Tag: Cornwall

Cornwall Day 4 & 5 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Thursday morning saw us waking up to Momma’s birthday, and she decided she wanted to spend it with a coastal walk from Mousehole to Lamorna.


Although this is a beautiful stretch of the South West Coast Path, it turned out to be a little more rugged than anticipated! The walk started gently, winding through Mousehole and into a wooded area, with some lovely views back towards St Michael’s Mount.

Things soon became a little more challenging, with steep stone steps, narrow dirt trails, muddy sections, tree roots and plenty of scrambling over large boulders. What started as a leisurely birthday stroll quickly turned into a bit of an adventure!


It was definitely a challenging walk, and one that neither Momma nor Santa will be rushing back to do in a hurry. But, for a pair of more mature farts, they absolutely smashed it! Thankfully, there was a café waiting at the end, which was very welcome. We also decided that, as Cornwall has an excellent bus network, catching the bus back would be the safest, and undoubtedly more enjoyable option.

The bus dropped us off in the village of Paul, where, unfortunately, there happened to be a pub conveniently located right next to the bus stop. So Santa enjoyed a very well-deserved pint before we tackled the downhillwalk back into Mousehole. 

After a quick freshen-up, we set out on another walk.. although this one was a lot less squeaky-bum! This time, it was a gentle downhill stroll along a proper pavement into Newlyn before continuing on to Penzance.
Newlyn is home to one of the largest working fishing fleets in the UK, but there’s more to the town than just fishing. It also has a trendy food scene, traditional fishermen’s cottages, contemporary galleries and plenty of acclaimed seafood restaurants. All of this, of course, meant one thing: the perfect setting for Momma’s birthday photo session!

As we continued into Penzance, we stumbled across the highlight of the whole trip — Cornwall Pride! 😂 We arrived towards the end of the event, so some of the stalls were already starting to pack away. Despite this, the promenade was still buzzing, with food vendors, craft stalls and plenty of people enjoying the festivities. The main stage was also still going strong, hosted by some fabulous drag artists.

It was definitely not something Momma had planned on seeing on her birthday! That evening we had a lovely meal and finished the day off with a glass of fizz.

For our last morning in Mousehole, we headed to Mousehole Deli for a delicious breakfast before taking one final stroll around the harbour and the village’s little shops. There was also a craft fair taking place, with local makers selling all sorts of lovely handmade goodies — from jewellery and paintings to cosmetics and Christmas decorations. It was the perfect opportunity for a bit of last-minute browsing (and, of course, a few purchases!) before saying goodbye to Mousehole.

Our final destination of the trip, before the epic drive home, was Godrevy. Being a Sunday with decent weather, it was pretty busy. Thankfully, we managed to find a parking spot up by the lighthouse end, which meant we could head over to see the seals.

We strolled along the dunes, taking in the views, and of course, a treat from Kabyn — a horsebox-style café right on the beach. Getting down onto the beach is slightly challenging, as it involves navigating the dunes or tackling a long set of steep steps. So, if you have limited mobility, this probably isn’t the beach for you. The surfers, however, appeared to have absolutely no problems whatsoever, shimmying up and down the rocks like a bunch of barefooted mountain goats. 

And with that, our few days in Cornwall came to an end. Momma had a birthday filled with walks, cake, craft stalls and plenty of opportunities for photographs, while Santa managed to locate a pub almost everywhere we went — so I think it’s safe to say they both had a successful trip!

Cornwall Day 3 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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This morning was all about exploring St Michael’s Mount – a tidal island crowned by a medieval castle and church. At high tide, the only way to reach it is by boat, but we wanted to walk across the historic cobblestone causeway (and, more importantly, give Momma the chance to take yet more artistic photos), so we timed our visit for low tide.

If you’re planning a visit, make sure you book your tickets in advance. You can walk across the causeway without one, but you won’t get onto the island itself (unless in ‘Autumn season’ which starts on 13th Sept). I did enjoy watching the heated exchanges between people who had happily walked across, only to discover they weren’t getting any further.

The ancient cobbles are steep and uneven, so decent footwear is definitely required. The number of people attempting it in flip-flops and even heels was staggering. One woman was getting increasingly annoyed as her foot kept slipping out of her flip-flop wedge. I couldn’t help thinking she perhaps hadn’t done quite enough research before coming!

Once at the top, we were rewarded with great views back over the causeway, before joining the queue for the castle. We hadn’t expected it to be quite so busy on a Thursday morning, and the crowds made it difficult to properly stop and read anything inside the castle, so we made our way through quicker than anticipated. Even the deadly fart someone let rip didn’t manage to clear the room..! 

Thankfully, the crowds thinned out once we reached the stone battlements, where we could enjoy the views and catch a glimpse of the gardens, which were unfortunately now closed for the season.

We finished our visit by taking yet more photos of St Michael’s Mount from pretty much every angle possible from the beach, before heading into the town of Marazion in search of a cream tea. We didn’t have to look for long and opted for Moondog.

The scone was absolutely enormous and the portion of cream was very generous… what more could you want?! We had a little wander around the town, popping into all the cute gift and nick-nack shops, before heading back to the car and onto our next destination.

Porthleven is a picturesque Cornish fishing village, with its double-walled harbour surrounded by pastel-coloured cottages, quirky boutique shops, cosy cafés and, of course, plenty of traditional pubs. I also picked up a selection of fudge to keep our  energy levels up while we explored – which was delicious.

