West Cornwall Soldiers, Miners and Fairies Tour

There is a very great deal to see and do on this tour.
But the sky won't fall in if we don't see it all!
It's your day.
We can skip bits you don't wish to see and Glenys can take you back to your base whenever you like.
Is there something you particularly want to see that's not on the tour?
No Problem, we can add it in.

The tours are private, you won't have to share Glenys with anyone and you can go at your own pace.

There's plenty of time for souvenir and ice cream shopping!

It's your holiday, your tour, your pace, your choice.

What's included:

• Use of torches to explore Halligge Fogou.

Not included:

• Entry fees for St. Michaels mount are not included. Entry is £15 at the time of writing.
• Entry fees for Chysauster village are not included. Entry is £7.50 at the time of writing.
• Entry fees for Pendennis Castle are not included. Entry is £12.50 at the time of writing.
• Entry fees for Geevor Mine are not included. Entry is £18.90 at the time of writing.

What to expect:

Duration: between 5 hours and 13 hours

Gweek

Gweek

We stop in this picturesque little village to visit the shop. Here we find an array of interesting local produce including fresh baked goods. The shop is also a tea/coffee stop. The shop carries a range of interesting teas.

30 minutes

Halliggye Fogou

Trelowarren Estate, St Mawgan, Helston TR12 6AF, UK

Fogous are unique to Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly and are a bit of a mystery.
It is an absolutely fascinating underground chamber of indeterminate age (possibly bronze age). It is man-made and its purpose is... well, tell me what you think after you have seen it.
Chris, your guide, will lend you a little torch so you can go off and explore the subterranean passageways.

30 minutes

Lizard

Lizard

Our first stop on The Lizard Peninsula is At The Lizard Windmill. Situated in a nature reserve, this windmill is over 400 years old. Marvel at the views whilst your guide tells you the tale of The Windmill Gang.
Next, we visit Lizard Town itself. Explore the many little shops but don't ignore the architecture of the pretty buildings.
We then go down to Lizard Point, Britain's most southerly point. We may see seals playing in the water as we enjoy the views.

2 hours

Marazion

Marazion

We stop at a viewpoint to look at the famous St. Michael's Mount and Mounts Bay from a high vantage point.
We pass through the beautiful little village of Marazion on the way to Penwith.
Of course, if you want to actually visit the island, that's fine. It's your tour, your day, your holiday. We can do whatever you like.

15 minutes

St. Michael's Mount

Marazion, TR17 0HS

You'll stroll along the causeway (Or get the boat if the tide is in.) to access the island and explore the castle.
An entry fee applies to access the castle and the grounds. At the time of writing it is £15, but check the website (www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk) to check for yourself.

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Chysauster Ancient Village

New Mill, TR20 8XA

Up above Penzance, we discover Penwith.
Many describe this area as "True Cornwall".
Spectacular scenery, ancient monuments, and a UNESCO World Heritage site on account of its mining history.
Firstly we visit Chysausester:
A c2300-year-old village.
Unique for its layout and state of preservation, this type of courtyard house is peculiar to Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly.
Said to be the oldest village street in the UK.
Entry fees apply from £7.50

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Men-an-tol

Near The Madron-Morvah Road , Madron

We take a little stroll along a farm track and into a field to see The Men An Tol or The Holed Stone.
Used for many and various peculiar purposes including healing.
The magic of this stone is said to be from the doing of a good fairy.

1 hour

Geevor Tin Mine

, , Pendeen, TR19 7EW

You can't come to West Cornwall and not visit Geevor Tin Mine.
Some mine workings date back to the 17th century.
Mining stopped here in 1990.
The heritage center opened three years later.
You'll see inside the ore processing plant and the "dry" where the miners got ready for work. Look down the shaft where the cages took the men to the working levels.
Go underground into the Wheal Mexico mine.
Look at the exhibits in the museum.
Talk to the guides who were miners when the mine was in production.
Entry to the complex costs £19.00.

3 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Levant, Botallack and the Crowns Trail

Pendeen Car Park, Pendeen, TR19 7DW

A short ride takes us to Botallack to look at the famous Crowns Engine Houses, perched spectacularly at the water's edge.
We'll look at The Count House and have a chat about a famous singer who performed there.
(The Count House is where the miners would have collected their wages and where other mine administration would have been carried out.)

20 minutes

Cape Cornwall

Cape Cornwall Road, , St Just

Leaving Botallack we go to look at Cape Cornwall and the monument there (you will be amazed at what the monument is for. I was!) and then a look at Ballowall Barrow, a 10,000-year-old burial chamber.
We then head back to Falmouth for a look at Pendennis Castle.

30 minutes

Pendennis Castle

Castle Dr, , Falmouth, TR11 4LP

Depending on where Glenys and I have picked you up from we can also visit Pendennis Castle at some point.
Construction of Pendennis Castle began in the 1540s, it was modernized several times and saw action in World War two. After over 400 years of service, Pendennis was decommissioned in 1956 and opened to the public a year later.
Admission is £12.50.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included