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out & about
Staying
put on the balcony/patio and watching the sea with
a book in one hand and a cold, crisp glass of wine
in the other is one option that is highly attractive
– but, as there are so many things to do, places
to go, menus to sample you just have to force yourself
to go out. We have tried to give you a good overview
of what is available with telephone numbers and website
addresses.In the "eating/drinking section"
we have listed those places local to Mevagissey and
Falmouth first, followed by those slightly further
afield.We also include restaurants of differing price
levels – so, if in doubt, check on the relevant
website for more info. In all the other sections we
have listed everything we felt was of interest, even
those things on the north coast which takes around
an hour or so to get to.Please dont be put off by
that.
Eating/drinking
| • |
ocean's
edge, Mevagissey |
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|
| • |
Alvorada,
17 Church st., Mevagissey. Tel 01726 842055 A
Portuguese restaurant that uses the local seafood
and produce to very good effect. Welcomes children
and those who like a convivial atmosphere. Very
welcoming hosts – Antonio and Sue. Would
be worth pre-booking for a meal on the first evening
perhaps? |
| • |
Sharksfin,
the Quayside, Mevagissey. Tel 01726 842969.Recently
modernised from an old hotel, this very relaxed
contemporary pub/bistro is open most of the day.
Great views [try to get the window sofas], good
food and welcomes kids. |
| • |
Roovrays,
12 Church St., Mevagissey .Tel; 01726 842672.
Seafood bistro with great mussels. |
| • |
Christophes,
1-3 Polkirt Hill, Mevagissey .Tel;01726 844888.French
restaurant- slightly more formal. Would need to
check policy on children. |
| • |
The
Ship inn, Fore st. Mevagissey. Good local pub,
Cornish real ales and live music. |
| • |
The
rising Sun, Portmellon Cove. Tel; 01726 843235
www.risingsunportmellon.co.uk
A good pub with many local cornish ales in a great
location opposite a small beach with rockpools.
10 minutes walk from the apartment. |
| • |
There
are plenty of other places to eat locally –
but, so far, these are the only ones we’ve
tried. There is a curry night on a Friday in The
Fountain Inn [oldest pub in Mevagissey], tapas
in a winebar on the quayside, Italian, pizza,
Cornish pasties and of course, fish and chips.
|
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|
| • |
water's
edge, Falmouth |
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|
| • |
5
degrees west, 7 Grove Place, Falmouth. Tel 01326
311288 . www.5degreeswest.net
Modern and spacious, contemporary food. Great
fireplace. |
| • |
Bistro
de la Mer , 28 Arwenack st., Falmouth. Tel 01326
316509. www.bistrodelamer.com
Seafood restaurant that is something of an institution
in Falmouth. |
| • |
Hunky
Dory , 46 Arwenack St., Falmouth. Tel 01326 212997
. www.hunkydoryfalmouth.co.uk
Contemporary european/asian food.Relaxed. |
| • |
Gylly
beach cafe, Gyllyngvase beach, Cliff rd., Falmouth.
Tel 01326 312884. V.popular beachside cafe, friendly
staff.Also offers tapas, BBQs and live music. |
| • |
Harbour
lights , Arwenack St., Falmouth .Tel 01326 316934
www.hlfish.co.uk
Really good fish and chips! |
| • |
The
Pandora Inn, Restronguet, Falmouth.Tel 01326 372678.
www.pandorainn.com
Tremendous waterside location,13th century. Get
an aquacab from the Prince of Wales pier www.aquacab.co.uk
|
| • |
Planter's
cafe at Trebah gardens, Mawnan Smith, Nr Falmouth.
Tel.01326 250448 Winner of the 2006 Most popular
cafe in Cornwall Tourism Awards. |
| • |
Seafood
restaurant, Mylor Harbour, Falmouth. Tel. 01326
374320. V.good seafood and is located in an enviable
position at the waterside in Mylor harbour. |
| • |
Ferryboat
Inn, Helford passage, Falmouth. Tel.01326 250625.
