Professional Documents
Culture Documents
369
Exeter
Padstow
Newquay
Greenway
Dartmouth
Trebah
Isles
of Scilly
NUMBER OF THATCHED
Eden Project
Dartmoor
50N
Tresco
St
Martin's
Isles of Scilly
Tintagel
Boscastle
Henfort
CORNWALL
Holsworthy
Stratton
Kilkhampton
A39
Bridestowe
Yes Tor
(619m)
Okehampton
Hatherleigh
A386
Great
Torrington
Northam
Bideford
A3072
A388
Barnstaple
Bay
Hartland Clovelly
Abbey
st Path
Davidstow
Bude
Bude
Bay
oa
A30
B3212
Teign
0
0
Tiverton
Cullompton
A30
M5
Sidmouth
Cheddar
Ax
40 km
20 miles
South
Petherton
Somerton
Street
Lyme
Seaton Regis
Lyme
Bay
Bridport
Axminster
DORSET
Chard Crewkerne
Illminster
A303
A35
Gittisham
Honiton
Wellington
Taunton
Bridgwater
Yarcombe
A358
Bridgwater Burnhamon-Sea
Bay
SOMERSET
Minehead
Bampton
A396
Exeter
Crediton
DEVON
Witheridge
Chulmleigh
A377
A39
Exmoor
National
Park
A361
Lynton
South
Molton
Barnstaple
Combe
Martin
Croyde
Braunton
Ilfracombe
Appledore
Bristol
Channel
Ta w
A La
Powderham
Hugh Town St
Rough Brown Launceston
Ronde
Lydford
Mary's
Port
Moretonhampstead Castle
High
Tor (400m) Willy A30
Milton
Isaac
Dartmoor
B
Willhays National
Abbot
ov
(419m)
Budleigh Salterton
A386
e
Isles
Camelford
y
(621m)
Jamaica
Exmouth
Park
A38
of Scilly
Rock
Merrivale
Inn
A39 Bolventor
Dawlish
Dartmeet
Padstow
Wadebridge
Minions
Newton Abbot
Teignmouth
Tavistock
Gunnislake
Bodmin
Princetown
Calstock
Buckfast
Moor
Bodmin
St Columb
Constantine
Abbey
Callington
Liskeard
Major
Bay
Buckfastleigh
Torquay
Lanhydrock
Buckland
Newquay
Restormel
Newquay
House
Totnes
Lopwell Abbey
A38
Tor Bay
Castle
Airport
A385 Paignton
Saltash
Lostwithiel
Plymouth
Trerice
A38
Eden Project
Brixham
Torpoint
Perranporth
Looe
St Austell
Greenway
Ivybridge
Bodinnick
A30
Coleton
St Agnes
Dartmouth
Charlestown Par
Whitsand
St Agnes
Head
Fishacre
Modbury
m
Bay
Polruan Polperro
l
Kingswear
a
St
Porthtowan
Heligan
Ye
Portreath
Austell
Truro
Kingsbridge
Tregony
St Ives
Bay Fowey
Stokenham
St Ives Bay
Redruth Trelissick Veryan
Salcombe
Zennor
W
Camborne A39
Portloe
es
Hayle
tC
St JustPenryn
St Mawes
oast
St Erth
in-Penwith
Path
Falmouth
Penzance
Roseland
Peninsula
Marazion
A394
Falmouth
Helston
English
Trebah &
Bay
St
Michaels
Porthleven
Land's Mousehole
Glendurgan
Mount
Channel
Helford
End
Gardens
Goonhilly
Mount's
6W
St
Keverne
Minack
Bay
Earth Station
50N
Coverack
i) Theatre
illy (20m
Cadgwith
4W
s of Sc
3W
5W
To Isle
The Lizard
Lizard Point
51N
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Lundy
Island
tC
Exe
Av
on
South Wes
So
ar
Tam
h
ut
lonelyplanet.com
History
Devon and Cornwall positively ripple with
the past. The counties are doted with stone
circles, tombs and Bronze Age houses, especially on Dartmoor (p390), Bodmin Moor
and in west Cornwall (p404 and p416). The
Romans invaded in AD 55 and their crumbling city wall still winds through Exeters
streets. When the legionnaires decamped
(around 400) legend has it King Arthur ruled
the roost many claim that spray-dashed
Tintagel Castle (p398) was his stronghold.
Certainly the counties were part of King Alfred
the Greats 9th-century kingdom of Wessex.
From Tudor times onwards Devon and
Cornwall helped England build an empire
plaques on Plymouths Barbican (p383) note
the departures of Sir Francis Drake, Americas
first settlers and emigrant ships to Australia
and New Zealand.
The late 1800s saw a sharp decline in
Cornwalls mining industry and mass migration some communities were cut by a third;
today ruined engine houses still dot the countys cliffs, most dramatically at Geevor and
Botallack (p415). The Victorian era brought
the railways, mass tourism and resorts notably at Torquay (p379) and Penzance (p412).
WWII brought devastating bombing and
hundreds of thousands of American servicemen. The following decades saw the death of
the mining industry, and fishing and farming
slip into decline; despite the holiday image
the region still has among the lowest wages
in the country.
Activities
Theres a distinct whiff of adrenalin in Devon
and Cornwall. Their landscapes lend themselves to activities ranging from amped-up adventure to chilled-out wanderings. The tourist
boards subsite (www.itsadventuresouthwest
.co.uk) offers an overview; local tourist offices
can also advise.
CYCLING
D E V O N & C O R N W A L L H i s t o r y 371
372 D E V O N
CAMPER CAPERS
Want to tour the southwest in style?
Then youll need your own vintage VW
campervan, complete with grill, fridge,
crockery, cutlery, four bunk beds and the
kitchen sink. Contact OConnors Campers
(%01837-659599; www.oconnorscampers.co.uk)
TRAIN
Devon and Cornwalls main railway line follows the coast as far as Penzance, with spurs
to Barnstaple, Paignton, Gunnislake, Looe,
Falmouth, St Ives and Newquay. The line
from Exeter to Penzance is one of Englands
most scenic routes.
Some key operators and lines:
First Great Western (%08457 000125; www
(% 01637-830027; www.kernowkampers.co.uk)
near Newquay. Prices start from around
425 per week; surfboards and sunglasses
not included.
Walkers also delight in tramping the regions wildernesses: Dartmoor (p389) and the
smaller Bodmin Moor (p404). Both provide
history, testing terrain and a great escape.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
lonelyplanet.com
DEVON
If counties were capable of emotions, those in
the rest of England would envy Devon. Its all
to do with a rippling landscape studded with
prehistoric sites, historic homes, vibrant cities, ancient villages, intimate coves and wild,
wild moors. If exhilaration is your thing,
youll be right at home: here you can get
churned around by crashing surf, ride whitewater rapids or hike hundreds of miles along
precipitous cliffs. Landscape and lifestyle
ensure food is fresh from furrow or sea
eat a Michelin-starred meal at a swanky
restaurant or a fresh crab sandwich sitting
on the beach its up to you. In Devon a
days drive can take you from Exeters se-
lonelyplanet.com
Getting Around
Traveline South West (%0871 200 2233; www.travel
inesw.com) can answer timetable questions.
Tourist offices stock timetables, the Devon Bus
Map and the Discovery Guide to Dartmoor.
First (see opposite) is the key bus operator in
north, south and east Devon, and Dartmoor;
Stagecoach Devon (%01392-427711; www.stagecoach
bus.com) operates mostly local buses, especially
in Exeter and Torbay.
The Day Explorer (2.20 to 4.50) allows one
days travel on Stagecoach Devon buses (prices
vary depending on the area), while the Goldrider
pass (6 to 12) is valid for one week.
Devons rail network skirts the south coast
through Exeter and Plymouth to Cornwall.
D E V O N E xe t e r 373
EXETER
pop 116,393
History
Exeters past can be read in its buildings. The
Romans marched in around AD 55 their 17hectare fortress included a 2-mile defensive
wall, crumbling sections of which remain,
especially in Rougemont and Northernhay
Gardens. Saxon and Norman times saw
growth: a castle went up in 1068, the cathedral 40 years later. The Tudor wool boom
brought Exeter an export trade, riches and
half-timbered houses; prosperity continued
into the Georgian era when hundreds of merchants built genteel homes. The Blitz of WWII
brought devastation. In just one night in 1942,
156 people died and 12 hectares of the city
were flattened. Fast forward to 2007 and the
Start off in style by checking into the super-chic Hotel Barcelona (p376) and supping a cocktail
at its movie-themed bar: Kino (p377). Then its time for a slap-up meal at Michael Caines (p377)
before checking out Exeters nightspots, including the Cavern Club (p377) and the Phoenix
Arts Centre (p377). Day one is set aside for exploring the villages and tors of wild Dartmoor
(p387), with a hearty pub lunch in Chagford (p393) or Widecombe (p392) and a luxurious
nights sleep at the lavish Holne Chase Hotel (p392). On Sunday take a leisurely drive down to
designer Dartmouth (p380), allowing time for a visit to Agatha Christies home at Greenway
(p380), a swanky lunch at the New Angel (p381) or a quay-side crab roll from the Crab Shell
(p381) kiosk. Finish off your weekend with a cruise along the River Dart to chill out at hippie
haven Totnes (p382).
