The Pendennis Guest House, Penzance

The Pendennis Guest House

Surroundings

The Pendennis	The Bungalow	Surroundings

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The Pendennis Guest house is situated in a quiet tree-lined road in the heart of Penzance, only a 3 minute walk from the sea front, with its views over the magnificent Mount's Bay, and within easy walking distance of the centre of Penzance.

The Pendennis prides visitors with an ideal base for exploring West Cornwall and Beyond. St Michael's Mount, Mousehole, the Minack Open Air Theatre and the Land's End peninsula with its numerous beaches, rocky coves and ancient monuments are only a short drive away and attractions such as the world famous Eden project are less than an hour by car.

Penzance is well served for public transport with bus and rail links to many places throughout Cornwall. Visitors can also make a day trip to the beautiful Isles of Scilly by helicopter or ferry.

Other places to visit or local places of interest:

St Ives
The Eden Project
Lands End
Newlyn Fishing Port
Mousehole Harbour
The Lizard
Bird & Seal Sanctuaries
Chysauster Bronze Age Village
Ancient Celtic Monuments
Minack Cliff Top Open Air Theatre
Museums & Art Galleries
Southwest Coastal Footpath
National Trust Properties & Gardens
Lost Gardens of Heligan
Sub-Tropical Gardens
Goonhilly Satellite Station
Horse Riding
Sea Fishing
Golf
Culdrose Naval Air Station

photo © Bocaina Business Services, Penzance

Penzance

The ancient town of Penzance is the ‘Capital’ of the far West of Cornwall and is the last major town before the Atlantic Ocean. It is easily reached by either rail or road, with the A30 and A38 roads giving access from all parts of England, mainly by Motorway or dual-carriageway.

photo © Bocaina Business Services, Penzance

   It is both a market town and a popular tourist destination, and features an attractive promenade on its sea front. There are several historic houses in the town, along with a number of museums and galleries. It includes the most westerly major harbour on the English Channel. From here, there are ferry services both by sea and air to the Isles of Scilly, which lie some 28 miles beyond Lands End.

   Penzance is the natural touring centre for the Lands End peninsula, historically known as Penwith. The peninsula is an area of outstanding natural beauty, containing some of the finest coastal scenery in the country. The cliffs and beaches, accessible both by road and from the Cornish Coastal Footpath, are truly spectacular. The beaches and the sea around Penzance are amongst the cleanest and safest in the country - both for beach activities and for water-sports.

   Having been populated since pre-historic times, the area contains numerous 'standing stones' and 'stone circles' (e.g. the Merry Maidens) as well as iron-age village sites which remain as memorials to that era. The National Trust has several properties in the surrounding area which have made their own contribution to the heritage of which the area is so proud. Local places of interest include St Michael’s Mount, the famous landmark of Lands End, the artist's town of St Ives, the unspoiled village of Mousehole, and the famed Minack Theatre. Access to all these locations, and many others, is easy whether by public transport or by car.

St Michael's Mount

St Michael's Mount is located some 3 miles east of Penzance and is one of the treasures of Cornwall. Set on an island a few hundred yards off-shore from the ancient town of Marazion and in the heart of Mounts Bay, the castle - now owned by the National Trust - has for centuries been the home of the St Aubyn family.

   Originally, the building was a Benedictine Priory which had religious links with the equally famous Mont St Michel in Normandy, France. The island served as a major port in earlier times and is thought to be the island of "Ictis" which was the centre for the export of Cornish tin and copper to the Greeks and Romans in pre-historic times. Today, the Island and Castle are open to the public every weekday and most weekends during the summer and on a limited basis during the winter. While access to the island is easy at low tide when the granite causeway is opened for pedestrian crossings, there are ferry boat services running at high tide during the summer.

