hi, crckwc,

as you have 5 nights, that only really gives you 4 full days, which you should be able to fill easily staying in Looe.

as well as Plymouth [a useful rainy day fall-back] you are within easy distance of Anthony, Boconnoc [if it's open that time of year, not sure if it is or not] Port Elliot, Fowey, Mevagissey, teh Lost Gardens of Heligan, and the Eden Project.

with some walking as well, you should be fully occupied.

however, you are a bit far away to see anything west of Truro, which would give you another rainy-day option, being about a hour's drive away from Looe.

if you wanted to see Land's End, Penzance or St. Ives, you'd really need to stay on that side of the county, but with only 4 days, I think that I would stick to Looe on this trip, and come back another time to see the rest.

please come back to me with any other questions - i just hope we have some better weather by then!

Thanks, annhig. I was hoping to hear from you as your advice always seems sensible. I like the idea of staying "put" for the 5 nights -- now I'll have to sell DH on the idea. lol I'm sure to have additional questions as we continue to plan.
k

no probs, crckwc, pleased to help.

Well, we changed our plans -- nixed Looe since we've stayed there before and opted for Truro, rather a small village nearby, for the 5 nights. From there it looks like we can travel to both coasts and there seems to be lots to see/do in the area. Suggestions?

ooh - things to do and see near Truro - how long have you got?

In 4 days you can see a lot. depending on your interests and in no particular order:

Day 1 - drive south from truro towards Falmouth and follow signs for NT gardens Trelissick. spend morning there. [and lunch? - though there are nice options just over the water at the Roseland Inn pub at Philleigh ]. then get the King Harry ferry across the estuary [curiously called the Carrick Roads - notice the huge tankers moored up-stream] and drive to St. Mawes. if you are interested in a nice walk, get the tiny ferry to Place, and walk round the coastal path to St. Anthony's Head and the lighthouse. back in st Mawes, have a cream tea - treat yourselves at the Hotel Tresanton if you are feeling flush! Go back via the little church ar St. just with its lovely position and garden, and the round houses at Veryan - nice pub for a drink/meal.

Day 2 - Start at the Eden Project, have lunch there, then either go to Padstow for the afternoon [nice walks out along the estuary, plus the national lobster hatchery] and /or Trerice - NT house and garden. supper in Padstow.

Day 3 - drive towards St. austell and follow signs to the Lost Gardens of Heligan - spend the morning there - again have lunch [all these places have very nice restaurants!] then drive round the coast to Mevagissey and/or Portloe or Portholland. lots of nice coast walking here, and a lovely beach/hotel at Carne.

Day 4 - Drive down to the Helford - start at NT garden Glendurgan and walk through it to the beach at Durgan [just NT holiday cottages] then turn right along the coast and walk to Helford Passage - little village next to the estuary, with lovely if quite expensive pub. if it's running, the ferry across to helford village gives access to a rather better pub the other side of the river. then walk back to Glendurgan passing the lovely garden of Trebah; to get to it, turn left out of Glendurgan and drive for about a mile. great restaurant there and cream teas.

Day 5 - take the train to Penzance and spend the day there - explore the gardens, and the Penlee art gallery and museum. you can also catch a bus to the lovely and quaint village of Mousehole, [have at least a drink at the excellent Old Coastguard pub/restaurant] and walk back along the coast road to Penzance [about 5 miles - we've sometimes seen seals along here].
Alternatively, drive to PZ then follow the coast road to Portcurno to see the Minack theatre and the telecommunications museum, then drive to Sennen [where you can park and walk back along the coast path to Land's end if you particularly want to see it ] then up the northcoast to the Guarnard's Head - lovely walk out to the point plus a great gastro pub. then keep going up to St. Ives and explore the village before having a cream tea. [this route may be better done the other way round so that you arrive at the Gurnard's head for lunch], and have tea at the Minack.

Day 6 -- oops - you've only got 5 days. and we haven't even talked about the Lizard, St. Agnes, Truro itself, Falmouth, etc. etc.

PS - where exactly are you staying BTW? - not that it matters, I'm just curious!

Wow! Thanks so much, Ann. We'll certainly stay busy trying to fit in all these suggestions. Can hardly wait! We're staying at Bodrean Manor Farm in Trispen, near Truro -- www.bodreanmanorfarm.co.uk. Never stayed there before but it sounds nice. Whatever, it will be fine -- we love the adventure of staying at new places and we've seldom been disappointed. Guess we're easy to please. Thank you again for all your help.
k

Hi Annhig, you really know your Cornwall - makes me want to go back.

