When in Cornwall: Five Things Every Poldark Fan Should Do

October 17th, 2018

Since the series began in 2015, the popularity of Poldark has seen thousands of fans descending on Cornwall to explore the beautiful scenery of the area for themselves, and to try to catch a glimpse of Ross Poldark himself, of course! When staying at our luxury Cornish cottages over the autumn months, why not try some of these Cornish Poldark experiences?

 

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Five Poldark Locations to Visit on Your Holiday

May 17th, 2018

The hit BBC drama Poldark is set to return to our screens over the summer, having been filmed in a variety of locations around Cornwall. The romantic landscape of the Cornish coast is the perfect backdrop for Poldark, and many of these places are close to our five-star cottages in Cornwall, so why not visit some on your holidays this summer?

 

Charlestown

Charlestown, near St Austell, is one of the main filming locations for Poldark. As one of the village’s main features is its Grade II listed Georgian Harbour, it is no surprise that it is used so frequently in the BBC drama set in the 18thcentury! In the show, Charlestown has acted as the city of Truro, as well as nearby town Falmouth. Charlestown beach has also featured as St Mary’s, on the Isles of Scilly, in a scene in series two that saw Ross Poldark meet up with the exiled Mark Daniels! When visiting Charlestown, head to the harbour to check out the boats before exploring the Shipwreck & Heritage Centre to discover more about the maritime history of the picturesque village.

 

Bodmin Moor

The wild and rugged landscape of the moors has seen several scenes filmed for Poldark. The exterior shots for Ross and Demelza’s Cornish cottage, Nampara, are filmed on Bodmin Moor. Several of the other cottages seen in the series can be found here too, such as those belonging to the miners. Most of the wonderful shots of the cast riding on horseback take place on Bodmin Moor too. There are many riding schools in the area, so if you wanted to recreate some of the magic of Poldark, then why not enjoy the miles of moorland the same way Ross Poldark does!?

 

Poldark

 

Levant Mine

In the show, Levant Mine is the filming location for Tressiders Rolling Mill. In real life, the Levant Mine is a part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site and is owned by the National Trust. Home to the only still working steam beam engine, the mine is a must-visit for those interested in finding out more about the important history of mining in Cornwall.

 

Gunwalloe Church Cove Beach

Poldark bought the smuggling past of Gunwallow Church Cove back to life during the first series when we see shipwreck scenes. The cove, nestled into the Lizard Peninsula, is not nearly as wild as it appears on screen, instead making for a relaxing spot to spend the day by the sea. In fact, the Marine Conservation Society Good Beach Guide has even commended the cove for its great water quality.

 

Porthgwarra 

Porthgwarra

Another of the main filming locations in Cornwall for Poldark is Porthgwarra, a coastal village near Land’s End. The crystal clear waters of the peaceful fishing cove made it the perfect spot to film the series one scene where Demelza watches Ross taking a swim from the clifftops.

 

Which of these stunning spots are you most looking forward to visiting this summer?

 

Image Credit: official_poldark | Instagram


Is the Poldark Effect Still Bringing Visitors to Cornwall?

May 04th, 2018

Ever since the BBC adaptation of Poldark first came onto our screens back in 2015, Cornwall has been awash with visitors eager to catch a glimpse of the stunning county that inspired novelist Winston Graham to pen his now famous books. With so many fans now desperately awaiting the fourth season, we take a look at what Poldark has done for Cornwall, and whether the Poldark effect is still in play!

 

Poldark has undoubtedly brought many fans to the county in which it is based. An estimated 14 percent of people visiting Cornwall are doing so because they have seen the show. With so many tourists flocking to the gorgeous Cornish beaches each year, this figure is actually pretty high. Day trips and planned excursions bring coach loads of Poldark enthusiasts to the main filming areas, including Charlestown, Porthgwarra and Botallack, where many a Poldark themed tour takes place. Whether fans are heading to the Duchy to enjoy the coastal views or in the hopes of bumping into leading man Aidan Turner is another matter though!

