In Cornwall we stay for a week in the quaint town
of St Ives in England's south-west corner. Cornwall is a
magical place filled with historic estates and sea-faring tales of pirates and smugglers. The mild
climate and lush vegetation means Cornwall is often described as
the 'garden capital of the world' . Famed as the Legendary
birthplace of King Arthur and home of Merlin the Magician, Cornwall
is one of the most legend-filled places
in Britain.
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Itinerary:
Saturday: Arrive in St Ives by train. Afternoon cream tea.
Cornwall and Devon are famous for their fresh
scones served with
dollops of clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Sunday: We start with a slow sightseeing journey down
Cornwall's west coast. Along the way we stop at
Zennor with its folk museum with exhibits
including
waterwheels
from Cornish mining industry, a cobblers
shop,
millstones,
early agricultural implements,
blacksmith's
forge
and 18th
century kitchen. From here we continue to Sennen Cove
where we stop for lunch. Sennen Cove lies just one mile
northeast of Land`s End,
at the southwestern tip of Cornwall. We pass by Penzance and the fairy tale St Michael's Mount where we
cross the causeway on foot (tides' permitting). St Michael's Mount was once a
Benedictine Priory and Castle. A 500-yard granite causeway
separates it from the town of Marazion and it is one of the most
visited National
Trust properties in Britain. Every room in the castle is full of history
and the town of Marazion is one of the
oldest in the country
dating back to 308 BC. From
here we head northward to visit the Celtic settlement of
Chyauster with its houses dating back to the later Iron Age. .
Monday: Today we explore Cornwall's mining
heritage. We start with a visit to part of the mineral tramways
network to see the sites of mine shafts and engine houses. We
then move on to Tehidy Country Park. This
park was once part of the great estate of the Bassett tin mining
family. We have lunch in the lovely small port of Portreath and
then go to the fascinating "Cornish Mines and Engines"
at Pool where we can view two great
beam engines and learn about Cornwall's industrial heritage.
Tuesday: We start
today with a visit to Helston where we visit the fascinating
Folk Museum which provides
a unique and uncommercialised insight into the lives and history
of the people of the area. After lunch at
Coverak we will travel to the most southerly point in mainland
Britain, the Lizard. This unique area is well
known to naturalists for its flowers, as well as rare insects
and breeding colonies of seabirds. We explore
some lovely coastal scenery and have a gentle walk.
Wednesday: Day in St Ives. Radiating from the harbour
into the old town we stroll through a maze of narrow cobbled
streets, lined by fishermen's cottages. Steep sloping
passageways and secret corners conceal unexpected delights at
almost every turn. St. Ives is world famous as an art centre and
studios, shops and galleries are everywhere. You will want to
visit the Tate St. Ives, part of the Tate Gallery in London and
the
Barbara Hepworth Museum, a lasting memorial to the great
sculptress who lived and worked in St. Ives.
Thursday: Penlee House in Penlee Memorial Park is our first
visit this morning. Here you can stroll in the
grounds and visit the elegant art gallery set within a Victorian
house and park. Changing exhibitions mainly
feature famous 'Newlyn School' and Lamorna Group artists
(1880-1930). From here we travel to the pretty
little harbour town of Mousehole for lunch and then on to
Porthcurno. This was once an important place on
the map. It was the centre of world telecommunication and, until
recently, there was a training school for that industry to which
people came from all over the world. The telegraph museum
remains as a testament to the
past. It incorporates tunnels used to house top secret equipment
during the Second World War.
Friday: Our final morning we start with a visit
to Trelissick Garden where we find panoramic views, extensive
park and woodland walks and gardens with year-round colour.
We stop at St Just-in-Roseland for
lunch. Local myth says that Joseph of Arimithea landed here on
his way to Glastonbury with the Holy Grail.
We then stroll along the waterfront of the delightful fishing
village of St Mawes and cross the Fal estuary
by ferry to the historic port of Falmouth with its castle.
Pendennis Castle overlooks Falmouth. Throughout its
450 year history, Pendennis Castle has played a vital role in
protecting these shores from invasion. Today,
visitors can see how the Castle developed from the days of Henry
VIII to the coastal defenses of the Second
World War. Falmouth has plenty of quaint pubs and perhaps we
will have a quick stop before returning to
St Ives for our farewell dinner.
Saturday: Depart after breakfast.
Cost per person: (based on double occupancy) 694 UK
pounds
Single Supplement: 252 UK pounds
A few small single rooms are sometimes available with no
supplement.
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