Set on the water's edge with a small beach nearby,
this is very popular in the summer.Good steaks
and local seafood, served al fresco at tables
overlooking the water. |
| • |
The
Three Mackerel, Swanpool beach, falmouth. Tel.
01326 311886. www.thethreemackerel.com
Great views, located directly on the beach, relaxed,
locally sourced ingredients. Tapas all day. |
| • |
The
Sticky Prawn, Flushing. Tel. 01326 373734. www.thestickyprawn.co.uk
Winner of countless awards and set in a fantastic
location on Flushing quay, offers fresh fish caught
locally. Definitely need to book. |
| • |
Overall
, there are over 80 places to eat in and around
Falmouth. Also try the square around the Maritime
Museum as there is a very good Pizza Express with
ice cream parlour, a tapas bar and a good seafood
restaurant.This is also where the oyster festival
is held in October www.falmouthoysterfesival.co.uk
. |
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| • |
further
afield |
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|
| • |
The
Seafood Restaurant, Padstow. Tel; 01841 532700
www.rickstein.com
[Need to make a reservation for the evening several
months in advance although you can be lucky sometimes
for lunch.] |
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St.Ervan
Manor, St.Ervan, Nr.padstow. Tel ;01841 540255
Award-winning chef. |
| • |
The
Lugger Hotel, Portloe. Tel; 01872 501322 www.luggerhotel.com
Perhaps combine lunch with a morning in their
spa which is open to non-residents. Definitely
need to book. Oh, and the journey down the road
to the hotel is scary although you’ll be
relieved to know that they have a dedicated car-park. |
| • |
Tresanton
Hotel, St.Mawes. Tel; 01326 270055 www.tresanton.com
Superb food, try and get a table on the terrace
if the weather is good. Try the Camel valley champagne
mixed with the pressed white peaches – liquid
heaven for girls. |
| • |
Fifteen,
Watergate Bay. Tel; 01637 861000 www.fifteencornwall.co.uk
Great location, portions on the small side though.
Try breakfast available from 8.30am - and if full,
go to the cafe downstairs which has the same great
views and decent food. |
| • |
The
Roseland at Philleigh [just north of St.Mawes]
Tel; 01872 580254 www.roselandinn.co.uk
is a family run pub, situated close to the King
Harry's ferry, with consistently good quality
food and a very friendly welcome. |
Local
produce, farmers markets, supermarkets
| • |
Boddington’s
berries –pyo strawberries, jams, wine and
vinegar. Tregony Hill, Mevagissey.Tel;01726 842346
www.boddingtonsberries.co.uk
Definitely telephone for directions! |
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Lobbs
farm shop, Heligan, St.Ewe, Nr Mevagissey. Tel;07126
844411 www.lobbsfarmshop.com
Situated in the car park at the Lost Gardens of
Heligan, this excellent farm shop has its own
home produced meat, delicatessan, vegetables and
locally produced wine, biscuits, cakes etc. |
| • |
St.Austell
local produce market – fortnightly Fridays
10- 1.30pm , trinity Street. |
| • |
Bosue
Vineyard , St.Ewe. Nr Mevagissey. Tel; 01726 843159
www.cornwallwines.co.uk
|
| • |
St.Austell
brewery tel; 01726 66022 www.staustellbrewery.co.uk
- explore the stories behind the Cornish beers
and sample some for yourselves. |
| • |
Camel
Valley Vineyard, Nanstallon,Nr.Bodmin.Tel; 01208
77959 www.camelvalley.com
Award-winning vineyard that is family-run by Annie
and Bob Lindo. |
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For
a very comprehensive list of farm shops and farmers'
markets, please visit www.foodfromcornwall.co.uk
. |
| • |
In
St.Austell there is a large Tesco's and Asda,
both of which have long opening hours and petrol
stations. In Falmouth, there is an Asda and a
Tesco express. In Truro there is a good sized
Marks and Spencer with a food dept. which you
have to virtually pass on the way to Falmouth. |
Gardens
| • |
The
Eden Project,Bodelva,St.Austell. Tel;01726 811911
www.edenproject.com
7 miles from Mevagissey. You can book fast-track
tickets from the tourist information shop in Mevagissey
[tel; 01726 844857] . Definitely worth visiting
at different times of the year as there is always
something new to see - 2008 will be Eden’s
fifth spring festival and it gets better and better
with more than a million bulbs being added in
successive waves of colour. Come in March for
the daffodils, April for the tulips and May for
the lilies. Summer sees the jungle come to life,
and the Eden Sessions play in the Autumn, with
a fabulous ice rink in the winter. |
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The
Lost Gardens of Heligan, Pentewan, Nr. Mevagissey.
