A Day Out On The Roseland Peninsula
When you come to stay in one of our holiday cottages in Falmouth, Mylor, Flushing, or the surrounding areas, we recommend taking a day out to the Roseland Peninsula!
Whether you drive around, take the King Harry car ferry, or hop from Flushing to Falmouth to St Mawes, the journey is part of the experience as you explore this very special part of Cornwall.
Situated to the West of St Austell but divided from Falmouth by the mighty estuary and harbour, this part of Cornwall has remained perhaps more remote and untouched compared to the bigger towns and main tourist hotspots. Come and see its unparalleled beauty for yourself!
Walks & Beaches on The Roseland Peninsula
There are a multitude of beaches to choose from, including Summers Beach and Tavern Beach which you can reach by foot from the St Mawes ferry, as well as a host of others accessible by car:
Carne Beach and Pendower beach join up at low tide to form a stretch of golden sand stretching over a mile. With some rockier areas and a small stream, there is plenty to explore too, with rockpool designated as SSSIs (Site of Special Scientific Interest). Pendower is managed by the National Trust and the car-park is free for their members.
Porthcurnick Beach is a family-friendly and dog-friendly beach, also managed by the National Trust. Walkable from the popular village of Portscatho, it is also well known for the Hidden Hut restaurant above the beach.
Little and Great Molunan coves face back towards Falmouth Harbour and are most easily accessible by boat! However, the intrepid can access these beaches from St Anthony’s Lighthouse via some steep steps. As they are off the beaten track, these are often quieter than the bigger beaches described above.
For walks, we recommend following guidance from iWalk Cornwall who list many tried and tested routes with very helpful details, including:
- Towan Beach to Place House: “A walk on contrasting coastlines, from the rugged Roseland coast to the sheltered creeks of the Percuil River opposite St Mawes.”
- St Anthony Head: “A walk on the Roseland coast and then into the Fal estuary to St Anthony Church via the fort St Anthony Head and the golden sandy beaches of Molunan.”
- Portscatho to Pendower: “A circular walk along two miles of beaches around Gerrans Bay which were once used by Portscatho smugglers to land contraband and strewn with the wreckage of sailing ships that overshot Falmouth Harbour and ran aground on The Whelps reef.”
- Caerhays Castle to Hemmick Beach: “A circular walk around Veryan Bay between two sandy beaches from Caerhays Castle where the gardens contain nationally-important collections from the expeditions of Victorian plant hunters.”
Do let us know which you explore, and send in your pictures of the stunning views that you’re sure to come across! We love seeing what our guests get up to during their stays.
Best Gardens To Visit on The Roseland
We really are spoilt for choice with gardens in Cornwall, and on the Roseland you will find some of the finest:
St Just in Roseland is famed for its gorgeous creekside churchyard which is free to wander through at any time. “This must surely be the prettiest churchyard in England, it is set on a hillside overlooking the church and creek. There are many paths leading through rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, bamboos, wild garlic and bluebells. There are also ponds with giant gunnera and small streams.” – Great British Gardens
Trewithan Estate & Gardens is full of both local history and botanical natural beauty. Three centuries of plant collecting characterise these 30 acres of subtropical gardens, which also include parkland, woodland and ponds. “Among the many highlights you’ll find here is our impressive collection of camellias – over 200 varieties sourced on plant hunting trips in the early 20th century. The gardens are also home to the UK’s finest cultivated specimen of Magnolia campbellii subsp. Mollicomata, which was introduced from China and now stands at over 65 ft high.” – Trewithen
Lamorran Gardens are hidden away in central St Mawes, but packed absolutely full of winding paths and beautiful (steep slope-resistant!) planting. Views are incomparable and the little cafe at the top is a stunning place to sit and refuel. For a masterclass in coastal gardening, this is certainly one to visit! It once featured on BBC’s Gardener’s World with Monty Don and you can see why, as it really is quite unique.
Historical Sites on The Roseland
To feel as though you’ve stepped back in time on the Roseland Peninsula, you can either soak up the general atmosphere of quaint villages and picturesque cottages, or head to some standout sites:
Caerhays Castle opens to the public for a short time in the Spring, showing off its estate and gardens which date back to 1840. It is one of the last remaining ‘Nash Castles’ and also boasts a botanical collection from Victorian plant collectors. “The 140 acre garden at Caerhays contains a combination of both spectacular spring displays of enormous tree magnolias, rhododendrons and camellias as well as a huge range of rare woodland trees and shrubs originating primarily from China.” – Great British GardensDo let us know which you explore, and send in your pictures of the stunning views that you’re sure to come across! We love seeing what our guests get up to during their stays.
St Mawes Castle is perhaps the most famous historical landmark on the Roseland Peninsula, symbolising centuries of maritime history and defence of the strategically essential Falmouth Harbour. Constructed by King Henry VIII in the 16th century, it is known as one of the best decorated castles of the time, and is kept in tip-top condition by English Heritage (you can also get discounted entry by joining Cornwall Heritage Trust if you’re not already an EH member.)
Portloe Harbour is a historic fishing village which used to have a thriving pilchard fishery during the 17th and 18th centuries before the cost of salt became too expensive! These days boats land crab and lobster, but in the past locals turned to smuggling in this protected Cornish cove, and you can just imagine the vibrant community which nestled amongst its stunning natural beauty.
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