Cornwalls’ predominant industry was for many years, over two thousand years, the mining of tin and copper. Still, you can pass through the region and see disused mines dotting the landscape and there are a number of museums and replicas that are open to members of the public interested in finding out more about the mining process that changed the way that mining was carried out across the whole world.
St Just is a small town close to Land’s End that is composed of original miner’s houses in a cottage style and an original market square. Head due north from St Just and you will come across a massive stretch of mining areas that continue to Pendeen. A truly unusual sight can be found just farther than Pendeen and that is a tin mine hoisted aloft the clifftops at Botallack.
The last tin mine to close in Cornwall only did so in 1990 and that is the mine at Geevor. On the site of the mine, a heritage centre has been constructed which tells the story of Cornish tin mining and has masses of information and artefacts to peruse. Visitors can venture deep down into the old mine on an underground tour but it is not for the faint hearted, the ‘descent’ is over fifteen feet!
Another large mining area to note is that between St Ives and St Erth which was a bustling mining centre. Across the area are disused mines, ruins and various heritage museums along with opportunities for guided tours and day trips.
For inquisitive visitors who like to travel around a region but enjoy a central base, it is a benefit that these mining areas were so vast. It is very easy to find accommodatio, restaurants and other activities in close proximity to the mining regions. There is a myriad of accommodation choices dotted around the region, for self-catering and economical holidays holiday parks can provide all necessary facilities to visitors. Other visitors may prefer to stay in a hotel or local bed and breakfast venue and they too will be spoilt for choice. Holiday Parks can often provide accomodation that simply by their nature can be situated closer to the coast or in areas that are not overly built up. Parkdean Holidays Crantock Beach Holiday Park is one such place, situated practically on top of the beach at the fashionable spot of Rock.