Tel; 01726 845100 www.heligan.com
Europe’s largest garden restoration project
restored by Tim Smit and John Nelson. A secret
garden asleep for over 70 years… |
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Caerhays
castle gardens, Gorran. Tel;01872 501310 www.caerhays.co.uk
Houses the national magnolia collection , plus
rhododendrons, azaleas. The garden is only open
in Spring. Overlooks the lovely Porthluney beach
which has a wide expanse of sand and good rockpools.
You park in a field with a tearoom and other than
the castle there isn’t another building
around. Bliss. |
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Trebah
gardens, Mawnan Smith, Nr.Falmouth. Tel. 01326
250448. www.trebah-garden.co.uk
5 miles from Falmouth, this is a 26 acre ravine
garden rated as one of the 80 finest gardens in
the world.This sub-tropical paradise is home to
a unique collection of rare and exotic plants,
trees and shrubs winding down to a private and
secluded beach on the Helford River. |
| • |
Trevarno,
Crowntown, Nr Helston, Tel: 01326 574274 www.trevarno.co.uk
The historic Trevarno estate dates back to 1246
and contains over 70 acres of enchanting gardens
and grounds featuring one of Cornwall's largest
and most diverse plant collections. It also features
peacocks, organic skincare and a honeybee info.centre. |
| • |
Other
gardens include Lanhydrock, Trelissick, Probus
House, Burncoose gardens and nurseries. |
Beaches,
fishing, sailing, watersports, extreme activity
| • |
Visit
the south coast for the more sheltered beaches
and coves, sailing, wind surfing and fishing [its
no coincidence that the best gardens are nestled
in the valleys that sweep down to this coast].Go
to the north coast for the excitement of the Atlantic
and its huge surf…. |
| • |
Beaches
near to Mevagissey include Gorran haven [ sandy
beach with a car park close by], Vault beach [a
mile long and unspoilt] and Porthluny beach situated
in front of Caerhays castle. |
| • |
Beaches
near to Falmouth include Gyllyngvase [Falmouth's
main blue flag beach only 10 minutes walk from
water's edge , with some surfing] , Swanpool beach
[ a sand/pebble beach which backs onto a nature
reserve with a carpark] and Maenporth [ a wide
sandy beach]. |
| • |
Mevagissey
harbour – catch a fish off the outer harbour
wall, or some crabs, the ferry to Fowey www.mevagissey-ferries.co.uk
, go to the Aquarium housed in the old lifeboat
museum, hire a boat and go sea or shark fishing
[try www.charterfishing.co.uk
or tel;01726 882389] , buy an ice–cream…
just don’t feed the seagulls! |
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Mevagissey
sailing school, tel ; 01726 842383 |
| • |
Scuba
diving with www.saldivingcompany.com
,based in Pentewan. Tel; 01726 844749 |
| • |
A
visit to Fowey is well worth it for a bit of retail
therapy – try the ferry that runs from Mevagissey
harbour instead of the car- with lots of individual
shops, narrow streets, and local pubs and the
association with Daphne du Maurier and the Arts
festival www.dumaurier.org
. |
| • |
There
is an extensive system of ferries operating from
Falmouth - take one to St.Mawes, Flushing or upriver
to Truro along some beautiful scenery and past
the oyster beds.Times are all dependant on the
tides. www.falriverlinks.co.uk
Don't miss the King Harry ferry - Established
in 1888, it connects St Mawes and the Roseland
Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth and avoids
the alternative 27 mile car journey! www.kingharryscornwall.co.uk |
| • |
There
are several sailing schools and boat trips that
operate from Falmouth including Orca sea safaris
for dolphin and basking shark watching ,tel 01872
861910 www.kingharryscornwall.co.uk
, or hire a wooden boat for sailors of any level
of experience tel. 07967 381299, www.falwoodenboathire.co.uk
