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St Mawes Travel Guide and Information.

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St Mawes

"The quaint little town occupies an almost unrivalled position as a resting place for tired brain workers. It is in fact a natural convalescent home where men and women, weary and worn with city life,"
A. Hayward, Ancient St. Mawes.

A busy yachting harbour, St Mawes is ideally situated on the Roseland Peninsula overlooking the River Fal towards Falmouth. One of Cornwall's finest little villages, quaint St Mawes slopes to the sea with streets lined by pretty thatched cottages, villas and gardens.

Flanked by Carrick Roads and the River Percuil, St Mawes is an old fishing village that has always depended upon the water for its survival. Fishing is no longer as important here as it once was and now the greatest catch of the day is the tourist pound. Picture postcard perfect, St Mawes is blessed with Cornwall's mild climate providing an ideal location for sailing, fishing, swimming and walking. On either side of the harbour at St. Mawes, you'll find two great beaches for swimming and sunbathing. Look to the hillside and you'll see the beautiful, wee Tudor fortification of St. Mawes Castle. Shaped like a clover leaf, St Mawes Castle and its sister Pendennis Castle were built by Henry VIII to protect Carrick Roads, a waterway created during the Ice Age that leads to the third largest natural harbour in the world. Now an ideal spot for sailing and cruising, you'll be able to make your way along the water to Falmouth or as far as Truro.

Attractions around St Mawes
Often described as the the capital of the Roseland, St. Mawes makes a great base for sailing, fishing, walking and exploring other attractions in the area. If you're interested in walking, take a stroll down to the seafront and head on a coastal walk accompanied by the splash of the waves and the cries of sea-gulls. Another option is to take a walk by the Percuil River on National Trust Land. Needless to say, the best way to enjoy the harbour is upon the water. If you can't afford a cruise, jump on a ferry and visit Falmouth or St. Anthony Head with its 1834 lighthouse and beautiful 13th century church of St. Anthony-in-Roseland. Alternatively, you can take the King Harry Ferry to Truro. You'll dock close to Trelissick Garden, a National Trust property noted for its Mediterranean flowers and beautiful woodland walks by the River Fal. If you're exploring the Roseland Peninsula don't miss St. Just-in-Roseland, a little hamlet with a lovely church lying next to a creek just two and a half miles away. Described by by John Betjeman as "the most beautiful churchyard on earth?, the gravestones slope down to the water's edge surrounded by subtropical plants and plant trees. Other villages worth your while in the Roseland Peninsula include Portscatho which lies close to some more good beaches and Veryan famous for its round houses built to confuse the devil!


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