Drenched in history and the culture of Britain, there are some wonderful seaside resorts on the south coast of England’s shores. Picturesque locations hidden from the eye of tourists that need to be shown to appreciate such beauty. Book a vacation and order fish and chips!
Steeped in smuggling history and tucked into a natural inlet on Cornwall’s south coast, Polperro is wonderfully romantic, with narrow, car-free streets winding between old fisherman’s cottages and a wild, rocky coastline. Dip into the Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing on a Wednesday (in the summer months) to catch a performance by the Polperro Fisherman’s Choir – one of Cornwall’s most famous. The Penryn House Hotel, famed for its sumptuous breakfasts, makes a comfortable base to enjoy a short trip. (penrynhouse.co.uk)
The vibe in Salcombe, Devon is seclusion that meets extreme splendidness. Why go because it’s legit and beautiful while surrounded by majestic hills and quiet tidal beaches. It might be on the glitzier, pricier side, but come summer it caters to the upmarket tourism with its clusters of posh boutiques and chic restaurants. However, you’ll also find plenty of natural splendor here too.
St. Ives, Cornwall is a fishing town with serious artistic clout. It stands out for its seafood, art, and surfing. St Ives was and is a working fishing village, and even though most of its whitewashed cottages are now holiday rentals, the seafood here is still the good stuff – especially when served about as close to the sea as you can get while staying dry, at the swish cafés on Porthminster and Porthmeor beaches.
In the ’20s and ’30s, the fishermen were joined by artists and potters like Barbara Hepworth, Bernard Leach and even colourful-squares guy Piet Mondrian. There are still plenty of artists here, and loads of places to chin-stroke, including Tate St Ives, Hepworth’s house and sculpture garden, and tucked-away gallery-shop St Ives Ceramics. And more recently, St Ives has become a surf town, with rad dudes of all genders getting salty all year round in its many piratical-looking coves.
Don't miss the atmospheric fishermen’s graveyard on Barnoon Hill, including the tomb of salty sea dog and self-taught artist Alfred Wallis.
Take care!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Tidal (adj) = relating to or affected by tides.
Rad (adj) = rad is slang for an excellent person or thing. An example of rad is a bright sunny day spent with friends; a rad day.
Dude (n) = is a slang greeting term between men, meaning "guy" or "man." For example: "Dude! So, like, what's up?" It's been popularized by movies and TV shows, and has a distinctive whiff of American West Coast hippie culture to it.
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