Amazing Days In Cornwall, UK
While the United Kingdom is a vacation destination for many of us, Cornwall is a vacation spot for the British. It is deceivingly massive. Here is our awesome two-day guide! From the illustrious Saint Michael’s Mount to the hidden Kennall Vale. Discover it all!
It’s debatable, but the most popular site to see would probably be Saint Michael’s Mount. The castle and grounds are connected to the mainland via a causeway. A causeway, by definition, is a walkway that spans two places above wet ground. This causeway is magical because it disappears at different points in the day. This is due to the tide consuming it in the later portions of the day. The times vary throughout the year, but it would be wise to check timetables before you go. I preordered tickets, however, it was nearly empty upon arrival and probably not necessary. You also need to acquire return boat tickets if you leave after the causeway is consumed with water. These are cheap, we’re talking 2-3 Euros, and you can grab one at any of the locations inside the island, so no need to preorder these.
In May, you can go in around noon and plan to leave after two in the afternoon. This will give you a chance to walk the causeway in and then boat out once it disappears. It’s the best of both worlds. However, if you’re a serious photographer and really want to get those picture-perfect moments, you probably want to arrive at sunrise or precisely when the causeway is becoming overrun with water.
Saint Michael’s Mount
Every view is a good view
When you arrive, you will be waiting a bit in between people walking up and down the causeway. It still is very possible to snap some good photos with minimal waiting. There is also a large rock formation halfway up the causeway which you can easily climb on and grab a few photos as well. There really is no right answer here, all the angles are beautiful. Even the mossy rockery along the edges is something to admire.
Unfortunately, my only day to explore this site was Sunday, in which they do not have the gardens open. If this happens to you, don’t be too bummed. The gardens are nearly in full view from the castle rooftop. You get a very nice panoramic view from any side. You can’t walk them, true, but they are nice to look at. You also can walk along the grass on either side, one in which connects to the shore. If you do have the option to book the castle and gardens, book the gardens as well. However, the castle is clearly the point of interest that holds rank in this location.
The Upper Level
View the garden, causeway, and get a 360 panorama!
Once you cross the causeway, you’ll be greeted by some friendly folks who will check your tickets or allow you to buy them. They will also direct you where to go. You’ll be directed to head to the right. There are several locations for restrooms, one of which is here. You’ll pass by the first gift shop as well as several historical items along the way. You can then make your way up to the castle along the evident central pathway. You may even see some of the folks that live at the castle playing in their roped off garden in the middle.
You’ll ascend through a mixture of stairs and paths. I believe that this brief walk is still minimal enough for anyone, even those with impairments, so no need to worry. There are several nooks tucked along the sides as well.
The entrance to the castle is after the upper viewpoint where the cannons reside. You can tour the castle and see lots of trinkets, facts, and history. There are various viewpoints throughout the castle path as well. The best view is probably the outer rim of the upper portion of the castle. Be sure to capture a photo here. You’ll see the causeway through the water, even when consumed. I actually saw people wading through to get to shore 🤣.
Before
On our way in at 11am-noon
Once you collect all your photos, admire the views, and gain some history, you can walk back down the path. If you keep to the right, you’ll hit the restaurant and the second gift shop. We chose to sit outside, even though the weather is highly dynamic. The food offered is a mix between a bakery and premade deli style foods. They do have a nice assortment of drinks though. The ambiance while eating was spectacular.
You can choose to spend your whole day here, or you can probably see it all within 2-3 hours. We chose to boat back across in daylight in order to catch a few photos of the flooded causeway. The weather began sunny and tame and ended overcast and rainy. I appreciate both, so it was fine with me. Keep an umbrella with you, always. You will probably enjoy better photos in the sun though, so always capture them while you can. The end of the day didn’t make for the best photos of the causeway, but it was still nice to see from another perspective. I couldn’t find a single viewpoint that accentuated the water covered walkway, but maybe you will.
After
On our way out at 3-4pm
As the day was still young, we had several options. It felt like a full day already, but why not make the best of the time you have? Initially, I planned on driving the coastline, roughly 45 minutes away, in an attempt to find random points of interest. There is a point called “Land’s End” which was a Google photo op, but realistically the entire coast probably looks good. If you do want to see some cliffs (reminiscent of Ireland) then go check that out.
Our Airbnb hosts had a bookshelf for guests which contained guides and such. They really thought of it all. We grabbed one of the books for the road. We found a beautiful, off-beat location called Kennall Vale. Not knowing what to expect, we drove north to check it out.
Random books are the best
Some Airbnb’s think of everything
When they say there’s no parking, they mean it. We couldn’t find a place to park. There are signs to not park anywhere on the long street, and they call out anyone that doesn’t live there. It can be intimidating, but there is hope. We eventually parked on the first turn off after passing the entrance to Kennall Vale when heading back down the hill (we had made a U-turn). You can do your best to blend in with the local’s cars.
We headed in to the entrance. The woodlands were beautiful and practically empty. During our two-hour walk, we saw one other person. First you walk the tunnel like greenery on a path that leads to a small lake and also various brick structures that were broken down. These, according to the book, were sites of a 50-building complex that made explosives and such. It was, previously in the 1830’s, The Kennall Gunpowder Company. It looks like the gunpowder went off in every single building 🙃. It’s pretty amazing that this was industrialized, because they appear more like ancient ruins in the middle of wildlife as opposed to large sets of buildings.
Once through the main walking path, there are tons of forks in the road. We chose to do the higher ground and then circle around to lower. Eventually you’ll encounter the bridge and creek. This alone is worth a visit. Not only is it picturesque, it’s peaceful. You can hear all of nature and none of reality. You can be immersed in the surroundings. By the end of the walk, we finally realized that we would be the only ones there. This prompted me to take ridiculous photos 😁. For some reason, maybe it was the on and off rain, my umbrella, or the tunnel like walkways, but Gene Kelly and Singing In The Rain popped in my imagination. That was the story of how we wasted our next 40 minutes🤣.
Kennall Vale, UK
Having too much fun
Keep in mind, you will still have daylight and time after this. You may be exhausted by this point, but you can still see more if you’d like. Leaving to the Mount at around 11am, it was about 6pm by the time we walked out of Kennall Vale.
You can do more before or after, but these are two great places to visit. Some people go to Cornwall to relax all week at a resort, such as St. Ives, and some people campout by the ocean. The Eden Project is on the way too. There are some amazing hotels, sites, even castle hotel experiences that I considered such as; Bovey Castle Hotel (east), Tregenna Castle Resort (west), or Camelot Castle. However, due to the massive distance, it can be difficult for foreigners to navigate the area.
Cornwall is a place that you can easily spend a few weeks in. If you have something you’ve got to see, like Saint Michael’s Mount, then at least you have a target to aim for. I would not exceed accommodations more than 45 minutes from your goal, especially if you’re already doing a road trip. One thing I’ve learned from this trip is to drive less, see more.
Good luck, and enjoy the ride 😎