374 D E V O N E xe t e r
lonelyplanet.com
EXETER
DRINKING
Kino...................................(see 15)
On The Waterfront............. 26 C4
ENTERTAINMENT
Cavern Club........................27
Exeter Picturehouse..............28
Hub......................................29
PhoenixYoArts
Centre.............30
r
St
Velwell Rd
17
Ya
rd
Lo n g b
rook St
es
sh
ay
Walk
Pr
inc
No
rth
ern
ha
yS
t
St
w
Ro igh
H
Be
df
13 Princesshayo d
10
St
Shopping
7 l
Centre
24
a
Ca
e dr
2
athrd
t he
d ra
32
Ya
lC
9
l
29
23
yA
rch
es
St
h
ut
So
n
Wester
rcial Rd
C o m me
Way
Th
eQ
St
Coomb
eS
nS
Pre
sto
nS
St
Br
id
ge
Ne
w
St
le n
M a g da
20
3
11
u ay
14
26
Ho
llo
To Double
Locks (1.5mi)
EMERGENCY
Orientation
Barrack Rd)
Information
BOOKSHOPS
ay
St
To Europcar (200m);
Powderham Castle
(8mi)
South of the ruined castle, the city centre radiates out from the grassy square around the cathedral; the redeveloped quay is 500m south.
There are two main train stations, Central and
St Davids; most long-distance trains use St
Davids, a mile northwest of the centre.
len Rd
Magda
15
e
Ex
St Thomas
Station
So
St
Fo
re
yth
e
t St
ke
Sm
ar
St
We
st
ce
Palaate
G
nt
r nhay
St
Ki
28
ng
F rie
St
Barth
olo
me
w
St
ar
31
ar
12 is S t
6
e
ov
gr
us
e
w
S id
25
33
St
St
t
lS
y
i le
Ba
u
Pa
27
st l
St
30
22
uth Southe
rn
ern
hay hay West
Eas t
Rougemont
Gardens
Ca
th
M
The
EATING
Cafe Paradiso...................(see 15)
Harry's................................22 D2
Herbies...............................23 B3
Michael Caines................(see 13)
No 21................................ 24 C3
tyepyedong....................... 25 D2
St
No
r
TRANSPORT
Bus Station..........................31 D2
Taxi Rank.............................32 C3
Taxi Rank.............................33 D2
Northernhay
Gardens
C3
C4
C4
B2
C1
B2
A2
C4
B2
Central
Station
e
en
ue
Q
C2
C3
C3
C4
D2
Bonhay Rd
SLEEPING
ABode at the Royal Clarence
Hotel...............................13
Globe Backpackers..............14
Hotel Barcelona..................15
Queen's Court....................16
Raffles.................................17
Silversprings........................18
Telstar................................19
White Hart Hotel................20
Woodbine...........................21
C4
A1
B2
D2
C3
Queens T c
d
16 d R
on
hm
Ric 18
n
io
at
St
Gve Rd
C2
C3
Rd
Hele Rd
INFORMATION
Exeter Library........................1
Post Office...........................2
Quay House Interpretation &
Visitor Centre...................3
Soaps....................................4
St David's Laundrette...........5
Tourist Office...................... 6
Waterstone's....................... 7
kR
d
d
ll R
cka
Bla
R om a n
rth
Elm
No
19
Denmark
Rd
w
Ne
Howell Rd
Woodbine
Tce
21
C2
B3
B3
C2
ll
St
ill
's H
vid
Da
300 m
0.2 miles
To Bill Douglas
Centre (500m);
Northcott Theatre (500m);
University of Exeter
Campus (500m)
Bonhay Rd
St David's
Station
0
0
To Exeter
YHA (2mi)
lonelyplanet.com
MEDIA
The List magazine (50p) details events, listings, bars and restaurants in the Exeter area.
POST
Sights
EXETER CATHEDRAL
Activities
Saddles & Paddles (%01392-424241; www.sadpad.com;
4 Kings Wharf, The Quay; h9.30am-5.30pm) on Exeter
quayside rents out bikes (adult/child per hour
wonky half-timbered buildings a quintessentially English scene often peopled by picnickers snacking to the sound of the bells.
The site has been a religious one since at least
the 5th-century but the Normans started the
current building in 1114; the towers of todays
cathedral date from that period. In 1270 Bishop
Bronescombe remodelled the whole building, a
process that took 90 years and introduced a mix
of Early English and Decorated Gothic styles.
Above the Great West Front scores of weatherworn figures line a screen that was once brightly
painted. It now forms the largest collection of
14th-century sculpture in England. Inside, the
ceiling is mesmerising the longest unbroken
Gothic vaulting in the world, it sweeps up to
meet ornate ceiling bosses in gilt and vibrant
colours. Look out for the 15th-century Exeter
Clock in the north transept: in keeping with
medieval astronomy it shows the earth as a
golden ball at the centre of the universe with
the sun, a fleur-de-lys, travelling round. Still
ticking and whirring, it chimes on the hour.
The huge oak canopy over the Bishops
Throne was carved in 1312, while the 1350
minstrels gallery is decorated with 12 angels
playing musical instruments. Cathedral staff
will point out the famous sculpture of the lady
with two left feet and the tiny St James Chapel,
built to repair the one destroyed in the Blitz in
1942. Look out for its unusual carvings: a cat,
a mouse and, oddly, a rugby player.
D E V O N E xe t e r 375
376 D E V O N E xe t e r
Tours
Redcoat Guided Tours (%01392-265203; www.exeter
.gov.uk/visiting; 2-5 daily Apr-Oct, 2-3 daily Nov-Mar) are
free and hugely varied. Themes range from
ghosts and murder to Romans and religion
theres even a torch-lit prowl through the
catacombs. Tours leave from Cathedral Yard
or the quay, pick up a program from the
tourist office.
Sleeping
BUDGET
MIDRANGE
Eating
Herbies (%01392-258473; 15 North St; mains 5-9;
hlunch Mon-Sat, dinner Tue-Sat) Cosy and gently
groovy, Herbies has been cheerfully feeding
Exeters vegetarians for 20 years. Its the place
in town to tuck into delicious butterbean and
vegetable pie, Moroccan tagine or cashew nut
loaf. Theyre strong on vegan dishes too.
tyepyedong (%01392-251888; 175 Sidwell St; mains
7-9; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat) Tucked away in an
lonelyplanet.com
Drinking
Entertainment
GALLERIES, THEATRES & CINEMAS
D E V O N E xe t e r 377
378 D E V O N A r o u n d E xe t e r
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
lonelyplanet.com
BUS
AROUND EXETER
Powderham Castle
Powderham (%01626-890243; www.powderham.co.uk;
adult/child 8.50/6.50; h10am-5.30pm Easter-Oct, closed
Sat) is the historic home of the earl of Devon.
A La Ronde
A La Ronde (NT; %01395-265514; Summer Lane, Exmouth;
adult/child 5.40/2.70; h11am-5pm Sat-Wed late Mar-Oct) is
a DIY job with a difference. This delightfully
quirky 16-sided cottage was built in 1796 for
two spinster cousins to display a mass of curiosities acquired on a 10-year European grand
tour. Its glass alcoves, low lintels and tiny doorways mean its like clambering through a dolls
house highlights are a delicate feather frieze
in the drawing room and a gallery smothered
with a thousand seashells. In a fabulous collision of old and new, this can only be seen
via remote control CCTV from the butlers
pantry. The house is 10 miles south of Exeter,
near Exmouth; bus 57 runs close by.
Torbay sizzles with some seriously good restaurants, including one with a Michelin star,
as well the full complement of chippies.
Number 7 (%01803-295055; Beacon Tce; mains 15;
hdinner & lunch Wed-Sat) Fabulous smells fill the
air at this buzzing harbourside fish bistro,
where the menu is packed with super-fresh
crab, lobster and monkfish, often with unexpected twists. Try the king scallops with
vermouth or fish and prawn tempura.
Orange Tree (%01803-213936; 14 Park Hill Rd; mains
18; hdinner) This award-winning brasserie
adds a dash of Continental flair to local fish,
meat and game. Prepare to enjoy lemon
sole with Armagnac and prawns, or Devon
Christie memorabilia including family photos, 1st-edition novels and a couple of display cases devoted to her famous detectives
Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.
