Following a fabulous 14 days on our Northern Europe cruise our feet finally hit the ground in the Southern England port city of Southampton. My four friends and I rented a van and we set off towards the south-west of England and spent six days coasting around Cornwall.
Although it took a good part of the day to reach our destination of St Ives, we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived and saw our Airbnb house. The 3 bedroom house afforded the best view over the coastline and the town of St Ives. It was also within a short walking distance into town.
England’s county called Cornwall is located on the rugged southwestern tip of the country. At its most southerly point it forms a peninsula with wild moorland and loads of sandy beaches, terminating at the promontory aptly named Land’s End.
During our five night stay in St Ives we did some exploring around the tip and experienced some of the most remarkable landscapes and quaint little villages nestled by snug little harbours.
We arrived to our accommodation in St Ives in the early afternoon and settled into our Airbnb home that was perched high above the town and harbour. It was gloomy, grey and rainy weather upon our arrival. After we unpacked we took the stairs down to the town and wandered around the cobblestoned streets finally stopping at the Lifeboat Inn pub where we enjoying a refreshing drink and an early dinner.
The following day we decided to check out the harbour and the beaches surrounding St Ives. There were several surfers donning thick wetsuits catching some waves off the point at Bamaluz Beach. We scaled the cliff path north from the harbour to St Ives Island. This grassy hill is perched between Porthmeor and Porthgwidden beaches and boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding coastline.
It was incredibly windy and we almost got blown away atop the cliff. There is a very cute stone chapel perched at the highest point of the hill. We took shelter from the icy cold wind here for a few minutes, before we walked down towards the sweeping Porthmeor Beach.
St Ives boasts an eclectic mix of unique shops and galleries, such as the renowned Tate St Ives, featuring contemporary art exhibitions from world-famous artists. In addition is the Penwith Gallery, that showcases artwork from many local artists. If you’re into pottery, the historic Leach Pottery is also worth a visit.
The Sloop Inn, one of the oldest pubs in Britain dating back to 1312, with its whitewashed exterior and thatched roof is also a must visit. Don’t miss smashing a famous Cornish pastie, that are massive and will easily ward off hunger pangs. Also highly recommended is a meal of fish and chips at one of the many restaurants in town.
But my favourite thing to do in St Ives was to sit quietly by the harbourside and watch the many boats coming and going. I observed during my stay that St Ives is a very dog friendly town, with dogs welcome inside most pubs and cafes.
On one of the several day trips we did, we drove out to the eastern side of Mount’s Bay in Cornwall to hike to Kynance Cove. Touted as “one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the South West”, the white sandy beach and spectacular serpentine rock formations are a treat for the eyes.
After we hiked down to the beach we enjoyed Devonshire Tea at the Kynance Cove cafe and took in more of the gorgeous view whilst gorging ourselves. Afterwards we set off to the grassy headland for more magnificent coastal vistas and traversed across the hill doing a large loop before returning back to our car. This hike took around one hour in total.
Once back in the car, we drove to the nearby village called The Lizard. A very strange name for a town but it is thought to come from the Cornish word lezou, which means “headland”.
We strolled around this interesting town and then set off towards the headland and the most southerly point of mainland England. Here there is a lighthouse and a few cafes and gift shops overlooking the rugged seascape and the very interesting and historic The Lizard Lifeboat Station.
The Lizard Peninsula is renowned for its local serpentine stone, a unique metamorphic rock that is coloured dark green and veined with red and white.
Our meanderings made us ravenous to we set off for a tasty ploughman’s lunch at nearby Restronguet Creek at the charming 13th century Pandora Inn. It was drizzling rain so we chose a table inside the cosy low beamed pub.
The aptly name Lands Ends is situated at the most south-westerly point of England. Steep jagged cliffs meet the Atlantic Ocean and the Longships Lighthouse can be observed in the distance on a remote isle.
The entrance is via a theme park, that wasn’t open on the morning we visited, and there are pathways along the clifftops affording stunning views. There’s also the famous Lands End signpost where you can snap a photo at the “end of the world”.
After a quick stroll around we got back into our car and drove towards the very quaint fishing village of Mousehole, pronounced “Mowsul”. This town is considered one of Cornwall’s prettiest fishing villages. However, we all felt as though we needed to breathe in as we approached the small town with its impossibly impassable narrow streets and tight curves.
We found a carpark just out of the town and walked down to the tiny fishing harbour and through some of the narrow laneways with lichen covered houses. We found a snug little cafe and enjoyed some morning tea before departing this quaint little town.
Only a short driving distance away is the town of Penzance and St Michael’s Mount. We drove around the large harbour and took in the lively vibe of this portside town. We arrived at St Michael’s Mount and the town of Marazion, featuring plenty of picturesque streets with loads of galleries and gift shops.
We strolled around the promenade with incredible views of St Michael’s Mount tidal island, that lies less than 400 metres across the bay. The National Trust protected site boasts splendid gardens, intriguing geology and a 12th century castle that is home to a local family.
St Michael’s Mount is only accessible on foot at low tide, when the water draws back to reveal a stone causeway. At high tide you can catch a ferry across to the isle.
In front of the town, there’s the long wide stretch of Marazion Beach, where you can swim, sunbake or build a sandcastle.
We left the best for last. On our last day we ventured further to North Cornwall and the traditional fishing village of Port Isaac. This gorgeous town is the filming venue, called Portwenn for the Doc Martin TV series. You can wander around the town and many of the shops, houses, the school and pubs are easily recognisable from the TV show.
After parking a fair distance away from the town, we walked downhill into the village to the small harbour and beach that is protected by a rockwall. We found a cafe overlooking the waterfront and indulged in a cake and coffee.
Being low tide, I was able to walk out onto the beach that was covered in lichen clad rocks to the rockwall. There are some rock pools to explore here as well.
After this, I set off up the hillside to Doc Martin’s cottage and towards a beautiful guesthouse. Further up the grassy hillside there is a viewing platform with magnificent views back over Port Isaac.
Sadly, our time in St Ives and Cornwall came to an end. We left early in the morning as I had a train to catch. My travel companions were spending a couple of nights in Weymouth before embarking on a second cruise. However, for me, after a quick look around Weymouth, I walked to the the train station and caught a train down to London.
Weymouth is located on the coastline in the county of Dorset in southern England. This pretty town has a long stretch of golden beach and a scenic harbour. On the particular day that we arrived the town was alive with the annual Pirate Festival.
It was farewell to England and to the gorgeous coastal scenery, quaint fishing villages and historic towns of South West Cornwall. If you find yourself in England with a few days to spare, I can highly recommend a trip to this region.
