Our final day is devoted to the award-winning Lost Gardens of Heligan, a botanical treasure ranked among the finest in the country and undoubtedly one of our favorites. We end the week in charming Charlestown, exploring its historic harbor before enjoying a memorable dinner at one of the region’s best restaurants—a perfect finale to our journey through Cornwall. Return for our final night in Mevagissey.
Cornwall England | Explore the Cornish Coastal Path
Stroll Along Great Britain’s Southwestern Coast
Trip Highlights:
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Discover Cornwall’s dramatic coastline with endless ocean views
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Wander through tucked away fishing villages and pristine beaches
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Explore timeless English gardens and castles steeped in history
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Savor staples of British culture alongside a thriving gourmet scene
Welcome to Cornwall, Great Britain’s most south-westerly county. Surrounded on all sides by the lashings of The Atlantic Ocean and the warming currents of The Gulf Stream, this peninsula boasts over 400 miles of dramatic cliff-edged coastline complete with palm trees, cute tucked away fishing villages, windswept pristine beaches and water so turquoise you might mistake it for The Caribbean.
Cornwall is also famous for its Celtic and mining history. Indeed, its very name Cornwall is derived from the Cornish words Cornovii and Waelas – meaning hill dwellers and strangers. Cornish, similar in structure to Welsh, is the only remaining Celtic language spoken within the borders of England. Furthermore, Cornwall, at one stage in the last century was responsible for over 50% of the world’s mined tin.
The county also boasts a booming gourmet food scene. Uniquely famous for its Cornish pasties – a pastry case traditionally filled with beef, potato, swede (turnip) and onion – its wide-ranging use of freshly caught fish, its ice cream and for its delightful Cornish cream teas, a staple of British culture.
Our tour starts in the lovely coastal town of Mousehole, an old fishing village bursting with charm. Mousehole, pronounced Mow-Zul, has been a fishing village for over 700 years, with evidence of pilchard fishing as far back as the late 13th Century.
Over the course of our 8-day tour, we will explore serene English gardens, wander ancient sights, walk along many a mile of breath-taking Cornish coastline, explore hidden Cornish gems and stay in delightful fishing villages flush with award-winning restaurants, cream teas and seaside atmosphere. We start in Mousehole, and end in the lovely Mevagissey, another charming Cornish fishing village, this one with a claim to be the first town in England to have electric street lighting. And nearby to St Austell, with easy transport links to anywhere in the United Kingdom.
Trip Itinerary
Train from Paddington Train Station to to Penzance Train Station about 5.5 hours. It’s a 10 minute taxi ride from the train station to Mousehole and your seaside inn. Meet your guide(s) and other guests for a welcome dinner.
Our first full day delves into Cornwall’s rich mining history with a coastal walk to the picturesque Botallack Mine and its iconic Crown engine houses, perched dramatically on cliffs above the crashing sea. We then visit the historic Geevor Tin Mine, now a fascinating museum and heritage site preserved just as it was when operations ceased in 1990. The day wraps up with a return to our cozy inn in Mousehole.
Distance: 3 miles.
After a quick stop to admire ancient Neolithic standing stones, we continue to the stunning sands of Porthcurno Beach to begin the longest hike of the tour. The trail winds along the dramatic coast, with time to explore the world-famous Minack Theatre and pause for lunch at the charming seaside Porthgwarra Café. We finish at Land’s End—the westernmost tip of England—where a well-earned ice cream or Cornish cream tea awaits. We return our Mousehole inn.
Distance: 7 miles.
After a leisurely morning exploring Mousehole, we drive around St. Mount’s Bay to the breathtaking St. Michael’s Mount, a tidal island cut off at high tide. We cross the stone causeway on foot to wander the village, castle, gardens, and medieval church before ending the day at our seaside accommodations in Lizard.
Distance: 2 miles.
Today brings a lovely loop hike beginning and ending at our hotel in The Lizard. Along the way, we pause at Lizard Point—the southernmost tip of the British mainland—before continuing to the breathtaking Kynance Cove, where a hidden beach and charming café make the perfect lunch stop. Back at the hotel, take a short stroll along the coast to the historic Lizard Wireless Station, where Marconi received the world’s first “over the horizon” radio transmission in 1901.
Distance: 5 miles.
We start today’s adventure with a trip into the hills of Cornwall for a private tour of the Tregothnan Tea Plantation, the only place in the UK where tea is grown. We’ll enjoy lunch at a charming secret garden café before wrapping up the day with a stroll and a bit of shopping in Mevagissey, the first town in England to boast electric street lighting. Overnight in a charming country hotel.
Distance: 3 miles.
Distance: 3 miles.
Ryder-Walker will provide a short 15-minute transfer to St Austell train station.
Explore the Cornish Coastal Path | Cornwall England
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