Cornwall in winter.

The tidal island in Mount's Bay is one of the most photographed places in Cornwall, and in summer the causeway is a slow procession of visitors shuffling across at low tide. In winter, you might have the crossing to yourself. The castle and gardens are open from late March, but the island itself is accessible year-round at low tide, and the views from the harbour — across the bay to Penzance and the Lizard — are better in winter light than in the flat glare of August. Even if the castle is closed, the walk across the causeway with the tide out and the winter sun low over the water is worth the trip. The village on the island has a cafe and a National Trust shop. Check tide times before you go — you don't want to be stranded, though the boat service runs when the causeway is covered, weather permitting.

Padstow in August is gridlocked — the car parks are full by 10am, the harbour is wall-to-wall with tourists, and getting a table at any of Rick Stein's restaurants requires booking six weeks in advance. Padstow in January is a different town. The harbour is quiet, the streets are walkable, and you can eat at the Seafood Restaurant on a Tuesday night without a reservation. The quality of the food doesn't change with the season — the day boats still land their catch at the harbour, the fish market still opens at dawn, and Stein's fish and chips shop (the cheap one on the quay) still serves the best haddock in the county. Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 runs a winter tasting menu that is arguably better than the summer one. Prawn on the Lawn, the tiny fishmonger- restaurant on the quay, does a fruits de mer platter that justifies the drive from anywhere. Come for lunch, walk the Camel Trail to Wadebridge in the afternoon, and drive back in the dark knowing you've had the best of Padstow without any of the worst.

Cornwall's only Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that isn't on the coast — twelve miles of open moorland, granite tors, Bronze Age stone circles, and the kind of silence that you forget exists until you stand in it. Bodmin Moor in winter is bleak in the best sense: the bracken turns bronze, the sky is enormous, and the walks have a solitary quality that the coast path, even in winter, can't match. The circuit from Minions to the Cheesewring (a natural granite stack that looks like it was balanced by a giant) is three miles and achievable in any weather. The walk to Golitha Falls — a series of cascades through ancient oak woodland on the River Fowey — is best after heavy rain when the water is high. Brown Willy (420m), Cornwall's highest point, is a straightforward walk from the Roughtor car park but should only be attempted in clear weather with a map and proper boots. The Jamaica Inn at Bolventor, halfway across the moor, serves adequate food and has the Daphne du Maurier connection if you need it.

This is the entry that holds the whole list together. After a morning on the cliffs watching storms, or an afternoon on Bodmin Moor, or a walk down to Kynance in fading light, you need somewhere to sit by a fire with a pint and the feeling that you've earned it. Cornwall has hundreds of pubs but only a handful where the combination of harbour view, real fire, good beer, and winter atmosphere makes the room feel like the point of the trip rather than just the ending. The Blue Peter in Polperro is tiny and right on the harbour wall — the fire is two feet from the nearest table. The Ship Inn in Mousehole looks across the harbour to St Michael's Mount. The Rashleigh at Polkerris sits on the beach and does crab sandwiches that are as good as the view. The Pandora Inn at Restronguet Creek is thatched, waterside, and has been serving since the thirteenth century. Pick any of them on a dark January evening and you'll understand why the locals prefer winter.