, for experienced sailors from other sailing clubs
tel. 01326 312126 , www.royalcornwallyachtclub.org
, your guide to getting on, in and under the water
in Cornwall visit www.cornwallmarine.com
, for day hire plus a skipper tel. 01326 376841,
www.sailing-in-falmouth.co.uk
and www.falmouthweek.co.uk
which gives specific info on the Henri LLoyd sailing
regatta. |
| • |
For
more adrenaline style sports try www.penhaleadventure.com
who are based in Newquay but also run sailing
courses in Falmouth, and for surfing tel. 01326
212144, www.falmouthsurfschool.co.uk
. |
| • |
Or
try surfing, wave-skiing, Kite surfing et al at
the www.extremeacademy.co.uk
at Watergate Bay. This is on the north coast between
Newquay and Padstow. Great beach, you can hire
all the equipment, book lessons and have lunch
in Fifteen. Other beaches on this side of the
coast include Polzeath and Rock – v.trendy
and full of the ubiquitous camper vans. |
Art
galleries, museums, theatres, castles
| • |
Lemon
St. Gallery, Truro. Tel; 01872 275757 www.lemonstreetgallery.co.uk
Since opening in 1999 this gallery has earned
an excellent reputation for contemporary art.
Also has a small café and several other
small shops within the complex. |
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Tate,
St.Ives, tel;01736 796226 www.tate.org.uk/stives
This gallery’s reputation goes before and
as well as the art, the gallery’s café
prides itself on using all-cornish produce. |
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The
Minack theatre, Porthcurno.Tel;01736 810181 www.minack.com
A bit of a trek [!] so try a matinee performance!
Stunning outdoor location on the cliffs at Land’s
End.. |
| • |
Mevagissey
model railway,tel; 01726 842457 www.model-railway.co.uk
One for the boys! |
| • |
Charlestown
shipwreck & heritage centre. Tel;01726 69897.
Housed in an old china clay building, this museum
offers an insight into the history of Charlestown,
including a Titanic exhibition. Tall ships are
often moored at harbour here and some have previously
been used in various period t.v dramas. |
| • |
National
maritime museum, Falmouth. Tel;01326 313388 www.nmmc.co.uk
Housed on the harbourside, this is a world of
maritime history with many full sized original
examples. |
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Pendennis
Castle, Falmouth. www.english-heritage.org.uk
Built by Henry VIII to protect the deep water
anchorage of Falmouth, this castle is over 450
years old.Along with St.Mawes castle it protected
and defended the entrance to the river Fal. |
Walking,
cycling, horse-riding, golf courses
| • |
The
South-west Coastal path can be picked up from
directly ouside ocean's edge going south towards
Portmellon and then Gorran Haven [3.5 miles],
or from the harbour near the Mevagissey museum
towards Black head [3.7 miles]. For details of
the coastal path in Falmouth, look at www.jbutler.org.uk/eze/sccp/wt/index.shtml
. Look at www.nationaltrail.co.uk
, www.southwestcoastpath.com
or www.walkcornwall.com
for more details. You will see Cornwall from an
entirely different perspective to the one you
see from a car. You have also deservedly earned
yourselves a picnic and a glass of something cold. |
| • |
Pentewan
Valley cycle trail- 3 miles long – totally
car free and flat so very suitable for families
on bikes. Car parking at either end and bike hire
available [ Tel; 01726 844242 www.pentewanvalleycyclehire.co.uk
]. Or try taking the bike to Eden as you get £3
off every adult ticket if you arrive by bike,
and you can whizz past all the queuing cars –
how smug is that?! Happy trails bike rides can
escort you to Eden leaving you for up to 4 hours
before the return journey.Tel;01726 852058. Other
cycle trails are detailed in www.cyclecornwall.com
including the Camel Trail. |
| • |
For
hire bikes delivered to Falmouth from Truro tel.
