Here at Tom’s Cottage we’ve a hereditary nose for the weather. Seeped in country wisdom alongside an affinity with the Cornish climate, our holiday guide to weather forecasting is one of a kind…
Reading nature
Handed down through the generations, some of these rural observations may sound whimsical but have been accurate for donkey’s years. Call them retro citizen science – all are derived from the same baseline as modern meteorology: acknowledging the subtle environmental changes of wind direction and air pressure.
From Tom’s Cottage: if St Teath church bells can be heard – we’re settling into a dry period; but if St Kew church bells can be heard – rain’s on the way. Based on wind direction: St Teath lies to the NE while St Kew is to the SW
Heavy dew leads to a hot day. Can be irritating at midday to still be in wellies while sweltering overhead - leads to what’s known locally as ‘tired and teasy’.
When the massed tree canopy is tickled-up (revealing the underside of leaves): rain’s coming in.
Swallows flying low are a sign of rain (they’re feeding on low flying insects, that have dropped to knee level with lowering air pressure). Disastrous when cut grass needs another day ‘making’ before being ready to bale as hay – spoiling the forthcoming winter’s feed.
A quarter moon ‘holding the water’ (lying on its back) means rain is on the way; while a quarter moon standing upright is the sign of a dry month ahead.
The most obvious of all: stand outside and face the breeze, look at the sky at a 45º angle and see what’s drifting in. Blue sky and incoming sunshine or ominous dark clouds, it’s on the way!
Weather adages
Most have heard of the old dawn/dusk adage ‘red sky at night, shepherd’s delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning’; but there’s more maxims that hold true too…
From Port Isaac Bay (when looking out to sea): Lundy high: sign of dry; Lundy plain: sign of rain. Reference to Lundy Island off the North Devon coast, with high meaning standing high on the horizon and plain being a visual effect better observed than described (imagine distant focal point enhanced in photo software).
Rain before 7, fine by 11; and strangely often vice versa (fine before 7, rain by 11) – morning’s forecast of the day ahead in changeable conditions.
If March comes in like a lamb, it’ll go out like a lion; but if it comes in like a lion, it’ll go out like a lamb. Spring often brings wind to Cornwall, and some sort of precipitation – whichever end of March: beautiful weather will balance the other end of the month.
Oak before the ash, in for a splash; ash before the oak, in for a soak (which trees come into leaf first in the spring). A fairly reliable prediction of the type of summer ahead!
Don’t cast a coat till May is out (don’t be fooled by any false spring – gardeners will understand!) Foretelling occasional sharp winds from the north rather than hard frost, but it’s wise to carry an extra layer.
A wet St Swithan’s Day (15th July) brings 40 days of rain. A good indicator of how high summer is likely to pan out, but don’t forget this is location-dependant: North Cornwall may not have had rain that day even if other areas have.
Forecasting tech
Dithering over Cornwall-or-not when booking a break? If sun-hours are a factor, head over to the MET Office main website for their mid and long term outlooks. Don’t forget we’re a ‘coat warmer’ than the rest of The Westcountry and have about 2 hours extra daylight (1 each end of the day) than most of the UK. It’s all to do with The Gulf Stream and our southerly location – expect mild off-peak seasons and more outdoor time.
Got a sunscreen versus wellies moment while packing? Download the Met Office app – the farmers’ friend and most reliable forecast around. Hour by hour location specific 5-day forecast, weather warnings and UK meteorological map; plus UV, pollen and air conditions.
While with us: Tom’s Cottage has its own barometer (no self-respecting country house or seafarer’s abode is complete without one). A daily tap resets the pointer to reflect current air pressure which marks stormy through to very dry weather. If it’s dropping: dash out while dry overhead, and if it’s rising: walk the dog before the midday heat sets in!
Climate
Cornwall has an almost archipelago feel to it, with nearly 300 miles of coastline (the Atlantic north coast and English Channel south coast) and just 1 ‘land’ border of 65 miles: 60 miles of which is the River Tamar. Add high moorland and sheltered valleys to the mix and many seasons can be experienced in one day.
Winters are short and spring comes early, with some of the UK’s earliest daffodil and new potatoes being Cornish grown. Snow is a novelty due to the mild climate; with nothing more than occasional ground frost in a cold snap. February is often glorious with Easter regularly saturated in bright skies and spring blooms.
May and June are a celebration of Cornish hedgerows, with the wildflowers at their peak. We’ll not mislead - summer showers come and go but they refresh the countryside and keep the grass green. Autumn lingers in Cornwall, with Guy Fawkes night (5th November) being our marker of the evening air turning fresher – although Christmas can still be too mild to light a fire.
All weather fun
A light Cornish mizzle never kept us indoors (the cross between mist and drizzle) and having grown up with the odd Atlantic gale passing through, we think of winter wind as a comforting blanket. Both can provide stunning scenery, a connection to the landscape and a revitalised glow to adventurers at the end of the day.
There are occasions when time-out from the elements mixes things up though, so when surfing in the rain and cycling a trail between showers have run their course, here’s our top picks of undercover outings –
The Eden Project makes an amazing day out, wandering the sub-tropical and mediterranean biomes. Nature lovers and gardeners alike will be bowled over, adventurers of all ages will feel they’ve had an expedition into another world.
We also recommend a visit to the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery for all green-fingered enthusiasts, as well as Bodmin Nursery The latter has a less corporate feel to it, but both produce outstanding seedstock and we thoroughly recommend both cafes!
The National Trust’s Lanhydrock House and Tintagel Old Post Office (a charming medieval building with cottage garden), and the privately owned Pencarrow House all bring a specific era alive and each has an individual character that’ll stay in the mind for many years (check websites for guided tour schedules/opening times).
English Heritage’s Restormel Castle, Launceston Castle and Tintagel Castle all exude ancient atmosphere set in a variety of landscapes. These are ruins so are without rooves but each is situated in fantastic surroundings (take an anorak on showery days).
The award winning National Lobster Hatchery visitor centre at Padstow is outstanding – for both the casually interested and anyone passionate about marine conservation. A trip here will spark the imagination of all ages.
For pure entertainment, we’ve heard good reports of the Bodmin Jail Experience which uses immersive theatrical effects to tell an unusual side of Cornwall’s history. While in the town, we’d suggest a visit to Bodmin Keep (Cornwall’s Army Museum) and round the day off with a steam train ride with Bodmin Railway
For those with a panache for teamwork and a logical flair, we have local escape rooms! Housetrap Escape Rooms are located in Bodmin (and elsewhere we think), while Dread Lock Escape Rooms are also in the Bodmin area.
As Cornwall is a mythical place, we couldn’t overlook either the Vale of Avalon Arthurian Centre or Boscastle Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. Each has its own vibe but both are rich in folklore and wizardry.
We’re going to finish with a few vintage suggestions. There’s nothing like a trip to the pictures and the Regal Cinema in Wadebridge boasts 2 screens (fresh popcorn and ice cream optional). Beyond the new movie releases, keep an eye on their live-streaming performances – who’d expect a London performance of Swan Lake, Madam Butterfly or Andre Rieu to be appearing 10 minutes from Tom’s Cottage? An after-show supper in town is always a winner.
When nothing else quite fits the bill: come in from the weather, make some hot chocolate and get a board game out. Cornish Monopoly at Tom’s Cottage is an actual event in itself.
