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A Day Out in St Mawes

A Day Out in St Mawes

We love to offer personal recommendations to visitors of our holiday cottages, and one of our favourite places to visit is the charming village of St Mawes on the Roseland Peninsula. The beaches at St Mawes face across the harbour towards Falmouth, with the famous two castles guarding the entrance of the entire Fal estuary. Perfect for a day trip, you can explore the history, food and scenery of this picturesque part of Cornwall!

Getting To St Mawes

Although you can drive to St Mawes via Truro or the King Harry car ferry, the more scenic option is to take the popular passenger ferry from Falmouth. (If you’re staying in one of our Flushing or Mylor holiday cottages, you can also hop across the water from Flushing to Falmouth via foot ferry.)

Sailing cross from the Prince of Wales Pier, every day, all year round and take 20 minutes. They also often see amazing wildlife during the crossing, so keep your eyes peeled for sels and dolphins as well as birdlife! The ferry is also dog friendly and allows bicycles.

When You Arrive

You’ll disembark at St Mawes harbour, with sheltered waters offering a perfect place for sailing, kayaking and paddleboard launching. From here you can see the lane leading left up towards St Mawes Castle, or the roads to the right which lead you past the main shops and hotels and on towards the stunning Summers Beach.

Food & Drink

If you’re peckish when you arrive, the harbourside is a perfect place to grab a drink or a bite to eat. The Da Bara Bakery serves specialty coffee and their own famously sugary cinnamon buns, and Mr Scorse Deli serves amazing takeaway sandwiches, quiches and baguettes as well as delicious foodie treasures to take home with you for later. Both of these are wonderful to enjoy out on a bench or picnic blanket in the sunshine!

For a more formal, indoor dining experience, there are a number of pubs and restaurants in the village. The Rising Sun and The Watch House offer more of a pub atmosphere, whilst Hotel Tresanton and The Idle Rocks cater for more high-end dining.

Walk to A Beautiful Church

From the centre of St Mawes you can walk two miles up the coastal path to St Just-in-Roseland, a village with its own picturesque waterside 13th-century church that sits within gorgeous gardens. The church is open daily from 8.30 am – 6.30pm in the summer and from 8.30 am – 4pm during the winter months – we definitely recommend a look inside as well as a stroll around the gardens. They also have a lovely little cafe across the road called Renwicks, which re-opens in the Spring.

St Anthony’s Head Circular Walk

If you fancy hopping on another passenger ferry over to ‘Place’, there is a popular walk which includes the iconic St Anthony’s Lighthouse (also known as the Fraggle Rock lighthouse!) It’s around 6 miles across an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and several beautiful beaches, although there are shorter options available as well.

Because this area is more remote, enjoy a feeling of detachment and peace and quiet as you take in the far-reaching views out to sea and across the estuary. It may be worth planning your trip around the weather though, as this is an exposed headland so you’ll be in the elements whether it’s rain or shine!

Visit St Mawes Castle

Just minutes from the harbour where the ferry drops you off, you will find the historic castle managed by English Heritage. Like Pendennis Castle, it dates from Henry VIII’s time and served a vital role in protecting the busy port of Falmouth for over 400 years.

Though much smaller, St Mawes Castle is said to be one of the most elaborately decorated from that era, with carvings and writing still visible on the walls. Visitors can enjoy guides and exhibits for adults as well as a children’s trail if you are bringing little ones along. The castle is open Wed-Sun, 10am – 4pm and discounts are available when booking ahead online.

Lamorran House Garden

Just a ten minute walk from the middle of St Mawes is a ‘Subtropical Italianate Inspired’ garden which opens from April this year. Pitched on a coastal slope, the gardens once featured in a Gardener’s World special – ‘Gardening on the Edge’ because of their incredible show of plants in such an unusual location. At the top of the garden, La Terrazza serves light refreshments and drinks, and they also sometimes sell a small selection of plants which have been home-grown in the garden.

Heading Home

When you’ve enjoyed your day exploring the village and its surrounding areas, hop back on the ferry to Falmouth, but do check that you’re on the right one (some go to Custom House Quay rather than Prince of Wales Pier, and are run by a different company, so make sure your boat matches the return ticket you’ve purchased!)

Once back in Falmouth, head for a drink, some seafood, or simply make your way home to your holiday cottage for an evening of relaxation…

We’d love to see pictures of your days out in St Mawes, and are always happy to help if you need any local recommendations during your stay!