TWO ancient towns, that have both been the capitals of Cornwall in the past, feature today as the Voice continues its serialisation of the travel book, Cornwall Favourites For One And All!: A Quick Guide To Good Places To Visit Across The County.

Voice journalist Andrew Townsend, the author of the book, says: “We are now firmly inland, visiting Bodmin and Lostwithiel, having previously been all around the coast of Cornwall taking in majestic headlands and tranquil creeks, and also having followed the inland boundary with Devon along the beautiful Tamar Valley.”

Bodmin, in the heart of Cornwall, was once the county town. One of the most prominent buildings here is St Petroc’s, the largest parish church in the county. The church has an incredible, finely carved Norman font dating from the 12th century.

Nearby is the verdant Priory Park where remains of the town’s medieval priory can be found.

Christmas on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
Christmas on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

There are a number of tourist attractions in and around Bodmin, including the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, where steam trains run on more than six miles of track.

Situated on the banks of the River Fowey, Lostwithiel is a fine old town, having once been the capital of Cornwall.

Buildings in the centre of Lostwithiel. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
Buildings in the centre of Lostwithiel. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

Just to the north are the remarkable remains of Restormel Castle, looked after by English Heritage. Restormel was one of the four chief Norman castles in Cornwall, the others being Launceston, Tintagel and Trematon near Saltash.

Next time we will be visiting St Austell, the biggest town in Cornwall and the capital of the Clay Country in the county, and the world-famous Eden Project tourist attraction.

Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, a lovely tour around the county, is available as an ebook on Amazon.
Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, a lovely tour around the county, is available as a book and an ebook on Amazon. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

Our lovely tour around Cornwall, taking in well-known spots but also lesser-known locations, offers something for everyone, from brilliant beaches, rugged moorland, storm-beaten cliffs and scenic rivers to welcoming towns, pretty villages, mining heritage sites and visitor attractions.

• Andrew Townsend is a journalist and writer. More details of Cornwall Favourites For One And All!: A Quick Guide To Good Places To Visit Across The County, which is also available as an ebook, can be found via this link to Andrew’s author page on Amazon - bit.ly/AndrewTownsendAuthor