OUR exploration of the remote and rugged North Cornwall coastal zone today takes us to the town of Boscastle, 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: “Making our way by road out of Tintagel, we travel through the village of Bossiney and on to the Trethevy area, home to St Nectan’s Glen with its 60-foot waterfall.

“The site around the waterfall at the attraction is revered as a sacred place, with people leaving ribbons, crystals, photographs and other devotions.

“Returning to the B3263 road, it is only a short drive to our destination.”

Boscastle is approached via steep hills. While adding to the drama of Boscastle’s beautiful coastal setting, the topography of the area also led to one of the town’s darkest episodes.

In the summer of 2004, Boscastle suffered catastrophic flash flooding after torrential rain on the surrounding hills.

Vehicles were washed out to sea and properties were badly damaged. Thankfully, no-one died, some people being rescued by helicopter.

Steps have been taken to ensure there is no repeat and, on a sunny day in the tranquil harbour, it is hard to imagine that such devastation was ever wrought.

Inland from Boscastle is the village of Delabole, famous for its huge slate quarry, and the ancient town of Camelford, on the A39 – the Atlantic Highway.

Next time, we will be in the small coastal village of Crackington Haven which is reached by steep and winding lanes.

Our lovely tour around the county, taking in well-known spots but also lesser-known locations, offers something for everyone, from brilliant beaches, magnificent moorland, storm-beaten cliffs and scenic rivers to historic 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 - https://bit.ly/AndrewTownsendAuthor