Torbay Belle (%01803-528555) runs boat trips to
Brixham (p380; adult/child return 6/3) from
North Quay in the Harbour, and to Dartmouth
(p380; adult/child return 14/7) from Haldon
Pier. The trips to Agatha Christies garden at
Greenway leave from Princess Pier.
Torquay is surrounded by 20 beaches, the
best of which is family-friendly Babbacombe,
about 2 miles north of the centre, which still
has a working 1920s funicular (%01803-328750;
D E V O N S o u t h D e v o n C o a s t 379
380 D E V O N S o u t h D e v o n C o a s t
Brixham
pop 17,460
lonelyplanet.com
5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun Apr-Oct) is right beside
the harbour.
A full-sized replica of Devon seafarer Sir
Francis Drakes ship, the Golden Hind (%01803856223; adult/child 3/2; h10am-4pm Mar-Sep), is tied
up in Brixham harbour. Remarkably small,
the Elizabethan original had a crew of 60.
Today you get to cross the gangplank, peer
in the tiny captains cabin and prowl around
the poop deck.
The displays at Brixham Heritage Museum
(%01803-856267; www.brixhamheritage.org.uk; Bolton
Cross; adult/child 2/1.50; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm
Sat, closed Nov-Jan) explore the towns salty history
Dartmouth
pop 5693
built in the 1920s for the DOyly Carte family of theatre impresarios they also owned
Londons Savoy Hotel. Its gorgeous art-deco
embellishments include original Lalique tulip
uplighters, comic bathroom tiles and a stunning saloon complete with tinkling piano.
The croquet terrace leads to deeply shelved
subtropical gardens and suddenly revealed
vistas of the sea. Hike the 4 miles along the
cliffs from Kingswear, or drive.
Dartmouth Castle (EH; %01803-833588; adult/child
4/2; h10am-6pm Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm Apr-Jun & Sep,
10am-4pm Oct, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun only Nov-Mar), at the
mouth of the estuary, is great for some battlement scrambling. In the centre of town
the row of wonky timber-framed houses that
looks near to collapse is the Butterwalk its
actually managed to remain standing since
the late 17th century.
SLEEPING
D E V O N S o u t h D e v o n C o a s t 381
382 D E V O N S o u t h D e v o n C o a s t
Totnes
pop 8194
Totnes has such a reputation for being alternative that local jokers wrote twinned with
Narnia under the town sign. For decades famous as Devons hippie haven, eco-conscious
Totnes also became Britains first transition
town in 2005, when it began trying to wean
itself off a dependence on oil. Sustainability
aside, Totnes boasts a gracious Norman castle,
a mass of fine Tudor buildings, an unusual
Jazz Age house and a tempting vineyard.
The tourist office (%01803-863168; www.totnes
information.co.uk; Coronation Rd; h9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat)
SLEEPING
a taste of ecofriendly Totnes head to this futuristic farm bistro. Vegetables are plucked
to order from the fields in front of you, the
meats are organic and locally sourced, and the
dining area is a huge, hip hangar-like canteen.
The food treatments are imaginative too try
the marinated grilled Moroccan lamb and
cumin and saffron veg. Planning laws require
you to book and take a tour of the fields. The
farm is 3 miles west of Totnes.
lonelyplanet.com
PLYMOUTH
pop 256,633
If parts of Devon are costume dramas or nature programs, Plymouth is a healthy dose
of reality TV. Gritty, and certainly not always pretty, its centre has been subjected to
buildings even the architects mothers might
question. But despite often being dismissed
for its partying, poverty and urban problems,
this is a city thats huge in spirit and it comes
with great assets. Its setting on the fringes
of an impressive natural harbour and just
a few miles from the wilderness expanse of
Dartmoor makes it an ideal base for activities.
Add a rich maritime history, a Barbican area
creaking with half-timbered houses, some
unusual attractions and a decidedly lively
nightlife, and you have a place to reconnect
with the real before another foray into the
delights of Devons chocolate-box-pretty
moors and shores.
History
Orientation
Plymouths pedestrianised centre is south
of the train station. Further south again
the headland Hoe area is packed with guest
houses and B&Bs; to the east of the Hoe the
regenerated Barbican is packed with good
places to eat and drink.
Information
Hoegate Laundrette (%01752-223031; 55 Notte St;
h8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat)
D E V O N P l y m o u t h 383
384 D E V O N P l y m o u t h
lonelyplanet.com
PLYMOUTH
0
0
300 m
0.2 mi
Plymouth
Train Station
Finewell
Ba
Princess St
St
Leigham
Rd
Pie
r S
t
West
Hoe
Park
e Approach
Ho
Lockyer St
19
Hoe
Park
Cre s
Gran d Pd
The
Promenade
Hil
l
Endsleigh
Pl
Gibbon St
Gilw
ell
St
pton St
32
Sutton
Harbour
23
11
Barbican
Approach
Marina
15
14 d
R
oe
26
16
Plymouth
Sound
31
side S
t
30
21LambCitadeEl aRsdt New 24
hay
St
Hi
ll Cast 13
le St
34
er St
10
Plymouth
Hoe
u th
Exet
Rd
d
or
df
Ra Garden
Millbay
Rd
22
12
TRANSPORT
Bus Station......................37 C3
Nortahy
Qu
e
Th bican
Bar
e
Ho
West
Cli
ff
Athenaeum
St
l Rd
17 Alfred St
Elliot St
18
So
ade
28 Palace St
1
St
Vaux hall
33
Hoegate St
C it
Batter St
th
St
Armada
25
Way
St
Charles
Cross
Sutton R d
St Andrew's
Cross
ENTERTAINMENT
Annabel's........................32 C3
St
B-Bar.............................(see
34)
g
kin
Barbican
as Jazz Cafe...........33 C3
G
Barbican Theatre.............34 C4
Drum Theatre................(see 36)
Plymouth Arts Centre......35 C3
Quay Club.....................(see 33)
Theatre Royal..................36 B3
St
ter
Ex
Side
37
to n
Bre
How St
35 Looe St
Buc
k w e ll
St
Courtenay
St
Royal Pde
St
am
Armada Way
Ch
ar
le
s
St
Drake Circus
Shopping
Centre
Notte
St
Crescent Ave
Dr
ake
Cir
Tav
cu
is t o
s
ck
Pl
St
Harwell St
27
Cornwall St
R e g e nt
DRINKING
Carpe Diem.....................29 C1
Dolphin...........................30 C3
View 2.............................31 C3
Rd
ll
t hi
To
Mayflowe r
36
d
y R
llba
Mi
20
Old Town St
Union St
No
rth
Av
e
ar
Ave
ve
eck A
Welb
W
es
ry
Der
University
of
Plymouth
New George St
Derry's
Cross
29
To Buckland
Abbey (10mi)
North
Cross
Frankfort
Gate
The
Octagon
EATING
Barbican Kitchen............(see 12)
Cap'n Jaspers..................23 C3
Platters............................24 C3
Tanners Restaurant..........25 B3
Terrace............................26 B4
Veggie Perrin's.................27 B2
Yukisan...........................28 C3
Rd
t St
mon
t
y S
ne
Syd t St
St
er
se
I lb
nro
Pe
R
NorthCl
are
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
To Mutley
Plain (200m)
SLEEPING
Athenaeum Lodge...........17 B3
P
18 A3
Berkeleys of St James.......
n
Gl
19 B4
Bowling Green.................
Casa Mia.......................(see 21)
S
alt of Cornwall............20 A3
Duke
as
h
21 C3
Four Seasons...................
Jewell's............................22 B3
INFORMATION
Hoegate Laundrette...............1 C3
Plymouth Library...................2 C2
3 C2
Police
t Rd
StuarStation.........................
Post Office.............................4 C3
Tourist Office....................(see 13)
University Bookseller..............5 C2 t
d Wes
rundown through Plymouths nautical heritage, providing the background to the Pilgrim
Fathers trip with plenty of interactive gizmos and multisensory displays.
The Plymouth Gin Distillery (%01752-665292;
www.plymouthgin.com; 60 Southside St; tours 6;
h10.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat, 11.30am-3.30pm Sun) is
Madeira R d
To Warships
& River Trips
To Mount Batten
Centre (500m)
in coral seas teaming with moray eels, turtles and vividly coloured fish, while other
displays highlight successful breeding programs of cardinal fish, coral and incredibly
cute seahorses.
