Cornwall in December
Discussion
We have booked a week in a lovely little place in Cornwall in mid-December, location wise it's relatively near the Helford River. We're both technically working, but it will be very quiet (hence why we decided to book a week away before the madness of xmas)so will be able to do most stuff from our phones whilst out and about if need be and we will be there for the weekend of 16th -17th also.
Any recommendations for what to do and see this time of year? I have been to Cornwall a number of times, but never in December. We will have our car and happy to drive around as far as needed.
We will have two dogs with us, so not looking for any fine dining recommendations, but anything else is welcome including suitable pubs/restaurants.
We know the weather could do anything at this time of year, but luckily the place we have booked is lovely, so if it ends up being 7 days stuck there then we will still be more than happy!
Any recommendations for what to do and see this time of year? I have been to Cornwall a number of times, but never in December. We will have our car and happy to drive around as far as needed.
We will have two dogs with us, so not looking for any fine dining recommendations, but anything else is welcome including suitable pubs/restaurants.
We know the weather could do anything at this time of year, but luckily the place we have booked is lovely, so if it ends up being 7 days stuck there then we will still be more than happy!
If your into gardens etc, join as member The Newt in Somerset, worth a stop on way there or back or both that also gets you free entry to these places: -
Our partner gardens including: Kew, Wakehurst, Great Dixter, Eden Project, Blenheim, Chatsworth, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Trebah, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Tregothnan, Tremenheere, Tresco, our sister garden in South Africa, Babylonstoren and Winterthur in the US
6 of which are in Cornwall, that should fill your time....
As well as other member benefits.
https://thenewtinsomerset.com/member-landing
Our partner gardens including: Kew, Wakehurst, Great Dixter, Eden Project, Blenheim, Chatsworth, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Trebah, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Tregothnan, Tremenheere, Tresco, our sister garden in South Africa, Babylonstoren and Winterthur in the US
6 of which are in Cornwall, that should fill your time....
As well as other member benefits.
https://thenewtinsomerset.com/member-landing
We go to Cornwall twice a year. Walking the coast path is our 'thing'.
If you can drive to St Agnes (about 19 miles 56 mins) the walk to Perranporth is fabulous - about 3 1/2 miles allow 1hr & 1/2 each way. St Agnes is very pretty, lots of good pubs (St Agnes Hotel or The Driftwood Spars down in Trevaunance Cove) with pretty food food / atmosphere wise. You can park (for free) in the public car park at Trevaunance Cove out of season.
Alternatively, if you are on a budget, there is a 'spoons in Perranporth.
The town of which itself is nothing to write home about, in you postcards - unless of course you wish to wax lyrical about having found the actual a
hole of the Universe as being located in the paradise of the North Cornish coast!
If you can drive to St Agnes (about 19 miles 56 mins) the walk to Perranporth is fabulous - about 3 1/2 miles allow 1hr & 1/2 each way. St Agnes is very pretty, lots of good pubs (St Agnes Hotel or The Driftwood Spars down in Trevaunance Cove) with pretty food food / atmosphere wise. You can park (for free) in the public car park at Trevaunance Cove out of season.
Alternatively, if you are on a budget, there is a 'spoons in Perranporth.
The town of which itself is nothing to write home about, in you postcards - unless of course you wish to wax lyrical about having found the actual a
hole of the Universe as being located in the paradise of the North Cornish coast!We have family in Falmouth, Cornwall, and we have been visiting them since the late 1970s. Since about 2000 we have been twice a year, out of season, usually mid April and early November for 4 nights each visit. We got back from our latest visit last week. Never been in December. We stay at The Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth. So, we know many places to eat, visit etc in West Cornwall.
All the recommendations above are good. Re The Pandora Inn at Restronguet, be aware that although it is in a beautiful setting the parking area is OK but often totally full, so I'd recommend going for lunch and getting there early. If you cannot park, try The Lemon Arms at Mylor Bridge; it's more local than tourist, serves good food, welcomes dogs, and has parking.
A nice drive is round the so called Penwith Peninsula. This is the coast road from Penzance to St. Ives. Nice twisty road with good views etc. Good to detour to local villages such as Sennen Cove for a brisk walk with your dogs. An excellent stop off for lunch is Gurnard's Head at Zennor.
A drive to Lizard Head is good if the weather is bad! Park in the NT car park and see spectacular waves etc in rough weather.
