ancient ruins
The Hurlers
Three Bronze Age stone circles in a line on Bodmin Moor near Minions, beside the natural stack of the Cheesewring.
15 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Launceston
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Launceston
Launceston works well as a base: 10 minutes from Lifton, 23km from Vixen Tor.
Launceston is in England, United Kingdom, with about 8,900 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Lifton, about 6 km away.
Launceston ( LAHN-stən, LAWN-, locally LA(H)N-sən; rarely spelt Lanson as a local abbreviation; Cornish: Lannstevan [lanːˈstɛvan] ) is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the River Tamar, which forms almost the entire border between Cornwall and Devon. TheRead more
landscape of the town is generally steep, rising from the River Kensey, a tributary of the Tamar, up to the hill on which Launceston Castle stands.
The castle was built by Robert, Count of Mortain, (half-brother of William the Conqueror) c. 1070 to control the surrounding area. Launceston was the caput of the feudal barony of Launceston and of the Earldom of Cornwall until replaced by Lostwithiel in the 13th century. Launceston was later the county town of Cornwall until 1838 when Bodmin replaced it. Launceston's motto "Royale et Loyale" (English translation: Royal and Loyal) is a reference to its adherence to the Cavalier cause during the English Civil War of the 1640s.
The town is known as one of the gateways to Cornwall, being near where the A30 road enters the county. The road historically went through the centre of the town, but now bypasses it to the south. Launceston Steam Railway, a narrow-gauge heritage railway, runs during the summer months. At the 2021 census the population of the civil parish was 10,247 and the population of the built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics was 8,425.
Where to Stay in Launceston
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Launceston?
Within an hour or so of Launceston: The Hurlers (15 km), Brown Willy (18 km), Golitha Falls, Bodmin Moor (19 km), Golitha Falls (20 km).
Are there any good drives near Launceston?
The nearest famous roads are Atlantic Highway (A39), B3212 across Dartmoor and A39 Atlantic Highway (Barnstaple to Bude).
Where is Launceston?
Launceston is in England, United Kingdom, about 6 km from Lifton.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 8,910
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 50.6370, -4.3601
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Launceston
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Brown Willy
The highest point in Cornwall at 420 m, a long granite-topped ridge in the middle of Bodmin Moor.
18 km · about 20 min drive
waterfall
Golitha Falls, Bodmin Moor
A series of cascades through ancient oak woodland on the River Fowey, a National Nature Reserve.
19 km · about 20 min drive
waterfall
Golitha Falls
A series of cascades where the River Fowey drops through ancient oak woodland on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor.
20 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Vixen Tor
One of Dartmoor's tallest tors at around 30 m, on private land near Merrivale and long the subject of an access dispute.
23 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
Atlantic Highway (A39)
Spectacular coastal road running through north Devon and Cornwall past dramatic cliffs, surfing beaches and picturesque harbour villages.
25 km · about 30 min drive
waterfall
St Nectan's Glen
A mystical 60-foot waterfall that bores through a holed rock in a fern-draped wooded glen near Tintagel.
26 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
Burrator Reservoir
A wooded reservoir on the south-western edge of Dartmoor, encircled by a narrow lane popular with cyclists.
27 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Launceston
- 18 kmBrown WillyThe highest point in Cornwall at 420 m, a long granite-topped ridge in the middle of Bodmin Moor.
- 25 kmAtlantic Highway (A39)Spectacular coastal road running through north Devon and Cornwall past dramatic cliffs, surfing beaches and picturesque harbour villages.
- 31 kmB3212 across DartmoorThe open moorland crossing from Moretonhampstead to Yelverton past Postbridge and Princetown, with ponies on the road.
- 32 kmPostbridge Clapper BridgeA 13th-century granite slab bridge over the East Dart, the best-preserved clapper bridge on Dartmoor.
- 36 kmDartmeetThe confluence of the East and West Dart rivers, a popular riverside spot beside a steep-sided moorland road.
- 37 kmRame HeadA conical headland on Cornwall's south-east tip crowned by a 14th-century chapel, with views across Plymouth Sound.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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