TIPS, INFORMATION & GUIDES
Useful information and tips for your visit to West Cornwall
Grocery Delivery Save youself a trip to the supermarket.
All the major grocery suppliers will deliver to Owl's House
- Asda
- Morrisons
- Ocado
- Sainsbury's
- Tesco
- Waitrose
Don't book a delivery for 4pm on your day of arrival, get stuck in traffic, and then miss it.
Eating Out Avoid the tourist traps with some of our favourite places
There are plenty of good restaurants in Cornwall. In summer you are always advised to book in advance.
The restaurants in St. Ives town come and go. Check trip advisor and always book in advance.
Hayle is less of a tourist town. It has a few restaurants, but none of them made this list. It's pasty shops, and fish & chips are worth a try.
Tremenheere kitchen, Penzance
Situated within Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Tremenheere kitchen is a great restaurant for lunch or dinner. It has easy, free parking, and wonderful, afforfable food.
The Big Green Shed, Hayle
Probably the nearest restaurant to Owl's House, The Big Green Shed is a great spot for breakfast, lunch, or a slice of cake. Nice wines. Free parking.
Argoe, Newlyn
For an amazing seafood experience try Argoe in Newlyn. It's expensive but worth it.
We don't take the kids there. Book far in advance (before you come to Cornwall).
Argoe is situated next to the pay-and-display carpark, on the Newlyn seafront.
The Mexico Inn, Penzance
The Mexico inn offers mid-priced, quality food in a cosy 200 year old pub.
There is a small free carpark around the back of the pub, but free parking in the area is not too hard to find.
The Gurnards Head, a few mile out of St. Ives
We try to go to The Gurnards Head at least once a year.
The food is always excellent. It is better suited to adults than children, unless you take the Sunday lunch.
The restaurant is relaxed, welcoming walkers and dogs. On a nice clear day, usually in spring or autumn, we like to park in the Gurnards Head carpark,
walk a stretch of the South West Coast Path, then return to the restaurant to tuck into an amazing lunch or supper.
The Gurnards Head is at least a 30 minute drive from Owl's House, but the scenery is stunning.
Some of the field enclosure walls on this stretch of north coast are thousands of years old. Book in advance.
The Tolcarne Inn, Newlyn
I should go to the The Tolcarne Inn more often! It's seafood menu is wonderful.
The Tolcarne is quite expensive, so we usually go as a treat. The restaurant is more of a gastro pub: cosy, charismatic, but just a pub.
There are two pay-and-display carparks nearby. I really must go again, soon. Book in advance.
Kota Kai, Porthleven
A family favourite. Good for kids, and reasonably priced. Kota Kai looks out across Porthleven harbour.
We like to sit outside one of Porthleven's pubs for a pre-meal drink, maybe have a walk around the harbour, then settle down for a fusion feast.
There is a small amount of free parking if you are lucky, plus pay-and-display carparks nearby.
Cove Café, Hayle
Perched on a cliff, looking across the estuary towards St. Ives, Cove Café is another family favourite for a beer and a snack on the terrace on a nice day. The fish soup with a side order of fries is a winner. The café offers very good food at a reasonable price. We go there often. The café is small inside, but cosy. To get to the café you must drive into a holiday chalet village and park in their pay-and-display carpark. It's a two minute walk from the carpark to the café.
Going Out See some stuff
Webcams
Even if you don't surf, checking the webcams can make or break a trip out. West Cornwall experiences a variety of micro-climates. There can be a thick sea-fog in Penzance, while St.Ives basks in full sun. If in doubt, search for web cams and see what the weather is really like on the various cliffs and coves around here. Webcam access changes all the time, but here are a few.
The South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path runs 1,014 km from Minehead in the north, to Poole on the south coast.
All of the path is an amazing adventure, even if you just walk a kilometer or two.
The West Cornwall Coast path is quite varied.
Locally, I would say the north coast is harder walking than the south. Siome highlights include:
- St.Ives to Pendeen This is an absolute killer of a walk. I would strongly recommend choosing a point nearer to Pendeen (like this one) and walking west from there.
- Lands End To Porthgwarra is lovely.
- Walking south on The Lizard to Kynance is different.
- Park somewhere, and walk west on the south coast to Lamorna Cove. 5 minutes up the hill is the 'Lamorna Wink' pub.
- The short walk from Perranuthnoe to Praa sands (or vice-versa) is enjoyable. There is food and drink at both ends.
