Walking Tour
From Coast to Castle
by Gail
6 nights from £5,100 per person
Overview
The definitive Cornwall experience in a single week, led by Gail — a guide who knows how to weave our Duchy's greatest landmarks into a journey that is personal, not packaged. From the legendary ruins of Tintagel and the harbours of Port Isaac to the Roseland Peninsula's hidden Tudor castle, the art galleries of St Ives, the dramatic tin coast and a cream tea on St Michael's Mount, every day brings a different side of Cornwall to life. Evenings are spent at some of our Duchy's finest hotels and restaurants, from the renowned PIG-at Harlyn Bay to the historic Alverton Manor in Truro and the clifftop Carbis Bay Hotel overlooking St Ives Bay.
Tour Highlights
The Minack Theatre
Visit the extraordinary open-air theatre carved into the granite cliffs above Porthcurno, with the Atlantic Ocean as its backdrop.
Tintagel Castle
Walk the clifftop ruins of the legendary birthplace of King Arthur, where medieval walls cling to the headland above the Atlantic.
King Harry Ferry to Truro
Cross the River Fal on the historic chain ferry before a walking tour of Cornwall's only city, crowned by its striking Gothic Revival cathedral.
Cream Tea on the Mount
Cross the ancient causeway to St Michael's Mount — Cornwall's most iconic landmark — and finish with a cream tea in the Harbour restaurant.
Itinerary
Day 1 SUNDAY: ARRIVE & SETTLE IN
Arrive Bodmin Parkway train station, where Gail will welcome you to Cornwall. The drive takes you to what might be Kernara's favourite hotel, PIG-at Harlyn Bay, a beautifully restored country house above one of Cornwall's finest beaches. Settle in, explore the kitchen garden, and gather for your first dinner together — the PIG's menus are built around what's been grown, foraged and landed within 25 miles.
Day 2 MONDAY: TINTAGEL & PORT ISAAC
Begin with the dramatic ruins of Tintagel, the legendary birthplace of King Arthur, where a medieval castle clings to the cliffs above the Atlantic. After lunch, head to Port Isaac — the impossibly pretty fishing village made famous as the setting for Doc Martin. Walk the harbour lanes, spot the filming locations, and enjoy a Doc Martin tour through the village with Gail.
Day 3 TUESDAY: THE ROSELAND PENINSULA & TRURO
Transfer to St Just in Roseland and walk through one of Cornwall's most beautiful sub-tropical churchyards to St Mawes, a sheltered harbour town on the tip of the Roseland Peninsula. Views over Carrick Roads, the Percuil River passing the Tudor castle built by Henry VIII to guard the entrance to the Fal estuary, then take the King Harry chain ferry back across the river Fal. The afternoon brings a walking tour of Georgian Truro, Cornwall's only city, crowned by its striking cathedral.
Day 4 WEDNESDAY: THE NORTH COAST & ST IVES
Head for the North coast via St Agnes Beacon where a walk along the South West Coast Path takes you visit the dramatic ruins of Wheal Coates — a clifftop engine house that has become one of the most photographed landmarks in Cornwall. Then head to St Ives, boarding the scenic branch line train at St Erth for the fifteen-minute ride into St Ives. After a late lunch, explore the town's world-class art scene with visits to the Tate Gallery and Barbara Hepworth's studio and sculpture garden.
Day 5 THURSDAY: THE FAR WEST & MOUSEHOLE
Walk the South West Coast Path through Cornwall's far west, past Pendeen Lighthouse and Levant Mine to the iconic Crown engine houses perched on the cliff at the ocean's edge. Descend into Mousehole — pronounced "Mowzel" — one of Cornwall's most enchanting fishing villages, where the harbour is ringed by granite cottages and the pace of life hasn't changed in generations. In the afternoon, take a boat trip along the coast from Mousehole or Newlyn.
