ABOVE: THE ENTERPRISE FERRY WELCOMES PASSENGERS ABOARD
What is Truro to you? Maybe your sole purpose for visiting is to weave in and out of the doorways of the many shops that jostle for your attention. Perhaps you idle away hours peoplewatching on Lemon Quay? Do you come to do your weekly food shop lured by the combination of local markets that the city plays host to? Or, if you’re a history lover, maybe you trail the opes that lead away from the cobbled streets to discover the stories behind the city centre buildings.
Whatever the draw for you, Cornwall’s only city is a hive of activity throughout the seasons and, shops and architecture aside, is gaining an ever-growing reputation as the foodie capital of the South West. Each month sees a new café or restaurant opening its doors to cater for a market demanding more than a lunchtime pasty. Daily, I have little time to explore the city that is my working week, usually spending more time power walking than ambling through the streets during my lunch hour. Easily forgotten is the wow effect that the spires of the cathedral had on me when I saw them for the first time, and the quaintness of the cobbled streets now go unnoticed under my hurrying feet.
So inspired by the fact that, earlier this year, Truro was named the top major town or city in W the West Country in the Best Local Food awards – supported by the Western Morning News and ITV Westcountry – I decided to sample some of this for myself. To visit the city as a visitor, to spend time exploring.
As someone who rarely partakes in on-the-water trips there’s a real holiday feel to my journey as I hop aboard the Enterprise in Falmouth. Although I am wrapped up in extra layers to sit on deck, I brave the breeze to ensure that I get a real bird’s eye view. A leisurely hour and one seal sighting later, I’m disembarking in the city centre, and it’s a relief not having to worry about finding a parking space.
If you like your food and you’re planning on visiting Truro this October then you’re in for a real treat. The Cornwall Food and Drink Festival, now in its third year, will be taking place on Lemon Quay from September 29 to October 1 where, as well as inspiring cookery demonstrations carried out by the best of the county’s chefs, there’ll be the smell of mulled cider to get you in the mood for the fast approaching festive season.
And with Celebration of Food events that involve wine supping and kitchen utensil testing as well as discounts at many of the eateries for the whole of the month, there’s no excuse not to sample local produce.
With this in mind, it’s no coincidence that I’ve decided to visit Truro on a Saturday, when the farmers’ market, which can also be found on Lemon Quay on a Wednesday, is at its busiest. Underneath the green and white striped tents I discover homemade cakes sharing the space with crunchy, fresh-baked Cornish breads.