My 5 favourite things to do in Cornwall by Zoë Power

I absolutely adore Cornwall. I was born and grew up in Jersey in the Channel Islands and I miss the sea terribly. One day we will move there - for now, we visit as often as we can. We made our annual spring pilgrimage in early April and I thought I'd share some of my favourite photos and things to do. This is a bit of a monster post, so you might want to go and make yourself a nice cup of tea and get comfy :)

1. Watching the sunset on the beach at Watergate Bay

Nothing can beat the beautiful display that nature puts on each evening. I love being down on the beach from golden hour until after sunset, enjoying the light show, whilst the waves crash on the shore. I love how different it looks each time, depending on the weather, the clouds, the tide.....and how it changes from minute to minute.

I also love watching the surfers - their energy and excitement is infectious. I love seeing them all pile down to the beach after work if the waves are looking good. It's such a beautiful sight to watch...

And it never ceases to amaze me how quickly the weather can change. All of these photos were taken on days that started out grey and rainy and full of thick cloud. For the last 3 years we have stayed in lovely apartments at the Waves complex (with Beach Retreats), only a couple of minutes away from the beach. I can't recommend it highly enough - it's so wonderful to look out the window and see the weather brighten up and then be able to leg it down to the beach with camera and tripod in hand. We had a very late dinner some evenings, but it was totally worth it!

2. Cliff path walks

There is no better way to get the city out of your hair, than a bracing cliff path walk. I love the epic views that make me feel so small and humble. There is so much space - perfect for clearing out your head and making room for fresh thinking. And the lungfuls of fresh air really help too.

Some firm favourites of ours are the walks from Watergate Bay to (a) the Bedruthan Steps, via Mawgan Porth and (b) going in the opposite direction to Newquay, via Porth. If you're feeling very energetic, the walk from Mawgan Porth to Harlyn is pretty spectacular - and there is nothing finer than dipping your walk weary feet in the sea at the end of that walk!!

3. Pottering around St. Ives

It's often said there is something special about the light at St. Ives and I would absolutely agree - it seems to glow, even on grey days. I can see why it is such a draw for artists.

There are lots of wonderful places to eat in St. Ives. My absolute favourite is the Porthminster Beach Cafe - amazing food with amazing views. I love Porthminster Beach too - on a lovely day it can look tropical. Other favourite eateries are Blas burger works and the Seafood Cafe.

As well as exploring the many and beautiful beaches at St. Ives, I love pottering around the narrow cobbled streets and looking at all the pretty houses and doors, dreaming about living here... The Tate and Barbara Hepworth museums are also lovely places to visit - and you can enjoy a coffee in the lovely Porthmeor Cafe just outside the Tate on the beach - it has fabulous brightly coloured chairs and the best views!

4. Playing with pebbles on Sandymouth Beach, near Bude, North Cornwall

Sandymouth beach is one of my all time favourite beaches: masses of lovely sand and space to reflect the sky (perfect for doggie walks), lots and lots of super smooth beautiful pebbles, and the most impressive cliffs and rocks - it's a real geological wonder.

I'm a big kid who never grew up and I love to play with pebbles :) It's a bit of a tradition to create some pebble art when we are here - I love hunting out the smoothest, roundest pebbles....I made the first two hearts below and went off for a wander - when I came back, my husband had made the third one - guess I'm not the only kid around here ;)

5. Exploring Chapel Porth beach and the tin mines near St. Agnes

And last, but not least, another favourite of mine is the beautiful beach at Chapel Porth (masses of sand when the tide is out and lots of caves) and the stunning cliffs above it, that are home to wheal coates, the old tin mines. It's a truly beautiful spot and a wonderful place for walking.