 

While some have worried that the desire to see Cornwall based on the television show alone will have waned as it approaches the fourth season, the recently acquired international market has instead seen a boost in Cornwall’s tourism industry. Having recently been screened abroad in America and Australia, more and more people around the world are showing an interest in crossing the pond to experience the quaint life here in Cornwall.

 

Ross and Demelza

 

In the past, other television shows, such as Doc Martin, have drawn in fans, however as that is set in only one village, the impact this has on Cornwall as a whole is fairly slim. With many filming locations across the county, Poldark has had a far more widespread effect, with visitors coming to experience both the specific villages and towns used to film the programme, as well as the incredible cliffs and beaches that make up the stunning Cornish coast. Poldark has also helped people to understand the rich history of Cornwall; especially why the county has so many mines!

 

Charlestown, where a lot of the series is filmed, sees huge boosts in tourism each year; once when filming is taking place, and again when the series is shown on television. Proud of the way Poldark has put the area on the map, many shops in the Charlestown area now sell Poldark themed merchandise and souvenirs.

 

Of course, Poldark is enjoyed not only by visiting fans but by locals as well, who are thrilled to see the picturesque villages and sweeping coastlines that they know and love depicted on screen. It seems Poldark has had a positive effect on both local business and visitor experience in Cornwall; let’s hope that series four brings as much excitement about the Duchy as its previous instalments have!

 

If you would like to experience the incredible Cornish coast and countryside that inspired Poldark, why not come and stay with us here at The Valley!? Our luxury Cornish cottages are located around a half an hour drive away from Charlestown!


Poldark Series Four Coming Soon

April 27th, 2018

With filming confirmed to be wrapped for the fourth series of hit television drama Poldark, it appears that the much-loved show will be returning to our screens sooner rather than later; most likely in the early summer. Fans were initially wary when the BBC decided to move the show from its usual autumn airing spot to during the summer months last year, scared that the move from the peak TV release date marked the beginning of the end for the beloved show. Luckily for all, the summer viewing spot only peaked interest, with an average of five million people tuning in to catch up on the adventures of Ross Poldark. Continuing with the summer scheduling this year, rumour has it that Poldark could even be returning to our screens sooner!

 

Series four will take from the sixth and seventh books in Winston Graham’s series; ‘The Four Swans’ and ‘The Angry Tide’. The series will see Poldark take on Westminster, bringing a change of scene for viewers, moving some of the plotline away from the stunning coastline of Cornwall over to 18thcentury London. Fans of the Duchy need not worry though, as the show will still remain very much Cornwall based!

 

Ross Poldark

To match his new role in the big city, Aidan Turner’s costume has also seen a revamp, with a much smarter jacket and hat adorning Ross’ character, a welcome change from the scruffy coat and battered hat that we have come to know and love. Fans of the unruly look will not be too disappointed, however, as Poldark’s trademark wild hair remains!

 

Of course, the other main plot points for the coming season will revolve around Ross Poldark’s relationship with his wife, Demelza. Describing the upcoming series as ‘tempestuous’, Aidan Turner stated that their relationship starts off a little ‘rocky’, but that they will tackle the issues ‘in a very real way’. Turner believes the way the couple will be depicted in series four is ‘something an audience will understand’, as he says ‘it’s a very real relationship, these things can happen in a marriage’. We will have to wait and see what is in store for Mr and Mrs Poldark!

 

What are your predictions for season four of Poldark, let us know via our social media channels! If you want to experience the gorgeous landscapes of Cornwall as seen in Poldark, why not come for a luxury family holiday in Cornwall and see all of the spectacular sights!? At the moment we are offering a last minute booking discount of 10% off for holidays in May!

 

 

Image credit: official_poldark | Instagram


Game of Thrones Star Jason Momoa Spotted Filming in Cornwall

March 22nd, 2018

Cornwall was abuzz this week with a flurry of sightings of Game of Thrones alum Jason Momoa, who is in the historic port of Charlestown filming for a new Netflix series. Momoa featured in the hit show as Dothraki leader Khal Drogo, as well as recently playing Aquaman in the Justice League movie.

