Free Article DirectoryOpen Source Articles & Answers

Alongside the lovely river of the Fal River on the coast can be found the city of Falmouth in Cornwall. Falmouth’s name comes directly from the River though no one knows where the river got its name. The harbor is well known around the world as it is the third deepest in the world as well as being the deepest in England. You can visit the castle that overlooks the harbor and was built specifically to defend Carrick Roads.

The town was created when the nearby town, Penryn, expanded in 1613. Falmouth is well known also of its packet service as for more than 160 years this was the main mail carrier throughout the British Empire. This spot saw a lot of military ships as it was the most southerly and westerly port and was the first stop for Navy ships returning to England.

Much of it’s economy centered on the maritime trade and while this is not as prosperous as it once was the docks are still very important to the town’s economy. Cargo port still comes into the city and many vessels bunker down in the port. Many cruise ships also operate outside of Falmouth.

Besides being a busy port it also is a very popular holiday spot as there are plenty of beaches and much of the available accommodation overlooks the beaches and harbor. The main five beaches found in Falmouth are Maenporrth beach, Swanpool beach, Gyllngvase beach, Tunnel beach and Castle beach.

Falmouth is found in several popular literary works as the Toad, Mole and Rat form the Wind in Willows were born here. Falmouth was also the setting for Winston grahams The Forgotten Story. Several films and television stores have been filmed here include Scott of the Antarctic, the Windbag the Sailor, The Onedin Line and Treasure Island.

There are plenty of water sports to participate in here and a lot of boating. In 1998 Falmouth was the starting point for the Tall Ship’s race. Charles Darwin’s ship the HMS Beagle’s last stop was here and there was a famous Trans Atlantic boat trip from Falmouth, MA to Falmouth, Cornwall. Several world record breaking trips have also originated or finished here.

If you want to learn more about the areas heritage and culture then you should spend some time at the National Maritime Museum. The exhibits highlight the relationship between the sea and the city. Each floor of the museum is dedicated to a different aspect of the maritime industry.

Find your next Falmouth hotel here.