Local attractions

Famous Gardens

The National Trust (NT) gardens at Trelissick are only 2 miles from Point. The gardens stretch down towards the King Harry Ferry, and there are pleasant walks around the Trellissick Estate with fine views over the Carrick Roads towards Falmouth. There is an excellent gallery displaying local crafts, and the usual NT shop and restaurant.

The famous valley gardens at Glendurgan (NT) and Trebah are about 7 miles away. At Glendurgan the walk through the garden takes you down to the tiny village bearing the same name on the shore of the Helford River, and the garden features a fine maze. In summer, ferries run from Glendurgan to Helford Village and Helford Passage, both of which have excellent pubs.

Trebah is famous for its tree ferns, wonderful bamboos, and spectacular numbers of Gunnera plants further down the valley, again leading to a peaceful beach on the shores of the Helford River.

Our favourite places:

St Mawes

A quick trip across the King Harry ferry takes you to the charming resort of St Mawes, or you can take one of the regular ferries from Falmouth. On the way, call in at the exquisite church of St Just in Roseland. Once in St Mawes, there is a pleasant stroll along the seafront to Henry VIIIs castle (English Heritage), with craft shops and cafes on the way. Ther are a number of excellent pubs (The Sun Inn, Victory Inn) and the famous Idle Rocks and Tresanton Hotels.

The Lizard

The Lizard is the southernmost tip of the UK, a short drive of 40 minutes away and one of our favourite places. The Lizard itself, with souvenir shops selling serpentine (Cornish marble) ornaments, and famous beauty spots like Cadgwith Cove and Kynance Cove (NT) can be quite busy, but take a short stroll along the coast path away from the crowds, and the scenery becomes even better. A walk from Loe Bar, to Gunwalloe and Church Cove (NT) with its wrecked bullion ships, can be topped off with lunch at the Hazlephron Inn.

The North Coast and St Ives

The rugged North coast is only 12 miles away, and Chapel Porth (NT) near St Agnes offers short spectacular walks along the coast path to the ruins of Wheal Coates mine perched on the clifftop.

Further afield towards St Ives, is the fabulous beach and rocky lighthouse of Godrevy (NT). Seals can often be seen on some of the secluded beaches near here. St Ives itself is a must to visit: our tip is to use the park and ride (train) from Lelant Saltings which gives the added bonus of panoramic views along the sands from Carbis Bay towards Godrevy. The station overlooks Porthminster beach, where you'll find the Porthminster cafe, one of the top ten beach cafes in the UK. The rooftop cafe at Tate St Ives also does excellent cream teas and has spectacular views over Porthmeor beach.

Penwith and West Cornwall

Driving towards Penzance, St Michael's Mount (NT) is another must, and further round the coast, through Newlyn, is the picturesque fishing village of Mousehole. The coastal scenery at Cape Cornwall is simply spectacular, and we recommend lunch at the Cookbook Cafe in St Just. You can carry on around the north coast to Botallack to visit the restored mine engines and museum (NT), before returning via St Ives.