There are few places in England as wild and rugged as the north coast of Cornwall with its spectacular rock formations and crashing waves, high cliffs, and deep valleys where rivers flow into the sea. Tiny villages, sometimes no more than a dozen fishermen’s cottages, cling to the sides of the hills. It is a mysterious land steeped in legend and superstition, romance and drama. At every crossroad and corner, there is something to remind you of an ancient past hidden in time. Around one of these bends is Boscastle, one of the few unspoiled villages along this dangerous coastline.

Just a few miles east of Tintagel (the legendary birthplace of King Arthur), Boscastle is one of a string of fishing port established in the 1300s. The town sits on the only natural harbor for 20 miles along this part of the coastline, taking its name from the Norman family (Bottreaux) and their castle which once dominated this area. Although the castle as such has vanished, its stones live on in a number of the houses in the village, some of which date back to the 15th century when the harbor was actually built.

As you drive down a steep, curving road into a deep ravine, the village appears, perched on the sides of the Valency River Valley where three rivers — the Jordan, Valency and Paradise — come together and flow into the harbor. Unlike other harbor towns, you can’t see the Atlantic Ocean unless you climb up over the rugged headlands. A vessel entering the harbor in the heyday of the village needed a hobbler or boatman in a towboat as well as winches and buoys to navigate the twists and turns of the channel past two tiny granite quays to shelter.

The headland of the harbor is pierced by a large cave — the Boscastle blowhole — that is only visible at low tide, when the ocean rushes through, booming loudly as it sprays and spouts across the inlet. Just off the entrance of the harbor is Meachard Island, home to seagulls, gannets and other seabirds. Around the headland, numerous caves provide shelter to the seals that inhabit these waters.

In years gone by, pirates and smugglers used this part of the Cornish coast to go about their business. Tales of their exploits are rife, as are the stories of the ‘wreckers’ who swarmed down to the water’s edge whenever there was a shipwreck to carry off the spoils. In some case, they were not above luring the vessels onto the rocks.

Thomas Hardy used Boscastle (where he lived and worked for some time with the love of his life, his first wife, Emma) as a location for his novel “A Pair of Blue Eyes.”

In August 2004 Boscastle experienced severe flash floods after 8 hours of rain from the remnants of hurricane Alex. Water rushed down the deep ravine of the river bed destroying over 100 homes. Since then the town has been lovingly restored and repaired and provides an indescribably picturesque place to explore

IF YOU GO
Boscastle is located on the North Coast of Cornwall, accessible from the M5 to the Okehampton exit, then continue on the A30 towards Camelford on the A39 before exiting on the B 3263 which takes you down to the town.

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