Penzance

From Newquay, I took the train down to Penzance. Penzance is one of the westernmost points of Great Britain. By train, you travel across Cornwall from one coast to the southern coast, and the last stretch runs along the sea for a long time.

I spent three days here. I found accommodation with a Servas family. They let me borrow a bicycle, which gave me a whole new feeling of freedom. During those days, I felt like I did nothing but ride my bike and go swimming.

Just around the corner from Penzance is St. Michael’s Mount. A castle on a small island that can only be reached on foot during low tide.
It is very similar to Mount Saint Michael in northern France. However, this castle here in Cornwall is less well-known.

I didn’t go inside the castle because low tide coincided with the castle's closing hours, and I found the prices for the boat ride and entrance totally exaggerated. However, I found it a highlight to wade through the water to the other side.

At the foot of the castle, there is a small village. Unfortunately, entry to the village is also closed in the afternoon. On the other hand, I can understand it since people still live in the small village today. For them, it is their normal home, and they do appreciate some time without tourism.

The water level due to the tides is always so high that there are only four hours each day when the residents can drive cars over the road. Otherwise, the only option is by boat, and while one could swim, that’s not very practical either.

On my second day, I took a trip into the city center of Penzance to take a closer look at everything.

Many small, cute pedestrian zones. Everything is very colorful, and here you can also find many galleries and shops selling artworks.

Penzance is definitely a place in Cornwall that one can and should visit. It is very well located for sightseeing. For one, it is really quick to get to St. Michael’s Mount (it’s only 25-30 minutes by bike), but it is also worthwhile for other day trips. St. Ives is not far away, and I’ll share more about that in my next post, and Lands End is practically around the corner. I still regret to this day that I didn’t go there. Lands End is the westernmost point of Cornwall and perhaps also of Great Britain. Just 10 miles from Penzance, but somehow I didn’t have time for it; well, I can add it to my travel list. Because one must also come to terms with that. You can’t always do everything you set out to do. I’m definitely glad that I managed to explore Cornwall in the two and a half weeks because I really enjoyed it here!