Helston stands to the north of the Lizard Peninsula and provides a great base for exploring south west Cornwall from your very own holiday cottage.

This is Cornwall''s second oldest town, its charter having been granted by King John in April, 1201. The town is commonly believed to have been a port until it was cut off from the sea in the 13th century. Cornwall''s largest freshwater lake, Loe Pool, now lies where the River Cober formerly met the sea.

Today Helston is probably most well-known for the annual Flora Day celebration that is held in early May. Thousands of people come to enjoy this ancient celebration that lasts from early morning until late at night. The event was made even more famous in 1975 by the Brighouse and Rastrick brass band''s recording of the Floral Dance.

There is plenty to do in and around Helston. The Helston Folk Museum, housed in the old butter market, hosts frequent art exhibitions as well as the permanent exhibits where you can find out about the history of the town and its notable inhabitants. Families are well catered for with Flambards theme park just outside the town and One2eleven, a brilliant indoor play area, only one mile away. The National Seal Sanctuary and Poldark mine are both just three miles from the town.

For those who enjoy the outdoors there are some lovely woodland walks on the Penrose Estate, and boating on the lake in the Coronation Park. Porthleven, a lovely traditional fishing harbour can easily be reached from Helston and slightly further down the coast you will find, Praa Sands, an excellent sandy beach for surfing. The Lizard and Kynance Cove is very interesting for the whole family to explore and easily reached by car.

Explore this fascinating area from your own self-catering accommodation; search for holiday cottages in Helston today.