I’d appreciate some advice (or confirmation) concerning some plans for being in the Cornwall area in June. I’ve tried to do my due diligence in research, but I do have some detailed questions.

(We will have spent 5 nights in London, gotten a rental car early on a Saturday, driven to Exeter to stay one night at the Queen’s Court, and then have 3 nights in Hayle at The Penellen BandB before heading to Wales for 10 nights.)

First set of questions: On Sunday we will leave Exeter after breakfast and drive to Tintagel Castle for a visit, then head on to the Penellen in Hayle. If the main goals of that day are to have plenty of time at Tintagel and to arrive at the Penellen before 5, then…

a. Should we take the time to drive THROUGH Dartmoor? It might add an hour.
b. Launceston Castle is not far off either route we’d take; is it worth a short visit?
c. If the weather is ok and we include a peek at Merlin’s Cave, how long should we allow at Tintagel—3 hours?
d. Any other advice about Tintagel?

Second set of questions: One of our Cornwall days will be primarily at Saint Michael’s Mount and then back to the area around Godrevy beaches. The other day will be a driving loop (with short walks and picture taking) around the Penwith Coast.

a. Does this Penwith Coast loop look doable? (knowing weather and how we feel by this point may have influence):·

Hayle to Penzance (about 30 mins) for quick look (maybe hour or so?) ·
Merry Maidens for quick pic·
Sennen Cove (instead of Lands End)·
Cornwall Cove·
Then maybe stop at some mine, like Botallack—weather and stamina to decide·
Gunards Head Inn for dinner between 5 and 6ish·
Back to Hayle well before dark

b. Where’s a good place to park in Penzance for quick look around?
c. Chysauster Ancient Village COULD be a first stop before Penzance—Worth it?

Third question set of questions: In the two days I’ve outlined, there’s no time carved out for St. Ives. We COULD go there after Saint Michael’s Mount, although Godrevy area is priority

a. Is not seeing St. Ives that big a deal? (I know, I know—everybody’s desires and priorities are different) We would not want to visit any museums there, just walk around/shop/eat. Our main goal for Cornwall is scenery-seeing.
b. And I’ve read so much advice saying not to drive into St. Ives; so do we really need to park at St. Erth and train in, if we did decide to go into St. Ives?

Hopefully annhig will see this. However, I do have an opinion on St. Ives. I visited it all the way back in the early 90s, when it was still fairly quiet. Everything I have read recently says that it is now overrun with visitors. If you have no interest in the art I would skip it. It is not as though Cornwall has a shortage of pretty seaside villages.

You don't say when you are traveling. A summer Saturday (and these days Friday) is not the best time to head for the southwest, but stopping in Exeter may help.

Thanks, thursdaysd--Skipping St. Ives is where we're leaning but only our dates and hotels are set in stone. (I did include that we'll be there in June, but as my DH says, I tend to be wordy, so details get lost! So Sunday Exeter to Hayle via Tintagel, then Monday and Tuesday based in Hayle.)

I'll keep topping this if I need to til annhig sees it! Ha!

Have you considered train to Exeter then car hire?

Sorry, I missed the date. June should be OK, but I agree with bilbo that taking the train would be easier. Unfortunately, it's not far enough for the night train to make sense - taking the Night Riviera is on my things to do list.

Train to Exeter and then car hire was my first idea--but finding a car hire open in Exeter on Sunday morning proved about impossible, and DH said he'd rather just get a car from LHR where probably more chance of getting choice of car, etc., on Saturday morning and then drive to Exeter. We'd arrive about the same time as if we'd taken a train, and we'd just park it and enjoy Exeter the rest of the day by foot and then have car set to go on Sunday morning. He preferred this to train to Exeter and getting a car upon arrival on Saturday, too. Hope this works for us! (DH has driven in the UK before, once from LHR, so it's not uncharted territory.)

Topping for selfish reasons! Any more comments?

Lands End is a dump
you checked this out? https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/day...hwest/cornwall

Yes, bilboburgler--it's a great resource! Just too many places in too little time, so pick and choose. Thanks!

