Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Essentials
GETTING THERE Trains leave London's Paddington Station for St. Austell and
Truro several times a day. The trip takes 4 1 2 -5 hours. At Truro you can connect with
trains for the 25-minute journey to Falmouth. Buses run from Truro to St. Mawes and
Falmouth or you can take a taxi from Truro or St. Austell. You can book the bus as a
through journey to Falmouth when you book the train with First Great Western
( &   08457/000125; www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk). One-way tickets from London
start from £45.
National Express buses ( &   0871/781-8181; www.nationalexpress.com) leave
London's Victoria Coach Station three times a day for Truro. The trip takes 7-8
hours. If you're driving , the A391 branches off the A30 to St. Austell, farther along
the A30 the A39 branches off for Truro and then Falmouth.
VISITOR INFORMATION Truro's Tourist Information Center, Municipal
Buildings, Boscawen Street ( &   01872/274555; www.tourism.truro.gov.uk), is open
Easter to late October, Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm; rest
of year Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Exploring the Area
The glorious Roseland Peninsula is an easy drive from Truro and dotted with
sleepy little settlements ( Veryan has some fascinating 19th-century roundhouses,
built to prevent the Devil from hiding in corners), country churches, and tranquil
creeks. At the very tip is the relaxed waterfront village of St. Mawes, a favorite place
for sailing and boating, and a good base for exploring the rest of the Roseland. Its
former importance as a port is evident when you visit its castle, built by Henry VIII
to protect the coast. The castle is open April to June and September Sunday to Friday
10am to 5pm; July to August daily 10am to 6pm; October daily 10am to 4pm; and
November to late March Friday to Monday 10am to 4pm. Admission is £4.20 adults,
£3.60 seniors, £2.10 children 5-15, and free for children 4 and under. (Also free to
English Heritage members.) Passenger ferries leave St. Mawes hourly (every 30
min. Mon-Fri in summer) each day for the 20-minute trip to Falmouth.
The Roseland Peninsula's most famous church is St.-Just-in-Roseland, a glori-
ous little 13th-century church on a tidal creek, with a much-photographed church-
yard that contains many subtropical plants. It was built on the site of a 5th-century
Celtic church. It's a short drive from here to the King Harry Ferry, a chain-link car
ferry that connects the Roseland with the west bank of the Fal and cuts almost 30
minutes off the journey to Truro and/or Falmouth. It runs daily all year (expect long
waits in summer).
The Lizard Peninsula is larger and even quieter than the Roseland. Helston
(famed for its annual May Flora Festival at which you'll see the Furry Dance) is the
largest town, and other settlements, such as Porthleven, are scattered around the
gloriously romantic coast—a mix of dramatic cliff stacks, crashing seas, and secret
sandy coves. The treacherous waters have long proved hazardous to sailors, and at
Lizard Point —the mainland's most southerly spot, reached off the A3083 from
Helston—you can visit the Lighthouse Heritage Centre (www.lizardlighthouse.
co.uk) and go into the famous twin-towered lighthouse, which was commissioned
in 1752. Originally lit by coal fires, it was not automated until 1998. A couple of
miles away is Kynance Cove, a beautiful beach owned by the National Trust. The
northeast corner of the Lizard is characterized by the sleepy waters of the Helford
10
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search