Private tour in Falmouth Zoe Y
5.0
(5) reviews
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Zoe Y.
4.9
Guide rating
72
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11 hrs
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Hello, and welcome to Kernow! . . . that's Cornwall's name, in Cornish. If you seek a creative local adventure. . I look forward to showing you around :-) I've lived here near 15 years & discovered magical mysteries, surprising stories & perfect places to see. As an artist, my bespoke meanders offer glimpses beyond the mundane & are sculpted from your dreams. . These adventures are tightly responsive to your possibilities in terms of timetable, location, mobility, budget, deadlines etc. I grew up in London & the West Country, & have always moved around. I've worked as a researcher, facilitator, film maker, writer, university chaplain & town councillor. My ancestors were active in politics, exploration, preservation & writing, my grandmother Kathleen was sculptor colleague of Rodin, obsession of Aleister Crowley, protector to Isadora Duncan, widow of Antarctic explorer Captain Scott & their son (my uncle) become David Attenborough's inspiration: Sir Peter Scott, artist & conservationist. His little brother - my father - & our later generations grew up in the house beside Kensington Gardens where JM Barrie completed 'Peter Pan'. . . Sailing in the wake of such influences. . I've plenty of stories to tell. But more importantly here: what are YOUR stories made of? Where do YOU want to go? What have you heard about Cornwall? Novels, fairy tales, shows. . . rumours abound for sure Have you - your ancestors, your heroes - been here before? Of where do you dream today? Are you up to wild weather clambering around ancient ruins? Do you fancy a Cornish pasty & an ale? Or is the smoother journey, with high end galleries & swishy restaurants serving sustainable seafood, more your sort of thing? Tell me your hopes, your ideas. . . Do you enjoy (pre) history, arts, music, landscape, heritage, festivals, markets, wild nature, local food & drink? Tourist traps, or off the beaten track? Sacred sites, magical ruins, seasonal festivals, folk museums, galleries & shining castles of high art. . ? I also know London, Glastonbury, the neolithic sites of north Wiltshire - among other special places along the route down to Cornwall - should you wish to explore further afield. All my tours can be adapted... each custom tour designed just for you, so if you're passing Kernow way & wonder where's good to be, let's talk! Oh, & having also worked as a photographer, I'll be happy to take pics of &/or for you whenever you request :-) Practical Considerations: Cornwall is six hours journey each way by road or rail from London, UK. There are no motorways here. . traffic, and time, flows slow. We'll get there 'Dreckly' . . this is a local term, meaning a kind of Cornish 'Manana'. . . In short, this is an isolated, rugged region. Travel here is SLOW. The Atlantic ocean surrounds us. Rail, air, sea & road connections are regularly disrupted by bad weather. Farmers take tractors on the main roads. Cows, sheep & caravans block traffic; trucks & tourists get stuck in tiny lanes. We have floods, & trees fall. Old mines collapse creating sink holes. So if you are traveling from outside the area, please allow extra time.! . . pack solid boots, waterproof rainwear. . (no brollies!) . . and plan for at least one overnight stay :-) I look forward to hearing from you & to showing you around these amazing lands All the best, Zoe NB photos featured in tour descriptions are courtesy of Visit Cornwall, or taken by friends or I took myself. Master of Science & Fine Art. Researcher. Author. Documentary Maker. Performer. Permaculturist. Grew up wandering London, Britain, Europe, the World. Now based in Cornwall making art. Licensed Taxi Driver with Cornwall Council Full driving license for 30 + years. NB I am not a 'Blue Badge' Guide.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Zoe Y.
Home of the Falmouth School of Art, this is a friendly, creative, subtropical port town where progressive students mingle with shanty singers, yachties with van dwellers, and grunge metal bands with trad brass. There's an Art Gallery, radical coffee, a pub-come-bookshop and a National Maritime Museum. Wind in the Willows began life at one harbour-front hotel. Packet Station and port of last resort for British imperial seafarers, Falmouth boasts palm trees, beaches, exotic gardens and the deepest natural harbour in Western Europe. Historic docks nestle beneath Pendennis Castle, built by Henry VIII to defend against the Spanish, later fought over by pirates and privateers. Older than Falmouth, neighbouring Penryn was once a centre of Cornish scholarship rivaling Oxford and Cambridge, and is now home to two international universities. Mining and maritime heritage is everywhere and, with magnificent sea and landscape, whatever your interests, there'll be something special for you here.
I'll meet you from your accommodation, vehicle, or station to begin our walking tour. Depending on your location, abilities & interests, and the weather as well, we'll visit Falmouth's most interesting areas: historic docks, Henry VIIIth's Castle on Pendennis Headland, maybe a beach, the Maritime Museum, local galleries, etc. And in Penryn we may explore the College Valley & mysterious ruins of old Glasney College, once a Cornish equal to Oxford & Cambridge universities. . The walk will end wherever we began it - or somewhere else if that's more appropriate. . .
Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
On foot
Falmouth, UK
Falmouth Cruise ship dock
5 reviews
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
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