Kailani

Hello! I'm in London now with my goddaughter and her little daughter, and will be visiting her home in Falmouth for 3 nights. My husband & I are staying at St. Michael's Spa.

I know there are some Cornwall experts, so I wanted to take the opportunity to ask for advice or information. We will be with our friends and their little kids, and will probably go to the seal sanctuary. https://www.visitsealife.com/gweek/

Any places to suggest to walk near our hotel, or in town?

I would love to see old ruins, and historical places, and just walking is great. I know they will take us around, but we want to give them space, and maybe show them something, too.

I've done research, but since we are primarily in London, I'm on overload!

Thanks in advance for any tips.

annhig

mmm - not a lot of ruins as such in Falmouth, but you might enjoy Pendennis Castle, which is high above the town, which has a lot of historical interest as well as a wonderful view over the water, which also gave it strategic importance in defending England against invasion.

if you like boats, you can go across to St Mawes where there is another castle built by Henry VIII, which also overlooks the water; there are also a number of very nice restaurants over there plus tea shops, etc. From there you can get another very small boat to a place called Piece, which is the start of a spectacular walk that takes you round to the Lighthouse on St Anthony's Head and back.

Right opposite your hotel is Gyllingvase Beach, complete with a very trendy [and good] cafe - if you head right as you come out of the hotel, you can walk all round the coast to Swanpool [beach cafe and very nice restaurant] and thence to Maenporth [ditto].

in the town itself, you may enjoy Gyllingvase gardens [turn left as you come out of the hotel] and you might like to see if there's anything on at the adjoining Princess Pavilions or down in town at the Poly [theatre and gallery]:

http://thepoly.org

Finally, don't miss the National Maritime Museum right down on the quayside in events Square - they have lot of exhibits that your GD's DD should enjoy.

Hope that helps - if you need anything else, just let me know.

Kailani

Thank you so much! Those suggestions are brilliant! (As they say in London.)

It gives me a lot of perspective, and ideas. It must have been Pendennis Castle that I have seen in pictures.

I really appreciate your time & knowledge!

annhig

no probs, Kailani [as we don't say in Cornwall!]

here's the link to Pendents castle - it may have some events aimed at children when you are here:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/v...dennis-castle/

St Mawes Castle is also english heritage, but most other places round here are either in private ownership or are National Trust. Depending on what you are planning on seeing, and how long you are staying, it might be worth taking out a membership of either or both organisations.

[oh, 3 nights? - you'll have to be very discerning then!!]

annhig

i'm sure I typed Pendennis! [yes, it's that darned autocorrect again].

JamieSS

I holidayed just outside of Falmouth as a kid and one of the highlights was hiring a little motor boat. My brother and I loved it - and my parents still talk about it now, some 30 years later.

We've been to St Mawes quite a bit over the years, and that's now something of an old favourite for us.

Don't miss a visit to the Lizard.

carolyn

St. Michael's Mount is one of my very favorite places. If you go, be sure to check the tide tables.

anicecupoftea

Falmouth is a great location to holiday without a car. St Ives is an easy day trip by train. Take a boat to Trelissick, wander through the gardens, boat on to Truro, walk round the cathedral then a train back to Falmouth. Catch a bus to Trebah or Glendurgan garden (they are next to each other), marvel at how the driver fits down those tiny lanes and be grateful you're not driving, then walk through the garden and down to a tiny beach. Take the ferr to St Mawes, walk up to the castle than follow the path round the headland and back down to the village for lunch. Catch a water taxi somewhere else that takes your fancy.

annhig

Falmouth is a great location to holiday without a car. St Ives is an easy day trip by train.>>

I agree with the first sentence, anicecupoftea, not so sure about the second - from Falmouth you need to take the train to Truro, then the Penzance train to Hayle, then the little branch line to St Ives, reversing the process on the way back. worth doing perhaps if you have all day and are not struggling with a buggy or pushchair.

I'm a little amused about your description of the road to Trebah and Glendurgan being tiny lanes - i know some that are a lot narrowerer, and not that far from there either!

But you have certainly described some of the numerous boat trips very well - to which I can add the ferry to Flushing, just across the water from Falmouth, a trip down the Helford river, and in season, a quick ferry trip across the Helford from Helford Passage on the north bank to Helford Village on the south [great pubs on both sides of the river but not a lot else].

RM67

I have family in the Falmouth area and visit regularly. I really love it.

