travel info
Boscastle in Cornwall is, unfortunately, synonymous with flooding now, but there’s so much more to this village than occasionally high water levels! The village is nestled in a beautiful valley that leads right out to the sea. At the end of the valley there is a sheltered inlet which has been the basis for all of Boscastle’s business ever since a settlement was established there. This inlet is part of what makes Boscastle such a beautiful area and is one of the reasons that the village is so popular with tourists.
Even though the inlet is naturally sheltered and has been used to create the only harbour for twenty miles, two harbour walls have been constructed to ensure the safety of any boats that wish to make use of the harbour and to stop the village bearing the brunt of storms. These excellent harbour conditions meant that Boscastle was instrumental in exporting coal, limestone and slate along the North Cornwall coast.
On either side of the wonderfully picturesque harbour is land owned by the National Trust, who have preserved it in its natural state. There is also a shop run by the National Trust in the village, along with plenty of old buildings down by the harbour itself which add to the atmosphere of the village.
Although the floods in 2004 were devastating, and those in 2007 were bad if not as bad, the village has recovered very well. Anybody worried about their Cornwall holidays being ruined by the sight of beautiful Boscastle harbour lying in ruins doesn’t have to worry.
Looking out from the harbour wall up the valley gives an excellent view of the village and is something that you’ll find on postcards throughout the region. Standing further up the valley and looking towards the inlet is equally impressive, and can give you some beautiful shots of the inlet if you want to take some photos. Either side of the valley also offers an excellent place to look down at the village and see the inlet coming in from the coast to meet it. Again, pictures of these views can be found on postcards or provide great opportunities for you to do some shooting of your own.
One of the best things about Boscastle is that it’s very easy to access from anywhere else in North Cornwall, so you can take a family holiday to the area and spend a day wandering around this pretty little village whilst also taking in any other attractions you might want to see.
