Newquay, Truro, Padstow, 2013

Newquay Harbour

Newquay was totally different from the places in Cornwall that I had previously visited. It's known as a surfer's paradise and it's definitely  true. There are several huge beaches and the highest waves of the UK can be found here. I really enjoyed walking on Tolcarne beach, at low tide, one morning, and for me, it was an ideal base to go to other nearby towns such as Truro and Padstow.

Truro Cathedral

One day, I went to Truro, which is the administrative centre of Cornwall. To begin with, I visited Truro Cathedral which totally overwhelmed me. I liked the Neo-Gothic style and the colourful Victorian windows. Furthermore, I was deeply impressed by the huge Father Willis organ, dated from 1887. During my visit, the male choir suddenly started their rehearsal for their evening concert, so I happily sat down and listened. The sound of the voices along with the accoustics sounded great. I left after an hour and walked through the streets, passing by many Georgian and Victorian houses. The cobblestones completed the pretty old scenery.

Truro Cathedral

The tourist office offer some unique souvenirs, for instance a Cornish Heart bag and Celtic bookmarks to name a few. Besides that, I bought "Tregothnan" tea, the only tea grown in England - lovely!

I even tried my first Cornish pasty in Truro, which was delicious !



If you would like to know more about Cornwall's history, I can recommend the "Royal Cornwall Museum".

The last day of my holiday, I decided to go to Padstow, a fishing village in North Cornwall. It was a sunny morning, and was supposed to be a bright, clear day. At the bus station in Newquay, I met a nice woman from Australia. I felt like I had already known her for ages :). While we were talking, we noticed we were both going to the same destination.

Padstow Harbour

Prideaux Place

After having arrived in Padstow, I recognized the harbour area was often featured in travel reports and films - it looked really charming. The streets and houses seemed well-maintained. We headed to Prideaux Place, one of the well-known manor houses of England that I had been hoping to see for the last 15 years When I stood in front of it, I just couldn't believe my eyes. The building was as beautiful as shown on TV or in pictures.

Garden of Prideaux Place

We took part in a guided tour and learnt more about the history of the Prideaux-Brune family. I felt like I'd never ever want to leave here. Afterwards, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Prideaux-Brune sitting in the café, which was close to the entrance. The tour guide introduced me to them and I was kindly allowed to take a photo with them. I'm really grateful to have seen this special place, as well as to have met its owners.

Back in the town centre, we enjoyed a little concert of a brass band that had started playing in the harbour area in our absence. Before we left, we tried some Cornish pasties and mine happened to be the best one of my holiday.

Falmouth & Trebah Garden, 2013

After my stay in Penzance, I went to Falmouth. Several buses go there every hour.

Gyllyngvase Beach

Falmouth has got the 3rd biggest natural deep-water harbour in the world. In 1688 Falmouth was made the Royal Mail packet station. Until 1850, all mail and goods were transported from here into the colonies, which is consequently why seedlings of sub-tropical plants were taken into the UK and now can be seen in gardens such as Trebah or Glendurgan.
Falmouth is the largest ship repair complex of the UK. You can feel the maritime flair thoughout in the entire town. If you are interested in the maritime history, why not visit the "National Maritime Museum".

Harbour

Besides that, Falmouth has its own university with a reputation of excellence in art, media, design, writing and perfomance.

Gyllyngvas Beach

It felt like 30 C with sunshine throughout the day, when I arrived. I walked to my guest house, which was close to Gyllyngvase beach. When I got there, I was offered coffee and cake in the garden with sea views. I thought this must be paradise :)

Garden of my guest house

A short time later, I decided to go to the beach and enjoyed the rest of the day there. I even got a suntan. It's a family friendly beach with a nice cafè nearby. If you walk eastwards, you can reach the beaches of Swanpool and Maenporth.

Trebah Garden

Besides the beach, I really liked the colourful Victorian facades of the shops in the atmospheric shopping area, located close to the harbour. A wide selection of shops offer special Cornish chocolate, marmelade, soap and some cosmetics.


