There is something about being in front of waterfalls. Watching the power of the water cascading down. Feeling the spray on your face. And the noise! It’s an incredibly primal experience that awakens all your senses.

Cornwall is not somewhere you immediately associate with waterfalls, but if you know where to go – you can find plenty. And many of them are very easy to get to.

With a spare couple of days recently, we embarked on a quest to find as many as could, and we were not disappointed. Some more impressive than others, yes, but all had their charms.

We started in Tregargus Valley near St. Stephen. If you have more time, there is a great circular walk here which also passes old china clay works and through beautiful forest. We did not have time, we were chasing waterfalls. So we parked at the other end of the valley and went straight to the waterfall. It’s right on the main track, and with a quick scramble down you can get up close.

Next up, Luxulyan Valley. A little further to walk but we were blessed here with two impressive waterfalls. Both were on the main route although we cut through the forest to save time. With all the rain we have had, these ones were raging. Spotted a Dipper as we returned to the car too, apparently they are common in the area.

Onwards. We had time for one more location before we lost the light so we headed to Golitha Falls. This is a much busier spot, especially in holidays. There are a couple of different level trails and all lead to the falls. Not so impressive height-wise, but what it lacked in that, it made up for in drama, and certainly had some power behind it. A really pretty spot too, with plenty of wildlife. We spotted several squirrels and a pair of blue jays.

The next day we started out with Pentargon waterfall. This is a tricky one to get a good view of as it runs from the coast path directly off the cliff. You’ll need to walk past it a little and look back. The coast path here – north from Boscastle – is hard work though, with lots of steep steps to navigate, so take your time!

Next up was one of my favourite spots, Rocky Valley. An absolutely stunning walk, following the river down to the sea. There are several waterfalls on the way. And just before it crashes into the ocean is a large pool, which is beautiful for a dip in the summer months when the water is not so fierce.

The last stop on our tour was St. Nectan’s Glen. I didn’t have high hopes for this one. I knew the waterfall would be good, but as it is a popular tourist spot, I also imagined it would be very busy, a world away from the tranquil Rocky Valley. It’s a decent walk up to the visitor centre, about a mile, and we passed several families and dog walkers. Once we had paid, however, we were pleasantly surprised to find it very quiet inside. There’s a beautiful, mystical feel to the place, and a bonus waterfall before we reached the big one. Top tip – you’ll need wellies or to take your shoes off as you have to cross the waterfall pool to complete the loop and get a close-up view of the falls. But as you stand in the pool at the bottom of the hollowed rock, surrounded by clouds of spray, it’s a magical feeling. The waterfall is huge, falling 60ft and so powerful it has punched a hole through the rock. We were the only ones there for a short while and it was just perfect.

We think we saw more than 10 waterfalls on our little two-day tour, we covered more than 100 miles by care and walked nearly 8. What a great trip.

Do you know any more Cornish waterfalls we should visit?

More adventures: ~ Portreath & Lady Bassett’s Bath