West Cornwall: 14 things to do

 

Eldest daughter is in her GCSE year, which means our family holidays are limited. Since tests take up much of her April/May/June – gone are the days of going away all Easter as a family!

This year I took the younger girls to California to see my dad, but we wanted to give our eldest a wee break to chill out before her exams started. The best option for us was to take a few days off and “staycation” in Cornwall where she could relax and go surfing!

We’ve been to Cornwall several times but never made it out as far as West Cornwall. If you make the effort to go just that little bit further – St Ives, Penzance, Land’s End –  you will be rewarded with a wild and rugged coastline that even teens will fall in love with. 

Below are 14 ideas for activities with teens if you are visiting Cornwall, especially the west. If you have any suggestions of your own, please comment below!

 

West Cornwall: 14 things teens will love

 

1. Learn to Surf at Sennen Surf Center

Ultimate cool factor for teens. Dave Muir has run the school and shop for the past 11 years (the rest of the time he likes to travel with his young family and is an eco warrior waging war on plastics on the beach). From surf camps to private lessons Dave’s staff will turn your kids into a surfer kid worthy of a Beach Boys classic. And while the kids are cutting up the waves, mum and dad can walk to Land’s End (30 minutes) or have a coffee in the adjacent Surf Den. After, have an artisan burger or hand-spun pizza at Ben Tunnicliffe’s beachside restaurant, then pop into the Sennen Surf Shop for a hoodie souvenir of the day. The whole setup reminds me a lot of the surfing culture in Surf City USA. 

 

 

My 15-year-old’s perspective

I really enjoyed my lesson at the Sennen Surf Centre in Cornwall, perhaps even more than California and Hawaii! For the first time, I learnt how to trim waves and change directions, which added a whole new exciting element to my surfing skills. Despite the cold (6C!) I got up about 20 times, and each time I had loads of fun and could hear cheers from my instructors. I would definitely recommend Dave and the Sennen Surf Centre to anyone!

 

 

 

2. Walk out to Cape Cornwall

Cape Cornwall is a beautiful headland where two majestic bodies of water meet (Atlantic Ocean and English Channel). We were blessed to be able to walk there from our Sykes Cottage in St Just. Cape Cornwall is National Trust maintained (as are most areas of interest in West Cornwall) and if you bring your membership card you get free parking. At low tide there’s a Sea Lido; I didn’t see anyone swim in it but there were kids launching paper boats. If you get there before 5 pm you can have afternoon tea with the best views in the UK! The Little Wonder Cafe, a light blue Instagram-worthy camper van serves tea, cakes and light snacks.

 

 

 

My 14-year-old’s perspective

Cape Cornwall is very scenic, even the car park has gorgeous views. We walked up to the monument where you had a good view over the sea. At low tide you can go rock pooling and explore the caves. There’s even a sea lido where you can swim. But the best part if the cute café where I got brownies made with mini eggs! Yum!

 

 

 

 

3. Take a boat to St Michael’s Mount 

Even teens will be entranced with this magical rocky island crowned with a medieval castle and church. Life on the small island is governed by the tides. In low tide you can reach the island by foot via a cobble-stone causeway, and in high tide you can make the short trip by boat. National Trust managed, with free entry if you are members. My tip: Visit by boat when the causeway is closed, because when the causeways opens floods of tourists flock there.

 

 

My 13-year-old’s perspective

St Michael’s Mount is a majestic medieval castle straight out of a story book! You can take a boat there, or at low tide you can walk on the causeway. When you get to the top of the castle there are great views of the sea. For kids, they have a quiz and if you finish it you get a medal.

 

 

 

4. Visit Tate St Ives, Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden and Leach Pottery

My teens are all art students and constantly looking for inspiration. In addition to small galleries, St Ives is home to several world-class art institutes, including Tate St Ives, the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden and Leach Pottery. You can visit all three (plus Penlee in Penzance) with a 7-day Art Pass. It’s totally worth it.

 

 

My 15-year-old’s perspective

Hidden amongst the streets of St Ives and facing the picturesque coastline is the Tate. There are many exhibitions there, which makes it a great place to spark ideas and get inspiration (I’m about to take my Art GCSE). We saw a Virginia Wolf exhibition which highlighted pieces inspired by her writing.

 

 

6. Walk to Land’s End

Skip the tacky amusement park and go straight for the real thing. Land’s End is mainland Britain’s most south-westerly point and one of the country’s most famous landmarks. Gaze out to the Longships Lighthouse and from the 200-foot-high cliffs. On a clear day you can just make out the Isles of Scilly (28 miles away). Teens will love to take a selfie here!

 

 

My 13-year-old’s perspective

We walked to Land’s End from Sennen Cove. Land’s End is the most southern point in England and it was very cool to see it. You can pay to take a photo at the famous sign, but we just took one anyway!

 

7. Go down a Tin Mine

Tin Mining is a huge part of Cornish culture. Take a guided tour of Levant Mine and Beam Engine, given by local experts. If you are a National Trust member this is all free!. Guides give an overview of Levant’s history, including a visit down the Man Engine tunnel where 31 men lost their lives in 1919. There are also some nice walks along the coast that even teens will love.