Santa was very excited to hear that Porthleven is home to a highly rated pub – The Ship Inn.  A proper traditional boozer where the walls are covered in beer mats, currency, and other nautical items. His beer today was from Tintagel Brewery, and we grabbed the last bench overlooking the harbour to enjoy the drinks. 

Our last stop before heading off for our chippy tea was Church Cove at Gunwalloe, where a tiny medieval church sits tucked away amongst the sand dunes. It’s nicknamed ‘The Church of the Storms’, thanks to its exposed position on the Cornish coast and the fact that it has weathered centuries of wild Atlantic storms. If you look closely at this photo, you can just about make out the roof of the church hiding amongst the dunes.

We walked a small section of the South West Coast Path before heading back down to the beach, where we stopped for a while to watch the waves crashing against the shore. 

Tea was from a delicious chippy in Newlyn, and it was only right to finish off another lovely day at The Ship Inn, where Santa enjoyed an Admiral’s Ale. Unfortunately, there was a particularly fragrant gentleman sat very close to us who, judging by his enormous backpack – and, more importantly, his smell – was clearly walking the length of the South West Coast Path. However things took a turn for the worse when he decided to take his walking boots off.. The smell was too much for Momma, who started gagging… so we decided that was probably our cue to call it a night 😂

Cornwall Day 1 & 2 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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It’s been 15 years since the three of us were last in Mousehole together, so it seemed like the perfect excuse to return. After finding a lovely Airbnb overlooking the sea, we packed up the car and headed off on the long drive to South-West Cornwall.

We like to break up long journeys with a National Trust visit, so this time we stopped at Killerton, near Exeter. This 18th-century Georgian house and estate has beautiful gardens, a Grade I-listed chapel and the National Trust’s largest historic fashion collection.

As usual, the volunteers were incredibly enthusiastic. Momma made the mistake of answering “no” when asked, “Have you been here before?” Cue a very long and detailed explanation of the house and its family! We did enjoy looking at all the fabulous clothes from years gone by, though.

After a lovely treat in the café, we set off to find the chapel. Despite usually being pretty good with a map, it took us forever to actually locate it. The outside was stunning, although the inside was a little underwhelming.

We arrived in Mousehole, unpacked the car, and headed out to village. The light this evening was lovely, which meant Momma was soon snap-happy with her camera.

We popped into the local for their pie night, where Santa enjoyed his first pint of what will probably be many Tributes!

The following morning was our first full day, and we were keen to explore some places in this part of Cornwall that we hadn’t been to before. So, naturally, we decided to delve into Cornwall’s mining history and visit a few of its old tin mine sites. We started at Cape Cornwall, which is marked by its distinctive clifftop chimney stack. Once a busy mining site, generations of Cornish miners worked here, including in mine workings that extended beneath the sea.

Nestled quietly in a coastal field at the base of the cape is the stone shell of St Helen’s Oratory. It’s one of the oldest Christian sites in Cornwall, with its roots potentially dating back to a 4th–6th century Celtic church. It was also here that Momma got collared by some Americans who were desperate to find out whether we had spotted any seals (we hadn’t). I made a quick escape… 

We then carried on along the South West Coast Path towards the chimney of Ballowall Mine. However, with multiple signs warning us of DANGER MINESHAFTS, a visually impaired Santa, and rain starting to come down, we decided that this was a terrible combination … so we headed back to the car for shelter, and hopefully to keep Santa above ground. 

The rain had thankfully eased off by the time we arrived at our next mine destination. Perched dramatically on the rugged cliffs of west Cornwall, Botallack Mine is probably one of the most recognisable mining sites in the area, thanks to its iconic Crowns Engine Houses clinging to the cliffs above the Atlantic. The engine houses were the gateway to mine shafts that stretched more than half a mile out beneath the seabed.

And it wasn’t just the famous engine houses. The surrounding landscape is scattered with reminders of Cornwall’s industrial past, including the remains of arsenic works, dressing floors and more chimneys perched precariously on the cliffs. Together, they make the whole area feel like one giant open-air museum, giving you a glimpse into Cornwall’s mining past and the lives of the people who worked here.

This afternoon was all about recommended watering holes for Santa, with our first stop being The Gurnard’s Head, recommended by Jez. This bright yellow pub is hard to miss and always has three hand-pulled real ales on tap, showcasing a rotating line-up of local Cornish breweries. Santa opted for a Firebrand, accompanied by some very tasty chips.

We then headed to St Ives and parked at the top of the town, which, in hindsight, meant we had to walk a rather long way downhill… and of course, a long way back up. Obviously, this meant Santa required another drink. This time, we headed to The Pilchards Press Alehouse, recommended by Jo. Tucked away down a narrow, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it alleyway, it’s Cornwall’s first micropub, housed inside an old 19th-century stone cellar. It was absolutely packed when we arrived, but this only added to the atmosphere. Santa enjoyed a Mine Brewery beer straight from the keg.

The weather was, once again, starting to turn, but we managed a little wander around the harbour. The boats were bobbing about on the water, and the moody skies contrasted beautifully with the bright blue sea, making for some great photos for Momma. We finished off the day with a quick visit to St Ives Brewery, where Santa, naturally, couldn’t leave empty-handed and picked up a can to take away.