Things to do in Cornwall when it's raining
In the UK, rain is a fact of life. The coastal areas of Cornwall, on average, get 900-1000 mm of rain a year, which is slightly higher than the UK average of 885 mm. While rain is a feature of the Cornish climate, it is not the wettest place there is. Cornwall is actually one of the sunniest counties in the UK, boasting of 1541 hours of sunlight per year, which is 48 days more than the UK average. So hopefully you won’t have to endure too much of the wet stuff when you're visiting our home county. But if the heavens do open, here are our top picks of what to do in Cornwall when it rains.
Put on a raincoat and splash about in puddles
Sometimes you just have to embrace what you are given. If it's not raining too hard (we don't advocate going out in heavy rainstorms, or any type of storms for that matter) put on a raincoat, grab your wellington boots, take a walk with the kids and go and splash about in some puddles. Kids love splashing about in puddles, especially muddy ones, it's fun, and being outside in the fresh air is always a good thing. Make sure you wrap up, and if you're taking the kids and don't want them to get dirty, kit them out in an all in one rain suit.
Carnglaze Caverns
Cornwall has a rich history of mining and the Carnglaze Caverns is just one seam from its industrial past. This former slate cavern takes you deep underground (where it doesn't rain) where you can discover how the mine worked, the stories of the miners and how slate from this spectacular cave roofed the industrial revolution. The attraction also uses one of its caverns, known as the Rum Store, as a live music venue.
Blue Reef Aquarium
The Blue Reef Aquarium is a great place to take the kids on a rainy day. Located on Towan beach, you and your family can discover what lives in our seas and oceans. Get close to exotic sea life, come face-to-face to freshwater turtles and find out what lives in our local waters.
Eden Project
The Eden Project is arguably Cornwall's most famous attraction and it's no surprise. Its awe-inspiring bio-domes are iconic and the work they do in botany and environmental education is inspiring. This attraction is perfect for any age and you can stay warm and dry in the tropical bio-domes and enjoy the canopy walkway, discover a paddy field, see a waterfall crash through a South American rainforest and learn more about Cacao trees, who's beans are used to make chocolate.
Surf
All surfers know that beautiful warm blue bird days rarely deliver great waves. A surfable swell is usually partially the result of inclement weather, which is why autumn is usually the best time to surf in Cornwall. As you're already wet anyway, a spot of rain won't make much difference so you may as well hit the water. Also, the rain drives away fair weather surfers meaning there is less competition for a wave. Afterwards, you can warm up in your favourite woolly jumper with a cup of tea or Cornish cider. Of course, before you head out, check the weather and surf forecast, surfing in large storm swells can be dangerous.