 

 

8. Penlee House

It’s quaint and small, but great art inspiration for budding teen artists. Nice coffee shop too.

 

 

9. The Minack Theatre and Porthcuno Beach

The Minack Theatre is an open-air theatre, high above the dramatic Porthcuno Beach. Check the schedule to see what’s on and catch a show or just walk around the site. Then walk out to Porthcuno Beach, another National Trust maintained beauty spot! It’s a great place to take photos – just watch out for the waves which may knock you over! 

 

 

 

11. Take a dip at the Jubilee Outdoor Bathing Pool 

The Jubilee Outdoor Bathing Pool is an open air lido right on the beach, built in art deco style in 1935. Beautiful and meticulously maintained (it looks like the deck of a ship) but it’s not for the lighthearted. The pool is filled with fresh seawater (and sometimes seaweed). If you’re not into swimming, go there to sunbathe or have a hot chocolate in the cafe. Great place for an Instagram snap. (closed now)

 

 

12. Eat a Cornish Pasty on the beach

You have to do this while visiting Cornwall. Pasties are everywhere. Our local bakery in St Just published baking times, so you can grab one fresh out of the oven.

 

13. Kayak in Mousehole

Postcard perfect, and great for aspiring artists. Rent a kayak or, if you can’t be bothered, just get an ice cream and soak in the chic atmosphere (just beware of the seagulls who will swoop down and steal it right out of your hands!).

 

My 14-year-old’s perspective

Mousehole is a cute, Instax-worthy village near Penzance that overlooks the sea. There was a little harbour good for crabbing and it was full of small colourful boats which I took a photo of! We watched all the kayakers and got Cornish ice cream.

 

 

14. Try a Meringue from St Ives Bakery

These meringues are epic and some of the biggest I have ever seen. No trip to St Ives is complete without a walk down Fore Street for a bit of shopping. The St Ives Bakery Shop window is amazing, stocked full of freshly made treats. And everything tastes as good as it looks.

 

 

Where to stay: Sykes Cottages

Boslow Cottage in St. Just suited us well. A traditional 1800s granite terraced house that overlooks the sea, it was close enough to walk to the centre of town (5 minutes) or to the stunning Cape Cornwall Coast (a 1 mile easy walk). If you are feeling ambitious, the coastal path to Lands End is a 2-hour ramble.

Boslow was recently extended and completely renovated, adding space and luxuries including a gorgeous kitchen and underfloor heating, while at the same time preserving original features like the granite fireplace and floor boards. The effect is a very comfortable cottage to cozy up in when the West Cornish elements rage outside.

Boslow sleeps 6, with 3 bedroom upstairs (1 x king-size double with TV and en-suite; 1 x twin; and 1 x double with TV). There’s a family bathroom with heated tiles and a 15-jet jacuzzi bath – just the thing a teen needs after an afternoon surfing. There are fabulous views over the headlands and to the sea from the upstairs bedroom, where you can watch the sun set.

Read my review of Boslow Cottage in West Cornwall 

IF YOU GO

Sykes Cottages sykescottages.co.uk A huge choice of over 10,000 personally inspected holiday cottages to rent in the UK and Ireland. We were really pleased the with high quality of our rental Boslow.

Cape Cornwall St Just area, Land’s End Peninsula, Cornwall, TR19 7NN https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cape-cornwall

Pendeen Watch Lighthouse St Just, Pendeen, Penzance TR19 7ED

Levant Mine and Beam Engine Pendeen, Trewellard, Penzance TR19 7SX https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/levant-mine-and-beam-engine

Sennen Surf Centre Sennen Cove Penzance TR19 7BT +4401736 871227 http://www.sennensurfingcentre.com

Ben Tunnicliffe Sennen Cove Cornwall TR19 7BT +44 01736 871191 http://benatsennen.com

Tate St Ives Porthmeor Beach, Saint Ives TR26 1TG +44 01736 796226 http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives

Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden Barnoon Hill, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 1AD +44 01736 796226 http://www.tate.org.uk/

Leach Pottery Higher Stennack, Saint Ives TR26 2HE ≠44 01736 799703 https://www.leachpottery.com

Porthmeor Beach Cafe Porthmeor Beach, St Ives  TR26 1JZ
https://porthmeor-beach.co.uk/cafe/

St Ives Bakery 52 Fore St, Saint Ives TR26 1HE +44 01736 798888 http://www.stivesbakery.co.uk

Porthcurno Beach Porthcurno Cornwall TR19 6JX

St Michael’s Mount Marazion TR17 0HS +44 01736 710265 http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/st-michaels-mount

Jubilee Outdoor Bathing Pool Battery Rd, Penzance TR18 4FF +44 01736 369224
https://www.jubileepool.co.uk/

The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Penzance TR19 6JU +44 01736 810181
https://www.minack.com

 

Other places to stay in Cornwall

• St Moritz Hotel
• The Residence at Gwel an Mor
• The Sands Hotel
• Nans Tek Cottage

Disclosure: Our stay at Boslow was provided by Sykes Cottages. All opinions are my own.