TODAY we are in the North Cornwall town of Tintagel 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 have a playful theory in our family – not in any way proved – that Tintagel may have had a part in our distant ancestry.

“Some of our ancestors had the Celtic surname of Trevighan, from a hamlet not too far away, and we have speculated they may have had ancient links with Celtic traders from Europe who are believed to have interacted for a time with locals on the coast at Tintagel.”

Anyway, moving on to more solid ground, Tintagel is home to both manmade and natural wonders.

The ruins of Tintagel Castle, with its links to the legend of King Arthur, sit on the spectacular coast.

The ruins of Tintagel Castle sit on the coast. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
The ruins of Tintagel Castle sit on the coast. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

In 2019, English Heritage opened a dramatic cantilever bridge linking the two halves of the castle ruins. The two cantilever sections purposely don’t quite meet in the middle - so you can peep down through a small gap to the big drop below!

The site goes back a long way in time, with excavations uncovering a stone inscribed with letters and symbols dating to the seventh century.

On the beach, when the tide is out, you can enter Merlin’s Cave which has a natural magic all of its own. There’s also a modern carving of Merlin’s face to see in the rocks outside the cave.

The Old Post Office in Tintagel is owned by the National Trust. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
The Old Post Office in Tintagel is owned by the National Trust. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

Next time we will be in nearby Boscastle with its picturesque harbour.

Our lovely tour around the county, taking in well-known spots but also lesser-known locations, offers something for everyone, from brilliant beaches, remote 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