>>>d. Any other advice about Tintagel?<<<

Yes. Listen to Arnold Bax's "Tintagel."
Agree that Land's End can be given a big miss.

Thanks, Fra! That's lovely! (oooohh, background music for my 10th graders when we read The Faerie Queene and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight!)

We weren't smitten by St-Ives when we were there last May. It's a pretty enough little cove, but it was packed with visitors and we had little luck finding anything appealing for lunch (I've been told by annhig, who lives in Cornwall, though, that we probably missed some good places). We took a bus from Penzance, but it struck us that it is probably very hard to find parking there.

I would definitely not bother with Land's End which when you look up the term "tourist trap" that behemouth building complex and carpark appear. It is, IMO, the "South of the Border" of the UK (assuming you are familiar with the I-95 landmark) and about as interesting.

As to St. Ives: we drove and parked at nearby Leland Saltings I think it was and took the train and then walked into the town. It was mobbed but this was in late Summer. We did not do any of the Tate stuff, etc. I'm not sure it was worth all the effort but that's just me. I can think of far more interesting Cornwall places to visit frankly.

Thanks for affirmations. Dukey1--yeah, that's what I was getting about Land's End so scheduled Sennen Cove and Cornwall Cove instead.

Hi texasbookworm,

Thanks to Thursdaysd who PM'd me to bring this thread to my attention. I find that one of the snags of the new format is that I don't see new threads in the way I used to but OTOH the PM function is great.

Dealing with your questions in order, you're right that it'll take roughly an extra hour to drive from Exeter to Tintagel if you go across Dartmoor. However IMO if the weather is nice is would be well worth it, and I would prefer to spend the time that way rather than on looking round Launceston Castle, which in 20 years in Cornwall I've yet to go to. I would take the B3212 from Exeter to Mortenhampstead, continue onto Princetown [one of the grimmest places you can possible think of, and that's just the village not the prison], then up to Launceston and Tintagel. However the countryside is superb and well worth the time spent rather than taking the A30 which is not a thing of beauty, even in good weather.

However if it's raining, I wouldn't bother with the drive across the moor, go straight to Tintagel.

As for Tintagel, it's years since I've been there and honestly I can't tell you how long your visit is likely to take. If you find that you have time to spare before heading to Hayle [which should take you about 90 mins from Tintagel] I would suggest stopping off at Port Isaac. It can get busy but shouldn't be too bad in June and it really is a gorgeous little fishing village [and if you are Doc Martin fans, it's a must of course].

Your next query was about the Penrith Loop, which looks very achievable. 2 points -

1) you've no need to get back to Hayle before dark unless you are very averse to driving in the dark - it's not very big and given that you'll already know where the B&B is, getting there at midnight would be ok.

2) the major omission in your loop is Porthcurnow and the Minack theatre. As well as the theatre [stunning location and garden with a fascinating history of how it was built] there is the telegraphy museum which is extremely interesting if you have any interest at all in the history of Wireless Telegraphy:

https://telegraphmuseum.org

https://www.minack.com

3) [oops, a Monty Python moment there] Not sure what you mean by Cornwall Cove - unless it's Cape Cornwall which is indeed well worth the trip, and is miles away from the dreadful mess they've made of Land's End. Definitely worth the small detour.

4) I would definitely book a table at the Gurnard's head as it's very popular, though I'm not sure they will even be serving dinner at 5pm. As we're talking about June it won't be dark till about 10 so you could allow yourselves a 7pm booking and still be back in your B&B by 10pm.

Third topic: St Ives. It's a bit like marmite. The main street and harbour aren't great I would agree. The best bits IMO are Porthminster beach [just below the station, great "cafe" of the same name which is really a restaurant, reservations required] and the "Island" which is a peninsular, not an island. Nice "cafe" over that side at Porthmeor Beach. You might be ok parking in the big car park above the Tate in June, or you might not. I would suggest going in the evening and eating there after an early evening walk, but if Godrevy is your main goal I understand you may not want to go back there through Hayle.

And I need to come back and talk about Penzance [but I've got to go to choir rehearsal]!

