BOSCASTLE

Three Inns, three Rivers, three Churches, and a most popular harbour.

Boscastle is a great day out in Cornwall, with excellent facilities, historic harbour, parking, public toilets, shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants, stunning scenery and breathtaking views.

Boscastle is a medieval harbour and village hidden in a steep sided valley. This natural harbour on the North Cornwall coastline was created by the confluence of three rivers. Boscastle is an excellent base for touring the area, all of Cornwall or North Devon, including moorlands, sheltered wooden valleys and coastal footpaths offering magnificent views.

From the harbour the visitor can explore the beautiful surrounding area with its ancient woods, the old village of Boscastle with cottages dating back to the 15 th Century, the site of the Norman Castle and the medieval strip farming system which is still in operation on the cliff top. And there is much, much more, not least the stunning coastal views.

Boscastle Harbour

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Boscastle's small harbour now provides shelter to a number of little fishing boats. It was once a hive of activity with trade taking place between Wales, Bristol and the south of England.

From the harbour a lovely valley heads inland; a path follows a fast flowing burbling stream which leads to several hidden churches allowing you to discover the little known connection between North Cornwall and Thomas Hardy.

The Elizabethan Harbour, built in 1584 by Sir Richard Grenville of 'Revenge' fame, has been the scene of many acts of heroism and treachery over the years with privateers and volunteers, smugglers and wreckers.

An hour before low water, with a rough sea that is, you can see and bear a splendid blow hole rendering water and spray across the harbour mouth.

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Boscastle

Boscastle Harbour

Boscastle

Along this stretch coastline lives the legend of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, the Quest for the Holy Grail. The Chapel of St. James is believed to have been built on the ancient pilgrim route to Compostella in Spain.

The Rivers Jordan, Valency and Paradise flow through the village. The Valency Valley is a fine walk around to the dark and intriguing Minster Church, almost enmeshed by rare trees and shrubs looking for light. Jordan Vale is the steep hill running from the Bottreaux House Hotel to the Wellington. A walk up or down takes one "back in time".

Forrabury Church stands high up to the south of Boscastle and not too far off the coastal path. The site of "Botreaux Castle" is at the top end of the village dating back to 1100 AD, and the views over Boscastle are quite magnificent when approaching from this direction. It' s worth turning around and going back again should you be travelling upwards.

The castle of Bottreaux, from which Boscastle gained its name, has, alas, vanished but it is said that much of the village was built from its stone. Indeed there are stone windows in the Wellington that are reputed to have come from the Castle. A tiny opening and a road near here takes you down past Minster church through a valley to Lesnewth and St. Juliots Church.

Thomas Hardy fell in love with Boscastle when working as an architect on the renovation of St. Juliots Church. He also fell in love in Boscastle, to Emma Gifford, whom he married after a four year courtship—it was not a successful relationship and ended in tragedy after 30 years. Hardy was not daunted but returned to the land he loved and wrote some of his most moving poetry. A copy of "A Pair of Blue Eyes" will describe all the valleys and cliffs up to High Cliff (731 ft), the highest in Cornwall.

The Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, Cornwall, houses the world's largest collection of witchcraft related artefacts and regalia. The museum has been located in Boscastle for over forty years and is amongst Cornwall's most popular museums.

Boscastle

Boscastle

Boscastle's medieval strip field system