At the moment I’m attempting to stay faithful to a countryside theme, but I couldn’t let good old Carn Brea Castle pass by without a mention. Like the previously mentioned Helford River, this is another misnomer, as it’s not a castle at all. Originally constructed as a chapel in 1379, it was extensively rebuilt in the Gothic style by the Basset family in the 1700s, who used the folly as a hunting lodge. The views must have been spectacular, as the castle is situated at the top of Carn Brea Hill, a 750-foot-high summit found about a mile from the town of Redruth. Those visiting the castle will be able to see the remnants of the Neolithic hill-fort that once stood atop Carn Brea, with its earliest occupants knocking around as early as 3700 BC. You will also be able to sample some delicious Middle-Eastern cuisine whilst you’re at it, as Carn Brea Castle was converted into a restaurant in the 1980s. So you get the best of both worlds: Neolithic settlements, pretty castles, and baklava. 

This is the town square of Camborne, a town situated in western Cornwall, part of a conurbation, alongside the village of Pool and the town of Redruth. With a lovely Cornish name meaning ‘crooked hill’, Camborne was originally a small hamlet called Camborne Churchtown until the copper and tin mining boom in the late 1700s, when it was transformed into one of the many prosperous centres of the Cornish mining industry. It was home to the renowned Dolcoath Mine, which was once the world’s deepest mine, with its principal shaft delving to an astounding 3,500 feet underground. Annually, the residents of Camborne celebrate Trevithick Day in honour of engineer Richard Trevithick, who in 1801 launched on Camborne Hill the world’s first self-propelled passenger vehicle  - a steam-powered road locomotive nicknamed the Puffing Devil. As part of Trevithick Day, a parade of steam engines puff their way through town, and - an essential part of any good festival - there’s a lot of dancing to join in with.