Local shares 12 things to avoid doing in Cornwall and hidden gems to explore

With its bountiful beaches, quaint seaside towns and delicious seafood, it’s easy to see why millions of tourists choose Cornwall for a holiday every year.

But before you pack up the car and head to the West Country, there are a few things you need to know, according to an expert who grew up in the area.

Claire Martin has shared 12 things tourists should avoid doing on their trip to Cornwall on her blog Go South West England. 

Don’t stay in Airbnbs

Airbnb might be popular around the world but Claire warns that Cornish locals aren’t quite so fond of the holiday rental company.

She says that a rise in second-homes ownership has meant that local residents are struggling to afford houses in the area. 

Claire recommends searching for a local B&B, campsite, hostel or hotel instead. 

Don’t walk too close to cliff edges

Claire says that she recommends tourists hike part of the South West Coast Path while they’re in Cornwall. 

Claire Martin has shared 12 things tourists should avoid doing on their trip to Cornwall on her blog Go South West England. Pictured above is Polperro

Claire recommends visiting the Lizard in Cornwall instead of some of the more popular spots

However, she warns visitors not to ‘get too close to the cliff edges’. This is because the cliffs ‘do sometimes crumble and collapse’. 

Don’t drive too fast down country roads

The South West’s roads are notoriously narrow and can often ‘only fit one car’ down them, explains Claire. 

The expert adds that even though the speed limit is 60mph on some of the roads, it’s best to ‘monitor your speed’. 

Don’t put cream on first 

A cream tea is top of the bucket list for many tourists heading down to the West Country. 

But you could commit a serious etiquette error if you put the cream on your scone before the jam in Cornwall. 

Claire explains that in Cornwall, the ‘jam goes on first and then cream goes on top’, whereas in Devon it’s the opposite way round. 

Claire recommends visiting Falmouth (pictured above) for its ‘food scene’

Don’t just visit Newquay or St Ives

While Claire describes Newquay and St Ives as ‘beautiful coastal towns’, she reveals that there are many more places to explore in Cornwall. 

She recommends visiting the Lizard, a peninsula in southern Cornwall, Falmouth for its ‘food scene’ and Polperro which she describes as a ‘charismatic fishing village’. 

Check out Claire’s blog to find the rest of her suggestions.  

Don’t visit in August 

August is when Cornwall is busiest and the ‘roads are a complete traffic jam’, explains Claire. 

She suggests travelling to the region in May or October half term instead if you have children. 

Don’t walk on Bodmin Moor in bad weather 

Claire explains that it’s ‘very easy to lose your way’ on Bodmin Moor, a granite moorland in north-eastern Cornwall

Claire explains that it’s ‘very easy to lose your way’ on Bodmin Moor, a granite moorland in north-eastern Cornwall. 

The expert says that it’s best to only attempt to tackle the moor on a ‘clear day’. 

Don’t eat in front of seagulls

It’s no secret that seagulls love Cornish pasties. So if you’re tucking in on the beach, you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled for attacks from above. 

Claire explains that seagulls stealing food happens a lot, ‘especially in St Ives’. 

Don’t park your car on the beach 

As surprising as it might seem, Claire explains that people park on the beach every year. The expert says this is never a good idea as the car will end up ‘taken out by the tides’. 

Don’t swim when there’s a red flag on the beach

Areas such as St Ives (pictured above) can get extremely crowded during the summer months

Claire explains that tourists should never swim in Cornwall when there’s a red flag flying at the beach. 

Doing so could be extremely dangerous. The RNLI explains that a red flag ‘signifies a severe hazard’ and means that ‘people should not enter the water’. 

Watch out for ‘dreckly’ 

Claire explains that ‘dreckly’ is Cornish slang that means ‘at some point in the future’. 

That means that if someone in Cornwall tells you something will be done ‘dreckly’, you might be waiting a while. 

Don’t ignore Cornwall’s culture and heritage

Cornwall has ‘a very unique culture and identity’, says Claire, with a ‘lot of different customs and culture from the rest of England’. 

The expert explains that it’s important to be ‘open-minded and listen to what people have to say’.