   Marazion is the oldest chartered town in Cornwall having been granted this status by King Henry III in 1257. The town is named in the Cornish language for its historic Market (now discontinued) - "Marghas Byghan", meaning Small Market - which became corrupted in pronunciation into "Marazion" while, despite appearances in the name, there is no historic connection with Judaism. Today, it is a peaceful small town facing onto one of the most beautiful wide stretches of safe sandy beach in the West Cornwall. There are several quaint narrow streets and interesting shops in the town, but glimpses of the sea around every corner remind the visitor of the town's dramatic neighbour - the island of St Michael's Mount. For those interested in sailing, Marazion is the home of the Mounts Bay Sailing Club, whose boats add colour to the water scene every weekend during the summer. In addition, there are often major National championship races which bring many hundreds of small craft to the town beach for week-long competitions - frequently of a very high international standard.

   Between Penzance and Marazion lies the Marazion Marsh - an area of water and reed-beds which is a magnet for wild birds, particularly during the Autumn (Fall) migratory period. It is a very popular location with the many BirdWatchers who visit West Cornwall at these times of the year.
Access to Marazion is by road along the shore heading east from Penzance and there are several car parks on the shore immediately above the beach. There are regular bus services every day (including Sundays) between Penzance and Marazion

Mousehole

Is located just three miles westward around Mounts Bay from Penzance and is one of the most beautiful coastal villages in Britain. Happily, it has remained largely unspoiled by the developments of the 20th Century and it continues to present the image of the classic Cornish fishing village of bygone days.

   The village, whose name is pronounced "Mowzel", is centred around a nearly circular harbour protected from the force of the sea coming across Mounts Bay by two sturdy breakwaters. Today there still remain some fishing boats based in the harbour while these are augmented by pleasure craft to make the vista of the harbour peaceful and idyllic. It was in Mousehole that lived Dolly Pentreath, reputedly the last person who spoke the Cornish language as her natural tongue, which died with her some 200 years ago. A memorial to her is to be found in the churchyard at Paul, a small village just above Mousehole.

   In recent years, this ancient Celtic language has undergone an enthusiastic revival. In winter, the harbour entrance is closed by sturdy wooden beams to keep the force of the sea at bay and to protect the village. In past times, the villagers have suffered the effects of winter storms on their harbour and one of these events is commemorated annually shortly before Christmas on "Tom Bawcock's Eve" where a monstrous fish pie is baked and consumed by the patrons of the Inn on the quayside. This event, which becomes a major village party, attracts visitors from both the surrounding district and from all over the world.

   Just offshore outside the harbour is St Clement's Isle - a small rocky islet where once an ancient hermit was said to live. A few hundred yards along the coast from the village lies a huge cave which - so some people say - gives rise to the name of the village (Mouse Hole!). While this is unlikely, the origin of the name continues to be a topic of much curiosity. A small and very safe beach is located in a sheltered part of the harbour which is popular with families, particularly those with small children. Beyond Mousehole, the road from Penzance heads off inland, while the Coastal Footpath continues on towards the narrow cove of Lamorna, thence to Penberth and Porthcurno.

   While there is road access to Mousehole via Newlyn, car parking in the village is extremely limited and the roads are very narrow. Consequently, visitors are encouraged to park on the outskirts of the village and to walk in. There is a regular bus service from Penzance into the village - to the astonishment of many visitors in view of narrowness of the road entrance to the village.

Directions to the Pendennis Guesthouse: Follow the A30 into Penzance. Keep to the left at the traffic lights near the station. Continue on this road following the signs to Newlyn around the Harbour keeping the Sea on your left. Keep on past the Jubilee swimming pool; Travel further along the sea front and promenade go past the Queens Hotel, at Island turn right into Alexandra Road, We are towards the top of the road on the right.

Directions to the Bungalow: Take the A30 to Penzance, as you come into Penzance you will be on a dual carriageway with Morrison's on your left and the Heliport to your right. At the end of the dual carriageway is a roundabout (Tesco garage is on the right). Take the left hand lane marked town Centre,

CAUTION: two lanes merge. After approximately 100 yards TURN RIGHT onto the B3311 marked St Ives, Follow this road for approximately 1.5 miles twisting through the village of Gulval and eventually going uphill

CAUTION you are now on Cornish roads and they may not be as wide as you're used to! You will see a sign for Kenegie Manor Holiday Village on your left.