D E V O N P l y m o u t h 385
MERCHANTS HOUSE
The 17th-century Merchants House (%01752304774; 33 St Andrews St; adult/child 1.50/1; h10am5pm Tue-Sat Apr-Sep) is packed with curiosities;
Jewells (%01752-254760; 220 Citadel Rd; s 25, d 4555, f 60-65) Traces of the Victorian era linger
in the high ceilings and ornate plasterwork
Sleeping
386 D E V O N P l y m o u t h
lonelyplanet.com
Eating
Drinking
CAFES
oBarbican Kitchen (%01752-604448; 60 Southside St; snacks 5, mains 11-16; hlunch & dinner, closed
dinner Sun) In this bistro-style baby sister of
run by the (locally famous) Tanner brothers. Renowned for reinventing British and
French classics, they dish up lamb with
gnocchi, chargrilled asparagus with softpoached egg, and roasted quail with pancetta.
Gourmands should try to book the five-course
meal (37).
Also recommended:
Yukisan (%01752-250240; 51 Notte St; mains 14;
hlunch & dinner) Super-fresh sushi, light tempura and
noodles worth mastering chopsticks for.
Veggie Perrins (%01752-252888; 97 Mayflower St;
mains 8; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat) Excellent, authentic, vegetarian Indian food.
Entertainment
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Barbican Jazz Cafe (%01752-672127; 11 The Parade; admission Fri & Sat 2; hnoon-2am Mon-Sat, noon-midnight
Sun) Nightly jazz and guest DJs keep the
lonelyplanet.com
AROUND PLYMOUTH
Buckland Abbey
D E V O N A r o u n d P l y m o u t h 387
WARNING
The military uses three separate areas of Dartmoor as training ranges where live ammunition is
used. The national park information centres can explain their locations; theyre also marked on
OS maps. In general youre advised to check if the route youre planning falls within a range; if it
does, find out if firing is taking place when you want to walk via the Firing Information Service
(%0800 458 4868; www.dartmoor-ranges.co.uk). In the day red flags fly at the edges of the range if
its being used, and red flares burn at night. Even when theres no firing, beware of unidentified
metal objects lying in the grass. Dont touch anything you find: note its position and report it
to the police or the Commandant (%01837-650010).
388 D E V O N D a r t m o o r N a t i o n a l Pa r k
lonelyplanet.com
Collaven
Manor
A30
Bridestowe
West Devon
Way
Belstone
Meldon
Yes Tor
(619m)
Range
Danger
Area
Fernworthy
Reservoir
Grey Wethers
West Dart
A384
Merrivale
Two
Bridges
Tavistock
Sharpitor
(403m)
Bov
ey
ar
Christow
North
Bovey
Tottiford
Reservoir
Te
Lustleigh
ign
Manaton
Dartmoor
Way
Grimspound
Chudleigh
Haytor
Hound Tor
Runnage
Postbridge
(454m)
(393m)
Camping
Bovey
Barn
Tracey
Bellever
Widecombe- Haytor
in-the-Moor Vale
Bellever
Chudleigh
YHA
Knighton A380
Dartmoor
Brimpts
Expedition
Farm
Two Bridges
Te
Centre
m Kingsteignton
pl
B3357
Dartmoor
Dartmeet
W
Way
ay
Poundsgate
Holne
Dartmoor
Chase
Way
Ashburton
Newton
Hotel
New Bridge
Abbot
Holne
A386
Buckfast
Abbey
Burrator
Reservoir
Yelverton
Moretonhampstead
B3212
To Teignmouth
(4mi)
Dartmoor
Way
Buckfast
Buckfastleigh
Buckland
Abbey
Yealm
Plym
A385
To Paignton
(1mi)
Plympton
A38
Devonport
A379
Totnes A385
South
Brent
A381
Ivybridge
Erme
Plymouth
Moors Way
Cornwood
Plym Valley
Cycle Way
Dart
A
n
vo
Plymouth
Airport
Shaugh
Prior
Two
eavy
Lopwell
A38
Plym Valley
Cycle Way
Brickleigh
Kennick
Reservoir
Dartmoor
National
Park
er
Princetown
Vixen Tor Merrivale
(296m) Stone Rows
To Gunnislake
(2mi)
Ta
Walkha
Ta
vy
Mary Tavy
Dunsford
Dartmoor
Way
Chagford
Warren
House
Inn
as
t Dart
Dartmoor
Way
To Exeter
(6mi)
Easton
Brat Tor
(460m)
A30
Drewsteignton
Gidleigh Park
Hotel
Scorhill
High
Willhays
(621m)
Granite
Way
Tedburn
St Mary
Cheriton
Bishop
A382
Dartmoor
Way
A386
A390
Sticklepath
South Zeal
Dartmoor
Way
Lydford
Gorge
Lydford
Tw
oM
Okehampton
To Launceston
(8mi)
10 km
6.0 miles
oor
sW
ay
0
0
To Kingsbridge
(10mi)
Orientation
Information
The main High Moorland Visitors Centre (%01822890414; www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk; h10am-5pm AprOct, 10am-4pm Nov-Mar) is located in Princetown
D E V O N D a r t m o o r N a t i o n a l Pa r k 389
Activities
WALKING
-the-Moor).
Poundsgate)
WHITE WATER
Sleeping
From spoil-yourself-silly luxury (try Gidleigh
Park, p393, or Holne Chase, p392) to snoozing
under the stars, with some lovely thatched
cottages in between, Dartmoor has the widest
range of sleeping options around. We detail
them throughout the chapter.
There are YHA hostels at Postbridge (p391)
and Okehampton (p393); the association
also has bare-bones camping barns, such as
the one near Postbridge (p391). For YHA
bookings call %01629-592700. There are
independent hostels and camping barns at
Moretonhampstead (p392), Widecombe-inthe-Moor (p392) and Princetown (p391).
Dartmoor is also a top venue for a spot
of wild camping so called by devotees to
DARTMOOR HIKES
The West Devon Way (part of the Dartmoor Way, below) is a 14-mile hike between Tavistock
and Okehampton, while the 18-mile Templer Way is a two- to three-day leg stretch from Haytor
to Teignmouth. The 90-mile Dartmoor Way circles from Buckfastleigh in the south, through
Moretonhampstead, northwest to Okehampton and south through Lydford to Tavistock. But the
blockbuster route is the 103-mile Two Moors Way, which runs from Ivybridge on the southern
fringes of Dartmoor across Dartmoor and Exmoor to Lynmouth on the north Devon coast.
Be prepared for Dartmoors notoriously fickle weather and carry a map and compass as many
trails are not way-marked. OS Explorer Map No 28 (1:50,000) is the most comprehensive and
shows park boundaries and MOD firing-range areas, see p387.
390 D E V O N D a r t m o o r N a t i o n a l Pa r k
lonelyplanet.com
PREHISTORIC DARTMOOR
The first settlers arrived on Dartmoor somewhere around 12,000 years ago, after the end of the
last ice age. The moor looked very different then; it was almost entirely covered by trees, which
provided a rich source of food, fuel and natural shelter. Evidence of prehistoric people is dotted
all over Dartmoor; over 1500 cairns and burial chambers have been discovered, and the area has
more ceremonial rows and stone circles than anywhere else in Britain. The Grey Wethers stone
circles stand side by side on a stretch of open moor halfway between Chagford and Postbridge,
about a third of a mile from another stone circle near Fernworthy. Scorhill stone circle, near
Gidleigh, is sometimes called the Stonehenge of Dartmoor, although only half of the original stones
remain. Another intriguing site is at Merrivale, on the main road from Princetown to Tavistock,
where youll find several stone rows and standing stones, as well as a small ceremonial circle
and the remains of several stone huts. But the most impressive site is the Bronze Age village of
Grimspound, just off the B3212, where you can wander around the circular stone wall that once
surrounded the village, and the ruins of several granite round houses.
Princetown
Set in the heart of the remote, higher moor,
Princetown is dominated by the grey, foreboding bulk of Dartmoor Prison. The jail has
dictated the towns fortunes for hundreds of
years. When it stopped housing French and
American prisoners of war in the early 1800s,
Princetown fell into decline and parts of the
town still have a bleak, neglected feel. But
the settlement is also a useful insight into the
harsh realities of moorland life and makes an
atmospheric base for some excellent walks.
The prison reopened as a convict jail in
1850 and just up from its looming gates the
Dartmoor Prison Heritage Centre (%01822-892130;
adult/child 2/1; h9.30am-12.30pm & 1.30-4.30pm, to
4pm Fri & Sun) provides a chilling glimpse of life
serves up typical bar food. It also offers nononsense rooms with shared bathrooms, as
well as camping and bunk-bed dorms. The
similar Railway Inn (%01822-890240; s/d 35/70)
is next door.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Postbridge
Theres not much to the quaint village of
Postbridge apart from a couple of shops, pubs
and whitewashed houses. Its best known for
its 13th-century clapper bridge across the East
Dart, made of large granite slabs supported
by stone pillars.