Thanks, annhig!!!! I so value your expert input, but didn't want to put your name in my title, as if I were demanding an answer! Ha!

Good suggestions/confirmations all in all--oooooops, I DID mean Cape Cornwall! My bad.

Yeah, I'd like to stick the Minack in there; we'll see.

I look forward to more gleanings from your experience.

I hope and pray this new year is bringing you peace.

Thanks again

No problems, Texasbookworm. And thanks for your good wishes.

You asked about Penzance, which is one of my favourite places in Cornwall. If you weren't already committed to staying in Hayle, I would have suggested that you look seriously at staying there. It has a great climate, lots of good restaurants and pubs, and plenty of interesting things to see nearby.

Let's start with where to park. As you come into PZ along the A30, you'll drive along the front parallel to the beach and the railway line on your left. Passing Sainsbury's on the right, and then the Tesco garage, you come to a traffic island, at which you want the second left, bearing left up the hill [still the A30] till you come to the island junction with the A3071. Turn left there along Alverton Road and follow that road back into town until you see the sign to the Penlee Gallery and car park on your R. If that's full, drive back onto Alverton Road and take the next left at the little island - there is a large car park there by the Town Hall.

Now you're there, if you want a quick look at the highlights, walk further along Alverton Road until you come to the top of Morab Road on your right [very nice china shop on the corner]; turn right and then left and walk along the lovely georgian terraces, with pretty gardens. Carry on until on your left, you spy a large imposing building with a dome - this was Bolitho's Bank, the Bolitho family having been extremely rich mine owners who wanted everyone to know which was the most important place in the town. [now a branch of Lloyds]. The is the top of Market Jew Street which has nothing to do with jews but is a corruption of a local name meaning Thursday Market. Then head right into Chapel street and starting at the top, admire the Egyptian House, [and Landmark property] then turn round and look at the plaque on the wall of the Union Hotel behind you, to which the news of Nelson's win at Trafalgar was delivered by Packet ship in 1805:

The Union Hotel, Penzance - Home

Then carry on your walk down Chapel Street taking in the fine Georgian buildings and the Turk's Head and Admiral Benbow pubs [don't miss the intruder climbing along the roof!] Finally you come to the large chapel that gives the street it's name and if you keep going, you end up by the harbour and the swing bridge.

Depending on the time you have available, if you turn right, you'll pass the berth of the Scillonian Ferry on the left, and then the newly restored Jubilee pool - fresh seawater outdoor pool designed in the 1930s. Carry on along the front until you reach the bottom of Morab Road on your R, and walk up the road away from the sea till you reach the entrance to the Penlee Gallery and Gardens on the left. The Gallery has a wonderful collection of the works of artists of the Newlyn School and a great cafe. Then walk back through the gardens to the car park.

Taken briskly, and if you don't linger for refreshments and admiring the art, this will probably take you between an hour and an hour and a half. If you have half a day to spare, and wish to linger, this is a great way to spend it.

Looks like annhig has you sorted out pretty well -- just a couple of comments.

• I'd definitely drive through Dartmoor -- and spend more than an extra hour doing it. But wait until the day to decide -- if it is pouring down w/ rain take the more direct route.

• You have very little chance of driving anywhere in the dark -- sunset will be around 9:30 and it will be dusky another hour-ish.

Thanks, my UK experts!
Most excellent advice; DH will love the specific instructions, annhig!
I KNEW I'd have to pick and choose! Aargh! Too much to see, too little time!
All this helps inform our decisions, though. I've promised DH not to set a punishing pace and not to pack our itineraries as I am wont to do (esp. when with students), but we will want some general ideas and main goals.

One fact to know, after having been there done that, do not rely on a GPS/Sat nav on Dartmoor, use a map, we were lost for several hours following the GPS/ Sat Nav in the rental car, when we finally arrived at the Haytor visitor centre one of the staff members told us that the programs are very unreliable, something to do with a lack of realistic information about 6.6 ft wide roads and very few signposts. If you are travelling on main roads it should not be a problem, but for minor roads a major problem