A Trip to Cornwall

It was a rough start to the day. We never heard an announcement that we were arriving in port at 9 am instead of 7:30 and were up and ready to get our tender tickets before 7. Seems like everyone else didn’t hear the message either.

Finally, we arrived in port at 9 am but it’s been tough getting the tenders set up. It’s going to be a bucking bronco ride.

Our time to board the water shuttle arrived and none too soon. People were starting a mutiny. We were first off after Elite, suites and Princess Shore Excursions and that was at 11am.

We met our driver, Stephen, from Tour Cornwall, and Glyniss, who stepped up and organized the tour after the initial person decided he was not going on the cruise. Another couple didn’t make it which was not really appropriate, because we had to absorb their costs.

Just a note if you book a cruise and back out last minute, and its not paid for upfront, other people are responsible for your share.

Anyway it’s going to be a lovely day!

We passed through many villages in Cornwall. The countryside was a delight – little seaside villages and beautiful open fields.

Along the way we saw a pump house, which used to pump the water out of the tin mines. Tin is no longer a hot commodity but they are starting to mine lithium.

We finally arrived in Marazion, the little village at the base of St. Michael’s Mount. We stopped to buy Cornish Pasties to eat when we went to St. Michael’s Mount.

We had a beautiful day weather-wise. Warm and sunny when the forecast had been rainy and 50 degrees. It was glorious.

St. Michael’s Mount is a tidal island which is connected to Marazion by a causeway. Lots of water taxis were going back and forth to the island because the tide was high. If you arrive at low tide, there is actually a walkway that goes all the way to the Island. We took one of the water taxis which only took a few short minutes.

It was time to eat our pasties. I almost forgot to take a picture so it’s half eaten!

Now nourished and happy we were ready for the long walk uphill.

The cobblestones were extremely difficult to walk on as they were uneven and grooved. We just walked up that path.

A stop at the Giant’s Well.

Keep walking and huffing and puffing!

A little rest! Not looking too bad!

Looking up at St. Michael’s Mount.

Almost there! Of course, there were cannons.

A lookout at the harbor and Marazion.

We arrived! Just one more uneven staircase!

St. Michael’s Mount is the home to the St. Aubyn family and has been since 1650. Prior to this, it was a monastery from the 8th to the 11th century and a place where pilgrims traveled. T

Then it was used by the military before becoming the home of the St. Aubyn family.

The family still resides at St. Michael’e Mount but we were able to tour some of the upper rooms.

The main dining room was once the refractory for the priory. It was the main dining room until the 1950s.

A triangular-seated three-legged Elizabethan chair made by a bodger or woodworker adorns the dining room. This piece is at least 325 years old. It has been in the home since 1690.

There was several rooms we viewed including a smoking room, drawing room and map room.

But there was also a church. It was a medieval church with a nave.

An interesting statue of St. Michael!

Up on the parapet, we could see the gardens below!

And a side view of the castle!

And Marazion!

Back inside the castle we went through the long passage to the garrison.

We then descended from the castle which was much easier than ascending. Once we arrived back in Marizion, we could see the beginnings of the causeway! This wasn’t visible at all when we arrived.

We met up with Stephen who wowed us with tales of Cornwall. We visited Mousehole, a quaint seaport village that Stephen said turns magical at Christmas.

Stephen shared about how the town was devastated after the loss of the Penlee lifeboat during Christmas 1981. He said that every year on that date, they dim the lights for an hour, to honor those who lost their lives.

It was time to head back to the ship after a rewarding and enriching day in Cornwall!

I enjoy taking private tours rather than ship tours. For one, they are smaller and more intimate. And two, they usually cost less. Tour Cornwall and our guide Stephen afforded us a lovely afternoon.

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