Where to stay in Cornwall?

So many options, Marion! You should decide whether you prefer the north or the south coast first. The Roseland Peninsular is beautiful but I'm not sure it offers flat walks. Do you want to visit the Lost Gardens or the Eden Project or the Tate at St Ives? Do you want to go shopping? If you like beaches there are so many beautiful ones but I can recommend Gwithian and Godrevy.

I like Falmouth and st mawes

I love Boscastle, Tintagel and Trebarwith but the walks are definitely not flat ones. My favourite walk in the world being along the Valency valley from Boscastle, through the woods and up to Minster Church. Once you get beyond Bodmin you may have to add another half a day to your journey. Most of the coastal villages seem to be on hillsides and places like Port Isaac often don't have parking outside so you have to carry your luggage a long way. I'm desperate to go back to Cornwall, not having been there for many years. My [misspent] youth was spent there. I've always wanted to stay in one of the National Trust properties at port Quin but they don't allow dogs.

I like the Lizard peninsula - gorgeous coastline - but it's a bit of a haul. As galen says! Falmouth and St Mawes are nice. Not sure you would get level walking anywhere along the coast in Cornwall. The Cornish coast path can be brutal in places, but I'm sure there are people on here who can point you in the right direction. Last time we went to Cornwall in the school holidays, there wasn't a lot in the way of peace and quiet; but we were in Crantock. Go to Pembrokeshire instead! Absolutely gorgeous and never thronged.

Sorry! Misread your post - you are going outside the school holidays . Note to self: pay attention!

Favourite places of ours are Fowey and Port Isaac - both hilly though.

West Penwith (the area from Penzance/St Ives to Lands End) is lovely too, quite different from the Roseland peninsula (also very lovely).
If you want walks that aren't too hilly, check out the many gardens both National Trust and others which are at their best in Spring.
There's a pub called the Gurnard's Head a few miles west of Zennor, outside which my sister and I used to be parked with a bag of crisps and a glass of cider shandy while DM and DF went in for a few swift ones after a hard day at the beach.
It was very scruffy in those days but I understand it is now quite upmarket and serves very good food.

I love the Lizard, St Ives and Port Isaac. Not flat though!

jane.... I remember similar events, but the 'swift half' with my Father always took an hour, I wonder why?

We love The Lizard walks also many other places mentioned, Roseland Peninsular etc.
North Cornwall is often quieter than the rest ( used to live there) but few places are flat in any part of Cornwall, but Looe is flat ( thinking about it) and lots of nice places to visit around there.

indeed roses

We like Gorran Haven and Portmellon, both near Mevagissey, lovely walks in those areas, but it`s difficult to find much level ground on the Cornish coast, that`s why it`s so beautiful, I suppose. Mevagissey can get very crowded, so if you don`t want crowds, I`d keep away from the town itself.

After I'd written 'flat walks' I regretted it!

At the moment this is the view from my window as we're on holiday in North Yorkshire

Roseberry Topping

Not a cat in hells chance of me climbing it as I'm scared of heights

We were in Whitby yesterday and I was fine with the famous 198 steps - I just stayed away from the edges once I got there.

So by flat, I didn't actually mean flat ...

One of the nicest walks we did in Cornwall was from Mullion to Kynance Cove along the coast path. I don't remember there being any of the sort of severe upping and downing you tend to get on other parts of the coast path (we might not have made it if there had been - it was a baking hot day). It was about ten or eleven miles round. The only downside was that when we got to Kynance there were so many people there you couldn't move, so the dip in the sea we were so looking forward to was a non starter. Beautiful place, though.

Kynance is beautiful, Sennen too. St Ives has a lovely beach and the town is really quaint and interesting - but busy - and I think the accommodation is more expensive there.

Many years ago we stayed in a self-catering cottage in Botallack, near St Just. (I believe that is where Poldark was filmed). It was very atmospheric and quite different. It was a lovely holiday. Quite "brooding" and dramatic in misty/rainy weather though.

Fowey is a very attractive and interesting town with lots of nice shops and places to eat, and set on the estuary.

Last year we went as a family to Newquay. Our son and his partner and their son stayed on a really lovely caravan site - Hendra - on the outskirts of Newquay in a good setting. I would recommend the site. It was very clean and attractive with good facilities, and they had a spacious caravan with two WC/shower rooms. My husband and I stayed, with our granddaughter, in a really nice flat with a fabulous view, in the Pentire area. Newquay has some lovely beaches - we especially liked Crantock. On the down side, we thought Newquay town was a bit "rough" (has some stag and hen dos) - tatty - lots of litter - and we had difficulty finding anywhere in the area that served good food.

I've just booked a place in Falmouth for half-term because I have a bad foot and can't do my usual walks, but for choice I would be on the Helford River or The Lizard. (I could easily list half a dozen other places, but I need to give others a chance to say where their favourite places are - I love Cornwall.)

Yes the Gurnards Head has gone upmarket and a bit snooty we thought last year Food was ok but not brilliant .Shame A family tradition to walk from Zennor and have lunch there Think we might do it in reverse next time
We always go right down to the Penzance area and have never found it unbearably crowded even in school holidays (35yearsof family holidays)
The numerous gardens are your best bet for flatish walks .The cliffs are ..well 'cliffy'

Thre is a long thread on Mumsnet about holidaying in Cornwall

So many beautiful places in Cornwall it would be hard to choose . Fowey is lovely , small shopping area , beautiful beaches and lots of walks .

I used to live at Hengar Manor just outside St Tudy. Near to the beautiful moors and all the northern coastal villages, Daymer Bay [where John Betjeman is buried in the 'church in the sand], Rock [where the 'royals' go], Tintagel, Trebarwith [my favourite beach],Port Quin, Port Isaac and Boscastle; they now have holiday chalets there. And we always said we'd one day stay at the Long Cross Hotel near port Quin; when we first discovered it, it's Victorian Garden was just being unearthed..not on the huge scale of Helligan [sp] but charming all the same. They do good deals on out of season breaks I believe.

Always stayed at the Colliford Tavern, its a small hotel and its easy access to all of cornwall.

Just off to stay in porthtowan for a week, got a little self catering cottage 70 yards from the beach. Its lovely.

I love the Gurnards Head. It's not cheap but has a lovely atmosphere. It offers calm, pleasant service and welcomes all, including walkers.

If you want to spoil yourselves there's nowhere nicer than The Nare. No flat walks about but it is so lovely we are happy to potter round the hotel and the immediate locality. Enjoy Cornwall wherever you go, there is nowhere quite like it.