Looking for a romantic spot to sit and gaze adoringly at your spouse-to-be? Take a tour around Cornwall’s coast and discover a land steeped with love, both lost and won.



‘Love, that the whole world's waters shall not drown,
The whole world's fiery forces not burn down;
Love, that what time his own hands guard his head
The whole world's wrath and strength shall not strike dead’
       Tristram of Lyonesse by A.C Swinburne

Mini breaks are firmly divided into two camps: the party destinations and the cities of romance. Admittedly there is some blurring of these definitions when it comes to major capitals like London, but we are fairly sure that Denzel’s stag night won’t take place in Florence, just as Flora and Burt won’t be celebrating their 40th anniversary on a three-night bender in The Radish ’n’ Razzles Club, Prague. Or maybe they will... (perhaps that’s their secret).  The point is, some destinations seem to have romance all stitched up: Rome, Paris, Venice, New York… We, at WED feel this is far from fair.



For many people, Cornwall has a sense of nostalgia; it harbours cherished memories of childhood delight and smatterings of teenage beachside romance. Boosted by the thriving culinary scene, with its numerous celebrity restaurants and vineyards, this association with happy memories has sealed Cornwall’s reputation as a lover’s getaway. The slightest glimpse into the county’s rich folklore will reveal this to be highly appropriate. Cornwall’s Celtic history is littered with legends of love: love that overthrew kingdoms, stories of truth and mirth that can be explored in a tour around this glorious coast.

Starting on the north coast, we find St Agnes, a rugged outcrop named after the femme fatale at the centre of a tragic legend. Hounded and adored, Agnes rebuked the amorous attentions of her unlikely lover, a giant named Bolster. Unaccustomed to the delicate beauty and purity that Agnes possessed, the gargantuan Bolster was driven senseless with desire. So much so, that when the woman asked him to prove his love – by filling the hole in Chapel Porth cliffs with his own blood – the giant agreed. But it was a cruel trick. The hole was little more than a shaft, at the bottom of which gurgled the north shore waves. The giant lay prostrate, draining himself of life, convinced he was winning his true love. The cliffs at Chapel Porth are still stained red.



Further west lies Zennor, once home to a love struck mermaid. Morveren, as some call her, was drawn from her watery home to the shore at Zennor by enticing music drifting from the church high above the water’s edge. Lulled from her senses by the soft voice of a local fisherman, singing his prayers of thanks for a good day’s catch, the mermaid crept ever closer to the danger of the human world. When he saw her listening at the window, the fisherman was struck by her strange beauty and carried her back to the sea, where neither ever resurfaced. It is said that the fishermen of Zennor still hear the music of the young lovers, guiding them through the waters. If sweet and joyful, a plentiful catch will reward their efforts; if it is low and mournful, storms await.

Land’s End hasn’t always been the proud holder of its title. Legend tells that rising waters covered a kingdom called Lyonesse in the 11th Century. All that remains of this country are the high lands (visible in the form of the Isles of Scilly) and the clanging bells of its ruined churches, audible on still days, if you stand at our westernmost coast. The lost kingdom was home to perhaps Cornwall’s most famous lover: Tristan (or Tristram, meaning the sorrowful one). Commanded by his uncle, King Marc of Cornwall, Tristan travelled to Ireland to escort back the King’s chosen bride, Iseult. Through mishap and shipwreck, the pair unwittingly consume a love potion that in turn consumes them. Loyalty and duty force the pair to deny their love, but after marrying King Marc, Iseult writes Tristan a final letter and dies of a broken heart.

If love potions have been instrumental in bringing couples together, piskies have often schemed to pull them apart. One such incident involving meddling faerie folk took place 200 years ago in St Buryan. William Noy, a local man, took a fateful shortcut across Selena moor to get to a neighbouring farm. Having abandoned his horse in the thick undergrowth of unfamiliar woodland, Noy was drawn to the music and warmth of a quite unnatural scene: hundreds of tiny people dancing and celebrating. His attention turned to the only non-smurf in the clearing, a beautiful girl, who forbade him to touch her or the ripe fruits hanging about the scene. On closer inspection, he recognised her as Grace, his sweetheart, who had been dead for three years. Desperate to steal back his precious love, Noy remembered that piskie magic could be undone by throwing inside-out clothing at them (mental note). He duly tossed his inverted glove at the changelings, only to watch his beloved Grace fade with the mischief-makers. Noy spent years searching the moors, desperate for one final glimpse. He was buried alongside her at Buryan Church.



Love stories are as prevalent in Cornwall as any other romantic destination. From the tragic to the epic, they are as potent today as when they were first told by the bards and poets of the time. We realise that you are busy making your own love story, so if you need a break from the wedding schedule, try standing in the church where Morveren first fell for a human, or walk the moors where William Noy wandered in search of his one true love. We have even recommended a few favourite overnight stays. Enjoy!

Ideas Directory:

Visit the 500-year-old mermaid’s bench in Zennor Church and stay in the Grade II listed White House nestled in the heart of the village. Enjoy a refreshing pint at the historic drinking hole next door, The Tinner’s Arms, and swoon at the enchanting views from Zennor Head at sunset.
www.tinnersarms.co.uk

Listen for the bells of Lyonesse and spend a romantic evening at The Land’s End Hotel. Explore the dramatic coastal path and watch the sun slip beyond the Atlantic Ocean.
www.landsendhotel.co.uk

To explore what remains of Lyonesse, indulge yourself with a break at the Hell Bay Hotel on the rugged island of Bryher. Sup on an intoxicating cocktail of breathtaking landscape, gourmet food and utter seclusion.
www.hellbay.co.uk

Explore the remote beauty of St Buryan and the surrounding villages of Treen, St Levan and Lamorna. Return to the fishing village of Mousehole and curl up in Skipper’s or The Old Storehouse, Boutique Retreats’ endlessly comfortable and super chic boltholes.
www.boutique-retreats.co.uk

Explore the bleeding heart rocks at Chapel Porth and enjoy the comforts of The Aramay, a beautifully chilled yet stylishly designed boutique bed and breakfast. Discover Cornwall’s dramatic north coast and take a stroll around the vibrant village of St Agnes.
www.thearamay.com


words Charity Wilson

Copyright WED Magazine 2010