In the county of Cornwall there is a beautiful harboured village named St Mawes. This picturesque village of St Mawes seems to peer out over the River Fal, looking in the direction of Falmouth, the bustling marine town near by. Its scenery and undulating coastline made St Mawes the choice location for ‘Poldark’ a very popular series on television.
St Mawes, Cornwall is a community where life revolves around the sea, so there is quite a number of boats and yachts constantly anchoring down very close to the main St Mawes Harbour where the waters are usually calm.
Because of where it is situated, and being well sheltered, St Mawes provides safe anchor to boats, along with accessibility to the coast, the River Fal and the Carricks Roads. The Carrick roads are interesting natural features as they were formed when the valley was flooded due to the rise in the sea level caused by the melting ice of the Ice Age that occurred millions of years ago, this eventually over time made a natural harbour. This natural harbour is rated as the third largest in the world and can be easily navigated from Falmouth to Truro in Cornwall.
Visitors can also get to the busy Cornish marine town of Falmouth by taking the foot ferry that runs from the St Mawes quay, the trip is likely to take approximately twenty-five minutes and is a very scenic journey. A smaller ferry also runs to the St Anthony headland during the summer months. The St Anthony headland is located across from the outer harbour of St Mawes and has a lot of breathtaking walks, coastal views and a lighthouse.
By going further along the Roseland Peninsula one can find a number of beautiful Cornish villages including Veryan, Portscatho, Tregony and Portloe. The village of Veryan is famous for its five white roundhouses guarding the entrance to the village.
St Mawes, Cornwall, has only two beaches, which can be found on opposite sides of the harbour. These beaches are great places to go swimming from and launch sailing dinghys, wind-surfers and kayaks from. The St Mawes beaches are also great for those who just want to sunbathe! If you follow the coastline further you will find more beaches along the way. Most of the beaches to be found are small and quiet, they also lack the social facilities you would find at a beach where there is a hotel. Despite this, St Mawes is still a great place to have a holiday with the family.
In St Mawes you will find a range of facilities such as cafes, restaurants, shops, hotels and bars located around the harbour. There is a large range of self catering holiday accommodation and cottages for those that want a bit more space! St Mawes, Cornwall, also has a busy Sailing Club and a recreational ground with tennis courts which can be rented, located close to the harbour. St Mawes has a castle on the outskirts of the village called the St. Mawes Castle and it is the twin to the Pendennis Castle located across the Carrick Roads in Falmouth. Henry XIII built St Mawes Castle during the 16th century. From the castle and about two miles away along the coast line, is the St Just in Roseland church which has been described as the most beautiful churchyard on earth.
St Mawes is the primary village on the Roseland and is often described as the Jewel in the Crown of the Roseland Peninsula. St Mawes has a lot to offer the visitor for both long holiday stays and shorter visits with a good variety of hotels, guesthouses, and bed & breakfasts. St Mawes is particulary popular for visiting Yachts and boasts three boatyards, Polvarth, Freshwater, and Percuil, as well as local marine engineers and boat builders within St Mawes. For visitors and holiday makers wishing to stay in St Mawes village in self catering accommodation, they will find an abundance of self catering cottages, apartments, chalets, and houses that have been beautifully looked after and in some cases restored. Be warned however, these self catering style properties in St Mawes get booked up very early and quite a large percentage are booked up a year in advance, so don't delay your booking. st mawes Eating out in St Mawes is a real pleasure and there is a small, but select, number of restaurants and pubs to choose from. There are just two pubs in St Mawes, The Victory Inn, which is the last remaining traditional pub, and the Rising Sun that has been decorated to suite a more contemporary palate. Both provide accommodation and offer excellent food, beer, and wines. The St Mawes hotel is more of a bar (two bars) with accommodation and offer fantastic sea views across St Mawes bay as well as a full featured Mediterranean themed menu.
The three Hotels in St Mawes consist of the Tresanton, a very exclusive privately owned hotel (Olga Polizi), The Idle Rocks with its spectacular terrace built right into the St Mawes Harbour sea wall, and the Ship & Castle with a convenient central location and fabulous views. As with the self catering properties in St Mawes, its best to book these Hotels as early as possible. The transport links to and from St Mawes on the Roseland are good with foot passenger ferries operating very frequently between St Mawes and Falmouth, perfect for a bit of shopping in the Historical Falmouth town or visiting the National Maritime Museum. Foot passenger ferries also operate between St Mawes and Truro and are a great way to see the Carrick Roads and the Fal. The King Harry Ferry offers a quick and convenient way to drive from St Mawes – off the Roseland and over to the Truro / Falmouth side of the river Fal. This ferry has recently been replaced with a larger capacity version to ease congestion. St Mawes is the perfect location for a fun packed family holiday, or a romantic getaway for two, and with mild weather all year round, any time is a good time to visit.