Theres a park information centre (%01822880272; h10am-4pm Apr-Oct) in the car park, and
a post office and shop in the village.
SLEEPING & EATING
Widecombe-in-the-Moor
pop 652
This is archetypal Dartmoor, down to the ponies grazing on the village green. Widecombes
honey-grey, 15th-century buildings circle a
church whose 40m tower has seen it dubbed
the Cathedral of the Moor. Inside search out
the boards telling the fire-and-brimstone tale
of the violent storm of 1638 it knocked a
pinnacle from the roof, killing several parishioners. As ever on Dartmoor the devil was
blamed, said to be in search of souls.
The village is commemorated in the traditional English folksong of Widecombe Fair;
the event of the same name takes place on the
second Tuesday of September.
hayloft allows you to bed down to the soundtrack of bleating sheep. Its 1 miles from
Postbridge: take the Widecombe turning off
the Moretonhampstead road.
Bellever YHA (%0845 371 9622; www.yha.org.uk; dm
14; hMar-Oct) This former farm on the edge of a
conifer plantation has bags of character: expect
a huge kitchen, lots of rustic stone walls and
cosy dorms. Its a mile south of the village.
D E V O N D a r t m o o r N a t i o n a l Pa r k 391
392 D E V O N D a r t m o o r N a t i o n a l Pa r k
Bus 82 runs across the moor from Moretonhampstead to Plymouth (1 hours) via
Postbridge and Princetown (40 minutes).
Between late July and late August it runs twice
each weekday. It also goes twice on Saturdays
between May and September there are
between two and five services on Sundays
year-round.
Bus 359 goes to Exeter (seven daily Monday
to Saturday).
Moretonhampstead
Chagford
pop 1721
pop 1470
Okehampton
pop 7029
D E V O N D a r t m o o r N a t i o n a l Pa r k 393
394 D E V O N N o r t h D e v o n
NORTH DEVON
Intensely rugged and, in places, utterly remote, the north Devon coast is a coast to
inspire. Its also hugely varied: drastically
concertinaed cliffs, excellent surf breaks
and ancient fishing villages rub shoulders with classic, slightly faded British
seaside resorts.
Bus 308 runs from Barnstaple (40 minutes, hourly Monday to Saturday, five
on Sunday).
Ilfracombe
pop 12,430
Hartland Abbey
This 12th-century monastery-turned-statelyhome (%01237-441264; www.hartlandabbey.com; adult/
child 8/2; hhouse 2-5pm Sun-Thu, grounds noon-5pm SunFri late May-Sep) was another post-Dissolution
CORNWALL
If you were creating a perfect holiday haven
from scratch, youd probably come up with
Cornwall. This rugged wedge of rock offers impossibly pretty beaches, improbably quaint villages and impressively craggy
cliffs. Beloved by the bucket and spade brigade for generations, these days the entire
county is in the midst of a renaissance that
ranges from cooking to culture. Sample Rick
Steins foodie empire at Padstow or Jamie
Olivers cooking-cumcommunity program
just along the coast. Indulge in an adrenalin sports frenzy at party-town Newquay or
explore global habitats at the Eden Project
the planets biggest greenhouses. Bed down
amid styles that range from backpacker basic,
via brushed-up B&B, to full-blown boutique
chic. Hang out at funky festivals or chill out
Clovelly
C O R N W A L L 395
396 C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l
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Getting Around
Most of Cornwalls main bus, train and ferry
timetables are collected into one handy brochure (available free from bus stations and
tourist offices). Traveline South West (%0871
200 2233; www.travelinesw.com) can also answer
timetable queries.
BUS
NORTH CORNWALL
The north Cornish coast is where Atlantic
rollers smack hard into the countys granite
cliffs and, for many, its the quintessential
Cornish landscape a wild mix of grassy
headlands, craggy bluffs and pounding surf.
Its also where youll find the countys best
beaches and biggest waves, so in summer the
winding clifftop roads can be jammed with
tourists. But visit in the low-season when the
lonelyplanet.com
C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l 397
Bude
pop 9242
logical and social history with great imagination look out for exhibits on local inventor
Sir Goldsworth Gurney whose pioneering
creations included theatrical limelight and
FESTIVAL FEVER
Cornwall has much more going on than just sand, sea and spectacular views. The countys calendar is packed with festivals and events.
(8 May) This centuries-old spring festival fizzes with street dancing, traditional music and a lively community atmosphere (see Cornwalls Furry Fling, p412).
Penzance.
(Jun & Jul; http://sessions.edenproject.com) The Eden Projects biomes are transformed into the countys most spectacular live venue over four nights in June and July.
Eden Sessions
(late Nov) Withy lanterns and giant paper puppets take to Truros streets for this
Christmassy spectacle in late November.
City of Lights
398 C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l
Boscastle
On 16 August 2004 the pretty, sleepy harbourside village of Boscastle was catapulted onto
TV screens worldwide. The most devastating
flash flood to hit Britain for 50 years forced
440 million gallons of water through the heart
of the village in just a few hours. It swept away
a hundred cars and caused devastating damage to many of villages oldest buildings; 58
properties were flooded and much of the village was evacuated by helicopter. Miraculously
not a single person lost their life.
Residents have spent years piecing
Boscastle back together, with many properties now completely refurbished. The new
visitor centre (%01840-250010; www.visitboscastle
andtintagel.com; h10am-5pm Mar-Oct) sits by the
harbour.
The quirky Museum of Witchcraft (%01840250111; The Harbour; adult/child 3/2.50; h10.30am-6pm
Mon-Sat, 11.30am-6pm Sun) has the worlds larg-
For buses see the Getting There & Away section for Tintagel, opposite.
Tintagel
pop 1822
mostly date from the 13th century, archaeological digs have revealed the foundations of
Padstow
pop 3162
Perranporth (p403)
For scenic views: Bedruthan Steps, near
Newquay (p400)
For peaceful strolling: Gwithian and
quay (p400)
For learning to surf: Fistral or Watergate
C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l 399
400 C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l
lonelyplanet.com
Bus 555 goes to Bodmin Parkway (50 minutes, hourly, six on summer Sundays) via
Wadebridge. Bus 554 travels to St Columb
Major, with connecting buses to Truro
(1 hours, five daily Monday to Saturday),
while bus 556 serves Newquay (1 hours,
seven daily Monday to Saturday, five on
summer Sundays).
Newquay
pop 19,423
h8am-8pm)
C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l 401
SLEEPING
Although Newquay has stacks of sleeping options, in high season prices rocket,
the best get booked up, and some require a
weeks booking.
Budget
NEWQUAY
0
0
11
18
Harbour
15
Bea
ch
Jubilee St
St J
o h n's Rd
To
w
Gannel
Link Rd
12
St T
hom
as
Rd
To Trerice
(3mi)
St
d
l's R
hae
Mic
Newquay
Station
Rd
e
Av
St
Bank
21
Cl
East St
e
mb
th
wi
ar s
eb Cre
6
R
iff
u
gc
Ed
The
Bea
c
Avhefie
s
rcu
MaHill
To Crantock
Beach (3mi);
Holywell Bay (4mi)
Mou
nt Wi
se
ges Rd
St Geor
Rd
4
Bay (1.5mi);
Beach Hut (1.5mi);
Extreme Academy (1.5mi);
Fifteen (1.5mi); The Hotel
(1.5mi); Newquay Airport
(3mi); Bedruthan Steps (8mi)
20
ld
16
Crantock St
Pentire
Towan
Beach
17
19
Great
Western
Beach
es
Cr
a
Tolcarne
N
Beach To Watergate
2
St
re
Fo
Ho p
Tce e
TRANSPORT
Bus Station...........................21 B3
ry R
d
er
Rd
Golf
Course
ENTERTAINMENT
Barracuda............................20 D2
B2
B2
B2
A1
C3
gf ield
d
on R
SLEEPING
Base Surf Lodge.....................8
Carlton Hotel.........................9
Goofys.................................10
Headland Hotel....................11
Reef Surf Lodge...................12
Ber
10
14
DRINKING
Central.................................16 B3
Chy......................................17 B3
Koola.................................(see 17)
Red Lion...............................18 B2
Sailors..................................19 B3
Spr
in
Rd
Tr
13
ne Rd
Da
Huer's
House
Beac
Hea
dla
nd
EATING
Fistral Blu.............................13 A2
Fistral Chef...........................14 B2
New Harbour Restaurant......15 B2
Rd
Fistral
Beach
INFORMATION
Laundrette.............................1 A3
Tad & Nick's Talk'n'Surf.........2 B2
Tourist Office........................3 C3
ff
Newquay
Bay
r ro
To Towan
Head (300m)
300 m
0.2 miles
cli
402 C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l
lonelyplanet.com
SURFS UP
Dig out the board shorts, slip on the shades and prepare to dangle your toes off the nose
Newquay is one of the countrys top places for learning to surf. In high summer every other
person is carrying a board and the town is awash with surf schools offering everything from halfday taster lessons (25 to 30) to full-blown multiday surfaris (from 130). Reputable operators
include the BSAs National Surfing Centre (%Fistral Beach 01637-850737, Lusty Glaze 01637-851487;
www.nationalsurfingcentre.com), Animal Surf Academy (%Newquay 01637-850808, Polzeath 01208-880617;
www.animalsurfacademy.co.uk) and the Extreme Academy (%01637-860840; Watergate Bay; www.extreme
academy.co.uk). If you choose another school, make sure its BSA approved.
