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This
holiday includes a wonderful variety of coastal scenery ranging from
sheltered tidal creeks to the wooded Fal estuary, and the brooding
cliffs of the Lizard, England's most southerly point. The whole area is
designated an area of outstanding natural beauty. Its mild climate
permits even palm trees to flourish, and Cornwall is the home of some of
England’s finest gardens. Cornwall historically is the land of
smugglers, shipwrecks, and dark deeds in secret hidden coves, many of
which you will pass through on your walk. It has literary associations
with the poet John Betjeman, who was tongue tied by the spectacular
cliffs, Virginia Woolfe, and of course the novels of Daphne Du Maurier.
The scenery is as spectacular and picturesque as the tiny fishing
villages. There are superb beaches, marvelous bird watching and
botanical spots, and sunsets that will stay in your memory long after
you leave. There are those who have completed the whole five hundred
miles of this wonderful long distance trail, whose after dinner
conversation touches on little else. Our moderate little week’s walk
can have just as powerful side effects. |
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General Information
Waymarks:
Well waymarked throughout generally, but sometimes recourse to maps will
be needed when you are crossing fields or National Trust properties.
Just follow the acorn signposts.
Duration
of tour: 8 days
(seven nights)
Season:
March to October
Starting
point of walk:
Boswinger
End
of tour: Marazion
Most
convenient major city and international airport: London
(Heathrow or Gatwick).
Getting to the Start
Outward
journey from London to starting point:
By rail throughout the year there is an excellent service of Intercity
trains, including overnight Intercity sleepers, from London and Reading
to Cornwall. Direct Intercity trains additionally operate to Cornwall
from Bristol, Birmingham, the North and Scotland. On arrival into St
Austell, which is well connected with the mainline rail service from
London, your first nights accommodation is approx 10 miles from St
Austell and we recommend you take a taxi, which can be booked with our
first nights accommodation (approx £20). There are also long distance
National Express buses from London to St. Austell.
End of Tour
Inward
journey to London at end of tour:
A short taxi ride from Marazion to Penzance where you can connect easily
with train and coach connections back to London.
Your Accommodation
q
Night
1: Our first
night is spent in Boswinger, near to
Mevagissey, in a converted barn! We think that you will love the sea
views and the quiet
ambience, with free range eggs in the
morning and Hemmick beach only a few hundred metres away.
On some occasions when
when the accommodation in Boswinger is full we use
accommodation
Mevagissey itself, which is again a quiet welcoming guesthouse.
q
Night
2: Tonight we
stay in a B&B on the cliff tops, slightly beyond Portloe, a unique
shell fishing hamlet on the almost unknown Roseland peninsular.
q
Night
3: Yet another
superb waterside location overlooking the harbour in the pretty village
of St Mawes. The eleven rooms offer comfortable accommodation, many with
superb sea views. Wild woodland mushrooms with garlic and herbs and a
tresse of salmon and turbot on saffron rice are samples of the delicious
dinners on offer. The restaurant makes good use of the areas rich supply
of seafood, and you can choose to dine in the restaurant or from the
bar.
q
Night
4:
We stay in a small bed and breakfast where your host will make
you more than welcome.
q
Night
5: Our night at
the remote southernmost point of Britain will hopefully be rewarded with
an unforgettable sunset, and will certainly offer fine views of the sea.
We stay in an excellent private hotel, close to Lizard Head; set in its
own grounds the hotel has views of the famous Lizard lighthouse. Most
rooms are ensuite and are equipped with tea and coffee facilities, TV
and hairdryers. All have magnificent sea views. The hotel also prides
itself on providing freshly prepared home cooking using the best of
local produce.
q
Night
6: We stay in a
three crown hotel by the quayside with old stone flags on the floor and
oak beams and wood paneling in profusion. The bar retains the ambience
of an old fisherman’s pub, and offers friendly service in traditional
surroundings. If you are there on a Saturday there will often be
entertainment as well, so be prepared for a noisy evening. Pubs in Great
Britain are open until 11pm. You
can enjoy fine seafood at the inn or venture along the quay to a famous
seafood restaurant.
q
Night
7: A highly
commended hotel, with interesting views of the Mount, and of the bay
sweeping around to the very popular resort of Penzance.
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Outline Itinerary
q
Day
1: Boswinger:
Travel to near the start-point, and
enjoy a peaceful evening
next to the coastal path.
q
Day
2: Portloe: Included tranfer to Mevagissey,
and then walk
to Portloe via Dodman Point and Portholland Cove. (12 miles)
q
Day
3: St Mawes: Portloe
to St Mawes: A remote pleasant little yachting harbour at the end of the
Roseland peninsula, which boasts a clover leaf castle built by Henry
VIII in 1542. En route we pass through Veryan noted for its thatched
round houses, and Caerhays Castle, designed by John Nash, and its
beautiful gardens. The tumulus at carne is reputed to be the burial
mound of St Geraint. (11
miles 5.5hours)
q
Day
4: Porthallow: St
Mawes to Porthallow. One of the finest day walks you will ever enjoy starts
with a ferry ride over to Falmouth (approx £1.70), the principal resort
of the region. We then follow the coastal path to the impressive Trebah
gardens before following the beautiful Helford River to our pub lunch
stop near the Frenchmans Creek made famous by Daphne Du Maurier. The
ferry will take us across Helford passages to continue our walk to Nare
head and Gillan. Our suggestion is to walk to Gillan and then take a
taxi to Porthallow otherwise this day can be extremely long. Fantastic
scenery throughout the day. (13.5 miles, 6 hours, walking time).
q
Day
5: Lizard:
Porthallow to The Lizard. You may wish to make a detour from the coast to St Keverne to view its
pleasant village square and remarkable churchyard where over 400
shipwreck victims of the nearby Manacle Reef are buried. Just beyond the
reef is Coverack, a fine example of a totally unspoiled traditional
fishing village. The owner of the accommodation may be able to drive you
to Coverak (at your own expense) to reduce the distance you cover today.
(11.5 miles 6 hours)
q
Day
6: Portleven: The
Lizard to Porthleven. Still very much a working harbour, that is closed
by wooden baulks during storms, via
the stunningly beautiful Kynance Cove and the pretty village of
Mullion, which is at the heart of the finest walking country (16.5 miles
6.5 hours)
q
Day
7: Marazion:
Porthleven to Marazion (12 miles) our final day takes us along some
interesting sections of cliffs, with the remnants of tin mines. There
are some beautiful bays and inlets associated with smuggling and then
you will see St. Michael's Mount emerging around the corner. This old
abbey now a manor house has an ageless appeal and was traditionally
linked to Mont St.Michel in Brittany.
q
Day
8: End of tour
after breakfast and a taxi (approx £10.00) will take you via Helston,
the quaint old Cornish town referred to in "The Floral Dance"
to Redruth railway station.
Included
Bed
and breakfast with ensuite facilities where available. Luggage transfers from Inn to Inn. Full route notes and map package.
Extending Your Stay
Extra
nights:
St Mawes from £70 per
person per night
The Lizard from £35 per person per night
Marazion from £40 per person per night.
Escorted
Departure:
Sat 14 May - Sat
21 May
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