Falmouth (Town)
As is clear from its name, Falmouth is situated at the mouth of the River Fal. It is the second-largest town in Cornwall, both it and larger St Austell being more populous than the City of Truro. Falmouth has no fewer than three railway stations, all linked with Truro by a GWR branch line. While Falmouth’s overall level of maritime activity has seen a long-term decline, it remains Cornwall’s busiest port.
National Maritime Museum Cornwall
This museum, situated adjacent to Falmouth Harbour, is presented in collaboration with the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. Unlike other national museums, however, it does not receive government support. It aims to illustrate topics such as small boat design and maritime history, mostly with a particular focus on the local area.
St Mawes
The coastal village of St Mawes lies on the Roseland Peninsula, on the opposite side of the anchorage known as Carrick Roads. St Mawes has two passenger ferry links from different piers in Falmouth, and I used the Custom House Quay link to make an afternoon visit. While much of the village is attractive, the undoubted highlight is St Mawes Castle, which dates from the time of Henry VIII. This well preserved fortification is in the care of English Heritage, making it freely accessible to me as a member of Historic Scotland.
Porthcurnick & Portscatho
Wednesday’s dog-walking involved a return to the Roseland Peninsula, but not St Mawes. After driving to Porthcurnick Beach, all 12 legs were well exercised as we followed the coastal path to the pretty village of Portscatho. Our return route in the car was via the King Harry Ferry across the River Fal, which is relatively unusual in being a chain ferry.
St Ives
On Thursday, I made a solo day trip to the attractive seaside resort of St Ives (population ~11,000), which lies on Cornwall’s north coast. The town’s name is a contraction of St Ia’s Cove, and the C of E parish church is dedicated to this saint. St Ives is served by a scenic branch line from St Erth, one stop short of Penzance.
Tate St Ives
Since 1993, St Ives’ star attraction has been Tate St Ives, a branch of the Tate Gallery specialising in modern art with links to the local area. (St Ives has long attracted artists, going back to Turner in the early 19th century.)
