Friday, October 14, 2011

Penzance Is a Fantastic Part of the South West To Visit.

By Phil Campbell


The Closest town to Land's End is Penzance which is sheltered by Mounts Bay.

Penzance once had a chapel very close to its harbour so was known as 'Pen Sans' in traditional Cornish dialect, which translates as Holy Headland. Penzance and the surrounding area were renowned centuries ago as the best-loved haunt of pirates. You can still see the remains of the towns colourful history. There are rigorous planning rules in place to assist in the conservation of the towns character.

Penzance has developed into a delightful artistic place with a great vibe. Being granted its primary Royal Charter in 1512 assisted its growth Whilst it at one time relied on fishing as its major income, Penzance now caters mainly for tourism. Its huge popularity has provided a steady increase of visitors annually.

Despite being hidden away in the far corner of the UK, access is straightforward by road. Also there are several efficient bus and rail links to the town.

Penzance is the ideal base for discovering west Cornwall. Compared to other parts of Britain, Penzance has an extremely temperate climate all year long thanks to the Atlantic Gulf Steam.

In this part of the country in the Victorian era huge quantity's of exotic, rare and beautiful flora and fauna were introduced. With its stunning range of sub-tropical plants, the entire area has a wonderfully romantic, Mediterranean atmosphere.

June is a great time for Penzance when its popular Golowan Festival draws in thousands of visitors and accommodation becomes difficult to find. This Festival is a celebration to mark the beginning of Midsummer. At this fantastic event you will enjoy live music, art and a variety of parades and be thoroughly entertained. If all that is not enough you will also find a traditional fair with rides, huge fires and firework displays to keep you entertained. With colour up and down the streets from brightly coloured banners to fresh cut flowers, Penzance comes alive.

Another popular event in the local area is the Newlyn Fish Festival which is held yearly on the final Monday of August. This particular festival celebrates Newlyn's tradition of fishing which has been a fundamental part of Cornish life which has helped Penzance to develop into the thriving town that it is now. During the festival the harbour is filled to capacity with an array of boatsyou can also take a look at the display of locally caught fish in the market. There are a number of stalls and entertainment available.

Penzance caters extremely well for families who will find endless choices of food outlets and shopping facilities. Many ancient monuments survive in the surrounding area, and provide great opportunities for a day out.

If art interests you Penzance is a wonderful area to explore having the highest of artists in found in Britain outside of London, this is reflected in the numerous artists' studios and art galleries in the area. At Penlee Park, you will find an art gallery which has been open since 1895. It houses works by the famous artist Stanhope Forbes. There are many excellent private galleries to be found and the nearby town of St Ives also has world-class galleries like the Tate, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and the Leach Pottery.




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