Lots of surf shops around Newquay hire out equipment, including boards (10/25/45 for one/
three/seven days) and wetsuits (5/12/25 for one/three/seven days). Try a branch of Overhead
(%01637-850808; Beacon Rd & 19 Cliff Rd) or Fistral Beach Surf Hire (%01637-850584; Fistral Beach).
For those after even more thrills and spills, Extreme Academy (above) also offers lessons in
kitebuggying, waveskiing and the new craze: stand-up paddle-surf. They also do kitesurfing, as do
Mobius Kite School (%08456 430630; Cubert; www.mobiusonline.co.uk). Lessons happen at whichever
beach has the best conditions on the day.
This chic surf-side hotel is a kind of upmarket beachcombers paradise. Set plumb on the
headland at Watergate Bay, its bedrooms are
all pared-down simplicity, with crinkly linen,
creaky wicker chairs and gauzy drapes; the
best have mini sea-view balconies. The decked
terrace, complete with bar and outdoor pool,
overlooks the bay, and the whole little holiday
haven is just steps from the beach.
Headland Hotel (%01637-872211; www.headland
hotel.co.uk; Fistral Beach; d 95-350; pi) Clinging to
cliffs above Fistral beach, this red-brick pile
is all about old-style pampering. Ritzy rooms
range from budget singles to ornate sea-view
suites, and there are even pools, tennis courts
and nine holes of golf.
EATING
lonelyplanet.com
C O R N W A L L N o r t h C o r n w a l l 403
Rd; h10am-3am Fri, Sat & Mon, to 6pm Tue-Thu & Sun)
Perranporth
surfers pub with regular live music and plenty of ales on tap.
Trerice
Built in 1751, the charming Elizabethan
manor of Trerice (NT; %01637-875404; adult/child
6/3; h11am-5pm Sun-Fri Mar-Oct) is famous for the
elaborate barrel-roofed ceiling of the Great
Chamber, but has plenty of other intriguing
features, including ornate fireplaces, original
404 C O R N W A L L S o u t h e a s t C o r n w a l l
Bodmin Moor
Cornwalls roof is a high heath pock-marked
with bogs and granite hills, including Rough
Tor (pronounced row-tor, 400m) and Brown
Willy (419m), Cornwalls highest points. Its a
desolate place that works on the imagination;
for years there have been reported sightings
of the Beast of Bodmin, a large, black cat-like
creature, although no ones ever managed to
snap a decent picture.
Bodmin tourist office (%01208-76616; www.bodmin
live.com; Mount Folly; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat) is in the
Shire Hall. It also houses the Charlotte Dymond
Courtroom Experience (adult/child 3.75/2.25; h11am4pm Mon-Sat Easter-Oct, Mon-Fri Nov-Easter), which recreates one of Cornwalls most notorious
Victorian court cases you get to cast your
own verdict at the end.
The A30 cuts across the centre of the moor
from Launceston, which has a medieval castle
lonelyplanet.com
SOUTHEAST CORNWALL
Dotted with picturesque fishing villages and
traced by a patchwork of fields, southeast
Cornwall offers a much gentler side to the
county than the stark, sea-pounded granite
cliffs of the north. Carpeted with wildflowers
and criss-crossed by hedgerows, this is still
working dairy country, where much of
Cornwalls famously rich milk and clotted
cream is produced.
Looe
pop 5280
Polperro
The ancient fishing village of Polperro is
a picturesque muddle of narrow lanes and
cottages set around a tiny harbour, best approached along the coastal path from Looe
or Talland. Its always jammed with day trippers and coach tours in summer, so arrive in
the evening or out of season if possible.
Polperro was once heavily involved in
pilchard fishing by day and smuggling
by night; the displays at the small Heritage
Museum (%01503-272423; The Warren; adult/child
1.60/50p; h 10.50am-5pm Easter-Oct) include
sepia photos, pilchard barrels and fascinating smuggling memorabilia, including a
mean-looking cutlass.
For buses to Polperro see Getting There &
Away under Looe, left.
Fowey
pop 2273
C O R N W A L L S o u t h e a s t C o r n w a l l 405
406 C O R N W A L L S o u t h e a s t C o r n w a l l
Lanhydrock House
Lanhydrock (NT; %01208-265950; adult/child 9/4.50,
gardens only 5/2.50; hhouse 11am-5.30pm Tue-Sun midMarSep, to 5pm Oct, gardens 10am-6pm year-round) is
Restormel Castle
A glorious, fairy-tale crumbling ruin, the 13thcentury Restormel Castle (%01208-872687; adult/child
2.50/1; h10am-6pm Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm mid-MarJun &
Sep, 10am-4pm Oct) has one of the best-preserved
lonelyplanet.com
Tremayne family, and during the 19th century was renowned as one of Britains finest
landscaped gardens. The grounds fell into
disrepair following WWI (when many staff
were killed) and are only now being restored
to their former glory. Formal terraces, flower
gardens, a working kitchen garden and a spectacular jungle walk through the Lost Valley
are just some of Heligans secrets.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan are 1 miles
from Mevagissey and 7 miles from St Austell.
Bus 526 (30 minutes, six daily, three on
Sunday) links Heligan with Mevagissey and
St Austell train station.
Roseland Peninsula
TRURO
pop 17,431
Cornwalls capital city has been at the centre of the countys fortunes for over eight
centuries. Truro first grew up around a now
vanished hilltop castle, built by Richard Lucy,
a minister of Henry IIs. Throughout the
Middle Ages it was one of Cornwalls five
stannary towns, where tin and copper was
assayed and stamped. The 18th and 19th centuries saw it become a key industrial centre,
and its wealthy merchants built swathes of
elegant town houses, best seen along Lemon
St and Falmouth Rd. Truro was granted its
own bishop in 1877, with the citys threespired cathedral following soon after. Today
the city makes an appealing base, with a
good selection of shops, galleries and restaurants and Cornwalls main museum.
Information
Library (%01872-279205; Union Pl; h9am-6pm
Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat) Net access costs 3 per hour.
Post office (High Cross; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat)
Tourist office (%01872-274555; www.acornishriver
.co.uk; Boscawen St; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, plus Sat
Apr-Oct).
Sights
The Royal Cornwall Museum (%01872-272205;
www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk; River St; admission free;
h10am-4.45pm Mon-Sat) has excellent displays
C O R N W A L L T r u r o 407
408 C O R N W A L L T r u r o
exploring the countys industrial and archaeological past. There are also temporary exhibitions of art, photography and local craft.
Built on the site of a 16th-century parish
church in soaring Gothic Revival style, Truro
Cathedral (%01872-276782; www.trurocathedral.org.uk;
High Cross; suggested donation 4; h7.30am-6pm MonSat, 9am-7pm Sun) was finally completed in 1910,
Sleeping
Carlton Hotel (%01872-272450; www.carltonhotel.co.uk;
49 Falmouth Rd; s 47-57, d 67-77; p) The furnishings may be standard B&B (pastel colours,
easy-clean carpets, ancient kettles) but extras
such as Sky TV and a guest sauna and Jacuzzi
seal the deal.
Bissick Old Mill (%01726-882557; www.bissickoldmill
.co.uk; Ladock; d 75-95; pi) Theres not a corn
sack in sight at this beautifully converted
17th-century mill. Instead its all Egyptiancotton sheets, handmade soap and in-room
fridges, topped off by plenty of beams and
old mill wheels. Ladock is 7 miles northeast
of Truro.
DETOUR: LUGGER HOTEL
Eating
Xen Noodle Bar (%01872-222998; 47-49 Calenick St;
mains 4-8; hlunch & dinner, closed Sun) Minimalistic
and moreish, this inventive noodle bar
keeps the crowds happy with Szechuan,
Hong Kong and Canton flavours as well as
Chinese classics.
Fodders (%01872-271384; Pannier Market, Lemon
Quay; mains 6-9; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) Hidden
away above Truros Pannier Market, this
reliable wholefood cafe is still rustling up
great chunky butties, thick bean soup and
tasty carrot cake.