I don't know that my suggestions are exactly quirky, but places I have liked that I think are worth a visit are:-

The Maritime Museum which has some great temporary exhibitions (eg Vikings) and a café with fab views across the harbour.

Gylly Beach Café as mentioned above - had my birthday dinner there last year - right beside a pretty sandy cove and great for either brunch or a full evening meal.

Trelissick gardens which has one of my favourite walks in Conrwall, along Channals Creek and around the headland into the Fal estuary. The gardens themselves are very impressive and there is an art gallery and nursery that you can buy gifts from on site.

Mylor Creek - you can walk round either headland enjoying beautiful views and stop at Mylor Café, Castaways restaurant or the Pandora Pub with its tables on floating pontoons.

Further afield I love the drive from St Just to St Ives along the Atlantic coastal road - rocky shores, wild seas, standing stones and old abandoned tin mines en-route. One of the villages on that road has a famous mermaid carving in its teeny tiny church - possibly Zennor or Nancherrow but you can check which online - I just can't remember right now. Plenty of tea rooms on that route too.

I also like Mousehole, Newlyn and Porthleven for archetypal cornish fishing villages with pubs and seafood cafes and a smattering of art.

Also Porthcurno beach for the feeling of complete privacy - it is a bit of a walk from the carpark though.

RM67

Bt Falmouth also has a 'park and float' transport option - takes you to and from either Flushing or St Mawes. Flushing has the excellent Waterside Café with the best crab bisque I've ever eaten.

anicecupoftea

<<I'm a little amused about your description of the road to Trebah and Glendurgan being tiny lanes - i know some that are a lot narrowerer, and not that far from there either! >>

Possibly not bus routes though? They feel tiny when trees are scraping both sides.

St Ives is an all day trip, certainly, but I stand by the easy part - a couple of train changes is a lot easier than driving and trying to park.

BritishCaicos

" Pandora Pub with its tables on floating pontoons."

The creeks are magical. There's a ferry boat from Falmouth Harbour.

This is where the world's current greatest sailor grew up and learned his trade.

We love Trebah and Heligan.

Also another vote for RMs Waterside Cafe in Flushing and also the creek side walk at Trellisick.

We are the world's greatest wildlife lovers but came away from Gweek Seal Sanctuary with a very sour taste and can't for the life of me remember the reason. Try to remember.

annhig

Possibly not bus routes though? They feel tiny when trees are scraping both sides.>>

the bus goes down the lanes I'm thinking of as well - in fact it was the thought that one morning I might meet the bus and that the bus would win which convinced us not to buy a house in the village at the end of that lane! [Shame though - it has possibly the best pub in Cornwall, the Trengilly Wartha]

You're right about the car v train debate for St Ives, at least in season - we just don't go between Easter and November. [and we give it a miss at Christmas and New year too!]

RM67

Did you notice the golden postbox for said sailor in the wall of the Pandora BC?

annhig

we've got a few of those round here, RM - I think that there is one in Penzance for the rower, Helen Glover.

RM67

If I lived there Ann, I too would have a boat and most probably use it for my Sainsbury's shop. Or Lidl at Penryn.

Kailani

What a fun surprise to see all the replies. We take the train to Falmouth tomorrow, and I'm putting all the suggestions on Google maps.

Since we are visiting friends I'm not sure what we will be able to see, but I already know I will be coming back to Falmouth.

Thank you all so much for your ideas!

Kailani

Had a glorious first afternoon in Falmouth. Warm and sunny, which I hear is not the usual. Our friends gave us a quick car tour of the university, town, and general area, and then we checked into the St. Michael Spa & Inn. It is really nice.

We spent the afternoon at Gylly Beach with the two young kids and my friend, finding shells and jumping in sand pits.

After our friends left, we walked along the path of Queen Mary's Garden, which had beautiful shoreline views.

We had a wonderful dinner at the Gylly Beach Café. We just walked in without reservations and they were fully booked, but they accommodated us and were so kind.

annhig

If I lived there Ann, I too would have a boat and most probably use it for my Sainsbury's shop. Or Lidl at Penryn.>>

lol, RM, I think you'd have a problem getting to Sainsbury's by boat but Lidl in Penryn would work!

So glad you had such a nice first day, Kailani, and how lucky to be able to spend the afternoon on the beach!

They are very nice at the Gyllly Beach cafe, aren't they? and the food is pretty good too.

Hope you have a lovely day tomorrow and that the sun shines on us both!