Day 6 FRIDAY: LAND'S END, THE MINACK & ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT
Your final day is one for the ages. Walk from Sennen Cove to Land's End — the most south-westerly point of mainland Britain — then visit the Minack Theatre, an extraordinary open-air amphitheatre carved into the granite cliffs above Porthcurno. After lunch, continue to the Merry Maidens, a Bronze Age stone circle hidden in the Cornish fields. The day — and the week — culminates with a visit to St Michael's Mount, crossing the ancient causeway to the tidal island and finishing with a cream tea inside the castle.
Day 7 SATURDAY: DEPARTURE
Say goodbye to Cornwall and transfer to the station for your journey home — or onward to your next adventure. After a week with Gail, you'll have seen the Cornwall that makes the postcards — and the Cornwall that lies beyond them.
Your Guide
Gail
Blue Badge Guide — Cornish Culture & Poldark
I'm Cornish born and bred — from the mining town of Camborne (although born in Redruth) now living in the fishing village of Mousehole, where I sit on the Harbour Authority board. I hold a Blue Badge in Guiding and am a member and an Examiner for The Institute of Guiding in the UK. My first degree is in Tourism specialising in Heritage and Culture. So it's not surprising that I have a deep pride in being Cornish that goes back to my Celtic roots. I met Winston Graham, the author of Poldark and love to share with my guests everything I learned from him. I also guide regularly in London, which gives me a unique perspective on the connections between Cornwall and the Crown, the royal warrants, the politics, the power. If you want castles, coastline, cream teas and a few stories that will genuinely surprise you, you're in the right hands.
"In Cornwall, we are spoilt with castles, coastline, culture, food, and art. It's too good to keep — it's got to be shared."
What Gail loves most about Cornwall
When to visit Cornwall
- Best time to visit
- Good time to visit
- OK time to visit
Cornwall rewards visitors year-round, but our walking tours run from April through to October, when the coastal paths and Atlantic light come into their own.
The quieter months to walk with us are May, June, September and October. Wildflowers line the cliff paths, the pace slows, and our guides can share the coast unhurried and uninterrupted — Cornwall at its most authentic.
July and August bring warmth and longer days, though the coast is busier. Our local knowledge and private access come into their own here, leading you to quieter corners the summer crowds never find.
Dates & Prices
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Your handpicked luxury hotels
Nights 1 & 2
PIG-at Harlyn Bay
A 15th-century country house a stroll from the beach, where the kitchen garden supplies the restaurant and everything on the menu comes from within 25 miles.
Nights 3 & 4
Alverton Manor
A converted Victorian convent on the hill above Truro, with ancient gardens, grand interiors and Cornwall's only city on the doorstep.
Nights 5 & 6
Carbis Bay Hotel
Five-star estate with its own private beach, clifftop spa and the restaurant where G7 leaders dined in 2021.
Considered dining experiences
Cornwall is celebrated for its coastlines and culture, but the food remains one of its quieter pleasures. Every Kernara tour weaves in carefully chosen dining experiences — from Michelin-recognised kitchens to harbourside restaurants where the catch arrives hours before your plate.
The Lobster Shed, PIG at Harlyn Bay
2 Fore Street, Mousehole
The Gurnard's Head
Cream Tea on St Michael's Mount
Porthminster Beach Cafe
So, ready for your Cornish adventure?
Frequently asked questions
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Coves & Caves
Sea caves at low tide, fishing coves where boats are still winched by hand, and clifftop engine houses built above mines that ran out under the Atlantic — this is Cornwall at its rawest and most real. Your guide Morgan knows every hidden corner of this coastline, and he's ready to show you why.
Legacy & Landscapes
Cornwall's industrial past left its mark on some of the most dramatic clifftops in Britain — ruined engine houses, underground mines, and UNESCO-listed landscapes that tell a story most visitors walk straight past. This tour follows that story from the tin coast to the Lizard Peninsula, with Angie as your guide.