Southern England Travel Blog – Cornwall, Oxford, Dorset, Bristol, and Brighton in 8 Days
Cornwall has been somewhere I have wanted to go for quite some time. I had heard nothing but great things about it, and I am so glad I finally got to plan a trip when the lockdown restrictions lifted. The southern coast is so beautiful that it didn’t even feel like I was still in England. Since the drive to Land’s End from my house in Thetford is 7+ hours, I decided to break up my trip and stop in Dorset for two days on the way there and Bristol for one night on the way back. I also stopped in Oxford on my last day to break up the drive even more. This was such a fabulous decision since all of this driving can get so tiring. I didn’t realize how spread out the Cornwall region was until planning out the trip. One of the first things I had to figure out is where to make my Cornwall “home base.” A lot of people recommend St. Ives or Newquay, but I decided to go with the Land’s End area since it was closest to my most looked forward to attractions: Minack Theatre and St. Michael’s Mount. I do not regret this decision! I thought it was a great location 🙂 My trip lasted 7 nights/8 days, but if you want more time to relax and see all the sights, you could easily stay longer. You could also do Cornwall in around 4-5 days if you don’t stay anywhere else on the way there or back. Tips Bring lots of coins for parking. I probably spent about £30 or more in change on parking throughout the trip. I was very thankful that I brought my coin cup with me. Some parking lots accept card, but most do not. They do not take bills or return change. Book attractions in advance. Since I went during the Covid-19 pandemic, all attractions were online pre-bookings only. You cannot show up to any of the ticketed sights and expect to get in. You will need to look at their website in advance, select the day and time you wish to visit, and pay in advance. This will force you to plan out your trip in advance since the tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. I even decided to purchase two tickets to Minack Theatre since the first time I went it was super foggy. They are only accepting a limited amount of people per time slot, so make sure to book as soon as you know your schedule! Bring your dog. Cornwall is extremely dog friendly! My husky, Mila, absolutely loved every minute of our trip…if it isn’t obvious from all of the pictures 😉 Be a confident driver. The roads in the Cornwall region can be quite terrifying! You will experience a lot of narrow roads that are only wide enough for one vehicle. You will need to be comfortable with reversing in order to get to a passing point. I think I did fairly well considering I was by myself, but reversing down a steep incline on a curvy road was not ideal. Pack for all types of weather. The weather in Cornwall, well England in general, can be very bipolar. It can be super rainy in the morning and blue skies can come out by the afternoon. Be sure to bring a rain jacket, sunglasses, sunscreen, and clothing for all types of weather. You should also bring a day backpack for hiking the many trails filled with a water bottle, snacks, and portable batteries. Get some Cornish ice cream and fudge. Seriously…I can’t wait to go back and get some more. It’s so good! Plan out your trip in advance. Cornwall is such a big region, which will require lots of driving between sights. Plan out the route in advance so you’re not going back and forth too much. I also suggest finding areas of interest along the way and the way back to stop at for the night or a couple days to break up the trip like I did. Day One: Thetford to Dorset Seven Sisters Cliffs The Seven Sisters are a series of chalk cliffs by the English Channel. The cliffs are known as the “Seven Sisters” due to the seven distinct hilltops. There is a parking lot with a visitor’s center and toilet where you can get great views. From here, you can walk down to the beach or along the trails up to the lighthouse. Brighton Palace Pier The Brighton Palace Pier has been around since 1899 and was built as an entertainment venue. The theater that once stood on the pier was damaged in 1973. It was then that the pier added an amusement park, with various fairground rides and roller coasters. There are several rides and attractions, along with places to eat & drink. I was not able to walk on the pier since I had Mila with me, but it would definitely be somewhere I could spend a lot of time feeling like a kid again! You can visit the website HERE to find out more. Brighton Central Beach This shingle beach isn’t the best if you’re looking for a sandy beach, but it is nice to walk along the seafront. I had lunch here and it was a nice place to sit outside and enjoy the weather. The area can get very crowded, but still a nice location for a day trip. Old Harry Rocks These chalk formations are popularly known as Old Harry Rocks, but the name Old Harry actually refers to the single stack of chalk standing furthest out to sea. Until 1896, there was another stack known as Old Harry’s Wife, but erosion caused her to tumble into sea, leaving just a stump. There are a number of theories about where Old Harry got its name. It is reputedly named after either a famous local pirate (Harry Paye) or the devil. The top of the cliff nearby is known