Penzance in Cornwall

22 January 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  9 minutes

The Wharfside Centre © geograph.org.uk - Mari Buckley/cc-by-sa-2.0

The Wharfside Centre © geograph.org.uk – Mari Buckley/cc-by-sa-2.0

Penzance is a town, civil parish and port in Cornwall. It is well known for being the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles (121 km) west of Plymouth and 300 miles (480 km) west-southwest of London. Situated in the shelter of Mount’s Bay (Towards the middle of the bay and probably the origin of the name is St Michael’s Mount), the town faces south-east onto the English Channel, is bordered to the west by the fishing port of Newlyn, to the north by the civil parish of Madron and to the east by the civil parish of Ludgvan. A ferry service is operated between Penzance Harbour and the Isles of Scilly by the Scillonian III, carrying both foot-passengers and cargo. Sailing time is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. A bus service run by the Skybus Airline Service connects with Land’s End Airport for fixed wing flights (15 minutes) to the Isles of Scilly. The buses leave from the railway station, near the taxi rank, rather than the bus station. Penzance is home to the new Newlyn Art Gallery establishment “The Exchange” which opened in 2007. Penzance is also the home of Penlee House, an art gallery and museum notable for its collection of paintings by members of the Newlyn School. Within Penzance town centre there are a growing number of commercial art galleries. Every December Penzance holds the Montol Festival a community arts event reviving many of the Cornish customs of Christmas, including Guise dancing.   read more…

St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall

17 January 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  7 minutes

St. Michael's Mount harbour © geograph.org.uk - Chris Downer

St. Michael’s Mount harbour © geograph.org.uk – Chris Downer

St Michael’s Mount is a tidal island located 366 metres (400 yards) off the Mount’s Bay coast of Cornwall. It is a civil parish and is united with the town of Marazion by a man-made causeway of granite setts, passable between mid-tide and low water.   read more…

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