 

Cornwall is certainly no stranger to the sights of famous actors in the area, with hit TV show Poldark doing the bulk of its filming work in the coastal county. The gorgeous panoramic views presented by the coastline here in Cornwall also draws its fair share of celebrity holidaymakers, with many a famous face taking to the beaches and coves scattered along the Cornish coast!

 

Charlestown, which is about half an hour away from us here at The Valley, actually had the Poldark cast and crew turn up in September to do some filming in the historic town for the upcoming fourth series! When this news hit, hundreds of fans flooded into the area hoping to get a glimpse of the Poldark cast (we suspect mostly Aiden Turner).

 

Eagle-eyed fans spotted Momoa today, as he went off to sea to film aboard a ship anchored a little way off the harbour for the drama series Frontier. Boats had been sailing back and forth from this vessel throughout the morning to deliver the equipment, cast and crew to the ships set. Momoa is also said to have stopped off in a local photography studio in order to have some promotional snaps taken before heading for the sea.

 

The Game of Thrones star has arrived in Cornwall at the same time as Prince Charles is embarking on a three-stop tour of the Duchy, with several fans of Momoa claiming that his arrival is far more exciting than the royal visit! The Duke of Cornwall is said to only be popping to the Truro Cathedral and the Royal Cornwall Museum before heading to Newquay, so it’s unlikely these two famous faces will cross paths!

 

If you would like to head to Cornwall in the hopes of bumping into the stars, to see where they have filmed, or simply just to relax in the incredible scenery that draws film crews to the area, then take a look at some of the luxury family holidays in Cornwall we have on offer here at The Valley!

 


What We Know So Far About Poldark Series Four

January 16th, 2018

While lovers of the show and the stunning Cornish countryside sit and wait (not so) patiently, the cast and crew of Poldark are busy at work preparing for the next instalment of the hit TV drama. We take a look at some of the things we can expect from series four:

 

When is it next on?

Filming on the upcoming series began a few months back in September 2017. While, typically, Poldark and other prime-time dramas begin airing in the autumn, last years risky summer scheduling choice paid off, with very strong viewing figures. It is therefore rather likely that this year’s series four will be returning to our screens in the early summer. We will just have to keep our eyes on the updates!

 

What is happening this season?

With Ross taking on Westminster, we’re bound to see a whole bunch of new political rivalries to go with his new location. Ross is certainly going to be pushed out of his comfort zone having traded in the scenic Cornish coastline for the bustling streets of 18th Century London. With the rest of the cast staying in Cornwall, we’ll still get our fill of the gorgeous landscapes we’ve all fallen in love with on the show. Of course, while the setting may be a paradise, the relationships going on there are far from it, with conflict and marriage troubles hitting all of the main couples this season. Let’s just hope that Morwenna can finally find the happy ending she deserves!

 

When is series four set?

Scriptwriter Debbie Horsfield has stated that the upcoming series will draw on the final third of the sixth Poldark book, The Four Swans, and all of Winston Graham’s seventh book, The Angry Tide. In terms of time period, this means that series four will take the Poldark’s up until around Christmas of 1799. The subsequent book in the season, The Stranger from the Sea, starts in the year 1810, a time jump of over ten years! We expect that some of the younger cast members will have to be recast for this leap, so let’s just hope that Aidan Turner is staying in place as Ross Poldark too! There is already enough sad news, as it is expected that series five will be the final for the show.

 

If you cannot wait that long to catch another glimpse of the Cornish coastline, why not book a luxury family holidays in Cornwall? What do you think is going to happen in series four, and are you excited for it? Let us know what you think via our social media channels!

 

Photo by: Katie Butler


Poldark’s newest actress revealed as filming is set to get underway once again here in Cornwall

September 15th, 2015

A new female role has been cast in the hit series Poldark, and joining the already well-known array of actors and actresses will be Gabriella Wilde, playing a character who is a “beautiful and manipulative heiress”.

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