There are two cafés I can really recommend. I tried Tapas at "Dolly's Café" which turned out to be one of the best in England.
Tip: If you like cake, you could try some at "Annie's Kitchen".

Trebah Garden

The next day I went to the garden of the gardens - ''Trebah Garden", which was most definitely  worth a visit. I spent 3 hours there, taking a long walk through a landscape of all kinds of trees and plants I had never seen before.

Trebah Garden

Trebah Garden

A big thank you to the tourist office staff, who were so kind and who  gave me a lot of brochures and maps of the town and the area.

St. Michael's Mount, 2013

The view from Marazion

The last day in Penzance started with a new face at my breakfast table - an English lady called Bonnie greeted me heartily. We began  talking immediately and soon found out that we both wanted to visit St. Michael's Mount. So why not go together ?

As it was a grey sky in the morning, we decided to take the bus to Marazion, which claims to be the oldest town in Britain, as well as the place to get to St. Michael's Mount.

The castle

In the 17th century, Marazion had been the trade centre of  Mount's Bay and was considered to be  more important than Penzance. It was also used as a location for films and this may be the reason for all the pretty facades of houses and shops.

After the Norman invasion, St. Michael's Mount was granted by Edward the Confessor to the Benedictines of Mont St. Michel in France, who then founded an abbey after their French model. Henry VIII changed it into a fortress. When the Civil War was over, it became the St. Aubyn's family property, who altered it into a castle. In 1954, the island was given to the National Trust.

The garden

If it is low tide you can walk over a constructed causeway, but during high tide, you will be taken to St. Michael's Mount by little boats.

When we reached Marazion it was high tide, so we were taken to the island by boat in only 5 minutes. Shortly after our arrival on the little island, I realized the temperature was higher and the scent of the trees and plants more intense than in Penzance.


Before we went up to the castle and former monastery, we discovered the two island shops. We had a look at one of them and found very special pictures of St. Michael's Mount on tea towels, pillows, coasters and glass art or other souvenirs like Cornish chocolate.

Picknick area

Then we climbed up steep hills to the castle, which was a bit smaller than I had expected, yet the rooms were very beautiful. I especially liked the Blue Drawing Rooms and the library.

After the visit, it brightened up so we went down again to have lunch in the garden of the little café.

In the afternoon, we started exploring the huge garden, which was beautifully laid out around the island.

Leaving 

The garden

We both wanted to walk back to Marazion, so we had to wait until low tide. We did some shopping in the second island shop and found some more souvenirs :)


Tip: Plan enough time for the island,perhaps a whole day like we did - it's absolutely worth it.

Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, 2013

The Minack Theatre has become a special place for me.

The stage

It is located in the southern part of West Cornwall, close to Porthcurno beach. It was a rainy day when I went there. I immediately noticed the very intense scent of the flowers in the garden, which was beautifully laid out above the theatre. I descended the stony steps very slowly, not only because it was wet but to take in the special atmosphere. Suddenly, it started to rain heavily, became very windy and the sky clouded over - the picture it created and atmosphere was very dramatic!

The rows

Some will think the open air theatre is a Roman legacy, but infact it was created by an extraordinary English lady, Rowena Cade (1893-1983) with only a few men helping her to build it.

She became interested in theatre at an early age and designed costumes for theatre plays in Derbyshire, where she grew up. After WWI and the death of her father, she bought a house at Minack Rock. When asked, she agreed to perform in her garden for them. Soon after, when the numbers of visitors began to increase, she decided to build a theatre within the rock below her house.

Look to Porthcurno beach

Shakespeare's "Tempest" was the 1st play to be performed in the Minack Theatre in 1932. 

The rows

Rowena Cade continued working for over 50 years and continued to extend the theatre more and more. She died shortly before her 90th birthday.

To me the stony theatre looked amazing. The rocks behind it, seemed as if they had fallen down from the sea. Porthcurno beach, on the left side of the theatre was huge, and the water gleamed in different shades of blue. Even though it was raining and windy, it was still rather mild.

Porthcurno Beach

I went around the whole theatre, step by step, and was deeply touched. How much love for theatre and for detail of architecture must Rowena Cade have had in her time, and what an unbreakable will to believe in herself to see it finished. An extraordinary woman. 

