Things to do
St Michael's Mount: The Jewel in Cornwall's crown:This magical island has a church, medieval castle, an exotic garden clinging to the steep flanks and an ancient harbour with shops & restaurant. You can walk across the causeway at low tide or take the short evocative boat trip at other times.
Cornish Gardens: There are beautiful, sub-tropical gardens open to the public.The nearest, Trengwainton, boasts a rich selection of camellias, rhododendrons & magnolias. Trewidden, Trebah & The lost Gardens of Heligan (the first restoration project of the Eden Project's Tim Smit) are well worth a visit.
Minack Theatre: A unique open air theatre on the cliffs above Porthcurno. Hosting a 17 week season of plays & musicals throughout the summer.The exhibition centre is open all year.
Geevor Tin mine: The largest mining history site in the UK. The highlight of your visit is the underground tour. The Head guide, a tin miner for 14 years!
Isles of Scilly: Boat trips can be taken daily from Penzance or by plane from Land's End airport. Sub tropical Tresco gardens together with white sand beaches make this a memorable trip.
Scenic Flights: From Land's End airport, an opportunity to see the spectacular coastal scenery from the air.
Land's End: A place of legend and mystery with stunning natural beauty. Undercover exhibitions & attractions, shopping village & discovery trail. Tuesday & Thursday in August there are spectacular firework displays.
Beaches: Some beautiful blue flag awarded, white sand beaches are within 5 miles of Anjarden; Sennen Cove, Marazion, Gwenver & Porthcurno are just some of them.
Restaurants: A cosmopolitan array in Penzance from authentic Thai cuisine, to 5 star service at "The Bay".
River Fal Cruise: Leaving Falmouth & cruising up-river to Truro. Stop off for lunch or shopping then get the return boat. Lovely scenery, & I have seen dolphins in the Estuary!
Elemental Tours :Guided walks: Land Tours: Marine Trips: Operating all year.
Marine wildlife, ocean & coastal cruises around the Land’s End and Lizard Peninsulas.
Small group, safari- style, tours and walks, with local guides.
Penzance: Nestled in the heart of Mounts Bay, is the capital Town of Penwith and West Cornwall. With plenty of history and long standing traditions combined with up to date facilities, shops and transport links, it offers residents a unique place to live and a laid back way of life. The town’s most famous son is probablySir Humphry Davy (1778-1829), whose statue stands in the centre of town at the top of Market Jew Street, in front of the granite porticoes of the 19th century Market House.
Night Clubs & Live Music Venues :Penzance has a rich and varied night life. The town has two 'proper' night clubs (Sound Night Club & The Barn Club), and a variety of pubs & bars offering live music, most notably The Studio Bar which promises live music every night.
Cinema: The Savoy Cinema, Penzance;
tel. 01736 363330
Places of Historic Interest: Jubilee Pool is the jewel in Penzance's seafront. Positioned on the headland between the Promenade and the harbour this art deco lido is the largest of its kind in Britain. Shortly to be thermal heated. If you don't fancy a swim there is a small café overlooking the pool.
Art Galleries:Contemporary art gallery showcasing the very best of national and international contemporary art. The converted telephone exchange also has a cafe and education space
Museums in Cornwall: A website compiled and maintained by the Royal Cornwall Museum. It's a really useful map-based site that provides a list of all Museums throughout the County, with links to their respective websites. Penlee House: Museum and gallery in Penzance, provides information on collections of archaeology, costume and textiles, decorative arts, photography, social and local history. The only Cornish public gallery specialising in the Newlyn School artists. St Ives Tate Gallery has won Museum of the Year 2018.
Local Ancient Monuments:Cornwall has a wealth of prehistoric sites mainly concentrated in the far west of Cornwall and Bodmin Moor. These include stone circles, quoits, standing stones, fogous and other burial sites. The Blind Fiddler is our nearest, a standing stone 10' high and visible from the Lands End road or local footpath. Boscawen-Un believed to have been a very important Bronze Age ceremonial site, lies off the beaten track between Carn Euny, a holy well 15 minutes walk from us and St Buryan a local village. Sancreed Holy Well: Pilgrims seeking healing would come here, perform bathing rituals and tie a rag torn from their clothing to nearby trees. The theory is that as the (natural fibre) cloth rots, the ailment ebbs away, just 15 minutes walk from us.
Churches of Interest: Most of the churches in Cornwall are Grade I listed buildings with differences in style and form. There is great diversity within the churches of Cornwall in both size and shape with many straying from the regular plan. It is often these that have interesting stories and legends attached to them. Cornwall's only cathedral and the first cathedral built in Britain for 800 years. Built in the Gothic Revival style that was popular at the end of the 19th century. At 250ft tall, the cathedral's 3 spires still dominate the city.
Painting: Get inspiration from the rugged Cornish coast, beautiful coastal coves, picturesque harbours and wind blown moors. Or, if you prefer some tuition, St Ives School of Painting Porthmeor Studios, run art courses just round the corner from Tate St Ives (Museum of the Year 2018). Inspiring surroundings with quality tuition for all ages, where creativity will find the space it needs to flourish.
tel. 01736 797180
We have a dearth of artistic talent here on the far West Peninsular, mainly due to the quality and strength of the light and the beauty of our surroundings, so there are many craft shops, galleries and exhibitions to enjoy. 'Open Studio: Many artists take part in an event where members of the public are invited into their studios where you can meet working artists and snap up an original piece of artwork at a bargain price.
Also, The Cornwall Guide: which looks at the best Cornwall has to offer in a range of categories and have compiled a series of 'Top 10 Cornwall' attractions and places of interest.
101-things-to-do-on-a-rainy-day-in-cornwall: Useful website with lots and lots of ideas!