Visit Kynance Cove for a good walk. Again, park in the NT car park and then use the track down to the Cove. There is a cafe down there but I don't know if it will be open in December.
As you are based in Helford you are bound to vist The Ferry Boat Inn. The Shipwight's Arms on the opposite side of the river is good too.
If you are into castles, Pendennis Castle in Falmouth is worth a visit. And then park up at Pendennis Point for good views, a blast of sea air, and a Cornish ice cream, if you wish. Nearby Gyllyngvase Beach Cafe is good and dogs are allowed on the beach in Winter
Another nice cafe and then walk is The Rockpool at Gwithian Beach. And if you like a good Cornish Pastie, the best can be got from Philp's shop in nearby Hayle... note, queues at lunchtime. Their pasties are so good I get them delivered to home in Mid Surrey and I always have a few in the freezer!
Need any more specific info, just ask.
We travel to Falmouth via M3, A303, A30 etc. We rarely use M4/M5. If you wish to know places to have a pit stop, just ask.
R.
All the recommendations above are good. Re The Pandora Inn at Restronguet, be aware that although it is in a beautiful setting the parking area is OK but often totally full, so I'd recommend going for lunch and getting there early. If you cannot park, try The Lemon Arms at Mylor Bridge; it's more local than tourist, serves good food, welcomes dogs, and has parking.
A nice drive is round the so called Penwith Peninsula. This is the coast road from Penzance to St. Ives. Nice twisty road with good views etc. Good to detour to local villages such as Sennen Cove for a brisk walk with your dogs. An excellent stop off for lunch is Gurnard's Head at Zennor.
A drive to Lizard Head is good if the weather is bad! Park in the NT car park and see spectacular waves etc in rough weather.
Visit Kynance Cove for a good walk. Again, park in the NT car park and then use the track down to the Cove. There is a cafe down there but I don't know if it will be open in December.
As you are based in Helford you are bound to vist The Ferry Boat Inn. The Shipwight's Arms on the opposite side of the river is good too.
If you are into castles, Pendennis Castle in Falmouth is worth a visit. And then park up at Pendennis Point for good views, a blast of sea air, and a Cornish ice cream, if you wish. Nearby Gyllyngvase Beach Cafe is good and dogs are allowed on the beach in Winter
Another nice cafe and then walk is The Rockpool at Gwithian Beach. And if you like a good Cornish Pastie, the best can be got from Philp's shop in nearby Hayle... note, queues at lunchtime. Their pasties are so good I get them delivered to home in Mid Surrey and I always have a few in the freezer!
Need any more specific info, just ask.
We travel to Falmouth via M3, A303, A30 etc. We rarely use M4/M5. If you wish to know places to have a pit stop, just ask.
R.
I live near Helston.
Minack theatre is worth a visit. Think it's open for a lookaround when there are no plays on.
The cafe at Lizard Point has good views from the terrace seating. Park in the NT car park.
Cape Cornwall - NT car park, then follow the coastal path down to the coastguard station.
As posted earlier, the coast road from St. Just to St. Ives.
Porthleven for the harbour and foodie experience. Maybe combine with a walk through the Penrose Estate past Loe Bar to Porthleven - park in the ( free) fairground car park in Helston.
Walk along the front at Coverack.
Mousehole.
Praa Sands, Welloe Rock Inn.
Halzephron Inn at Gunwalloe.
Minack theatre is worth a visit. Think it's open for a lookaround when there are no plays on.
The cafe at Lizard Point has good views from the terrace seating. Park in the NT car park.
Cape Cornwall - NT car park, then follow the coastal path down to the coastguard station.
As posted earlier, the coast road from St. Just to St. Ives.
Porthleven for the harbour and foodie experience. Maybe combine with a walk through the Penrose Estate past Loe Bar to Porthleven - park in the ( free) fairground car park in Helston.
Walk along the front at Coverack.
Mousehole.
Praa Sands, Welloe Rock Inn.
Halzephron Inn at Gunwalloe.
As ever with these threads your better off looking at visit cornwall, as its so vague and the suggestions cover half the duchy!
however in the spirit and in the near surrounding area.
Pandora inn is a bit naff these days tbh.