For about half an hour I stood near the top rows, facing Porthcurno beach, feeling the raindrops dancing on my face, listening to the sound of the sea. I got totally carried away. But before I got lost, I went to see a little exhibition about Rowena Cade. 

The garden

Besides all the various impressions, I found some exceptional Celtic jewellery in the shop and treated myself to something special ;)

St. Ives 2013

Harbour

If you go to Cornwall, St. Ives is one of the places you have to pay a visit. Even though it's very touristy, it has kept a certain kind of charm.

St. Ives is located in the northern part of West Cornwall and well known as the centre of art. When I arrived, one thing became immediately clear to me: the light is just as special as often described in travel reports - reflected by the water gleaming in all kinds of blues and greens.


When the sky changes, the blue and green shades of the water also change and the harbour and Porthmeor beach really look like a beautiful painting.

Tate Gallery

If you like modern art, the ''Tate Gallery" is a must-see. On the way to the ''Tate Gallery"I noticed a lot of pretty little cottages in narrow streets, which were painted in white, sandstone, light blue and pink. Since I went to St. Ives, I can understand why so many painters decided to live and work here.

Porthwidden beach

It wasn't the art in the Tate that I enjoyed most, but the fantastic view of Porthmeor beach from the café.





If you are interested in history, why not go to  the ''St. Ives Museum".

Back in the harbour area, there's one souvenir shop after another, all of which more or less offer wonderful paintings and prints of St. Ives. I can recommend a passage called "Harbour Galleries", with paintings of the "Blue Harbour Gallery", and glass art of Desiree Hope, a local artist. I bought one piece of her glass art - simply wonderful.

Before I left, I strolled along the coastline of Porthminster beach and took in the special atmosphere.

Porthmeor Beach

Porthminster beach

Porthminster beach

There are several more sandy beaches, if you walk eastwards, where you can enjoy picnics or swimming. Even though St.Ives is a place full of tourists, it has a light atmosphere so I would definitley like to return one day.

Penzance 2013

Exeter Cathedral

I travelled to Cornwall in June, 2013.

Exeter Cathedral

I chose to fly to Exeter and decided to have a quick look at Exeter Cathedral. It looked stunning and was definitely worth a visit.

Then I took the train to Penzance, located in West Cornwall, passing by many nice towns such as St. Austell, Truro and  Helston to name but a few. It was very warm and sunny when I arrived. To reach my guest house, I had to walk along the harbour to the Western Promenade, passing the Jubilee Pool, a lido designed in the early 1930s.

Jubilee Pool

The room at my guest house was very pretty and had a sea view. All rooms were given flower names and were decorated in this theme. Mine was called "Rose". The proprietor was very hearty and gave me lots of tips where to eat and where to go off the beaten track, so I really enjoyed staying here.

Western Promenade

Penzance is flat towards the harbour area but hilly in the town centre. All the little shops and pubs create an attractive urban scenery.


St. Mary's Church is the biggest in town. Its graveyard is wonderful but looks more like a garden with all the palm trees there. Another sample of a unique garden is ''Morrab Gardens", which is full of  subtropical plants.

In the case of rain, there are a number of museums and galleries to visit such as ''Penlee House Museum", ''Exchange Gallery" and the ''Egyptian House".

The pub I liked most was named "Admiral Benbow"! It's furnished in a maritime style and full of atmosphere, complete with very attentive staff and good food with reasonable prices. A must: Cornish cider :)

St. Mary's Church

If you walk along the coastline in both directions, you can reach beautiful fishing villages, for example Newlyn, Mousehole and Marazion.

Penzance is an ideal base to explore other parts of West Cornwall such as St. Ives, the Minack Theatre close to Porthcurno, Land's End or St. Michael's Mount for example. Besides that, there's the ferry to the Scilly Isles.

Western Promenade

A very special gift for friends was a soap made by Jean Barry. I found it in the tourist office and bought one of each scent. I also noticed some special glass art there. I appreciate the work of local artists and producers and like to support them.