Tintagel

Tintagel is a village on the north Cornwall coast, site of Tintagel Castle (English Heritage) whose clifftop ruins are linked to the legend of King Arthur. The castle headland is reached by a footbridge opened in 2019, spanning a 58-metre gorge. The bridge was designed by William Matthews Associates and Ney & Partners, built with 47.5 tonnes of steel and 40,000 hand-cut Delabole slate tiles from a quarry 3 miles away. It was shortlisted for the 2021 RIBA Stirling Prize.

Below the castle, Merlin’s Cave is accessible from the beach at low tide - no ticket required. Adult entry to the castle is £14.80 (15% off when booked online), and opening hours run daily 10am to 5pm from late March to October.

On Fore Street in the village centre, the Old Post Office (National Trust) is a 14th-century yeoman’s farmhouse - the Trust’s first built property in Cornwall, acquired in 1903. A few minutes’ walk from the village, St Nectan’s Glen holds a 60-foot waterfall dropping through a hole in the rocks. Entry is £10 for adults, with a 1-mile woodland walk from the car park to the falls.

Rocky Valley, reached from Bossiney car park, features ruined mills and rock-carved labyrinths thought to be over 3,000 years old. A short circuit covers 1.8 miles, or the full loop via St Nectan’s Glen and the coast path runs 3.9 miles.

For food, King Arthur’s Arms Inn has been family-run for over 80 years in the centre of the village, serving steak and ale pie and local ales. Charlie’s Cafe and Deli operates from a 14th-century cottage, known for 14-hour proved sourdough and local seafood.