Things to do

What to do around Portscatho and Cornwall's Roseland Peninsula

Cornwall's much celebrated Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan are 35 minutes away.
discover the Roseland's delightful countryside and cliff-top walks, secluded creeks and wooded valleys
the most beautiful walk from Portscatho to Place manor via St Anthony's head lighthouse - passing the Roseland Church at St Anthony where Jesus and Joseph of Arimathea were possibly shipwrecked and landed - see article - catching the passenger ferry to St Mawes, relax over a cream tea and then catch the bus back to Portscatho
hire a rowing boat, motorboat, kayaks or windsurfing board at nearby riverside Percuil and cruise up creeks and rivers - ask and we can arrange
www.paddleandsail.com
or hire a boat hourly, daily or weekly at local www.mylorboathire.co.uk
stunning wooden sailing day boats for hire: sail around the beautiful Falmouth harbour exploring local waterside pubs and creeks with www.falwoodenboathire.com - boats available from St Just in Roseland
walk along the South West Coast Path to Pendower beach, turn and follow the river to Melinsey Mill where you can congratulate yourself with a generous Cornish cream tea (among other things) at this most beautiful natural setting - woodland, lakeside tables and cheeky little birds on your tabletop waiting for crumbs. Definitely the writer's favourite spot for cream tea. Pure poetry.
learn a new watersport at Percuil's 'Paddle and Sail' - ask and we can arrange
try your hand at fishing in Cornwall
check out Cornwall's best local sandy beaches: Porthcurnick, Towan (winter home to seals), Pendower, Carne, Porthbean and Porthbeor.
visit the nearby harbour village of St Mawes with it's walled seafront, castle and magnificent sub-tropical plants, which becomes a lively little yachting haven in the summer months and has a good choice of shops, pubs, restaurants and indulge in the obligatory cream tea.
walk from St Mawes two miles along the coastal walk to St Just in Roseland where you will find 'the most beautiful churchyard on earth' (Sir John Betjeman)
take the passenger ferry from St Mawes to colourful bustling maritime Falmouth and take in its cobbled streets, antique shops, National Maritime Museum, pubs and restaurants, beaches, and wonderful views across the Carrick Roads (Fal estuary).
Lunch on fish and chips on one of Falmouth's Quays, looking out to sea, enjoying the sun and wondering at the huge ships in for repairs or visiting Tall Ships at Falmouth Docks.
Take one of the many pleasure cruises from Falmouth or St Mawes. The Fal Estuary and Helford River - both areas of outstanding beauty and wildlife - can only be fully appreciated by boat.
The King Harry Ferry (5 miles away) is an enjoyable shortcut by car ferry to Falmouth, passing alongside the National Trust's Trelissick Gardens.
Visit the picturesque neighbouring villages of Veryan and Portloe!
Cornwall's capital city, Truro, with its cathedral, shops and cobbled streets - a 25 minute drive. Truro Cathedral has regular organ recitals and if you time it correctly you can enjoy an organ rehearsal.
Spend the day at St Ives with The Tate of the West and other St Ives art galleries
The village of St Agnes still retains its mining character with its cottages and engine houses.
Cream tea or lunch at Smugglers Cottage - an embarkation point for US D-Day landings.
Portscatho's Regatta is a lively event that visitors return for year after year - with music and dancing in the streets. Many have been participating for generations.
Local art galleries - Chris Insoll's New Gallery and Sprindrift
Sub-tropical gardens of Cornwall: The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Trebah and Trelissick to name a few.
Magnificent Music Machines - "a delightfully eccentric museum created on the back of one man's passion for music boxes, Wurlitzers and organs of yesteryear. Paul personally guides you around his collection, treating you to performances and dipping into his encyclopaedic knowledge." (Holiday Which) - by the old mill steam in the lovely Looe Valley - just off the B3254 at St Keyne Station near Liskeard. 01579 343108
The Portscatho Harbour Club with stylishly refurbished bar and enviable balcony overlooking the sea- £5 annual membership – pool table, snooker, darts, table football, air hockey, sea views, and a downstairs gym. Open all day Sunday. Children are allowed in the games room til 8.30pm. Free events to members include cinema nights Mondays, Bingo on Thursdays. Gym downstairs (£4 per session).

Gardens in Cornwall (National Trust and private)

The Roseland Peninsula is a horticultural paradise and is one of the most beautiful locations in Cornwall. The southern coast is warmed by the Gulf Stream. The Cornwall Garden Festival and Flower Show is held each spring and abundant forests of camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias and azaleas in the nearby gardens make Spring in Cornwall a spectacular time for all garden lovers:

The Church of St Just in Roseland one of the Daily Telegraph's 100 Favourite Churches, (a ten minute drive away) dates from AD 550 and nestles by the Percuil River amongst camellias, rhododendrons and sub-tropical plants.
Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth
Trelissick Garden, Feock, Truro, TR3 6QL
Trengwainton Garden, Penzance
Tresco Abbey Gardens, Isle of Scilly
Trewithen Gardens, Truro
Lost Gardens of Heligan, Pentewan, St Austell
Caerhays Castle Gardens, Caerhays, St Austell
Glendurgan Garden, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth
Penjerrick Garden, Budock, Falmouth
Probus Gardens, Probus, Truro

Blue Reef Aquarium
Cornish Cyder Farm
Cornish Goldsmiths
Cornwall Guide
Cornwall Taste of the West
Eden Project
Falmouth Port - visiting ships
Flambards
Helston Folk Museum
Geevor Tin Mine
Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station
Hall for Cornwall for plays, concerts
Jamaica Inn
Just Cornish
Lappa Valley Steam Railway
Looe
Looe Discovery Centre
Lost Gardens of Heligan
Minack Theatre
Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
National Maritime Museum Cornwall
National Seal Sanctuary
Newquay Zoo
Padstow 'Obby 'Oss
Padstow Museum
Paradise Park
Pencarrow House & Gardens
Penlee House Gallery and Museum
Poldark Mine
Shipwreck Rescue & Heritage Centre
St Just-in-Roseland - St Mawes 15th century church
St Michael's Mount
Sterts Arts & Environmental Centre
Tate Gallery, St Ives
The Bash Street Company
The Lost Gardens of Heligan
The National Trust
The Pilchard Works Heritage Museum
The Royal Cornwall Museum
The Yarg Cheese Farm
Trebah Gardens
Water World
Wheal Martyn Museum

And of course the Cornwall's highly acclaimed Eden Project.

Treloan Coastal Holidays - seaside caravan park and campsite on Cornwall's unspoilt Roseland Peninsula - close to sandy beaches

Things to do

Gardens in Cornwall (National Trust and private)