Winter Adventures in Cornwall

Are you feeling the chill and tempted to hibernate in front of Netflix until springtime? Pah! That’s simply not how we do things in Cornwall. What with empty beaches, bigger swells, wilder landscapes, awesome all-weather attractions and tables going spare in the best restaurants, it’s time get out and embrace the beauty of winter in our sea-lashed county. Whether you prefer heart-pumping activities or watching the seasons unfold from a cosy venue, here’s some winter adventures to fire up your days by the coast. 

Bracing Sea Dips

You don’t have to be Wim Hof to take a deep breath and take the plunge for a wild winter sea dip. Scientific evidence proves that cold water immersion is oh, so good for you, releasing bucketfuls of dopamine (the hormone that makes you feel happy), boosting your immune system and working wonders for your skin. So why not dare to ditch the neoprene for two minutes to get a saltwater high?

There are sea pools scattered all around the Cornish coastline, and discovering new swimming spots is all part of the adventure. We love the tidal pools at Bude, Porthtowan, Treyarnon and Priest’s Cove, and have also been warming up with a post-dip sauna in various spots around Newquay. If you’re not sure where to start, there are lots of super-friendly swimming groups dotted around the county; just remember to only enter the water in safe conditions, go with a friend, take warm drinks and clothes with you, and be aware of hypothermia and rip currents.

Brave the Waves

While we all love long summer days on the beach and mellow surf, there’s just something more exciting about braving the waves on a wild winter’s day. The spray in your face as you paddle out into an uncrowded line-up. Duck dives that take your breath away. Bigger surf and more power in every peak take your surfing to another level, leaving you feeling invigorated and elated.

What with winter wetsuits being so advanced these days, you can stay warm in sea even on the coldest Cornish days, and with fewer people to share the water with, you’re guaranteed more waves, which equals more stoke. With Atlantic storms lashing the coast throughout the colder months, winter surfing in Cornwall also means it’s time to discover nooks and crannies of the coastline that hold the surf when the bigger beaches are big and blown out (see our article on the best surf spots in Cornwall). So pack your boards and a flask of soup, and head off on an adventure. 

Wild Coastal Walks

While you might feel like hiding indoors during the chilly winter days, wrapping up and getting out for a brisk walk will bring a glow to your cheeks and open your eyes to the wild beauty of Cornwall’s winter landscapes. Make the first footprints on deserted beaches reclaimed by nature, go beach combing for treasures left by the winter storms and hike from the cliff tops to wooded valleys.

Crest the peaks of Bodmin Moor’s Rough Tor and Brown Willy to gaze out over the glistening moorland and see the coast to your north and south, seek out Rocky Valley waterfall on the wild North Cornish coast, or take a low-tide loop from Watergate Bay to Whipsiderry, heading back over the cliff path to take in the coastline from a gull’s eye perspective. 

Uncrowded Cycle Trails

Winter is our favourite time to hit one of Cornwall’s most popular cycle routes – the Camel Trail – winding 18 miles along the Camel Estuary between Padstow and Bodmin Moor. But there are plenty more bike trails where you can feel the wind in your hair and trundle through dramatic landscapes uncongested by the summer crowds.

Ride the Coast to Coast along 15 miles of flat (ish) off-road trails between Portreath and Devoran, or get your winter wheels in motion on Lanhydrock’s family-friendly bike routes that are graded to suit all levels of cyclists.

If you’re ready for the ultimate two-wheel challenge, take on Cardinham’s 12km Beast of Bodmin trail, a personal favourite with berms, jumps and technical sections exploring the wooded slopes of Cardinham Valley. 

Storm Watching

Watching winter storms scud across the Atlantic and huge winter swells lash our shores is one of the most exciting spectacles of winter in Cornwall. Neptune’s mighty spindrift alights in low golden rays, between pregnant clouds that bring sheets of rain and double rainbows that loop from bay to bay. We love to don wet weather gear, grab a camera and embrace the power of the elements from a safe spot on the cliff tops.

Feel the spray as it booms on the cliffs below the Mayon Cliff lookout at Sennen Cove, witness surfers being towed into the Cribbar reef in Newquay, or witness the waves crashing around the iconic clocktower from Porthleven Harbour. However, you don’t have to face the mighty winds and lashing rain to see the show – there are plenty of beach bars and cafés where you can hunker indoors and watch the wild weather and waves while you sip a steaming hot chocolate and spectate beside the fire. 

Woodland Walks and Winter Gardens

Don your wellies and dive into Cornwall’s woodlands and garden wonderlands for a wintry walk that will make you glow inside and out. Twist through mighty oak trunks along estuary-edge trails at National Trust’s Trelissick, explore the magical glen leading to Golitha Falls in North Cornwall, and feed the squirrels along the web of trails crisscrossing Tehidy Country Park’s 250 acres of woodland.

We also love Cardinham Woods near Bodmin, where you can ramble through the forest and pause for delicious cakes in the Woods Café. Yet it’s not just the woodland that casts its winter magic. Basking in a sub-tropical climate, Cornwall’s gardens still simmer with colour in the winter light. At the Lost Gardens of Heligan you can stay until nightfall to follow an incredible trail of lantern installations that magnify the indigenous woodland creatures from badgers to funghi (until 2 Jan 2024). 

Dramatic Sunsets

While we don’t applaud the shorter days, we do enjoy catching sight of blazing coastal sunsets while we’re pondering about what to have for dinner. As the ‘golden hour’ comes earlier each day, the light seems even more dramatic, and the orange hues of the sun seem even more intense as it drops into the ocean.

So, whether you’re rolling back along the coast road, eeking out the last light in the surf, or already curled up by the log burner, make sure you look to the horizon and have a camera ready as the sun goes down.  

Winter Picnics

Picnics, barbecues and alfresco dining don’t have to be saved for summer days. Embrace the seasons and pack up a delicious spread for a winter beach picnic, or a pause for a mug of mulled wine on a ramble across the moors. Fill a flask with stew or chilli to enjoy on a deserted cove (after a bracing dip is best), light a fire on the beach to toast marshmallows and warm a pan of hot chocolate, or climb to the peak of Carn Brea for a picnic with panoramic coastal views.

We love wild winter picnics, so wrap up, get creative in the kitchen and tuck into a taste of Cornwall in the Great Outdoors.

Culinary Adventures

Not all your winter adventures need to be focused on the Great Outdoors, so how about a culinary adventure for your taste buds? It’s no secret that Cornwall lures gastronomes from far and wide, which makes it difficult to book a table at its most famous restaurants in peak season.

However, with an abundance of seasonal ingredients still at their finger tips, the cohort of celeb chefs – Ainsworth, Stein, Scott, Outlaw, to name but a few – are still conjuring up delectable winter menus, served in less-crowded restaurants where it’s much easier to find a table on a chilly winter’s eve.

If you want to start your culinary adventure from scratch, learn to rustle up your own winter feast with Cornish ingredients at one of the cookery schools, such Stein’s in Padstow or Philleigh Way on the Roseland Peninsula. 

Hygge

Once you’ve had your fill of outdoor adventures in the winter chill, there’s nothing like hunkering inside and embracing winter scandi-style. The hygge lifestyle simply means getting cozy and being content.

So light the fire, settle down under a fluffy blanket with your favourite book and something warming to eat and drink, put on some soothing music and embrace the long winter nights in Cornwall. It’s time to rest, recoup and recharge our energy for the long days of spring around the corner.