It’s the migration season. Thousands flocking here seeking warmth, perhaps returning to the same nesting spot again or setting up in a new venue for the summer months before flying off come September. 

I am not talking about the swallows, house martins and swifts that have arrived and made a temporary home in the eaves of our house and are dive-bombing my car with incredible accuracy; I am talking about the tourists. 

It’s half term for many families and their satellite navigation systems have been set for the South West.  The roads are noticeably busier, the gifts shops and cafes are buzzing. 

There’s no stopping it now. The tourism tsunami has started and will only continue growing until it reaches its peak in August. 

Great news if you’re in the business of serving holidaymakers. We’ve built a massive economy around tourism in Cornwall and Devon and as the saying goes: “Make hay while the sun shines”.

But with each passing year and with an ever-greater number of visitors deciding to spend some or all of their summer holidays here, I am detecting an equally growing number of local people who’ve had enough. 

Recently I hosted a radio discussion about a new campaign by Visit Cornwall to encourage tourists to explore more areas of the county rather than just the traditional hotspots. 

I asked listeners via social media to suggest a few hidden gems that were slightly off the beaten track. 

I knew straight away what the majority of people would say: “I’m not revealing any hidden gems, they’ll only get ruined by too many visitors”.

Sure enough scores of people told me they were reluctant to share their favourite quiet spot, and I don’t blame them. 

I suggested Kit Hill near Callington and the wider Tamar Valley, very beautiful and underrated areas in my opinion and often forgotten by visitors. But I instantly regretted it; I love those areas precisely because they are not too busy with tourists. 

It turns out the Visit Cornwall plan isn’t about shifting tens of thousands of holidaymakers from Newquay in the middle of August and telling them to descend on Calstock instead. 

The idea is to spread the load more evenly across the county and across the year. The head of Visit Cornwall told me it was about making more of the shoulder months in spring and autumn and encouraging tourists to visit some of our historic towns and inland areas. 

Fair enough. I am sure many towns would welcome a few more people in the quieter months and would also welcome the money those visitors might spend. 

The trouble is I am not sure how easy it’s going to be. We do have some lovely towns in Cornwall with a fascinating history. Bodmin and Launceston spring to mind. 

But our coastal towns and villages are a truly powerful magnet, even out of season. If you’re travelling hundreds of miles to spend a few days in Cornwall you’re going to want to see the sea.

What surprised me most during this radio debate was the strength of feeling from those who have had enough of tourism. 

There was genuine anger. One person pointed out that Cornwall isn’t a Disneyland tourist attraction. Others accused Visit Cornwall of destroying the county by over promoting it. 

There were desperate pleas from other contributors to leave some parts of Cornwall tourist free for the locals to still enjoy. 

It’s certainly a divisive issue and to be fair to Visit Cornwall and the other tourist organisations I don’t think they want to cram many more people in. They recognise that we have become a victim of our own success. 

Better roads, better facilities, travel abroad curbed by COVID, have all contributed to the never-ending rise in the popularity of Cornwall and Devon as holiday destinations. 

The challenge now is to find ways to even out the load, to make sure there is enough room for everyone to enjoy the unrivalled coastline and countryside we have in Cornwall and Devon. 

I am not sure how that will be achieved though. While school summer holidays remain fixed for the end of July and the whole of August those six weeks are always going to be busy and it’s supposedly when we have the best weather, although I think August is the most temperamental month of the year.

Perhaps this summer things will settle down to a more normal level. After three years of disruption to foreign travel because of the pandemic, more people might feel confident to take their holidays abroad again. 

Inflation and the high cost of eating out and going to attractions will also make it more difficult for many to even have a holiday. 

Don’t get me started on the cost of ice creams. I had two recently on different days and in locations just a couple of miles apart. 

One cost £3.20 for a small cone and single scoop. The other, which was in a better quality cone cost £2.70, still expensive, but less than the inferior ice cream just up the road. 

That alone could reduce visitor numbers in the future. Buying ice creams or fish and chips for a whole family is going to require a mortgage. 

Whatever your views on tourism, whether you’re in business and you need the trade to see you through the year, or you’re a resident who is desperately seeking peace and quiet away from the madding crowds, there’s no escaping it; the season is upon us. 

It is all systems go! Let’s hope we can all find a way to muddle through; to enjoy the beaches, the countryside, the heritage and everything else this magical part of the world has to offer. 

Bye for now!