And not the inane comedic characters from the BBC show either, this is the real thing.

 

Cornwall is the southwest tip of England facing the Atlantic Ocean, and guarding the English Channel.

Some of the things to see and do here include the Eden Project, castles ranging from Tintagel on the north, windy shore, to St. Michaels Mount near Penzance.

There are hundreds of wonderful villages to explore, the Cornish coastline is spectacular and wild in spots, and getting out onto the turbulent sea is the favorite pastime of the hardy Cornish folk. Mining drove the economy in times past, and now Cornwall is a favored place to live in the country for the British, and tourists are beginning to discover its charm.

The first settlers arrived some 7,000 years ago and were called strange hill dwellers, hence the name Cornwall from Latin. 2500 years BC copper and gold mining made the area valuable, and many wars were fought over its ownership. Until the 1890s the locals spoke Cornish, and were decidedly different from the rest of the Brits.

Although the Romans held most of Britain around the time of Christ, Cornwall never came under their influence being ruled by the fierce Celts.

Later the Normans conquered the Celts and Britain began to control Cornwall. The first Duke of Cornwall was Edward, the Black Prince, son of Edward III. Thus ensued a lengthy period of centuries of warfare and destruction.

In the 18th century things had settled down somewhat and the invention of the steam engine led to advances in very deep mining. Cornwall’s many mines for lead, tin and copper are deep, and require constant pumping to keep out the ground water.

Now all the mines are closed, and the skilled workers long gone to other continents, and the native fish stocks that kept the coastal villages alive are mostly depleted. Tourism is keeping the place alive, and with good reason. It’s a beautiful place indeed.

From Giants to Piskies Cornwall abounds in folklore, and this is the land of King Arthur and his legends. And, standing stones abound if that is your thing, connect with the cosmic stones in over 90 locations in Cornwall alone.

Martin Trip