Cornwall is as far from the hustle-and-bustle of London as you can get. Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, this region of southwest England has been breeding hardy folk since the Neolithic period. As the industries of farming, fishing and mining have slowed, the tourist trade has become the primary earner, attracting painters and writers, hikers and bikers to this beautiful region.

From the rugged Lizard Peninsula to the cobbled lanes of St. Ives, taking a private Cornwall tour with a local guide will ensure you leave with incredible photos…and unforgettable memories.

While places like Truro and Penzance have their charms, Cornwall is predominately rural - so hop in your guide's car and head out of town. Those looking to stand on Devon and Cornwall's highest points can trek up Brown Willy and High Willhays to see both the English Channel and the Bristol Channel.

Whatever you're looking for, let our private guides create a tailor-made trip to suit your schedule and your interests.

Cornwall

Welcome to Kernow (that's Cornwall, in Cornish!).

Do you dream of Tintagel Castle, Boscastle's Witchcraft Museum, St Nectan's fairy glen?
Of stone circles, neolithic settlements, sacred wells?
Of St Michael's Mount and the endless shining ocean off Land's End?
Of subtropical gardens, tidal creeks?
Post industrial ruins, mining heritage sites?
Traditional fishing settlements, peaceful sandy coves?
Locally caught seafood and high end galleries in picturesque ports?
Folk traditions and piratical pubs?
The Lizard? The Coast Path?
What else. . . ?

Each of my tours is designed to be an individual art piece, responding to your hopes & interests & also to Cornwall's weather, seasons, tides. . . So talk to me. Tell me what you dream of, what you've heard. .

Let me find you a magical Cornwall of your own. .

St Michael's Mount as seen across a daffodil field. Cornwall's warm subtropical climate allows flowers to grow here earlier than in the rest of the country. Copyright: VisitCornwall

Explore the Gem of Britain's Far South West

A Magical Cornwall Tour of Your Own

Essential Cornwall Private Tour- the "must visit" places

This one day tour takes you to the locations that everyone thinks of when they think of Cornwall. From stunning coastal views to idyllic fishing ports via iconic landmarks you will visit and experience some of the most spectacular places in Cornwall. Don't forget your camera!

The tour takes a circular route around the coast of the far West of Cornwall, including Lands End. We will pass through the towns of St Ives and Penzance but also visit beautiful little fishing ports such as Mousehole (pronounced Mowzel). Visit the breathtaking beach at Porthcurno, the dramatic St Michael's Mount and discover Neolithic standing stones.

Of course, there will be plenty of wonderful places to stop for refreshments - maybe even one of our wineries, if you choose!

Many of the places on this tour are ones I visit regularly even without guests because they are close to my heart. Even if you think you know these spots I will give you a new & personal view of them.

Experience the Iconic Cornish locations in a day

Falmouth through the eyes of a local artist

Home of the Falmouth School of Art, this is a friendly, creative, subtropical port town where progressive students mingle with shanty singers, posh yachties with van dwellers, grunge metal bands with trad brass. There's an Art Gallery, radical coffee, a pub-cum-bookshop & a National Maritime Museum. Wind in the Willows began life at one harbour-front hotel.

Packet Station & port of last resort for British imperial seafarers, Falmouth boasts palm trees, beaches, exotic gardens & the deepest natural harbour in Western Europe. Historic docks nestle beneath Pendennis Castle, created by Henry XIII to defend against the Spanish, commandeered by local pirates, fought over.

Older than Falmouth, neighbouring Penryn was once a centre of Cornish scholarship equal to Oxford & Cambridge, & is now once again home to two international universities.

Mining & maritime heritage is everywhere & with magnificent sea & landscape, rain or shine, whatever your interests there'll be something pretty special for you here. .

Explore these historic sub-tropical harbour towns, covid safe, on foot..

This tour takes in all the key sites in the story of King Arthur as recorded in the first written account by Geoffrey of Monmouth in 1136 - we will start the day in Tintagel, visiting the Castle with it's spectacular new footbridge and King Arthur's Great Halls, where the legend is explained. We will also visit the magical waterfall at St Nectan's Glen where the Knights of the Round Table were blessed before starting the quest for the Holy Grail.
Also included are other key locations including the scene of Arthur's final battle, the place where the Round Table is allegedly buried and also the lake where Sir Bedevere returned Excalibur to The lady of the Lake after Arthur's death.
The tour includes stunning cliffs and coastal scenery as well as the rugged beauty of Bodmin Moor.
I have always been fascinated by the Arthurian legend and being lucky enough to live where it all happened means I can give you unique insights into the story and the facts behind it, personal touches you will not find in guidebooks.

covers admission to Castle, Great Halls, St Nectan's Glen & Authrian Centre

A tour following the legend of King Arthur from his birthplace to the final battle.

