Corners of Cornwall – Multi Day Tours

Prices on request

These private tours are designed for our guests to see all corners of Cornwall with many hidden gems only known by “locals”, if you have more time to spend in this picturesque county why not sit back and relax with a knowledgeable Cornish guide (without the worry of what will be coming around the next bend in the narrow country lanes)! As with all of our day tours you can customise them as you please, maybe you would like to add a National Trust garden or house along the way, or spend some time researching your family history and genealogy.

Day 1: North Cornwall

We will start the day in the North of the county where we will visit the  breath-taking Bedruthan Steps  which a few of you might recognise from the opening scenes of the BBC drama Poldark. From here we will follow the coast road through the narrow lanes to Padstow with its array of shops and top restaurants all set around a vibrant fishing harbour – put on the map in recent years by restaurateur and chef Rick Stein.

We will now continue along the coast past busy surfing beaches and through once abandoned villages to Port Isaac, or ‘Port Wenn’ as it is better known in the long running fictional series Doc Martin, here you will have time to explore the narrow ope ways and tiny whitewashed fishermen’s cottages and maybe stop for some lunch and watch the world go by.

You will be picked up from the heart of the village as we pass through the once thriving neighbouring  fishing cove of Port Gaverne and a little further along the coast to Tintagel, reputedly the birthplace of King Arthur. Here your guide will take you to the best vantage point to view the dramatic castle ruins. Finally we make our way back to your accommodation.

Day 2: The South East

Our day will start with a drive to the 13c Restormel castle on the edge of the ancient market town of Lostwithiel where you can choose to take a look around these Norman ruins before we follow the meandering single track lanes past smugglers hideouts along the edge of the river Fowey to Boddinick. When we arrive at Fowey your guide will drop you in the centre of the town where you can have a stroll around this picturesque fishing port, once the home to Daphne Du Maurier and an important trading centre since medieval times. From here we will take a short drive to Charlestown which is a well preserved and unspoilt Georgian harbour, used as a key location in the recent hit BBC series Poldark.

We will now move along a little further to the busy fishing harbour of Mevagissey with its many colourful day boats tied up having already returned with their “catch of the day” and the fishermen repairing their nets on the edge of the quay. Here you can visit the lovely town museum (free) and see & hear the way they use to live, before we head back for another day tomorrow.

Day 3: The West

First of all today we will head directly to St Ives as this is one of the most visited towns in Cornwall and we can have a wander round this very popular resort and leave again before most arrive! As we approach the town. it is easy to see why it attracts so many with it’s beautiful golden beaches and a light all of its own luring many famous artists and sculptors since the 19c. There are many galleries and museums including the Tate St Ives & the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Gardens.

We will now take the stunning coastal road as it winds its way over the Penwith moors with far reaching views over the patchwork fields to the sea beyond, stopping along the way for photo opportunities. Passing the engine houses which once hauled the tin and copper to the surface to be sent all over the world. We will  stop and take a walk at Botallack and get closer to the mining heritage before we head to Lands End which is mainland Britains most Westerly point.

Our next stop along the road will be the Minack theatre with the turquoise sea below at Porthcurno. Now on to Mousehole with its cottages huddled together clinging onto the hillside, where you can take a walk around and maybe sample some of the local ice cream. We will now get back on the road passing through Newlyn and Penzance before a quick photo stop at St Michael’s mount before heading back.

Day 4: Falmouth & The Lizard

Our day will start with a visit to Truro, Cornwall’s only city which is dominated by its fine Victorian Cathedral and surrounded with cobbled streets, once a bustling port on the upper stretches of the river Fal.

Falmouth is our next destination, a large town at the mouth of the river with a castle built by King Henry VIII for defence against the Spanish. It now has the multi award winning National Maritime Museum and several small independent stores and antique shops. From here we will head down to the Helford Estuary passing through tucked away villages to reach the Lizard (with possibly the best pasties in Cornwall) which is mainland Britains most Southerly point, here we will try to spot the seals on the rocks below and maybe even catch a glimpse of a Cornish Chough! Another destination not to be missed is Kynance Cove with its clear turquoise waters and white sandy beach. Now onto one of my personal favourites, Cadgwith Cove with many thatched cottages set around the quiet fishing harbour where we can sit and  and watch the fishermen bring their catch ashore. We will now head back passing through some of the once rich tin mining areas to your hotel.

Day 5: The bit in the middle

Today we will visit the rugged Bodmin moor which can be a windswept desolate place in the winter and a perfect place to escape to in the summer. People have lived and farmed here for thousands of years and today you can still see the remains of their dwellings. Sit back and enjoy the quiet narrow roads whilst looking out across miles of open granite moorland with its wild ponies and cattle roaming free amongst the heather and gorse.

For the afternoon we have the option to visit Lanhydrock house and estate which is said to be one of the most impressive historic houses in Cornwall, it was originally built in 1640 and rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1881. You can take a walk around this fine mansion and see how it was to live life above and below stairs.