St Mawes

St Mawes sits near the entrance to the Fal Estuary and is a mecca for the boating and yachting fraternity. The village boasts three boatyards and numerous moorings and anchorages for both visiting and local yachtsmen, providing a stunning vista from the shoreline.

The local sailing club in St Mawes is extremely active arranging racing events and evening functions for locals & visitors alike, including other clubs up and down the Fal and on the Roseland Peninsula. This includes the town’s regatta which takes place in late July/early August and dates back over 120 years.

Visitors to St Mawes can easily get about by water, even if you don’t have a boat. There are regular ferries across to Falmouth throughout the year and in the summer a small ferry crosses to Place on the south side of the Percuil River. From Falmouth you can also get a boat upriver to the National Trust’s Trelissick estate.

Of course, being right on the waterfront the village is are also a haven for the gastro enthusiast, with restaurants and pubs serving up superb fish and shellfish dishes all year round, as well as the more traditional dishes.

St Mawes’ location at the end of the Roseland Peninsula puts it in a great position to guard the eastern side of the Fal Estuary. The castle was built under orders of Henry VIII in the 16th century and is now managed by English Heritage. A visit to it is a must if in the area.

South of St Mawes, and accessible by the little passenger ferry over to Place, is St Anthony Head where you will find more fortifications. The St Anthony Battery was built in 1895-97 and served during both World Wars. Visitors are free to walk around the headland and take in the view from the former battery observation post. The headland is also home to the iconic lighthouse, known to many as the Fraggle Rock lighthouse.

As well as headlands the area is rich in creeks, snaking inland and offering plenty of nice walks to explore. The Percuil River flows past St Mawes and has footpaths along both shores, great for bird watching and just getting away from things. North of St Mawes, the St Just Creek is home to the church dedicated to the said saint, sitting in a sub-tropical setting and always worth a visit.