King Arthur's Cornwall Private Tour

Poldark's Cornwall - the dramatic West Coast Guided Tour

The tour visits some of the key locations used in the filming of TV's Poldark, starring Aiden Turner. We will travel the stunning coastal road around the Penwith Peninsula, taking in the the settings for Wheal Leisure, the Poldark mine; the beach where the famous swimming scene was filmed; the real-life village used as the village of Saul and many others.
We will walk on the clifftop paths where many of the key scenes take place and stop for refreshments at the hidden cafe that fed the cast and crew on one of the night shoots.
Many would argue that the scenery is one of the stars of the show and this tour will prove that point!
I have many hours with my family exploring this area and discovering the history of the Cornish mining industry and would love to share it with you. This tour is not just for Poldark fans - the scenery is stunning and will take your breath away - make sure your camera or phone batteries are fully charged.
Several of these locations are not visited by bus tours - they don't fit!

Explore the secret coves and dramatic clifftop locations featured in Poldark

Welcome to Kernow (that's Cornwall - in Cornish).

The recent BBC remake of Poldark starring Aidan Turner & Eleanor Tomlinson gives a taste of the economic & political history - as well as the awe-inspiring beauty - of this rugged, post-industrial, ocean-facing land.

My tours are individual art pieces, offering you both a sense of the past & of how the generations before us shape our lives today. This is less your standard, tick box, Poldark tour than your chance to get beneath the surface of some of the most atmospheric places I've found here in Kernow: premodern villages, semi-natural wilds, living historic communities, and ocean views from the ruins of the iconic mineral heritage which once made Cornwall rich
. . & may yet do so again.

Explore the Gem of Britain's Far South West - as seen on TV

Poldark's Cornwall Tour

Tintagel, Boscastle & Beyond On A Private Tour

This is a raw, rough landscape riven by storms & legends, the legendary Tintagel headland on the atmospheric North Cornish Coast.

We will walk through the ruins of the medieval castle, the mythological site of King Arthur's conception. If the weather's bad we can spend more time in the otherworldly Witchcraft Museum in neighbouring Boscastle; if the weather's good we can visit the waterfall at St Nectan's Glen or ancient labyrinths carved into the rock many thousands of years ago. . .

There's nowhere quite like this area: the combination of spooky mythology, craggy cliffs & cultural oddity endlessly fascinates me and I'm sure that if you've both the legs & the stomach to really get involved, you'll find stories & images here that are uniquely memorable.

Seasonal Ritual outside the Museum of Witchcraft

Exploring the Mysteries of this Raw, Rocky Coastal Realm..

I have spent many happy hours exploring Port Isaac & listening to the singing on the Platt, beer in hand. It is a place I love and know well.
Have you fallen in love with "Port Wenn", home to Doc Martin? Fascinated by the touching story of The Fishermen's Friends, the local singing group who won a record deal, starred at Glastonbury, were touched by tragedy and went on to have a major Hollywood movie made of their tale? Then let me take you to the tiny North Cornwall port where it all happens. We will explore the locations used in filming both stories - and the original film that sparked the character of Doc Martin - "Saving Grace" starring Brenda Blethyn.
We will also visit the tiny coves of Port Quin, "the village that died", and Port Gaverne, both used as filming locations.
For those who want to make it a full day, we can travel North along the coast, taking in the stunning views and visiting Tintagel and Boscastle; alternatively, we can head South to visit Padstow and surrounding areas.

Explore the place that is home to both TV's grumpy Doc and the world famous singers!

Doc Martin & The Fisherman's Friends

From Fowey to Falmouth - Romantic South Cornwall

We will start in Fowey, the home of Daphne Du Maurier and setting for many of her works, and explore the many other literary connections. We will also spend time in Charlestown, location for the filming of Poldark and many other films and TV shows and a gorgeous 18th century port in it's own right. The tour continues along the South Coast via the Roseland Peninsula, often said to be the prettiest part of Cornwall, to Falmouth, home to Pendennis Castle and many tales of seafarers and pirates.

Along the way we will explore several locations with literary or film links, including romantic country houses, castles and breathtaking coastal views. We will visit the church at St Just in Roseland, described by John Betjeman as "to many people, the most beautiful churchyard on earth" and there will be the opportunity to have lunch at a working 16th century watermill hidden in a delightful wooded valley. Having an English Lit degree, I love to discover and share the places and stories that inspired the writers.

South Cornwall and the Roseland - Du Maurier, Rosamunde Pilcher, Poldark and more

Neolithic and Sacred Sites of West Penwith

Welcome to Kernow (that's Cornish for Cornwall) - an ancient, magic land filled with Neolithic remains, ancient customs, pagan rites. . and ruins!

We offer this tour as a full-day option that can be shortened to half a day or extended to two as required. Travel within Cornwall is slow - it's an isolated, rugged region - and several sites require a bit of trek to access, so we may only be able to visit a few sites of your choice within a six-hour tour.

Please make contact with any questions, suggestions, or dates.

Explore the Prehistoric Landscape and Stone Circles of the Farthest South West Part of Cornwall

Come for a ramble in the fields and woods above Falmouth Bay, then down to the rocks of the intertidal zone.

