Cornwall in winter is a different place from the one most people know. The car parks empty, the beaches go back to the dog walkers and surfers, and the coast gets louder and more dramatic. You can walk a whole cove without seeing another soul, then warm up in a cosy pub.
We’re open 365 days a year at Globe Vale, so we see every season here. Winter is the one our regulars keep coming back for. This guide covers the best things to do in Cornwall between November and February, especially (December and Christmas!) with links to our more detailed guides if you want to go deeper on any of them.
Why Visit Cornwall in Winter?
There is loads of reasons to visit Cornwall off season but one of the biggest ones is space. Cornwall has more than 300 beaches, and outside the summer months you’ll have most of them nearly to yourself. Accommodation is easier to book, popular spots are calmer, and you get to see the county as people who live here do.
Cornwall’s climate is milder than most of the UK, so snow is rare, although less so on the high points of Bodmin and Dartmoor. Expect wind and some rain, but also plenty of bright, clear days that are perfect for walking.
Dog owners do well too. Most seasonal dog bans on Cornish beaches lift for the winter, so your dog can run on sands that are off limits in July. As a dog friendly campsite, we can recommend loads of Cornwall dog walks.
Winter Walks in Cornwall
Walking is the best way to see Cornwall in winter. The South West Coast Path runs the whole length of the Cornish coast, and on a cold, clear day there’s nothing better than a clifftop stretch with the Atlantic crashing below. Pick a short section, check the tide times, and plan your route around a pub or café for the end.
If the wind is up, head inland. Cornwall’s woodlands and river valleys are sheltered and quiet in winter, and the great gardens stay open through the colder months. Many of them are already flowering by February, weeks ahead of the rest of the country. Good boots and a waterproof are all you really need. Bring a flask of something hot and enjoy the feeling .
Winter Surfing and Beaches
Winter is when Cornwall’s surf is at its most consistent. Big Atlantic swells roll in from the south west, and the north coast beaches near us at St Agnes and Porthtowan pick up some of the best of it. A good winter wetsuit, boots and gloves will keep you in the water longer than you’d expect.
Beginners aren’t left out. Several surf schools run through the winter, and lessons are often quieter and easier to book than in summer.
If you’d rather stay dry, a beach walk at low tide is one of the simple pleasures of a Cornish winter. Rockpools, empty sand and a hot chocolate afterwards.
Storm Watching
When a winter storm hits the Cornish coast, people come out to watch. Waves smash against harbour walls and throw spray high over the cliffs, and it’s an extraordinary thing to see. Watch from a safe distance, well back from the edge and away from harbour walls and slipways. The sea in a storm is much stronger than it looks.
Wildlife and Birdwatching
Winter brings its own wildlife to Cornwall. Grey seals pup around the coast in autumn and early winter, and you can often spot them from clifftops. Estuaries fill up with wintering wading birds and wildfowl, and on still evenings you might catch a starling murmuration over the reedbeds. There are plenty of local groups who are happy for to accommodate people on holiday if you want to know more about Cornwall’s wildlife from local experts and enthusiasts.
Stargazing
Long nights make winter the best season for stargazing in Cornwall. Away from the towns the skies are seriously dark, and Bodmin Moor is an International Dark Sky Landscape. Even from the park on a clear night you’ll see far more stars than you’re used to. Wrap up warm and give your eyes twenty minutes to adjust.
Cornish Food, Drink and Cosy Pubs
A Cornish winter is a good excuse to eat well. Pasties, fresh fish, Cornish cheese, local ales and cider all taste better after a day in the wind. Old inns with log fires come into their own this time of year, lots of pubs have board games so you can make an afternoon of it, or a Sunday roast after a morning walk is hard to beat.
Rainy Day Ideas and Attractions
Not every winter day is walking weather, and that’s fine. Most of Cornwall’s big attractions stay open through the winter, including the Eden Project, where the biomes are warm whatever the weather outside. Museums and galleries in Truro, Falmouth and St Ives are worth an afternoon, and Cornwall’s mining heritage gives you plenty to explore, much of it under cover.
Things to do in Cornwall in Winter with Kids
Winter half term and the Christmas holidays are a good time to bring the family. Attractions are quieter, queues are shorter, and children seem to care much less about the weather than adults do.
The Eden Project is a safe bet in any weather. The biomes stay warm, and from October 2026 the indoor ice rink is back for the season, with family and toddler sessions. Over Christmas there are light displays and a Father Christmas experience too.
