaper based on a euro to pound number....
in spain, things are even cheaper with prices (certainly food, drink, fuel being far cheaper than the pound number equivalent) so you get your 10% advantage plus a good deal more....
our ported uk 'housekeeping' budget goes much, much further when we tour abroad...I see no reason to close the door, certainly on price....
...and, anyway, we happen to like living there for several months a year.
TT, we are also 'packaging' this year, pricing didn't stop us but I have noticed that (say) cruise prices have increased, despite very stiff competition.
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Agree absolutely Tinny. Cornwall's very draw is the sheer breathtaking beauty of its coves, tiny inlets, hidden valleys. Porthcurno is possibly the most idyllic beach in Cornwall out of season, huge (for Cornwall) car park behind it. But one tiny road in and out, off an already small road heading to Lands End itself and it's just mayhem. Add to that when the tides in there is no beach! And Minack Theatre on the cliff above. Calling the A30 an A road down there is Cornwall having fun, narrow, twisty, granite walls, lots of tractors, drivers unused to it will think they are in some sort of video game!
Its a victim this year of some successful marketing, some superb TV series, a stunning few weeks of sunshine and lots of folks fed up with airports, ferries, the exchange rate and Brexit!
We are doing Vera instead of Poldark!
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And last year we did Shetland😄😄.
A couple of things spring to mind. The easier access becomes due to improved transport links and better roads, the more visitors will be encouraged to travel here but the more people who visit, the better the roads and transport need to be. It’s self perpetuating.
Also the more people who visit the beaches, quaint villages and coves, the more there is a need for increased car parking space thereby ruining the very things they come to see.
It sure is a conundrum.🤔
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You seem to forget or I`m old enough to remember EVERYBODY set off for the West Country in the 50`s and 60`s with roof racks covered by plastic, this was before the Spanish Costa`s really grabbed peoples imagination. Major tourist centres was crammed with Campsites,B&B`s and Hotels and the roads albeit not to todays standards were crammed as well. So my point, the usual full circle but nothing new, I`m getting my flares out next year.
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Agree with that Tigi, I lost a post earlier (slow web site on here tonight)saying something similar and of course the infamous Exeter by pass where everyone used to get stuck. Now they tend to get stuck between Exeter and Bristol but it must be worth it. We have had a fabulous summer down here weatherwise so I can see why people want to visit.
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I think a lot more people travelled by train back then but, yes, who can ever forget the Exeter by-pass or Goss Moor?
Perhaps that demonstrates my point of visitors needing improved roads which then encourage more travellers.
Edit. Cross posted with you, Brue.
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Yes we do need tourists but for us it is six weeks of trying not to venture out far. 'Popped' to Tesco yesterday, complete nightmare, 6 minute journey took almost an hour! Our infrastructure just can't cope with the traffic. And for these six weeks we just can't /dont visit our beaches, it isn't pleasant. No money is spent on our access roads and the trains are inadequate. These 6 weeks are the worst but the holiday season does seem to be getting longer. Motorway queues here are just a nightmare, so much traffic, or is it because the whole country is just a little overcrowded.
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That’s what I meant earlier about it being a conundrum. Our area's economy depends to a large degree on tourism yet those very tourists bring problems as well as income.
I'm sure you appreciate that it’s not possible to widen all our roads, DEBSC. I just grin and bear it for the good of the SW and the people less fortunate than ourselves who can only enjoy what our area has to offer for a few weeks a year. We have the rest of the year to take advantage of all that's on offer so staying at home due to traffic jams for 6 weeks or so is a small price to pay and I don’t begrudge the visitors their holidays.
If I felt otherwise I would move away but many places in the UK suffer from traffic problems such as you describe 52 weeks of the year. Anyway, the boot is on the other foot when I tour around and add to the congestion in Wales, Norfolk, Scotland……
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Goss Moor became a nightmare. Planners didn't listen to locals on that one! We had no choice to use it with van in tow, but solo it was quicker to take to the Moor!
I think Dobwalls waited over 20 years for their bypass! We signed petition on more than one occasion! 0 -
Many’s the time we saw the queue ahead on Goss Moor and diverted towards St Austell.
Now the A30 has been dualled on Bodmin Moor it’s made a big difference - until you reach the Carland to Chiverton section 🙁.
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We were there two weeks ago and 4 and 5 weeks before that. It was certainly busy, but no more than a normal high season, IMHO. The improvements to the A30 have made a tremendous difference, although they still have another stretch to do sort of N of Truro until Redruth.)
There are still pitches available on some sites. I suspect the full sites will be the all singing dancing types with a pool and bar/ restaurant. I'm always surprised that Globe Vale never seems to be completely full, although it is a really good quality site with plenty serviced pitches..... perhaps it's because they don't have a pool!
David
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Ah, now that's one I’ve yet to experience! We 'did' Kent in May but managed to avoid the hot spots and motorways👍🏻
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Guess where I’m off to on Wednesday for the next two and a half weeks.
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