At its end, cross over on the ferry to Bodinnick, probably most famous for Daphne du Maurier’s Swiss-style residence Ferryside, but also for the Hall Walk, a tranquil four-miler through valley and creek with incredible views over Fowey Harbour. You can’t get further west than the ancient Celtic kingdom of Cornwall (or Kernow, as it’s known to Cornish speakers). Blessed with the southwest’s wildest coastline and most breathtakingly beautiful beaches, this proudly independent peninsula has always marched to its own tune.

Today’s pasties usually contain a filling of beef steak, onion, potato and swede with salt and white pepper, but historically pasties had a variety of different fillings. “”Turmut, ‘tates and mate”” (i.e. “”Turnip, potatoes and meat””, turnip being the Cornish and Scottish term for swede, itself an abbreviation of ‘Swedish Turnip’, the British term for rutabaga) describes a filling once very common. For instance, the licky pasty contained mostly leeks, and the herb pasty contained watercress, parsley, and shallots. Historically, pasties were also often made with sweet fillings such as jam, apple and blackberry, plums or cherries.The wet climate and relatively poor soil of Cornwall make it unsuitable for growing many arable crops.

Cornish Wrestling is Cornwall’s oldest sport and as Cornwall’s native tradition it has travelled the world to places like Victoria, Australia and Grass Valley, California following the miners and gold rushes. Cornish hurling now takes place at St. Columb Major, St Ives, and less frequently at Bodmin. Viewed as an “”important identifier of ethnic affiliation””, rugby union has become a sport strongly tied to notions of Cornishness.

As you make the climb up to the castle, look out for the heart-shaped stone set into the cobbled path. Local legend holds that this is the heart of the giant Cormoran, slain by Jack the Giant Killer. Cornwall Media, unitary authority and historic county, southwestern England, occupying a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. The unitary authority covers nearly the same area as the historic county. Cornish wrestlingThe main sports played in Cornwall are rugby, football and cricket. Athletes from Truro have done well in Olympic and Commonwealth Games fencing, winning several medals.

Just one mile short of mainland Britain’s most southerly point, Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula encapsulates all the natural beauty of the Cornish coast in one hit. Expect azure sea twinkling around yellow lichen, rust-red serpentinite rocks and a lush green hunk of an island. This is Mother Nature’s finest adventure playground, with rocks, crags and caves — and the chance to swim around hidden nooks and crannies. If it seems unlikely that a remote seaside spot far from any metropolis should be home to an internationally acclaimed modern art gallery, you’ll feel less inclined to think so when you discover the historical context behind Tate St Ives. In the middle decades of the 20th century, the likes of Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Peter Lanyon et al were all part of a progressive art community seeking solace and inspiration in the quality of light and supernatural seascapes.

Large parts of Cornwall can be explored on foot, including a 300-mile section of the South West Coast Path, a walking and hiking route that takes in rocky headlands, picturesque harbours, coastal valleys and gently rolling hills. The Cornish language and culture influenced the emergence of particular pronunciations and grammar not used elsewhere in England. The Cornish dialect is spoken to varying degrees; however, someone speaking in broad Cornish may be practically unintelligible to one not accustomed to it. Cornish dialect has generally declined, as in most places it is now little more than a regional accent and grammatical differences have been eroded over time.

Here you’re surrounded by bougainvillea, cotton, aloes, olive trees and vines . Beginners can book into a surf school in Newquay, or head to gentler spots like Polzeath Beach or Harlyn Bay. More experienced surfers might enjoy the challenge of Porthleven’s reef break, or, in winter, the cove at St Agnes.

It’s connected to the mainland by a cobbled causeway for low-tide visitors and the National Trust-managed rocky island harbours a shop, café and hamlet of cottages. There’s an option to visit the gardens and castle at the summit, filled with a rich collection of historic artefacts and art. Before you leave, look out for the giant’s heart-shaped stone on the pathway, as well as Queen Victoria’s tiny footmark recalling her disembarkation on the harbour’s narrow quay in 1846. Possibly the most mispronounced of all Cornish place names — it’s Foy, for the record, as in boy — is a hive of yachting activity on the water, all overlooked by cascading terraces of period houses clinging to a steep hill. Ice cream from Lazy Jack’s in hand, survey it all from the quay before wandering the independent boutiques, delis and restaurants on and around Fore Street.

Today, the Cornish economy depends heavily on its tourist industry, which makes up around a quarter of the economy. The official measures of deprivation and poverty at district and ‘sub-ward’ level show that there is great variation in poverty and prosperity in Cornwall with some areas among the poorest in England and others among the top half in prosperity. For example, the ranking of 32,482 sub-wards in England in the index of multiple deprivation ranged from 819th to 30,899th , where the lower number represents the greater deprivation.

Cross the narrow bridge to reach the eerie ruins on their jagged headland, before heading down to the sheltered bay below to explore Merlin’s Cave. The BBC TV series of life, love and tragedy in 18th century Cornwall – remains a huge visitor attraction in the region. But while many head to the filming location of ruined Botallack Mine to snap a selfie, more powerful narratives can be explored at Levant Mine, a few miles north. Here you can see the world’s only still-working steam beam engine thundering away and head into the Man Engine tunnel.