Saffron (% 01872-263771; Quay St; mains 8-16;
hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat) Asparagus, Cornish
meats, seafood and strawberries: Saffron is
all about local, seasonal food dished up with
flair. Daily changing mains include Cornish
lamb, spider-crab chowder, Cajun monkfish,
and falafel with crme fraiche.
Tabbs (%01872-262110; 85 Kenwyn St; mains 12.5019; hlunch & dinner) A stylish interior dark
slate floors, pale tones and futuristic fireplaces is matched by a sophisticated menu
at this renowned (if slightly stuffy) eatery
try the Provenale fish soup or the wild
pigeon with brandy cream.
Indaba Fish (%01872-274700; Tabernacle St; mains
14-18; hdinner) The chef here used to work
for Rick Stein, and this swish fish emporium
has a similar emphasis on classic, straightforward seafood, ranging from Falmouth
oysters and Newlyn lobster to sea bream
with garlic mash. Vegetarians and fishphobes are catered for too.
Drinking
Old Ale House (%01872-271122; Quay St) What a relief a city-centre pub that eschews chrome
lonelyplanet.com
Entertainment
Hall for Cornwall (%01872-262466; www.hallforcornwall
.co.uk; Lemon Quay) The countys main venue for
touring theatre and music, housed in Truros
former town hall on Lemon Quay.
Plaza Cinema (%01872-272894; www.wtwcinemas
.co.uk; Lemon St) A four-screen cinema showing
mainly mainstream releases.
L2 (%01872-261199; Calenick St; cover charge 3-5;
h9pm-1.30am Mon, 9.30pm-1am Wed-Thu, 9.30pm-3am Fri
& Sat) Truros biggest nightclub features a wide
C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l 409
Falmouth
pop 20775
home to one of the largest maritime collections in the UK, second only to its sister museum in Greenwich in London. At the heart
of the complex is the huge Flotilla Gallery,
where boats dangle from the ceiling on slender steel wires, while suspended walkways
wind their way around the collection of
yachts, schooners, punts and canoes. Other
highlights include the Set Sail exhibit, which
tells the story of nine ground-breaking boats,
and the Lookout, with a 360-degree panorama
of Falmouth Bay.
TRAIN
Pendennis Castle
WEST CORNWALL
410 C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l
SLEEPING
Boathouse (%01326-315425; Trevethan Hill; mains 610;hlunch & dinner) This fantastic gastropub is so
laid-back its almost horizontal. Its especially
popular with Falmouths creative crowd, who
come for the generous plates of food, cold beer
and chilled-out vibe.
Harbour View (%01326-315315; 24 Arwenack St;
mains 7-15; hlunch & dinner Wed-Mon, lunch only SunTue winter) On a fine summer evening settle
DETOUR: TRELISSICK
At the head of the Fal estuary, 4 miles south of Truro, Trelissick (NT; %01872-862090; Feock; adult/
child 6.60/3.30; h10.30am-5.30pm Feb-Oct, 11am-4pm Nov-Jan) is one of Cornwalls most beautiful
landscaped gardens, with several tiered terraces covered in magnolias, rhododendrons and hydrangeas. A lovely walk runs all the way from the main garden along the river to the estates
private beach.
Enterprise Boats (%01326-374241; www.enterprise-boats.co.uk; adult/child one way 4.50/3) operates
boats from Falmouth and Truro that call in at Trelissick Gardens, otherwise youll need your
own transport.
lonelyplanet.com
The Lizard
For a taste of Cornwalls stormier side, head
for the ink-black cliffs, rugged coves and open
heaths of the mercurial Lizard Peninsula.
Wind-lashed in winter, in summer it bristles
with wildflowers, butterflies and coves that
are perfect for a secluded swim. The Lizard
used to be at the centre of Cornwalls smuggling industry and is still alive with tales of
Cornish free-traders, contraband liquor and
the governments preventive boats. The most
notorious excise dodger was John Carter, the
so-called King of Prussia Prussia Cove near
Marazion is named after him.
For more information visit www.lizard
-peninsula.co.uk.
GOONHILLY EARTH STATION
The last thing youd expect to find in the middle of the Lizard are the vast dishes of the
Goonhilly Earth Station (%0800 679593; www.goon
C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l 411
412 C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l
St Michaels Mount
Looming up from the waters of Mounts
Bay, the island abbey of St Michaels Mount
(NT; %01736-710507; adult/child 6.60/3; h10.30am5pm Sun-Fri Mar-Oct) is one of Cornwalls iconic
Penzance
pop 21,168
modern counterparts.
SLEEPING
Budget
Bar Cocos (%01736-350222; 13 Chapel St; tapas 26; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat) More Cdiz than
Penzance has lots of low-price B&Bs, especially along Alexandra Rd and Morrab Rd.
C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l 413
414 C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l
lonelyplanet.com
PENZANCE
0
0
Wharfside 16
Shopping
Centre
15
Alverton St
k
ar
M
Harbour
St
rra
Mo
bR
Morrab
Gardens
11
10
Rd
Cornwall
Tce
ex
ra
Mennaye
Rd
Al
nd
12
Rd
Dock
Lighthouse
20
South
Pier
Regent Tce
8
9
d
e R
5
Battery
Rocks
ENTERTAINMENT
Acorn Arts Centre..................18 C2
Mount's
Bay
w
Ne
14
ad
men
Pro
rn
ste
We
Football
Ground
Ch
ap
7
e
17
4 l St
Par
de
t
en S
Que
Tennis
Je
18
Penlee Courts
Memorial
Park
et
yS
e
ford Tc
Stan
13
C2
C3
C3
B3
B3
C3
Whar
f Rd
Bre
St ad
DRINKING
Turk's Head.............17 C2
Alverton Rd
To Penzance
YHA (950m);
Lands End (9mi)
Train
Station
19
be
SLEEPING
Abbey Hotel..........................7
Camilla House.......................8
Chy-an-Mor..........................9
Glencree House....................10
Penzance Backpackers..........11
Summer House....................12
St
EATING
Abbey Restaurant....(see 7)
Archie Brown's.........13 C2
Bar Coco's................14 C2
Blue Snappa.............15 C2
Renaissance Cafe.....16 D1
Ab
INFORMATION
Library...................................1 C2
Polyclean Laundrette..............2 D1
Tourist Office.........................3 D1
500 m
0.3 miles
To Heliport for Isles of
Scilly (0.8mi);
St Ives (8mi)
TRANSPORT
Bus Station.............................19 D1
Scillonian Ferry Departures....20 D2
lonelyplanet.com
C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l 415
Train
Lands End
Mousehole
The compact harbour town Mousehole (pronounced mow-zel) was once at the heart of
Cornwalls thriving pilchard industry, but
these days its better known for its colourful Christmas lights. Despite hideously high
numbers of second homes, its still one of
Cornwalls most appealing villages, with a
tight-packed knot of slate-roofed cottages
gathered around the harbour
The designer decor at the Old Coastguard
Hotel (% 01736-731222; www.oldcoastguardhotel
.co.uk; d 140-210) would have bemused ancient
mariners, but guests love the arty lighting,
smooth leather chairs and balconies with jawdropping sea views. The sunlit restaurant also
looks out over the glittering bay and specialises, unsurprisingly, in fantastic seafood.
Bus 6 makes the 20-minute journey to
Penzance half-hourly.
Minack Theatre
St Just-in-Penwith
pop 1890
of St Just, finally closed in 1990, and now offers hourly tours of the underground shafts
(three daily in winter), providing an amazing
insight into the dark and dangerous conditions in which Cornwalls miners worked.
Clinging to the cliffs nearby is Botallack
Mine (not open to the public), one of Cornwalls
most dramatic engine houses, which has
abandoned mine shafts extending right out
beneath the raging Atlantic waves.
Lands End YHA (%0845 371 9643; www.yha.org
.uk; Letcha Vean; dm 10; hEaster-Oct; p) is in an
isolated spot half a mile south of the village.
This no-frills affair has smallish dorms and
a basic kitchen, but is ideal if youre hiking
the coast path.
St Just is 6 miles north of Lands End.
Buses 17/17A/17B travel from St Ives (1
hours) via Penzance (half-hourly Monday to
Saturday, five on Sunday).
