PHOTOS: © CRAIG JOINER/CORBIS/PHILIP FENTON LRPS/FRANK FISCHBACH/ALAMY/TRAVEL PIX COLLECTION/AWL IMAGES LTD/LAYTON BENNETT
P
www.britain-magazine.com
ulses may have been set racing by the gripping 18th-century drama Poldark and its lead character, played by British actor Aidan Turner, but one of the biggest stars of the searing BBC remake of the 1970s TV series is undoubtedly Cornwall’s majestic coastline. Based on Winston Graham’s acclaimed novels, the costume drama is a passionate tale of shipwrecks, family ties and lost love, and was filmed largely on location in the breathtaking county of Cornwall, which is home to some of England’s oldest pubs and historic boltholes, not to mention some spectacular vistas. If you’ve been swept away with the romance of Poldark then you may want to pay a visit to the Grade II listed harbour of Charlestown, near St Austell, in south Cornwall, which feels as though it’s been transported from a bygone era. With its collection of tall ships, cobbled quay and winding lanes, it’s easy to see why this spot – almost unchanged since Georgian times – was chosen to double as the Cornish capital of Truro in the TV show. Once you’ve immersed yourself in the history of the town and marvelled at the swaying masts of those impressive square riggers, head to The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a 15-minute drive away, where you’ll find more than 80 acres of restored lawns, meadows and woodlands, including an alpine-inspired ravine and Maori-carved tree ferns. There are interactive displays, kitchen gardens and an exotic jungle area with raised walkways to explore. North of Charlestown, the bustling harbour town of Fowey has some of the best tea shops in Cornwall – think billowing layers of chocolate sponge and never-ending cream teas – as well as boats for hire at the quayside. There is a huge range of accommodation nearby, from B&Bs to old English inns, but for those who like to be in the centre of things, The Old Quay House sits right on Fowey’s waterfront. Once a refuge for seamen, the whitewashed Victorian boutique hotel offers unparalleled
Front page: Remnants of tin mines at Botallack. Clockwise, from top left: Doyden Castle, Port Quin; St Ives; the cove and harbour at Port Isaac; St Mawes Castle. Above: The Old School House, St Agnes BRITAIN
37