Are you staying put or making it into London for the big games?

crckwc - Bodrean looks lovely. i can certainly second their recommendation of the Plume of Feathers at Mitchell - it's very good - even has freshly squeezed orange juice a lot of the time.

and as they say, it's well positioned - easy access to the Roseland in particular, Heligan, Eden, etc. i'm sure you'll have a terrific time.

ldt - yes, we are hunkering down in cornwall. DD is due back from her travels in about 3 weeks time so we're fattening the calf and praying for the sunshine to arrive in time for her return. it'll be nice to have her home - for a while!

annhig, sounds like a great summer

annhig, If the sun is shining, we'll have plenty to do. If not, can you suggest some indoor/museum things to see? Of course, if it's just a light, gentle rain, we'll gear up and go wherever, but a deluge -- well -- we might need alternatives. I gather you live in Cornwall?

crckwc - how did you guess? [that i live in cornwall, that is!]

wet weather options coming up:

1. walking tour of Truro. [quite short - 2 major venues] Start at the cathedral, built by Archbishop Benson [bishop of truro, became Archbishop of Truro, so a popular chap around these parts who amongst other things initiated the first service of 9 lessons and carols.]. there are guides in the Cathedral who can take you round; if you make it on a friday lunchtime, you pay get a free organ recital as well as the organ is a "Father Will" and many of the country's top organists come down to play on it. from there, [perhaps pausing for a coffee either in the Cathedral cafe or at one of the tea/coffee shops on the way] make your way across Boscawen Street, through the market, and into the piazza [used to be a car park, I think what we've got now is better]. on weds and sats ams you'll find an excellent farmers' market.
with your backs to the Hall for Cornwall, [have a look to see if there's anything you'd like to see or better still book before you arrive here] take the road going uphill to the right of the piazza - Lemon street - and admire the georgian buildings. After about 100 yards, on the right you'll see the entrance to Leon Street Market - turn right and walk through the market - nice restaurant downstairs and coffee shop upstairs, plus an art gallery. Exit the other end, and bear right [ignoring the car park and steps to your left] into Walsingham Place - the most elegant crescent in Truro.
at the other end, cross over Victoria Place, and make your way along River Street to the [free] Museum - many interesting exhibits and an excellent cafe. then wander back to the Cathedral via the many little streets [some called "opes" & look out for Squeeze-guts alley just off Boscawen street, near the Lakeland shop].

2. Penzance - follow the signs to the Penlee gallery and museum [car park nearby marked for museum]. the permanent exhibition at the gallery of Newlyn School paintings is excellent, and they often have a temporary exhibition on too. The museum is also very interesting, and yet again, I can thoroughly recommend the cafe. After that, walk up to Market Jew Street -yes, that really is its name, not a typo] and admire the cupola on the top of Lloyds Bank - the legacy of the money that was made from tin mining. Then turn right and go down chapel street past the Egyptian House [owned by the Landmark trust and open very seldom but interesting if it is] and down to the very old pub with the pirate on the roof on the left. lots of interesting shops down here. then at the bottom turn right and walk along to the port, then back up to the Museum. if you have more time and energy, drive down to Newlyn to look at the port, see the fish displays in the fishmongers down there, and if you are interested in modern art, have a look at the works in the Newlyn art gallery [too avant garde for my taste!]

3. Falmouth. 3 places here, very spread out. Start with the ARt Gallery and Museum on the Moor [centre of town] and then have a look up the street which runs uphill parallel to the water front. [High street] - lots of interesting little shops and a nice pub towards the top on the right as you are looking from the bottom. then turn round and walk straight on along Market street and its continuation, Church street, pausing to look in the odd gallery and the Poly - a combined theatre, cinema and art gallery. [on the right just before you get to the Church].

Keep going past the church [excellent art gallery called "Beside the Wave" on you left just past the bend in the road] and on down there until right at the end it opens out into a car park and a "piazza" in front of the Maritime Museum. Tour the Museum - takes about an hour. then trudge your way back! [if you time it right, our favourite Falmouth restaurant, Samphire, may be open and serving lunches - it's down towards the Maritime Museum on the left but before the car park]

obviously, i hope that it doesn't rain, but these ideas may help if it does!

annhig,

Your tours of Truro, Penzance and Falmouth sound great. Now I'm wishing we had more days in the area, but we'll have lots to look forward to on a repeat trip.

My guess at where you live wasn't really a guess at all -- you mentioned being "hunkered down in Cornwall" in a reply to latedaytraveler, so I assumed you were "hunkered down" at home.

Thanks ever so much for all your tips. I may be back with more questions as our travel dates near.

k

crckwc - it's a pleasure.

feel free to ask me anything as it occurs to you.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/rock-swings-to-a-new-tune-20121101-28lic.html

lol, farrermog, not all Cornwall is like that!

some parts [like where we live] are still quite normal.

WOW anngig! Just copied and pasted your advice! Also emailed about staying at Bodream B&B place. We will be driving from Drayton through cotswold then onto cornwall before heading to London. We are hoping 7 days will give us a nice sample. Any tips?