01872 870341, www.cornwallcyclehire.com |
| • |
Try
tree climbing with harnesses and ropes tel. 07890
698651, www.mighty-oak.co.uk
based in St.Columb Major near Newquay |
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Classic
car hire is available from Tel 0845 4581108, www.cornwallclassiccarhire.co.uk |
| • |
Try
something totally different and have a look at
www.carfreedaysout.com
which has journeys throughout Cornwall by train
or bus throughout some of the most unspoilt countryside.One
of the rail journeys also combines stopping at
the stations with sampling cornish ales - called
the "Looe valley line rail ale trail"
!! |
| • |
Boskell
riding school in St.Austell Tel; 01726 73049 and
the Veryan riding centre, Tel;01872 501574 –
haven’t yet had a chance to try these but
please do let us know what you think of them. |
| • |
Golf
courses are available in Carlyon Bay [a dramatic
course on the cliffs towards the port of par]
Tel; 01726 814250 www.carlyongolf.com
and at Porthpean [again on the cliffs facing St.Austell]
Tel; 01726 64613 . Try also www.golfincornwall.co.uk
for other courses. Located between Falmouth and
Truro www.killiowgolf.co.uk |
Children/family
attractions
| • |
Flambards
Experience, Helston. Tel;01326 573404 www.flambards.co.uk |
| • |
National
Seal Sanctuary, Gweek, Nr.Helston. Tel.01326 221874
www.sealsanctuary.co.uk
|
| • |
Bodmin
& Wenford Steam Railway. Tel;0845 1259678
www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk |
| • |
Crealy
Great Adventure Park, Tredinnick, Wadebridge.
Tel; 0870 1163333 www.crealy.co.uk |
| • |
Ocean
Bowl Ten pin bowling, Falmouth. Tel; 01326 313130
www.oceanbowl.co.uk
|
| • |
Ships
& Castles Leisure pool,Falmouth - an indoor
pool with wave machine and river ride . Tel. 01326
212129 , www.carrickleisureservices.org.uk
|
| • |
101
things to do on a rainy day , www.101-things-to-do-on-a-rainy-day-in-cornwall.co.uk
|
| • |
Cornish
Cyder Farm, Penhallow, Truro. Tel; 01872 573356
www.thecornishcyderfarm.co.uk |
| • |
Screech
Owl Sanctuary ,Nr. Indian Queens, A30.Tel; 01726
860182 www.screechowlsanctuary.co.uk |
Other
more general Cornish websites
Public
transport
Public
transport by bus is available from Mevagissey [10
min walk to bus stop] to Fowey, St.Austell, Gorran
, Heligan gardens and Newquay via www.westerngreyhound.co.uk
. Detailed information can be found for buses, trains,
ferries,coaches and air in www.cornwallpublictransport.info
.
There
is extensive public transport in and around Falmouth.
Contact www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk
for trains, www.firstwesternational.co.uk
and www.truronian.co.uk
for national and local buses and www.falriverlinks.co.uk
and www.stmawes-ferry.co.uk
for ferries.
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