I walk here daily with my dog, and often swim in the sea. . join me as I gather free gourmet foods. . and pick some for you.

Learn to identify the tastiest and most nutritious edible plants, from delicious seaweeds to bright summer berries to the freshest of young spring greens. I will teach you to identify and safely gather wild seeds, leaves, flowers, nuts, fruits, and fungi of the forest, coast & field. . each bespoke forage walk responds to the season, climate, and participants' interests.

Sea Lettuce is full of good nutrients and amazingly tasty

Shaggy Parasol Mushrooms are easily identified and can grow huge

Wild Garlic - Ramsons - runs rampant in spring: fresh pesto from the ancient woodlands

Primrose Petals make refreshing tea, and taste like heaven in a ground almond, lemon and polenta cake

Truffle of the Sea - Pepper Dulse - tastes peppery, salty, umami.. it is a tiny and prolific seaweed, often dried as a condiment

Feasting with the Seasons - Encountering Ancestral Wild Foods of the Seaside, Fields and Verges

FalFeral Foraging in Falmouth, Cornwall

The Poldark TV show has generated a huge amount of interest and I have led tours for everyone from those who fell in love with the scenery to the committed fans of the show who turn up in full period costume! With that in mind I have devised this 2 day tour that covers as many of the locations as I can fit in, starting on Bodmin Moor where the opening scene was shot and finishing at Gunwalloe, where the closing scene is set. Throughout the 2 days I will not only take you to the places where the show was shot but also give you insights behind the scenes and tell you the real tales of Cornish life in those days. We will drive the most scenic routes, visit the mines, beaches, and moorland that form the backdrop to the show, see how both the gentry and the workers lived and find some great pubs and places to eat along the way. This is not just for the committed fan but I will give you a real Cornish adventure. Walk in the footsteps of the characters, stand on windswept cliffs and let your imagination do the rest

Start where Ross returns to Cornwall and finish where the final scene was filmed!

The Ultimate 2 day Poldark Tour

Bodmin Moor - History, Legends & Landscapes

Bodmin Moor is a rugged, wild and romantic place, steeped in history and legend. From Bronze Age tombs to tin mines, from Poldark to Jamaica Inn, I am lucky enough to have it all on my doorstep and it is my "go to" place to lift my spirits and recharge my batteries. It has so much more to offer than just the stunning views and the tour will let you experience this landscape from my personal point of view.
This is not a walking tour but there will be walking opportunities included. There are so many places to see in a relatively small area so we will drive from location to location but will also have the opportunity to walk among the landscape and touch the history - you can literally put your hands on ancient sacred stones erected 5, 000 years ago!

A one day tour of this unique and wonderful place

Did your ancestors come from Cornwall?

Would you like to visit their graves, their homes, their places of work and of worship?

Let's trace your Cornish heritage here. .

a customisable tour to visit the places where your ancestors lived and worked

Mining Cornish Ancestry

Castles, Great Houses and Gardens of Cornwall

Cornwall has many historic and beautiful castles and great houses, as well as many famous gardens. This tour is designed to let you visit and explore a number of these locations. I formerly worked for the National Trust and am able to give you a fully guided experience around the various sites.

My suggested itinerary includes a grand house with the best Victorian interior in the South West, the Legendary Lost Gardens of Heligan and a Castle dating back to the time of Henry VIII, all of which are among the finest examples of their kind. If you have any other places in Cornwall that you particularly wish to visit, I can easily substitute them.

luxury picnic hamper including award winning Camel Valley sparkling Brut as served at Buckingham Palace

Explore some of the historic Castles, Houses and Gardens to be found in Cornwall

Reach Devon and Cornwall's Highest Points Tour

I came upon this tour almost by chance, having been asked by a friend whether or not it was possible to walk up both of Devon and Cornwall's highest points in a single day. Well, I'm glad to say that the answer is "yes", and what a fabulous day out it makes.

It can be done either way round, the Devon walk first then the Cornwall walk, or vice versa. It is a fabulous opportunity to get an insight into both counties in one day, and the views from the high points are beautiful and very photogenic. The drive between the two is just under an hour, giving you the chance to re-charge between the walks, and you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the lovely scenery. I will tell you some local facts, and give you some of the history of the places we see and pass through on the day.

Lunch will be eaten between the walks - maybe you want to sample some local fare (Cornish pasty or Devonshire cream tea?!).

On the day I will take photographs of your group, so you have memories to last for life.

Truro tours

Explore with 17 tours and 3 guides.

Zoe Y.

$ 1,315 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 886 (USD)

Zoe Y.

$ 402 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 856 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 750 (USD)

Zoe Y.

$ 1,315 (USD)

Zoe Y.

$ 1,315 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 715 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 750 (USD)

Zoe Y.

$ 1,315 (USD)

Zoe Y.

$ 266 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 1,227 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 715 (USD)

Zoe Y.

$ 1,329 (USD)

Peter L.

$ 845 (USD)

Alex G.

$ 763 (USD)

Meet your local guides in Truro

Customize your tour