Animal attractions are a good shout for younger children. Paradise Park in Hayle, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary at Gweek and Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay all make easy days out. The National Maritime Museum in Falmouth has plenty to keep older kids busy on a wet day.
Closer to us, Heartlands in Pool has one of the biggest free adventure playgrounds in the South West, which makes it a great place for kids to burn off energy (more on that below). Don’t overlook the free stuff either. A blustery beach walk, a rockpool hunt at low tide or a muddy woodland trail will entertain them just as much.
Things to do Near Redruth in Winter
Globe Vale is just outside Redruth, about a mile from the A30, which puts a lot of good winter days out on our doorstep.
Carn Brea
The hill that rises above Redruth gives you views across both coasts on a clear day. It’s a short, steep walk up to the monument and the little castle on top, and an easy win for a couple of hours.
Mining trails
The mining heritage around Redruth and Camborne is part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. Walking and cycling trails link old engine houses across the area, and they’re mostly off-road, so they work well in winter.
The north coast: St Agnes, Porthtowan and Portreath
Our nearest beaches are only a short drive away. St Agnes has a good village for a wander and a coffee, and the clifftop walk from Chapel Porth past Wheal Coates engine house is one of the most photographed stretches of coast in Cornwall. Porthtowan and Portreath are both great for winter beach walks and storm watching.
Redruth town
Redruth is worth an hour or two, especially in December. Redruth in Lights, the town’s Christmas celebration, takes place on Saturday 5 December 2026, with the lights switch-on and the traditional Redruth Wassail. Kresen Kernow, Cornwall’s archive centre, is in the town too.
The Shaft Inn
You don’t need to go far for a good meal. The Shaft Inn is our on-site pub and restaurant, open Wednesday to Sunday, with a Sunday roast.
Christmas in Cornwall
Christmas is when Cornwall’s winter really comes alive. Towns and villages light up, there are markets most weekends in December, and some of the county’s oldest traditions come out for the season.
Christmas lights
The Mousehole harbour lights are the most famous in Cornwall and have been going since 1963. They usually shine from mid-December into early January. On the evening of 19 December the lights are dimmed for an hour in memory of the crew of the Penlee lifeboat, lost in 1981. Go after dark, park in Penzance if you can, and give yourself time to wander the narrow streets.
Plenty of other towns and villages put on displays too, including Angarrack near Hayle, which is well known for its lights.
Christmas markets and festive events
Truro is the place to go for Christmas shopping, with markets and late-night shopping through December, and carol services at Truro Cathedral. Closer to home, Redruth in Lights is usually early December.
Closer to Christmas, Penzance hosts Montol, a midwinter festival with lantern processions, masks, music and a Lord of Misrule. It’s a revival of old Cornish Christmas customs and a great night out if you’re staying over the solstice.
Mousehole also marks Tom Bawcock’s Eve on 23 December, when stargazy pie is served in honour of the fisherman who, in local legend, saved the village from famine.
Christmas at the Eden Project
Eden puts on a big Christmas season each year, with light displays in the biomes on selected evenings, a Father Christmas experience and the ice rink. Tickets for Christmas 2026 aren’t on sale yet, so keep an eye on their website.
National Trust Christmas
Several National Trust houses in Cornwall dress up for Christmas. Cotehele is known for its huge flower garland in the Tudor hall, a tradition that goes back decades, while Lanhydrock, Trelissick and Trerice usually run festive events too.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day swims
For the brave, a festive dip is a Cornish tradition. Organised swims often take place nearby at St Agnes and Portreath, usually raising money for charity.
Spending Christmas at Globe Vale
We’re open all year round including over Christmas and New Year. Our luxury holiday caravans are centrally heated and double glazed, and our fully serviced hardstanding pitches are available all year. Check The Shaft Inn’s website for festive food and events.
Where to Stay in Cornwall in Winter
Globe Vale Holiday Park is a family-run, AA 5 Pennant Platinum park set in 20 acres of countryside near Redruth, with views across to St Agnes Beacon. We’re open all year, and we’ve set the park up to be comfortable in the colder months.
Our luxury holiday caravans are centrally heated, double glazed and well insulated, with parking on hardstanding right next to them, so muddy boots aren’t a problem. If you’re bringing your own caravan, campervan or motorhome, our fully serviced hardstanding pitches come with 16 amp hook-up, a water supply, grey water drainage and lighting. There’s a heated shower block and a launderette with tumble dryers for drying kit after a wet walk.
For couples, the Spa Lodge has its own sauna and countryside views, which makes it hard to leave on a cold evening.
