The Guided Tour

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Walk around Pendennis Headland topped with an historic castle at the entrance to Falmouth’s picturesque natural harbour. Be rewarded with sweeping views of the Cornish coast towards the beautiful Roseland peninsula and across Falmouth Bay. Encounter golden beaches and gardens with exotic plants and palms and take the opportunity to indulge in a cream tea.  Jam First of course! 

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As we walk towards Pendennis Point we stop to look over the active dockyard. During WWII Falmouth was a safe haven for soldiers and refugees. As the docks were important to merchant and naval vessels, they soon became a target for German planes whose bombs also fell on the town. Barrage balloons were installed, the Half Moon battery at Pendennis castle reinstated and defences improved. Secret operations were carried out, not least those in preparation for D-Day when American troops were trained on the shores of the Fal and Helford rivers. Today maritime activity continues with commercial vessels, cross-channel ferries, naval ships, cruise liners and yachts visiting the harbour. We reflect on how the harbour developed from a C16th haven to a C17th Packet Ship port for clippers and its transformation into today’s tourist destination. 

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At Pendennis Point we see the most southerly Coastguard Station in the UK, gaze across to the picturesque Roseland Peninsula, and walk along Castle Drive to Falmouth Bay, where we see the Falmouth Hotel the first to be built here in Victorian times. We visit Gyllyngvase, Falmouth’s largest sandy beach. We continue on the South West Coast Path to Swanpool before taking a walk back along the sea front, for views of Pendennis Castle, built as a coastal defence in Tudor times, perched on the headland before us. Gyllyngdune Gardens is our last stop where – if we haven’t partaken you can choose to indulge in a Cornish Cream Tea.