Frenchman's creek walk from the village and back via manaccan, is one of my favorite walks.
the cove near bareppa is decent food wise as is victoria inn at perranuthoe, as well as the usual suspects in porthleven, in the near vicinity
trebah gardens is worth a visit if you have any interest in gardens and allows pooches.
really depends on what you want to do, how far travel etc.
however in the spirit and in the near surrounding area.
Pandora inn is a bit naff these days tbh.
Frenchman's creek walk from the village and back via manaccan, is one of my favorite walks.
the cove near bareppa is decent food wise as is victoria inn at perranuthoe, as well as the usual suspects in porthleven, in the near vicinity
trebah gardens is worth a visit if you have any interest in gardens and allows pooches.
really depends on what you want to do, how far travel etc.
If you are down by the Helford then Potager Garden and cafe is rather nice. Trebah as mentioned is good for a walk around. Falmouth quite buzy. Penzance is run down. If you do find yourself St Ives way on a trip then it is one time of the year when it is quiet to visit (unfortunately some places like Portminster Beach Cafe are closed until Xmas week). The north coast St Ives / Zennor is quite different in a dramatic and wild way as is a lot of the coast St Ives / St Agnes (avoiding Hayle).
At least you have booked a place to stay suitable for the inevitable 7 days of rain :- )
At least you have booked a place to stay suitable for the inevitable 7 days of rain :- )
Edited by C4ME on Wednesday 22 November 20:52
C4ME said:
If you are down by the Helford then Potager Garden and cafe is rather nice. Trebah as mentioned is good for a walk around. Falmouth quite buzy. Penzance is run down. If you do find yourself St Ives way on a trip then it is one time of the year when it is quiet to visit (unfortunately some places like Portminster Beach Cafe are closed until Xmas week). The north coast St Ives / Zennor is quite different in a dramatic and wild way as is a lot of the coast St Ives / St Agnes (avoiding Hayle).
At least you have booked a place to stay suitable for the inevitable 7 days of rain :- )
Nowt wrong with Hayle..or PZ tbh at least on the emmet facing sides...Hayle will boom in 10 years or so. There are a few things that need to be sorted but expect development will gather pace finally after the covid delays...Invest now for those with a slight short term risk appetite, medium and long term there's money to be made and it won't suffer potential draconian 2nd home owner issues like the current honeypots are increasingly going to be plagued with by the councils, imo. Wish I had the capital to do it!At least you have booked a place to stay suitable for the inevitable 7 days of rain :- )
Edited by C4ME on Wednesday 22 November 20:52
PZ has come on leaps and bounds on the emmet facing parts which is a miles from where it used to be, scratch the surface though...and now has plenty of good food places there too ...well Newlyn but there the same place in my eyes.
BTW the Victoria and cove are both pooch friendly to an extent op so can eat in with them.
badgerade said:
The Seafood Bar in Falmouth is dog friendly and does great food and beer (owned by Verdant who are based in Penryn).
It's quite small but we took 2 wet retrievers in there in Feb and they didn't bat an eyelid).
Good job I wasn’t in there. Bringing dogs into an eating establishment is totally anti social and disrespectful. Bringing wet dogs in is at another level of complete disregard for others. It's quite small but we took 2 wet retrievers in there in Feb and they didn't bat an eyelid).
theplayingmantis said:
As ever with these threads your better off looking at visit cornwall, as its so vague and the suggestions cover half the duchy!
however in the spirit and in the near surrounding area.
Pandora inn is a bit naff these days tbh.
Frenchman's creek walk from the village and back via manaccan, is one of my favorite walks.
the cove near bareppa is decent food wise as is victoria inn at perranuthoe, as well as the usual suspects in porthleven, in the near vicinity
trebah gardens is worth a visit if you have any interest in gardens and allows pooches.
really depends on what you want to do, how far travel etc.
Agree about the Pandora, past its best. Fond memories back in the day of whizzing round from the house on Falmouth harbour in the ski boat for (more than) a few jars…however in the spirit and in the near surrounding area.
Pandora inn is a bit naff these days tbh.
Frenchman's creek walk from the village and back via manaccan, is one of my favorite walks.
the cove near bareppa is decent food wise as is victoria inn at perranuthoe, as well as the usual suspects in porthleven, in the near vicinity
trebah gardens is worth a visit if you have any interest in gardens and allows pooches.
really depends on what you want to do, how far travel etc.
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