Zennor
pop 217
416 C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l
St Ives
pop 9870
lonelyplanet.com
Tate St Ives
lonelyplanet.com
C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l 417
ST IVES
0
0
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
me
rth
Po
e
Th
ey
Dig
St
West
11
t
Qu a y S
Pl
Back
Rd Ea
st
23
10
W
ha
rf
Rd
F is
Ba c k
or
me
rth
Po
Hil
Porthm
eor
Hi l l
on
rno
SLEEPING
Chy Lelan..........................10
Cornerways.......................11
Organic Panda.................. 12
Pebble Private Hotel...........13
St Ives International
Backpackers...................14
Treliska..............................15
The
Fore St
Ba
l
Channe
View
st
We
Pl
Bo
w li
ng
ee
Gr
e
Tc
21
16
m
Rich
on
Pl
k
Bac
St
on
lm
Be Pl
a
r L
Ay
EATING
Alba..................................16
Blas Burgerworks...............17
Onshore............................18
Porthminster Beach Cafe...19
St Andrews St Bistro..........20
Harbour
18
3
y
dg
Clo ie w
V
Lifeboat
Station
n H
ill
St
pel
Cha
na
Rd
ert
12
St Ives Museum
C3
C4
C3
C4
C3
TRANSPORT
Bus Station........................26 C4
To Primrose Valley (150m); Train Station
(200m); Dean Court Hotel (500m); Blue
Hayes (500m); Carbis Bay (1mi); Hayle (6mi)
19
Porthminster
Beach
B4
B3
ENTERTAINMENT
Guildhall............................24 C4
Royal Cinema.....................25 B4
Th
eW
arr
26
e
en
dd
Ski
t
i
a
o
t
nH
The Terrace S
ill
ce
na T
17
Alb
en
Treg
13
Andrews St
24
Pol
t-anStree
C2
C2
C4
B4
DRINKING
Hub...................................21 C3
Isobar.................................22 B4
Sloop Inn...........................23 C2
St
Park Ave
22
n
ge
Tre Pl
25
nac k
Sten
To Zennor (4.5mi)
1
St
riel
Gab
ill
Tc
e
na H
m
a
Pl
The
ley
es
W
Al
14
20
n
Trege
15
Bedford Rd 2
Bethesda
Hill
Porthmeor
Beach
ch
ur
Ch
B3
C3
C3
C2
D1
B2
C3
Porthgwidden
Beach
Rd
or
Island Rd
INFORMATION
Library...............................1 B4
Post Office........................2 B3
Tourist Office................(see 24)
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Barbara Hepworth Museum
& Sculpture Garden.......3
Boat Trips..........................4
Parish Church St Ia............ 5
Sloop Craft Centre............ 6
St Ives Museum................ 7
Tate St Ives....................... 8
Windansea....................... 9
200 m
0.1 miles
418 C O R N W A L L W e s t C o r n w a l l
Budget
around, this shabby indie hostel is pretty battered with cramped dorms and threadbare
carpets, but it is handy for town.
Chy Lelan (%01736-797560; www.chylelan.co.uk;
Bunkers Hill; d 50-60) Set in the heart of St Ives
winding cobbled streets, these two 17thcentury cottages have been converted into
vaguely floral rooms. Theyre on the small
side, but some provide glimpses of the sea.
Cornerways (%01736-796706; www.cornerwaysstives
.com; 1 Bethesda Pl; d 50-80) The bedroom size at
this former fishermans cottage suggests past
seafarers werent big blokes. But the pastel
decor is fresh, you get free tickets to the Tate
and youre just steps away from the harbour
and the beach.
Midrange
Top End
lonelyplanet.com
ceilings, tankards behind the bar and a comprehensive selection of Cornish ales.
ENTERTAINMENT
ISLES OF SCILLY
Information
The Isles of Scilly Tourist Board (%01720-422536; tic@
scilly.gov.uk; Hugh Town, St Marys; h8.30am-6pm Mon-Fri,
9am-5pm Sat, 9am-2pm Sun May-Sep, shorter hr in winter) is
on St Marys.
Useful websites include www.scillyonline
.co.uk and the tourist offices site (www.simply
scilly.co.uk), which has full accommodation
listings.
The islands get extremely busy in summer,
while many businesses shut down completely
in winter. All of the islands, except Tresco,
C O R N W A L L I s l e s o f S c i l l y 419
420 C O R N W A L L I s l e s o f S c i l l y
lonelyplanet.com
ISLES OF SCILLY
0
0
3 km
2.0 miles
White
Island
St
Helen
Shipman's
Head
Tean
King
Charles'
Castle
Cromwell's
Castle
Lower Town
Middle Town
Lawrence's
Bay
Pentle
Bay
Tresco
Heliport
Int
erisla
n
dF
err
St
Mary's
Pool
dF
err
r-is
lan
The
Garrison
St
Mary's
Pelistry
Bay
Lo
Tide
Route
To Penzance
(28mi)
St Mary's
Airport
Porth
Hellick
Old Town
err
y
ain
l
an
dF
Peninnis
Head
M
St
Mary's
Sound
Porth Conger
St
Agnes
Great
Arthur
Porthcressa
Gugh
High
Tide Route
Wingletang Down
St Marys
DEVON & CORNWALL
Inter-island Ferry
Maypole
Hugh Town
Inte
Western
Rocks
Eastern
Isles
Innisidgen
Watermill
Cove
Halangy Down
Iron Age Village
The
Road
Troy
Town
Maze
Crow
Bar
Crow
Sound
y
Samson
Annet
Great
Ganilly
Ferr
y
nel
Tresco
Abbey Garden
Rushy
Bay
Perpitch
Par
Beach
Tresco
han
C
sby
New Grimsby
Samson
Hill
Old
Lighthouse
Day
Mark
Higher Town
Old Grimsby
Grim
Town
Bryher
St
Martin's
Bay
Great
Bay
Chapel Downs
New
Watch Hill
St
Martin's
Int
erisla
nd
Hell
Bay
Tresco
Once owned by Tavistock Abbey, Tresco is the
second-largest island, and the second most
visited after St Marys. The main attraction
is the magical Tresco Abbey Garden (%01720424105; www.tresco.co.uk; adult/child 9/free; h9.30am4pm), first laid out in 1834 on the site of a
C O R N W A L L I s l e s o f S c i l l y 421
422 C O R N W A L L I s l e s o f S c i l l y
St Martins
The most northerly of the main islands, St
Martins is renowned for its beautiful beaches.
The largest settlement is Higher Town where
youll find a small village shop and Scilly Diving
(%01720-422848; www.scillydiving.com; Higher Town),
which offers two-hour snorkelling safaris
(22), subaqua trips for experienced divers
(from 35) and lessons and taster sessions
(from 33). A short way to the west is Lower
Town, home to a cluster of tightly huddled
cottages and the islands only hotel.
There are several small art galleries scattered across the island, as well as a tiny vineyard and a flower farm.
Worth hunting out are Lawrences Bay on
the south coast, which becomes a broad sweep
of sand at low tide; Great Bay on the north,
arguably Scillys finest beach; White Island in
the northwest, which you can cross to (with
care) at low tide; the red-and-white candystriped Day Mark in the east, a navigational
aid built back in 1687; and the secluded cove
of Perpitch in the southeast.
The campsite (%01720-422888; chris@stmartins
campsite.freeserve.co.uk; Middle Town; sites 6.50-8.50) is
towards the western end of Lawrences Bay.
Polreath (%01720-422046; Higher Town; d 80-100)
is a traditional cottage and one of the few
B&Bs on the island. Rooms are snug and
cosy, and its handy for the island bakery and
post office.
St Martins on the Isle (%01720-422090; www.st
martinshotel.co.uk; d 300-560) is the only hotel on St
Martins, and arguably one of the best in the
lonelyplanet.com
St Agnes
Englands most southerly community somehow transcends even the tranquillity of the
other islands in the Isles of Scilly; with its
cloistered coves, coastal walks and a scattering of prehistoric sites, its an ideal spot to
stroll, unwind and reflect. Visitors disembark
at Porth Conger, near the decommissioned Old
Lighthouse one of the oldest lighthouses in
the country. Other points of interest include
the 200-year-old stone Troy Town Maze, and the
inlets of Periglis Cove and St Warnas Cove
(dedicated to the patron saint of shipwrecks).
At low tide you can cross over to the island
of Gugh, where youll find intriguing standing
stones and Bronze Age remains.
The campsite (%01720-422360; www.troytownscilly
.co.uk; Troy Town Farm; sites 6.50-10.50) is at the southwestern corner of the island.
The little stone-walled Covean Cottage
(%01720-422620; d 58-70) is the perfect location
for getting away from the crowds; it offers
four pleasant, good-value rooms and serves
excellent cream teas, light meals and sticky
treats during the day.
The most southwesterly pub in all of England, the Turks Head (%01720-422434; mains 6.5010) is a real treat, with fine views, excellent
beers, good pub grub and a hearty island
atmosphere.
lonelyplanet.com
Getting Around
Inter-island launches sail regularly from St
Marys harbour in summer to the other main
islands. The boats usually leave in the morning and return late afternoon, although there
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