Paqngo

We will be traveling to the Uk in May/June. We have 10 days that we would like to spend in Devon and Cornwall. I am thinking of two areas. We will have a car, want to do some walks and some gardens. If you were going to have two places for a base where would it be? Thanks in advance.

MmePerdu

Unless you have a particular kind of walk in mind, say the South West Coast Path, there are literally walks everywhere you'll go. So I might not even plan that part, no need to complicate your planning & anywhere you stay there will be recommendations of paths. What I'd concentrate on are the gardens and what kind you'd like to visit, large gardens or smaller personal ones. My favorites have always been the latter, found according to the dates you'll be in a particular area in what used to be the Yellow Book, now a website, the National Garden Scheme.

Have a good look here, very useful to find & plan garden visits: https://ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/?clear=true
For the National Trust gardens, the large famous ones, look here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

So that's how I'd plan, find the particular gardens that most interest you and an area to stay will become more obvious. The choices are endless.

In Cornwall I do love Falmouth & there are some famous gardens nearby. And, though I haven't taken them, there are ferries, one to Trelissick, for instance: https://www.falriver.co.uk/ferries
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/trelissick
https://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/

Very important: Keep in mind as you plan the days the various gardens are closed & group visits accordingly.

annhig

Hi Paqngo - I saw your comment on WFD and made a bee line for your thread!

I'm sure you know that 10 days is nothing like long enough to see Devon and Cornwall but you can get a good feel for both of them, especially if you stay in a couple of places. Assuming from your other post that you will be coming from the Cotswolds, then I wold suggest getting the worst of the driving over first and heading for Cornwall for your first stop, then making your way back to London via Devon which will mean that your return journey will be easier.

The next question is where to stay in Cornwall. Not sure what sort of place you are looking for - whether a self catering cottage in the country or a country hotel [there are some terrific ones], or an apartment or cottage in a town or village. If you want to stay in a town/village where you have plenty of choice of restaurants etc to walk to in the evening [rather than eating in or having to drive somewhere], my recommendations would be Falmouth, Penzance or St Ives. Each has their attractions - for art, you might choose St Ives [though PZ is also a good choice], for access to the far west I would go for PZ, and if you like boat trips and gardens as well as access to some of the best walking, you might like Falmouth. All have great restaurants and more than enough to see and do to fill 4-5 days or so.

As for Devon, my favourite area is North Devon, which could take you as little as 2 ½ hours to reach from St Ives or PZ, but with stops at several lovely places en route might last most of a day. Again plenty to do and see there and a wonderful rugged coastline to boot. Alternatively the South Hams around Dartmouth or Salcombe is lovely, or if you prefer, you could base yourselves in the middle of Dartmoor in Tavistock or Chagford.

Hope that helps for starters!

Paqngo

MmePerdue- Thanks for the walking advice. I will do a bit of research regarding the gardens big and small. I appreciate the links.

Annhig- The advice to drive to Cornwall first is great. I am open to both self catering and hotels for this bit. I enjoy going out but also staying in for a meal. I will look at the three cities that you listed.

Now, I get to start looking.

mjs

Don’t wish to hijack this thread but have been watching Wycliffe and still thinking about Cornwall in the future. Would Harlyn Bay be a good location?

annhig

Hi mjs - despite my having lived in Cornwall for more than 20 years I had to look up where Harlyn Bay is! I actually know someone who lives near there but I never knew what it was called. It's quite remote but OTOH it is quite close to Padstow and there are lots of camping and caravan sites around as well as rental cottages if that's what you fancy. May I ask what made you thought of Harlyn Bay?

annhig

<<Annhig- The advice to drive to Cornwall first is great. I am open to both self catering and hotels for this bit. I enjoy going out but also staying in for a meal. I will look at the three cities that you listed.>>

More towns than cities, Paqngo. Our only city is Truro which has a population of about 25000 and out of season these places are smaller with the exception of Falmouth which is a university town so there are lots of students around in term time. It's worth perhaps deciding what you want to see while you are here and then working out how long it would take you to get there from each place. For example if you have always promised yourself a trip to Land's End [actually a bit tacky now, but you can walk round it on the coastal path for free] and/or want to go to the Minack theatre, PZ or St Ives would be the obvious choice. If you decided that you'd like to see the gardens at Trebah, and Glendurgan and explore the Lizard [Cadgewtih and Coverack are very beautiful] then Falmouth would be better. https://www.minack.com/whats-on/by-g...e=performances

mjs

The Pig appears to be a nice place to stay

Paqngo

Thanks for all your help Annhig. I am going to finish up getting a place today for Devon.

annhig

Whilst you are doing that, here's something else to whet your appetite for Cornwall.

https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subsc...2h3w&r=MNX2MsA

Where are you considering in Devon?

Paqngo

We found a place in Georgeham that is close to Woolacombe and Barnstaple. It is a self catering place and seems like a good place to explore the area. What are your thoughts? The other place we booked is by the Helford river. Thanks for the link. More beautiful pictures of the area.

annhig

Paqngo - that should be a great place to stay. There are innumerable places to visit both on your way to Georgeham and while you are there. Morwenstow [on the way]. Hartland Point [ditto, or as part of a day excursion to Clovelly and Appledore], Barnstaple [especially the Pannier Market], Baggy Point, Mortehoe, Lee, Watermouth, Heddon's Mouth going down to Hunter's Inn, even Lynton and Lynmouth.

Clovelly and Appledore deserve a special mention IMO - Clovelly is a very picturesque old village built into a hillside where the only method of transport besides walking used to be donkeys and Appledore is an equally picturesque old ship building village with a tradition of houses all painted different colours.

If you'd like to give me a more precise location I'll save the Helford for another post.

Paqngo

Annhig- It’s close to St.Martin and Helford Village.

annhig

OK. Nice spot! Again, loads to see and do, both on the Lizard itself, and in the area to the north and west. You are very close to Trelowarren which has a very good restaurant, and some interesting craft and art galleries, the lovely villages of Coverack and Cadgwith, [great pub and little shops selling fish and crab], good beaches at Kynance Cove and Gunwalloe, the typical Cornish town of Helston and the fishing village of Porthleven.[several outstanding restaurants] not to forget Lizard Village itself [not a thing of beauty TBH] and the most southerly spot on the mainland of the British Isles at Lizard point .[lighthouse]
.
If you want gardens it's about 30 mins drive to Glendurgan and Trebah [both on the other side of the Helford] and while you are in that area there is an outstanding pub just outside the village of Constantine called the Trengilly Wartha. https://www.trengilly.co.uk/our-food/

30 mins to the west is Marazion where you can visit St Michael's Mount [walk at low tide, boat back at high tide] and a bit further on you come to Penzance with the lovely Penlee art gallery, followed by the fishing port of Newlyn, and then Mousehole. Keep going west along the south coast and you will eventually come to Porthcurno [home of an extremely good Telegraph and Communications Museum] and the spectacular Minack Theatre, then finally Land's End. [best bet is to drive to Sennen and walk back along the footpath]. A little further up the north coast brings you to St Just [a very strange place] and Cape Cornwall. Keep going and you come to St Ives, but that is probably worthy of a day to itself.

Hope this helps - feel free to ask me anything else that occurs to you.

Paqngo

Thanks for all of the great information. I am looking forward to exploring the beautiful area.